Wow!!! I can’t believe it has been a year since I started my website and began to blog. So much has happened this year. There have been many highs and many lows. The reaction to my website was so very positive and as word spread publicity followed which was such a blessing. Remember my goal with this ministry is to reach the hurting and hopeless through my site, speaking, and eventually through my book From Pompons to Prison. Let me take you on a year in review :))
After I announced my website on Facebook so many of my friends offered encouragement and support. That was such a blessing. As I said on Facebook yesterday and later reposted my first blog was an excerpt from my book about my 17th birthday then I began to blog as I felt led. Now I have written 130 blogs for the year, well this makes 131. Wow!! I didn’t realize that I had written so many.
In January my good friend Kristi Smith wrote an article about my story for the Dallas Morning News which seemed to have a snow ball effect. After Kristie’s article The Wylie News did a story, then Neighbors Go, Heartbeat Magazine, and The Skyline Tribune shared my hopes, dreams, and my heart.
As a result of my website I was asked to be interviewed on Renewal Radio by Dr. Gene Getz and was a guest on his program. That was very powerful because for the first time I heard my story in someone else’s voice and a different perspective. It was a very emotional experience.
As winter turned to spring more opportunities presented themselves as a result of my website with the most prevalent being asked to speak to different groups, churches, schools, rehabs, and classes. Because of this my speaking career took off with the highlight of the year being hired to be the keynote speaker for the First Baptist Church in Carrollton’s annual Women’s Ministry luncheon in August. This event was planned for months in advanced and I was so honored they selected me. Between 400 and 500 women attend this function each year.
It was also during the spring that I learned The Michael Snell Literary Agency was interested in representing me and my book: From Pompons to Prison. This was incredible news and I began to work on my book proposal.
Throughout all of this time I still pursued my one on one ministry and even was flown to Colorado to share my hope with a young girl. God seemed to be using me and I was so thankful
In May at the suggestion of my pastor I put a team of people together to help me with my ministry. We started praying and laying a strong spiritual foundation for my dreams to grow from. I was also blessed in May when I was asked to share my story with my home church on July 15 which would be my sobriety date. This would be by far the largest crowd I ever spoke to. God just kept opening doors for me to share and my excitement grew.
THEN on June 7 the unthinkable happened when I received that life altering call telling me my 20 year old daughter Alexis Rose Washington had died in a car accident. My world was turned upside down by this tragedy but as HE always does God brought good from it. That good was seen at the celebration of her life when 600 people packed into New Hope with standing room only and 200 gave their hearts to God in an amazing service. God just keeps revealing the good at times unexpected. I love him and trust more than ever and I feel HIS love every day!!
So now my journey has taken a different road, a road that I didn’t plan to travel but it is my path nonetheless. I am still early in the grief process trying to come to grips with this tragic loss and my book was put on the back burner momentarily. I went from being an empty nester pursing a new exciting career to raising a little four year old angel. At times my head is still spinning but I know this is my purpose now : To adopt Riley, pursue my dream, and finish my book. I will never forget enrolling her in school and the realization hit that this is Pre-K and we have 13 more years to go. At times I am overwhelmed but God is watching over us every moment and I will embrace this new life while missing my Rosebud. Taking the best care of the little girl she loved so much. I just need to find balance and then I can achieve all the dreams God has placed in my heart.
Recently God has renewed my desire to reach out to others and I have begun to re-engage in one on one ministry. To be honest I think that is when I feel the presence of the Lord and operating in my sweet spot : when I am sitting with someone at a hospital as they detox , ministering to someone in jail, visiting an inmate in prison, or writing a letter letting another person know there is always hope basically just letting them know someone cares. After Alexis died my ministry in that area died as well. I quit writing inmates and visiting those in jail and prison. I just didn’t have it in me at the time. I did contact the families to let them know I wouldn’t be writing for awhile because I didn’t want them to feel I didn’t care but honestly I just wasn’t up to it, my heart was broken into pieces. But slowly my strength and desire has returned. I started reengaging by writing letters to prison inmates and to some in county jails waiting to go to prison. A couple of weeks ago I visited a girl in the hospital who was struggling with addiction, sharing my hope. Last night I visited a young girl in jail and I have made some plans to visit some inmates in prison. There are times I don’t know if I am making a difference because sometimes I don’t see any fruit from it. I write letters and they don’t write back but I continue to write praying a seed of hope is being planted. Still there are times I feel as if I have failed in a way. As I was feeling down God blessed me through a devotional and reminded me I am just the deliverer that HE is the giver. He showed me I am his instrument. The instrument doesn't play its own music; someone plays music through the instrument. He works through me; HE is working through anyone who will let him. That realization takes the pressure off, I just need to show up and let HIM use me. It is quite humbling as well because it has nothing to do with me if I don’t do it God will use someone else but I want God to know I am always available and will always say “Here I am , send me” as young Isaiah did. And of course I was further blessed this past Sunday when a young adult told me after hearing my testimony she got clean off meth and now has two years clean. That is some awesome fruit that God let me see!! I am still on fire from that and excited about my future. Please sign my guest book and explore my website.
As for the book the proposal should be finished by the end of this week and mailed to Michael Snell and then we will see. There are times I feel stressed and want to rush this because I don’t’ want my dream to die but recently I have felt peace knowing it will happen in God’s time and that he has great plans for me . My life is good and I am so blessed to be who and where I am today: ))
Of course all of this has been chronicled in the 131 blogs, I still can’t believe I wrote that many : ))
What a year it has been looking forward to what 2013 holds for all of us. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR ALL THE ENCOURAGEMNET AND SUPPORT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME DURING MY TRIALS AS WELL AS MY VICTORIES. As I thought of the many photos from the past year I think these two capture the look back the most: One of me stepping out into my mission field as I pray before speaking at a church and the other of a little princess whom I will now be raising standing at the cross honoring her momma. These two photos sum up my year without any words.
Praying before speaking. The sign to my left and roses say so much.
Riley admiring her beloved Momma's cross while embracing her baby doll Ashley . A priceless photo