How a Single Sentence Changed This Former Victoria Secret Model’s Life

Published: April 24, 2026

By Michaela Gordoni

Nicole Weider’s life completely transformed after she started to see her life how God wanted her to see it.

“This is what really changed my life,” Weider told Shannon Stewart on her podcast. “I read the book ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren…I was reading it in my backyard and the first sentence in the book was ‘It’s not about you.’”

Weider was struck by that because most self-help and guidance books are all about “you.”

“But if you have a God’s view of life, it’s like what does God want from me? And it’s like that changed my perspective because I was so focused on…what do I want? But once I started asking what does God want from me, it’s like my purpose unlocked and I realized…I’m here for a bigger purpose, not just this job.”

From then on, she believed that God had a plan for her to make a difference.

Stewart wrote, “That one change didn’t just adjust her thinking — it changed the direction of her life. Because when everything is centered around us, it can only go so far. But when we begin to see our lives through God’s perspective, we start to realize we were made for something bigger than ourselves.”

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Weider recently overcame stage 4 breast cancer.

She shared last year, “I’m still here — in remission, passionate and still curious. As I step into 40, I am so much stronger, softer, wiser and more on fire than I have ever been. I didn’t survive to stay quiet.”

“I survived to testify — to live boldly, share my story, raise my babies with joy, and help women find hope in their darkest chapters. The most faith-filled, fearless, and fabulous season of my life is just beginning,” she said.

She’s trusted God from the very start and all throughout her cancer journey.

“It’s a lot but I’m trusting in Jesus, He keeps me strong and a lot of it is mental so I just focus on being positive and grateful,” she said.

In the midst of it, she said, “If you’re going through a dark time know that it is only temporary. Hang on and push through it – it will get better I promise! Life is full of seasons and God is always writing your story.”

Now, Weider uses her platform to encourage and motivate others. She also shares the harms and dangers of modeling.

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