Woman with short blonde pixie hairstyle smiling at camera, wearing magenta lipstick, silver hoop earrings, and denim jacket with embellished shoulders

The Story God Is Still Writing

Still Walking

Some testimonies are told after they're over.

This isn't one of them.

Walk With Me

The Soundtrack to My Journey

Some journeys become bigger than the person who lived them.

From the Dialysis Chair

Still Walking, Still Talking

Still Teaching

From the Chair, With Purpose

Ministry Moments

Pastor Nicole Washington laying her hand on a woman's head and praying with her at the altar

Some Prayers Never Leave You

People often ask what I love most about ministry. It is not standing behind a microphone. It is not writing books. It is not seeing my name on a cover. It is this. One person. One prayer. One sacred moment when someone trusts me enough to let me stand with them before God. There is something holy about praying with another person. For those few moments, titles do not matter. Platforms do not matter. Recognition does not matter. There are only two people believing that God still hears. I have learned that many people do not need someone to impress them. They need someone willing to stand beside them. If God can use my hands to comfort one hurting heart, or my voice to strengthen one weary soul, then every difficult mile of this journey has been worth it. And even now, I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Sometimes the clearest evidence that healing is still happening in you is that you can still reach out and help carry someone else."

Teaching Moments

Pastor Nicole Washington seated at her desk with a headset, laptop, and Bible, with the 'Walking in Kingdom Authority' screen behind her

Pull Up a Chair

People often see the teaching, the books, the microphone, and the finished message. What they may not see is that I am still living many of the truths I teach. I do not sit down to teach because I have arrived at the end of every struggle. I teach because God has continued to meet me in the middle of them. Every lesson, every Bible study, every book, and every conversation begins with the same invitation: Pull up a chair. Bring your questions. Bring your doubts. Bring the part of your story that still hurts. Let's open God's Word together and find truth for real life. The woman teaching you is the same woman who goes to dialysis, faces hard mornings, carries unanswered questions, and keeps trusting God anyway. I'm not teaching from a life untouched by pain. I'm teaching from a life still being carried by grace. And I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"You do not have to be finished with your own journey before God can use you to help someone else."

Dialysis Moments

Pastor Nicole receiving dialysis through her chest catheter while wearing a purple hoodie and black mask

Monday Morning Again

There are some mornings that remind you just how fragile this life can be. Monday mornings are often those mornings for me. After the weekend, my body can carry far more fluid than it should. My face is swollen. My strength feels different. The dialysis machine becomes part of my morning routine once again. This picture is not here to make anyone feel sorry for me. It is here because it is the truth. This is where I was in that moment. And this is where God met me. Every treatment reminds me that my body has limits, but God's faithfulness does not. Some days are harder than others. Some days I leave stronger than I arrived. Every day, I leave knowing grace carried me one more time. I'm still here. I'm still trusting. And I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"God is just as present on the difficult Monday as He is on the joyful day."

Dialysis Moments

Three smiling staff members from Peachtree Dialysis Center: founder Nicole Washington on the left, patient Mr. Johnny Capers in the center, and Lead Dialysis Technician/Clinical Team Lead Veronica Majors on the right

Where Care Feels Like Family

When people hear the word dialysis, they often think about machines. I think about people. Three mornings every week, I walk through these doors knowing that a team of caring professionals will help carry me through another treatment. Over time, something beautiful has happened. The nurses, technicians, staff, and fellow patients have become more than people I see during appointments — they've become part of my journey. This photograph reminds me that God often answers our prayers through people. Through a smile when you're tired. A word of encouragement when your strength is low. A familiar face that reminds you you're not walking this road alone. Illness can feel isolating, but God has a way of creating family in unexpected places. For me, Peachtree Dialysis Center has become one of those places. I'm grateful for every nurse, every technician, every member of the staff, and every fellow patient who has shared this journey with me. They don't just help care for my body. They remind me that compassion is one of God's greatest gifts. And every time I leave, I'm reminded once again… I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Sometimes God doesn't remove the journey. Sometimes He surrounds you with the right people to help you walk it."

