An Amazing Opportunity to Make a Difference!

March 22, 2013

Just got a call from Micah Jones of BrainSong the Micah Jones Foundation this morning!  She had been telling me she wanted to talk to me about something and we'd been corresponding for some time now, but I had no idea what she would end up asking me this morning at 8:00am.  I hadn't actually pondered what she might ask or say since we had been talking pretty candidly and developed quite a friendship...I just figured we would talk about the journey we'd been on toward healing.

The night before she called me, March 21, 2013, I chose BrainSong ~ The Micah Jones Foundation as my charity of choice as I ran for the People's Choice for Mrs. California United States.  I hadn't told anyone and up on the Mrs. CA US site it went.  So when I got a call the next morning I was stunned that Micah was asking me if I would come to Zanesville, OH to participate in their 2nd annual "Rock the Walk" event.  My heart was skipping everywhere; I was overwhelmed by how the events had been orchestrated to come to this amazing opportunity...and unbelievably excited!  I thanked God for his mysterious and amazing ways.  He had put it in my heart to make BrainSong my charity of choice and I was overwhelmed that He already had something even bigger in motion.

 

 

Responding to the invitation to participate in the "Rock the Walk" event with BrainSong

 

Several years ago while working at a camp in Northern WI for the summer of 2000, people began to tell me that I would speak to a lot of people...especially women...and I would tell my story to encourage and inspire them.  I was NOT excited...that was the last thing I wanted to do!  I had always run from anything that would reveal who I really was or the tragic events I had been subjected to in life.  I often wondered who in their right mind would want to hear about my personal tragedies.  I had been through such a truly horrific and confusing life in so many ways that people were often surprised that I didn't have a severely skewed view of God, but through a series of unique events and loving people, I learned that He had plans for me...even if I didn't like the sound of them yet, it was comforting to know He was there for me and wasn't leaving.  Still, I struggled with this possible destiny.   It was a miracle that I had actually begun to share parts of my life story at all, but I had watched it help people and encourage them to overcome crises and, sometimes, incredible odds, and I realized that it would be selfish of me to keep that kind of encouragement to myself...and so I continued to share one on one or in small groups.  Little did I know how much more I would go through and have yet to share.

The more I shared parts of my story, the more people told me this was my destiny.  After some more college, a nice paying job, and then a major detour/series of tragic events (which I may share at a later time), I began to feel unbelievably restless and a little disoriented.  I sensed the nearing of my destiny and still didn't want anything to do with it.  I was terrified of sharing my life in a public format.  I decided that I should serve my country and joined the Army as a Soldier in the field of military intelligence in 2005.  I figured I could suffer behind the scenes and alone and no one would be the wiser.  I now had an excuse for not being public about my life. However, after falling apart physically...partially paralyzed left leg, traumatic brain injury, heart attack, and brain tumor...I realized that this career wasn't looking very good for me.  Three years later I left the Army definitely worse off than I entered.  By the time I experienced my third traumatic brain injury in 2011, I finally began sharing some of my story.  I was stunned to find just how much it inspired people and encouraged them to overcome whatever difficulty or tragedy they had encountered in life.  I wasn't even better yet, but I was on my way and the fact that I wasn't going to let it get me down seemed to inspire people.  I was amazed I could help anyone.

I realized, then, that sharing my story was not as scary as I thought it would be and I was never given the labels I thought would have to bear.  My story was no longer just my story...it was a life line, a message of hope, a courage to lend people in crises or difficulty.  I began to speak to more and more people and each time I doubted that this might be my calling in life, someone would show up to let me know that I should share my story with still more people.  A man even showed up at the gym in spite of not really wanting to be there and let me know that God told him to tell me that I should share my story...what!?  Wow...I couldn't even go to the gym without hearing about this destiny I was so unsure about.  I was still holding out in spite of all the clarity until one night in particular really made an impact on me and helped me understand that this calling was for real and I needed to take it seriously.

My husband called; his mom was in the Intensive Care Unit at the Hospital in Las Vegas where she had been life-flighted to.  We gathered some belongings and set out from Monterey to see her.  It was late when we arrived and were relieved to find that she was improving.  As we talked with the ICU nurse, my past traumatic brain injuries came into the conversation and she really wanted to know more.  I was a little hesitant at first since I wasn't used to just sharing my story with people I didn't know at least a little...it just seemed so risky, but I shared while she just stood amazed.  She asked me to connect with her daughter.  I told her I would be happy to, but didn't for a while. 

When this nurse's daughter, Kaylea, and I became friends, we began talking some about our experiences with our TBI's and the struggles we went through and were still going through because of them.  As we built camaraderie, she began to encourage me to share on a bigger platform and to become an advocate for women with traumatic brain injuries.  I wasn't so sure I was ready for that, but began to think it over.  She sent me jewelry she made as part of her therapy to heal and a book to exercise my brain among other things...so supportive and encouraging.  She also introduced me to friends and groups that helped women with their struggles to recovery from TBI's.  I was stunned to find so many people who were going through the same kinds of struggles I was going through and felt encouraged...just knowing I was not alone was healing in and of itself.  Kaylea never stopped encouraging me to be an advocate...she believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself. 

