Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Patricia Douglas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Patricia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My parents would tell you I was a gift and blessing to them, but the truth is, they were such a gift and blessing to me! When I reflect on what they did right, I am most grateful for their decision to listen to God’s voice by choosing to adopt me. Even from a legal standpoint, they made sure from Day 1 that everything they had was just as much mine as theirs. They gave me unconditional love and guided me through life with such words of wisdom, always setting an excellent example of how to love others with compassion and kindness. Even in those moments where I fell short, they always provided validation, total acceptance, and unconditional love to me in a way that mere words cannot do justice. I once read, “Real Family does not come from your blood; it is the people standing beside you when no one else is.” This couldn’t ring truer for my mom and dad; their faithfulness to shower me with love and grace has shaped me into the woman I am today.
Patricia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am an Author, Speaker, and Pastor. I am incredibly passionate about sharing the unfailing and impenetrable truth that we all have value and purpose. I love teaching others to walk fully in freedom without the weight of their past circumstances. I have the privilege to live out one of my greatest passions, which is to help build up and empower women through ministry and outreach. We provide an environment that allows women to be nurtured, giving opportunities for them to discover and use their talents. It’s so important for them to truly believe and know how valuable they are, and that God does not make mistakes!
When I was seventeen years old, I found myself pregnant and remember feeling so alone, as if no one else could ever know what I was going through. My parents loved me through it all and helped me find hope and purpose in a difficult situation. In return, I now love helping other women discover their own self-worth and value as well.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
As I stated previously, when I was seventeen years old, I became pregnant. To say that going through that as a teenager was difficult is an understatement. My parents displayed a beautiful picture of grace. They felt very hurt, and there was a season during my pregnancy where it was hard for us to communicate, even though I was living with them. Despite their feelings, they really tried to fully support and embrace me through our difficult journey.
I remember feeling completely isolated as if I were the only one in the world going through a teen pregnancy. We lived in an affluent area, and I had never known another teenager to have been in my shoes. There were times when my mom would walk away from her hurt, and she would say to me, “You aren’t the first teenage girl to get pregnant and you certainly won’t be the last.” She always had a way of putting things into a better perspective that allowed me to not feel so overwhelmed.
I learned to be resilient in that time because I faced so much opposition. I am sad to say the greatest judgment I faced came from within the church. It was the most challenging thing I had ever faced, and the people I needed the most were nowhere to be found. I felt an enormous amount of judgment in those days and learned that just because someone is on your side does not mean they are in your corner. All the same, I believe the resilience and life lessons learned during that time lend themselves well to the ministry and outreach I am able to provide to women today.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
When I was younger, I cared deeply about the acceptance of others. I had to realize that pleasing people can become an unhealthy addiction. If you spend your waking hours worrying about the opinions of others, especially to the point that it changes who you are, it becomes such bondage, and it will actually steal your joy and happiness. It is about understanding what God’s plan is for my life and then moving forward without allowing other people’s opinions to serve as the navigation system or compass that determines my life’s direction. It took years for me to figure this out, but I’m so glad to be free of it!
Contact Info:
- Website: Mapdministries.com
- Instagram: patricia.douglas.1293
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afewofmyfriends
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC5cLMe4qed9u2uYpILo3T0g
- Other: My book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Was-Adopted-Twice-Parents-Redemption/dp/0578823160/ref=pd_ybh_a_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=98ZB0J8XWN166RFQKQN2