Favor Fridays with Tony™: When God Favors You to Build What Others Say Is Impossible

There are moments in history when God raises up people who refuse to accept the limits society places around them.

Not because the path is easy.

But because the calling is undeniable.

On this sixth day of Women’s History Month, we honor the remarkable legacy of Nannie Helen Burroughs, an educator, leader, and visionary who built one of the most transformative educational institutions for Black women in American history.

At a time when Black women were systematically denied access to opportunity, Burroughs refused to accept the idea that doors had to remain closed.

Instead, she built new ones.

The World She Was Born Into

When Nannie Helen Burroughs was born in 1879, the United States was still wrestling with the aftermath of slavery and Reconstruction.

For Black Americans — and especially Black women — opportunities were painfully limited.

Education was scarce.

Economic mobility was restricted.

And society often told Black women that their role was to remain invisible.

But Burroughs believed something different.

She believed that education was not just about information.

It was about liberation.

And she believed God had placed a calling on her life to equip women with the tools they needed to rise.

When Favor Looks Like Vision

Vision is one of the clearest signs of favor.

Proverbs 29:18 reminds us:

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Vision sees possibilities before they exist.

Vision imagines structures that have not yet been built.

Burroughs envisioned a school where Black women could receive not only academic education but also vocational training, leadership development, and spiritual formation.

At the time, that vision seemed unrealistic.

But God often places impossible visions inside faithful people.

Faith That Builds Institutions

In 1909, Nannie Helen Burroughs founded the National Training School for Women and Girls in Washington, D.C.

This school offered something revolutionary.

Students learned:

• academic subjects

• professional skills

• business training

• spiritual development

• leadership principles

The goal was not simply employment.

The goal was empowerment.

Burroughs believed educated women could transform families, communities, and future generations.

She understood something deeply biblical.

Education multiplies influence.

Biblical Foundations of Empowerment

Throughout Scripture, knowledge and wisdom are described as powerful forces.

Proverbs 4:7 declares:

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.”

Wisdom is not passive.

It equips.

It prepares.

It strengthens people to walk confidently into their calling.

Burroughs’ school reflected that principle.

She wanted her students to leave with skills, dignity, and faith.

She was not just building careers.

She was shaping destinies.

Women’s History Month and the Power of Builders

Women’s History Month reminds us that many of the structures that empowered future generations were created by women whose names were not always widely celebrated.

Some women marched.

Some women protested.

Others built institutions.

Builders create long-term impact.

A protest can spark change.

But institutions sustain it.

Nannie Helen Burroughs was a builder.

And builders carry a special form of favor.

When God Favors the Impossible

Burroughs once said something extraordinary about her school.

She declared:

“We specialize in the wholly impossible.”

That statement reflects a profound biblical truth.

Luke 1:37 reminds us:

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

God has always used unlikely people to accomplish extraordinary things.

A shepherd boy defeated a giant.

A fisherman became a disciple who helped change the world.

A teenage girl gave birth to the Savior.

And a Black woman born in the 19th century built a school that empowered generations.

Favor makes the impossible possible.

The Courage to Build Anyway

Vision alone is not enough.

Builders must also possess courage.

There were critics.

There were funding challenges.

There were systemic barriers.

Yet Burroughs continued building.

Joshua 1:9 reminds us:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Courage does not mean obstacles disappear.

It means faith moves forward despite them.

The Ripple Effect of Empowerment

The women educated through Burroughs’ institution carried knowledge into homes, businesses, churches, and communities.

Each graduate multiplied the school’s influence.

This is how favor often works.

It multiplies through people.

2 Timothy 2:2 reflects this principle beautifully:

“The things you have heard from me… entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

That is generational empowerment.

One life equipping another.

And then another.

Real-Life Application: Where Are You Called to Build?

Most of us will never found a historic institution.

But every one of us has the ability to build something.

• a business

• a ministry

• a mentorship relationship

• a family culture

• a creative work

• a community initiative

Favor often shows up as vision.

It whispers:

“Build.”

Even when the path is uncertain.

A Prayer for Builders

God,

Give me courage to pursue the vision You place inside my heart.

Help me build what You call me to build — even when others doubt it.

Strengthen my faith when obstacles appear.

Let my work empower others and multiply beyond what I can see.

Amen.

Closing Reflection — and Invitation

Nannie Helen Burroughs reminds us that favor is not always about personal success.

Sometimes favor is about building something that empowers others.

Sometimes favor is about creating doors where none existed before.

And if you are drawn to stories where individuals step forward with faith, courage, and vision to confront darkness and build something greater, those themes live at the heart of my S.O.L.A.D.™: Soldiers of Light Against Darkness™ novel series.

These books explore spiritual courage, destiny, and the fight between light and darkness.

You can find signed copies and more at:

👉 www.tyronetonyreedjr.com/the-shop

Favor is not just about blessing.

Sometimes favor is about building.