INTEGRATED Power Connections - Owner Rodney Strobridge

Painting Me Beautiful is honored to introduce you to Integrated Power Connections. Rodney Strobridge is the proud owner and President of this leading commercial electrical contracting company. Please take the time to read his inspiring story on how he never gave up on his dream of becoming a business owner. After becoming a business owner, he landed the opportunity to complete the electrical renovation of the Emanuel County Senior Center in his hometown of Swainsboro, GA. Rodney and his partners have undertaken numerous projects with gratitude in their hearts, knowing there is nothing impossible for God. I pray his story inspires you not to give up on your dreams. Please visit the IPC website for more information about the company and job opportunities at https://integratedpowerconnections.com/f

🔌✨ Hello, friends and family! I want to take a moment to share my incredible journey of becoming a business owner. I hope that it gives someone the extra push you need! 🏗

I am honored to serve as the President of Integrated Power Connections, a leading commercial electrical contracting company. Today, I want to share how I embarked on this fulfilling career path and received a powerful confirmation of becoming a business owner in my hometown, Swainsboro, GA. 🏡

While in the 12th grade, I envisioned being on a job site but was unsure what it meant. I planned to graduate from high school and join the military at that time. However, God had something else in store for me. One day, while overhearing a conversation about electricians, I felt an undeniable calling to pursue a career in the field. It was as if that vision was being reaffirmed. Little did I know this decision would shape my life in unimaginable ways. ⚡

Throughout my career, God has shown me countless signs that I was destined for greater things. He revealed future job opportunities in different climates, instilling in me the belief that I would accomplish remarkable feats. With 25 years of experience managing large-scale projects on Military Bases and Hospitals, the time came when I took a leap of faith. I left my secure job despite having no work lined up and no clear path ahead. It was a daunting decision, but I knew my faith in God was unwavering. 💪🏾🤎💪🏾

Supported by my incredible wife, who always reminds me that our faith lies in God and not in man, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery and growth. We prayed for preparation and a sign to spread our wings. And lo and behold, after a year of collaborating with other companies and obtaining necessary certifications, an opportunity presented itself in our beloved hometown of Swainsboro, GA. 🌟

This project, the complete electrical renovation of the Emanuel County Senior Center, was a true blessing. Just a mile from where I grew up, it felt like God had placed this opportunity in our laps. Myself,  my partners, and our entire team poured our hearts into this project, and the results were nothing short of exceptional.

Since that pivotal moment, we have undertaken numerous projects with gratitude in our hearts for all that God has done. Every step of this journey has reaffirmed our belief that we can grow and flourish when planted by God. 🌱

At Integrated Power Connections, our slogan is "Let There Be Light!" This phrase represents our commitment to bringing illumination, not just through electrical installations, but also through our dedication to our customers. Light symbolizes hope, progress, and positivity, and we strive to embody these qualities in all aspects of our work. ✨🔌

Let us continue to trust in God's plan and embrace the opportunities that come our way. Together, we can achieve greatness! 🌟✨

#FaithInAction #ElectricalRenovations
#IntegratedPowerConnections

Losing my mother on May 5th, 2022, was one of the worst days of my life. I know death is inevitable when it's your time to go, but we never want to lose our loved ones. It was hard not being able to pick up the phone and not hear my mother's voice, advice, and my problems and sometimes hear her say I love you. This is why family is so important in healing wounds that are difficult. Therefore, celebrating my aunt's 89th birthday in Wilmington, Delaware, there was no hesitation in many of my sixteen siblings and their children making the travel possible. My mother and aunt had the best relationship that two sisters could have, and seeing my aunt at her birthday celebration reminded me so much of my mother. Their motto is "Family should stick together no matter what." It was what I needed to experience the healing I had longed for many months since my mother's passing. Please, never take your family for granted. 

 In 2020 like most people, I was affected by COVID-19 as I lost my job. The year I started was great! I was working a new job that I loved and was making a substantial amount of money. In a matter of weeks, everything came crashing down as I lost my job and had to wonder how I would pull myself out of the mess that I had no idea was coming. No stranger to hardship, I picked myself up and realized I had to change course. Within six months of losing my job, I was on my way to live in a new country, working an entirely new job in a career field I had never considered. I learned from this experience that life has a funny way of working itself out. And while living in a stressful moment might seem hopeless. Things are happening as they should be and as God intended. The things we are taught in life that are markers of success and adulthood pale compared to the magnitude of blessings waiting for us to take hold of. 