Family Moments

Pastor Nicole Washington resting against her mother in a wheelchair, eyes closed, her mother wearing a red cardigan and glasses, holding her in a quiet bedroom — a sacred moment of being held

When I Couldn't Hold Myself Together

There are moments in life when strength runs out. Not faith. Not hope. Just strength. This was one of those moments. There are days when the weight of illness, caregiving, uncertainty, and simply trying to keep going feels heavier than words can describe. On those days, I have learned something precious: Even the strong need someone to lean on. In this moment, my mother wasn't giving me answers. She wasn't trying to fix what couldn't be fixed. She simply held me. Sometimes that is the greatest gift we can give another person. A safe place to rest. A quiet reminder that they don't have to carry everything alone. People often see me encouraging others. What they don't always see are the moments when I needed someone to encourage me. God has never asked us to pretend we are stronger than we are. He simply asks us to keep bringing our burdens to Him — and sometimes He carries those burdens through the loving arms of another person. That day, my mother became one of God's reminders that I didn't have to hold myself together. She held me until I could breathe again. And when I was ready… I stood back up. Because that's what grace does. It doesn't always remove the weight. Sometimes it simply gives you someone to help carry it. And somehow… by God's grace… I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"There is no shame in needing someone. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is allow yourself to be held until you have the strength to stand again."

Service Moments

Pastor Nicole Washington smiling in a purple 'I'm Still Here' Nicole Washington Ministries t-shirt, handing a bag of groceries to a community member at a food distribution event with fellow volunteers in matching shirts behind her, beneath a banner reading 'Volunteers Making a Difference — Hope. Healing. Faith. Connection.'

You Still Have Something to Give

One of the lies hardship whispers is that once you're hurting, you no longer have anything left to offer. God has spent years proving that lie wrong in my life. There have been days when my own body was tired, my own journey was difficult, and my own prayers were simply, "Lord, help me make it through today." And yet, even on those days, there was still someone else who needed kindness. Someone who needed hope. Someone who simply needed to know they mattered. Serving has never required a perfect life. It only requires a willing heart. Every smile shared, every meal handed across a table, every encouraging word, and every act of compassion reminds me that ministry isn't confined to a platform. Sometimes ministry looks like standing in a parking lot with volunteers, handing someone a bag of groceries and reminding them they haven't been forgotten. I've learned something through all of this. God doesn't wait until we're completely healed before He uses us. Very often, He ministers through us while He's still healing us. That has become one of the greatest lessons of my own journey. And as long as God gives me strength… I'll keep serving. I'll keep loving. I'll keep believing. And I'll keep walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Sometimes the greatest miracle isn't what God does for us. It's what He continues to do through us."

Dialysis Moments

Pastor Nicole Washington wearing a Peachtree Dialysis Center t-shirt, smiling warmly while leaning in to speak with a patient during treatment, with fellow patients and the Peachtree Dialysis Center 'An Enhanced Path to Wellness' wall sign visible in the background

We Understand One Another

There is something that happens when two people meet on the same road. There are some conversations that don't require a lot of words because both people already understand. That's one of the unexpected gifts dialysis has given me. I know what it's like to count treatments instead of weekends. I know what it feels like to wonder if you'll have enough strength for the day ahead. I know the quiet victories that most people never see. And because I know that journey personally, every smile, every conversation, and every moment spent encouraging another patient carries a deeper meaning. We're not just sharing the same room. We're sharing hope. One of the greatest lessons God has taught me is that even while we're waiting for healing, we can still become a source of encouragement for someone else. Sometimes all it takes is a smile. Sometimes it's a listening ear. Sometimes it's simply reminding another person, "You're going to make it through today." Those moments matter. They remind me that even in a dialysis chair, ministry never stops. Love never stops. Compassion never stops. God never stops working. And neither do I. I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Sometimes your greatest ministry begins when someone realizes, "You understand because you've been there too.""