One day I saw her connection with Micah Jones and BrainSong and knew that everything about this foundation mirrored what my heart was saying.  I instantly wanted to participate!  I even offered to somehow do something in California that would help with the foundation in 2012, but it was not meant to be...yet.  I continued to support what they did and corresponded more and more until March 22, 2013 at 8:00am when I got the phone call that made my heart sing!  Would I be willing to participate in person and partner with the foundation?  Yes, yes, yes...if there was any bigger way to say "yes", I would!  I'm overwhelmed that God would allow me to be a part of such an amazing work and fill a role that has helped, and I believe will continue to help, so many women recover their health, joy, and hope.  Humbled, I pray that I will be a blessing as I feel more blessed than I ever dreamed I could be. 

P.S. Thank you, Kaylea and Micah, my fellow TBI survivors, for making such an amazing impact on my life by encouraging me to walk in my destiny with dignity and might...you're friendship means more to me than I have the words to convey. 


Micah Jones 

http://www.brainsong.org/         

 

I can hardly wait to share pictures of a successful "Rock the Walk" event on behalf of BrainSong and all the women who have survived traumatic brain injuries!!

 

 

*See "Speaking at the BrainSong - Micah Jones Foundation 'Rock The Walk' Event" post for an update.

WAR Party - Preventing Human Trafficking and Providing Women a Way Out

March 16, 2013

WAR Party


The day has finally arrived and I'm so excited I can hardly sleep!  I've invited everyone I know and prepared everything I can think of to have a successful WAR party.  My husband is ready to help me too...he's even gone to get the snacks for those who show up! We've partnered with Women At Risk International http://warinternational.org/ to fight modern day slavery by hosting a jewelry party.  This jewelry isn't just any jewelry though.  It's made and sold by women who are at risk of being trafficked as well as those who have been rescued from trafficking.  Making and selling jewelry provides them with a way to support themselves and their families thus keeping them from the clutches of those who seek to exploit and enslave them.    This is such an amazing opportunity to make a difference in the lives of women and their children...and all the generations that follow as well as the lives of people they interact with along the way.  The smallest involvement is still one step toward ending today's slavery. 

So many people find it easier to pretend it's not happening today and yet, according to Interpol, there are more slaves today than ever in the course of history.  Modern day slavery is real and everywhere...even in your state no matter which state you live in! 

Opening the boxes of jewelry and setting them out on display was really awe-inspiring.  The jewelry, scarves, purses, perfume bottles, children's things, and decorations were exquisite and worth much more than they were priced.  I was stunned to find such an array of items from pearls and gems to gold, silver, and fabric jewelry.  Each piece was obviously meticulously crafted to perfection.  Selling this jewelry would be a piece of cake!

March 17. 2013

We've decided to make it two days due to the level of interest!

Well, I'm happy to say that today was a huge success!  Several people stopped by and bought jewelry, donated, or both.  My husband even set up a table at the local supermarket to hand out information and sell some jewelry, which he coordinated and set up himself as I was unable to attend due to previous commitments.  I met new people and saw those I knew well - it was a fun and friendly affair with a great purpose.

Want to host your own party?  Give them a call!  Party with a Purpose!!





See the post called "Joining the Fight to Stop Human Trafficking" to read about my personal experiences with human trafficking and how I first got involved in the fight against human trafficking.


Mrs. California United States Workshop

March 2, 2013

Got to meet some very amazing women today!  They were incredibly sweet and great fun!!

Workshop in Nor Cal with some of the sweetest women I know

I also learned a lot about myself at this workshop.  I was hoping to, but I was surprised that I learned so much more than I even imagined I would.  I remember running in my first pageant ever and having one of the judges ask me, "Who are you?"  I can't remember to this day what I might have said to her, but I remember very well what I was thinking...  I didn't know.  It had only been one year since my second traumatic brain injury and I was struggling to admit that I wasn't fully healed.  I desperately wanted to be okay and have life return to some kind of normalcy.  I felt devastated that I didn't know how to get back there.  I used to know who I was.  Now, I felt torn apart from the inside out...but there I sat with a smile anchored in place looking this woman in the eye and saying who knows what.  Even my bio was upside-down and backwards.  The biggest problem:  I was afraid to tell people who I really was.  How could I say, "I am a traumatic brain injury survivor and I'm still healing."  To me it sounded like I was trying to be a brain surgeon with no hands.  No wonder my husband was trying so hard to be supportive, but very concerned that I wasn't ready.  He was right.  Still I learned something along the way and wouldn't trade the experience for the world.  I continued to run in pageants and learn while continuing to heal and grow.  When my husband began to urge me to run for Mrs. California United States, I knew that I had somehow made it through an unbelievable healing journey.  Now as I participated in an incredible workshop, I realized that my life would never be the same again.

Having a good laugh with Tracie while working on pageant platform

 

As I began to share my story, a picture of who I am began to unfold.  I had healed emotionally, psychologically, and cognitively and had become so much more than I could have ever dreamed.  I hadn't really taken the time to think about or revel in it before, but I was suddenly humbled, overwhelmed, and grateful beyond words by all I'd been given and given again.  The very events of my life that at one point I thought had destroyed me, instead became an opportunity to become the courageous and empathetic leader I had become...by the grace of God.


April 24, 2013

A couple weeks later in another incredible workshop, I had the amazing pleasure of meeting some of the most sweet, gracious, and accomplished people who were so kind in lending their time to help several of us with interview...so grateful to have been so graciously bestowed such a wonderful opportunity! 

Mock Interview

Thank you to Tracie, Janice, and all of the mock judges for putting so much time and energy into helping us be the best we could be!  I learned so much that will help me in life!  Thank you Sharon for sharing your home!!