I want to share my experience as a young adult up until now and how God continues to heal my scars. 

I realized that my family wasn’t like most at a very young age. I grew up in a very distant family environment. My father was a drug dealer and prohibited me from socializing and having friends growing up. My mother worked three jobs to maintain our household bills and support my brother and me. Although my father never worked a legitimate job, if I can remember, he also never helped my mom financially or emotionally.

This environment damaged me from day one, as I had no idea what a loving, supporting, caring family consisted of. At my age, I had no idea what my father did for a living; all I knew was I wanted to be “daddy’s little girl.” No matter how hard I tried, he never bonded with me. In addition, my mother stayed so busy that she was almost nonexistent in my life. 

God saw me through those years, and I did not even know it then. 

Skipping the age of 14, my parents divorced, leaving a marriage of 25 years. This divorce was not easy, not due to a broken family; that aspect was regular for my brother and me. It was tough because my mother had found a new boyfriend, and my father fought the divorce for over four years. During these four years, my father stood in court and called my mom and me every ungodly name in the book. This broke me as I turned 15; I began to understand that my father never loved me. I also saw another side of my mother; she and her new boyfriend began drinking and bar hopping. I felt abandoned and lonely. During the court proceedings, my so-called father had me emancipated, so he no longer had to support me. This legally released me as a legal adult at the age of 16.

Once I no longer needed an adult’s permission to make decisions, I started living my life instead of everyone else’s. I began working at Waffle House, making $13.00 an hour. I worked every hour, begging people to get me back and forth. I had dropped out of public school and paid for myself to take independent home studies. I continued working and bought a car to get myself back and forth. Shortly after, I moved out on my own. I then met my now ex-husband. I was 16, had my life together, and would graduate high school in a few months. I pushed myself to graduate two years earlier than my age group. 

I moved in with my new boyfriend (ex-husband), who was 7.5 years older than me. Not realizing at that time, I was searching for someone to fill the void my parents had left in me. Within a few months, we were married. We were happy; neither of us had kids, and he had his own business. Life seemed great. 

Approximately seven years passed, and we decided we needed a change. At 23, my husband pushed me to join the Army. After eight weeks of basic training and eight months of training, we were notified that my first duty station would be at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. We began our journey. 

Upon arriving in Hawaii, we decided it was time to plan a baby. We struggled with getting pregnant because I had taken birth control for so many years. But God has seen us through and given us our first son. We were ecstatic and scared all at the same time. Life was terrific; what more could we ask for? Well, let me tell you. God had other plans, one year, one month, and one day later, I gave birth to our 2nd son. So, our little family was complete. 

Several years passed, and my husband took a job in Mishawaka, Japan. We decided I would exit the Army so that the boys and I could travel with him. We spent two incredible years in Japan. Then, my boys and I came to Georgia to prepare our home while my husband finished his contract in Japan. 

Once we were all back in Georgia, things got rocky in my marriage. My husband, who had always drunk, began drinking a lot more. Although he was never physically abusive, emotional abuse was detrimental. He had always been what I thought was insensitive, but I began to realize he was mentally abusing me. 

Finally, at the age of 30 and 14 years of marriage, I filed for divorce. My boys and I moved out, and we began our new lives. God blessed me with the ability to purchase a house and start over from scratch at 30 years old. 

With my divorce final in May of 2015, I worked my tail off to make ends meet. In March of 2016, I met my husband now. We dated for a while; then we got pregnant. In July of 2017, our daughter was born. God’s blessing yet again. We were married in July 2018. 

A couple of years passed, and we had no intention of having any more children; between the 2 of us, we had a combined total of 5 kids. He has two boys, I have two boys, and we have our daughter. However, again God said nope, and three years later, in June 2020. We gave birth to our 2nd daughter. This was terrifying because COVID-19 was at its peak, and little was known. 

We decided it was time to ensure that I couldn’t bear any more children. The last pregnancy nearly killed me, literally. I am now 36, and life couldn’t be better. My husband and I own two businesses and love all 6 of our beautiful children. 

You see, had God not given me my past, I would not be who I am today! 

Don’t give up if things aren’t going your way; I promise HIS way is the right direction!