Joy

Woman with platinum blonde hair and vibrant makeup holding a gray French Bulldog, wearing colorful abstract print jacket and pink top

God Knew I Needed Her

There are some gifts that don't arrive wrapped in paper. They arrive with four little paws, a playful spirit, and a way of making you smile on days when smiling doesn't come easily. Naja came into my life during a season when I needed laughter more than I knew. She has no idea what dialysis is. She doesn't know hospital schedules, doctor's appointments, or difficult diagnoses. She simply knows how to love. Every day. Without conditions. Without expectations. She reminds me that God often sends comfort in unexpected packages. Sometimes healing comes through medicine. Sometimes it comes through prayer. And sometimes it comes in the form of a little French Bulldog who refuses to let you stay sad for too long. People often ask how I've made it through so many difficult seasons. The answer has always been God's grace. But His grace has shown up in many forms. Family. Friends. Doctors. Nurses. Strangers. And yes… A little dog named Naja. She reminds me every day that even in life's hardest chapters, God still leaves room for joy. And if there's still room for joy… There's still reason to hope. I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"God doesn't only sustain us through the extraordinary. Sometimes He heals our hearts through the ordinary gifts we almost overlook."

Joy

Joy Is Still Holy

People sometimes think that after you've walked through enough pain, you'll never laugh the same way again. I used to wonder that myself. But God has a way of surprising us. He doesn't always erase the hard chapters. Sometimes He simply reminds us that the hard chapters don't get the final word. This smile didn't happen because life suddenly became easy. It happened because I learned that joy is not the absence of struggle. Joy is the presence of God in the middle of it. I've learned to celebrate the ordinary moments. A good day. A genuine laugh. A quiet afternoon. A phone call with someone I love. A moment when I catch myself smiling before I even realize it. Those moments are gifts. For a long time, I thought surviving was enough. God gently showed me that He wanted more for me than survival. He wanted me to live. To laugh. To dream again. To enjoy the life He had preserved. So if you're looking at this picture wondering whether joy can ever return after everything you've been through… Let me answer with my whole heart. Yes. Not because life becomes perfect. But because God remains faithful. And when His faithfulness becomes your foundation, joy slowly finds its way back home. I'm still here. I'm still smiling. And by the grace of God… I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Joy is not a reward for people who have never suffered. It is a gift God gives to people who choose to keep trusting Him anyway."

Hospital Moments

Woman with short blonde hair, large hoop earrings, and bold makeup smiling with mouth wide open at the camera indoors

Healing Isn't Always Pretty

There are parts of my journey that most people never see. The surgeries. The setbacks. The procedures that didn't go as planned. The days when healing looked more like waiting than progress. This was one of those days. Looking at this picture, it would be easy to focus on the wound. But that's not what I remember most. I remember God's presence. I remember the prayers. I remember the people who checked on me. I remember waking up the next morning with another opportunity to keep trusting Him. Healing is rarely as neat as we imagine it will be. Sometimes it leaves scars. Sometimes it requires more patience than strength. Sometimes it asks us to believe God one day at a time. I've learned that scars are not evidence that God abandoned us. Very often, they become evidence that He brought us through. Every mark on my body tells part of my story. None of them define who I am. They simply remind me of where God's grace met me. And if His grace carried me through this… It will carry me through whatever comes next. I'm still here. I'm still healing. And by God's grace… I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Not every scar is something to hide. Some scars quietly testify that God was faithful enough to bring you through what should have destroyed you."

