For Evangelist Linda Jewell Blackshear Smith, faith calls for more than words—it calls for transformation. “Calling for Real Change!” is the message she believes God entrusted to her and the conviction that guides her ministry. As founder and president of Divinely Empowered Equipped Ministries, Inc. (DEE Ministries), she is devoted to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and encouraging believers to live according to God’s Word and will.

A Call to Serve and Inspire Change

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Evangelist Blackshear Smith answered her call to ministry in 1999. Her service has embraced both biblical teaching and pastoral outreach, from Sunday School teacher to Outreach Pastor, reflecting her enduring commitment to sharing God’s Word and ministering to His people.

In 2009, inspired to carry the Gospel beyond the walls of the church, she founded Graciously Empowered Ministry. Renamed Divinely Empowered Equipped Ministries in 2013, the organization continues to reflect her devotion to spiritual growth and compassionate service. In 2023, she joined the ministerial staff of Restoration & Praise Christian Fellowship Center in Tallahassee.

A Life of Faith, Service, and Preparation

For more than 35 years, Evangelist Blackshear Smith served as a licensed nursing home administrator, championing quality care, staff development, and advocacy for residents and their families. Her years of caring for others reflect the compassion and concern for human dignity that remain central to her ministry. She holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Florida A&M University.

Her own journey has been marked by perseverance and an abiding trust in God. In her 2019 book, My Testimony, she reflects on painful experiences, personal adversity, and the faith that sustained her through difficult seasons. Her story offers encouragement to those who have faced disappointment yet remain determined to trust God and move forward in faith.

Committed to lifelong learning and service, she became a licensed and certified Hopeologist in 2022, earned certification from Light University as a Mental Health Coach–First Responder in 2024, and received a Certificate in Professional Life Coaching in 2025. These accomplishments reflect her desire to nurture hope and offer meaningful encouragement and support to others.

She is married to Wilbur I. Smith. And she is the mother of two and proud grandmother of nine.

Faith in Action Today

Through preaching, biblical teaching, conferences, and community outreach, Evangelist Blackshear Smith continues to bring her convictions into practice. Whether encouraging believers to grow spiritually or reaching out to people facing life’s challenges, she seeks to demonstrate that faith is expressed not only in what we believe, but also in how we treat and serve others.

Her ministry draws enduring inspiration from Isaiah 61:1, with its proclamation of good news, healing for the brokenhearted, and liberty for those in bondage.

Real change begins with a heart yielded to God and finds expression in how we live, love, and serve others.

Shining Light for the Journey

Sustained in the Storm

What Hurricane Isaias taught me about obedience, disappointment, and the grace that keeps us standing.