Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Ward

Hi Dawn, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I grew up in a neighborhood where most of its residents were public servants in one capacity or another. Teachers, police officers, food servers, public utility personnel, and like my father, a few were employed with the fire department. Naturally, I followed in my parents’ footsteps and went to work for our local power company. When I married, I married a man who worked in engineering for our state’s Regional Transportation Department.

While I dreamed of having a glamorous career as an Airline Stewardess (that’s what they called flight attendants in those days), I was one inch too tall and ten pounds too heavy to pass their physical. While I could do something about the ten pounds, other than hunching way over, there was nothing I could do about the extra inch of height.

Another career I dreamed of was that of being a writer. This time it was my parents who were adamant that a career as a writer or journalist could only be a hobby, as it didn’t pay enough to make ends meet. Through an unusual set of circumstances, I started writing again as a hobby. It was only recently that I took it more seriously and once again explored the idea of becoming a “real” author.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Like any hobby, life can get in the way of us becoming masters at it. Whether it is writing, music, sports, painting, cooking, baking, or any number of creative outlets, practice always makes perfect. We must be determined to hewn our skills through training, repetition, and self-discipline. Desire and passion are also important elements of becoming an expert in our chosen professions or hobbies.

For me, I worked outside the home full-time in the medical field. The job was challenging, interesting, and time-consuming. This, along with raising three children, meant there was little time left over for pursuing outside interests.

There was a period where my son, who was still in high school, got in with the wrong crowd and got involved with drugs. Shortly after, his brother had a very painful surgery and became addicted to the pain pills that were prescribed to him. These challenging situations catapulted our family into a world of treatment centers, rehabs, psychologist and psychiatric appointments, legal issues, and endless worry and stress.

As time went on, I felt God calling me to write about our family’s experience in order to help other families going through similar trials. Writing about deeply personal and painful events was challenging. I started with my own blog and later co-authored a book with another mom. Finally, I wrote my own book. You would think it would be easy by now, but truthfully, this was my hardest writing project yet.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Faith to Flourish?

I started The Faith to Flourish as a ministry to women who have loved ones struggling with addiction or life-destructive behaviors. I offer an online support group, resources, and individual and group coaching to help women get unstuck from the toxic cycle of their loved one’s addiction, so they can find hope and healing and move forward in their God-give calling and purpose. Because it is a ministry, we are able to share the love of Jesus Christ with those who are in desperate and hopeless situations in their lives.

I now do public speaking at churches, community centers, and anywhere that is open to discussing how our faith can help us overcome painful challenges such as addiction and other life-controlling behaviors. I speak to the hearts of women who are overcome with guilt, shame, and self-blame, so they can experience lasting freedom, no matter what difficulties they are facing. I also speak into the lives of women who are going through challenging life transitions and desire to move forward in God’s calling and purpose for their lives.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?

For me, I love to find community support through podcasts such as When You Love a Prodigal, A Cup of Gratitude, Warfare Parenting, Be the Two, Warriors in Hope by Valerie Silveira, Writing Off Social, Unabashed You, The Best of You, and several others. I love podcasts!

Resources such as those found through The Addiction Connection, American Association of Christian Counselors, and Association of Certified Biblical Counselors are extremely helpful to me in the ministry.

There are four books that stand out to me and have made a huge difference in my beliefs and where I am today.
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson, Letting Go: Rugged Love for Wayward Souls by Dave Harvey and Paul Gilbert, Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Ed. Welch, and The Heart of Addiction by Mark Shaw. Being an avid reader, there are many more, but those stand out as life changing for me personally.

As far as blogs, I love to read blogs that offer hope and faith as they share their stories of overcoming life’s challenges.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thefaithtoflourish.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefaithtoflourishblog
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefaithtoflourish
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/faithtoflourish
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/thefaithtoflourishwithdawnward
• Other: Amazon to purchase book if this is allowed: https://a.co/d/2sGTl8v

Image Credits

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