Milestones

Woman in red blazer and checkered pants stands on stage at Still Here Beyond the Chair conference event

I Continue to Live Beyond the Chair

There was a season when I did not know if I would see this moment. There were mornings when simply making it to dialysis felt like a victory. There were nights when the only prayer I could whisper was, "Lord, let me see tomorrow." But God. God kept me. God carried me through surgeries and setbacks, through grief and unanswered questions, through the long quiet work of healing that nobody sees. And then He did something I never could have imagined. He put me on a stage. In front of a room full of people who were walking through their own hard seasons, I stood — not because I have arrived, but because He brought me here. This is the STILL HERE: Beyond the Chair Conference. Hope. Healing. Connection. A community for life's hard seasons. Because you may be in the chair, but your story is bigger than your suffering. I know what it is to feel forgotten. I know what it is to wonder if your life still has purpose. I know what it is to fight for strength you cannot see. And I know this: the same God who brought me to that stage is faithful to bring you through whatever you are facing today. The chair was never the end of my story. It was the beginning of the one God is still writing. So if you are reading this from a hospital bed, a dialysis chair, a hard season, or a place where you cannot see what comes next — Hold on. Your moment is coming. And I am still here. Beyond the chair. By the grace of God. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"The chair is not the end of your story. It is often the place where God writes the most powerful chapters."

Dialysis Moments

Carol Escobar, RN, Lead Nurse at Peachtree Dialysis Center, standing in the clinical setting wearing a black Peachtree Dialysis Center shirt, with 'More Than a Center. We're a Family. Care. Compassion. Community.' overlay

She Was the First

Some people are placed in our lives at the exact moment we need them most. Carol Escobar, RN, Lead Nurse at Peachtree Dialysis Center, was that person for me. She was the first nurse I had on my dialysis journey, and from the very beginning, she was so kind and gracious to me. She helped settle my nerves. She gave me peace in a moment when everything felt overwhelming. I'll never forget what she shared with me one day. She told me her father had been in end-stage renal disease, and that she had cared for him through dialysis. Knowing that she had walked that road beside someone she loved gave me even more peace. It reminded me that I was not in the chair alone. I was being cared for by someone who truly understood. A season later, I ended up leaving that clinic. Life changed, and my path led me to a different center. And then, lo and behold, when I walked through the doors of my new clinic — there she was. I was so shocked. I was so happy. And I just hugged her so tight. She has helped me through a lot of situations in that dialysis chair. Not just as a nurse, but as a steady, faithful presence. She is a great nurse. More than that, she is one of the quiet gifts God has given me on this journey. Some angels wear scrubs. Some of them wear a Peachtree Dialysis Center shirt. And some of them, by God's grace, show up exactly where you need them — sometimes more than once. I'm still walking. And I don't walk alone. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Sometimes the people God sends to care for us are not just doing a job — they are answering a prayer you didn't even know how to pray."

Ministry Moments

Lorenzo Jones, Facilities Administrator at Peachtree Dialysis Center, stands beside Pastor Nicole Washington inside the clinic, both smiling warmly, with the 'Stronger Together' tagline and both organizations' logos displayed — 'Building a healthier community through care, compassion, and partnership.'

Stronger Together

Relationships are truly ordained of God. I could see that the moment I met Lorenzo Jones. He is the Facilities Administrator of Peachtree Dialysis Center — my current dialysis clinic — and he is a powerful man of God. From our very first conversations, I could recognize the gift in him. And he could recognize the gift in me. That kind of recognition doesn't happen by accident. It is a God-thing. Lorenzo didn't just run the clinic. He poured into the people in it. He allowed me to have the platform of being the Patient Advocate at the clinic, and he championed that role in a way that gave it weight and voice. He saw something in me that could be used — even while I was still in the chair myself. But what moved me most was how he showed up in the small, sacred, unglamorous moments. He physically helped me walk from the dialysis chair to the ladies' room on mornings when my body had nothing left. He helped me get into my car when I could not lift myself up. And more than once, he drove me home when I could not drive myself. Rarely do you find beautiful people like that. Rarely do you find leaders who are willing to step out of their office and into the mess of someone else's hardest day. He is one of those rare ones. This picture is more than two people standing in front of a logo. It is a picture of what happens when God connects two hearts that were always meant to walk a season of life side by side. Two organizations. Two callings. One shared mission. Stronger together. Care, compassion, and community. That's not just a tagline on a wall. It's the way Lorenzo has lived out his faith right in front of me, week after week, chair after chair. I'm grateful for him. I'm grateful for what God has built through this partnership. And by His grace… I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"God doesn't just send us through hard places — He sends the right people to walk those hard places with us. And sometimes those people become family."

Quiet Moments

Pastor Nicole Washington with short white blonde hair, wearing an orange blazer over her Nicole Washington Ministries t-shirt, smiling warmly on a couch while holding a purple mug, with a 'Be Still and Know Psalm 46:10' pillow beside her

It's a Fab Day

Every day isn't always a good day. Every day isn't always a bad day. But every day that I have breath in my body and I can praise the Lord — that is a fabulous day. There used to be a time when I would grumble. I would complain if everything wasn't perfect. Like that cup of coffee. If it wasn't piping hot, I would have been bothered. If something wasn't just the way I wanted it, I might have gotten a little perturbed. But that was before end-stage renal disease. That was before dialysis. That was before the days when I had to learn, very quickly, that perfection was never the promise. Presence was. Now? I could care less if my coffee gets cold. I just pop it in the microwave. Or I drop a few ice cubes in it and have iced coffee instead. That's it. It's a small thing. But it's not really about the coffee. It's about how I look at things. Life can hit hard. There's no question about that. There are mornings I wake up swollen. There are afternoons I wake up tired. There are evenings I sit in the chair wondering what the next season will hold. But GRACE can hit even harder. Every single time. When your perspective changes, your whole life changes with it. What once ruined my morning now teaches me to flex. What once stressed me out now reminds me to breathe. What once made me complain now makes me thank God I'm still here to taste it at all — hot, cold, or somewhere in between. So yes. This is a Fab day. Not because everything is perfect. But because I'm still breathing. Because I'm still sipping. Because I'm still here. And by His grace… I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Perspective is everything. A cold cup of coffee can ruin your morning — or it can remind you that you're still here to drink it. Grace always hits harder than life does."

Milestones

Portrait of a woman with short blonde hair wearing a purple blazer, cross necklace, and decorative brooch against a beige background

October 1, 2026

On October 1, 2026, I will celebrate my 65th birthday. For some people, that's simply another birthday. For me, it's a testimony. There were people who believed I would never make it this far. Some quietly gave up on me. Some walked away. Some who once promised they would stay "closer than blood" disappeared when life became difficult. Others looked at my medical chart, my dialysis chair, the hospital rooms, the surgeries, the blood transfusions, the setbacks, and thought, "She probably won't be here much longer." A few believed I might make it. But there was only One who never questioned whether I would. God. Before I ever took my first breath, He already knew this birthday would come. Before I ever faced kidney failure… Before the surgeries… Before the hospital stays… Before dialysis… Before the tears… Before the people who left… God already knew. That's why I've learned one of the greatest lessons of my life: Never build your future on someone else's opinion. People can only judge what they see. God speaks from what He has already ordained. People measure possibilities. God declares purpose. People count statistics. God counts promises. So if you're reading this today, don't let someone else's prediction become your expectation. The final word over your life doesn't belong to fear. It doesn't belong to a diagnosis. It doesn't belong to disappointment. It doesn't belong to the people who walked away. It belongs to God. And if He says you're still here… Then you're still here for a reason. I'm turning 65. Not because life was easy. Not because everyone believed in me. Not because the odds were in my favor. I'm here because God finished what people thought was finished. And by His grace… I'm still walking. — Pastor Nicole

What God Is Teaching Me

"Never build your future on someone else's opinion. The final word over your life belongs to God — and He spoke it long before anyone else had anything to say."

From the Dialysis Chair

Still Walking, Still Speaking

Meet Pastor Nicole