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 Raiz’ The Praiz’ Network Spotlight Interview With

STEPHANIE L. JONES

HELLO, STEPHANIE! How are you on today?

Q: Tell us about you. Who is Stephanie L. Jones?

I would describe myself as someone who is truly in love with God, with self, and with life. It took a long time and many trials and tribulations for me to reach this place in my life; a place of love. I finally feel like I got it! Now it's time for me to share it with others. I share love with other people through my work as a speaker, author, and sexual abuse advocate, specifically teenagers and adults. I'm also a wife and friend. I'm a survivor ~ literally. I'm a dreamer.


Q: Please share with us more about your Speaking Ministry.

No one could have told me that I would have a speaking ministry 4 or 5 years ago. I would have said, "Wrong girl!" My ministry focuses on healing for the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18), primarily those hurting and suffering from the effects of child sexual abuse. There are many facets to sexual abuse, including why it happens, signs to look for, prevention, etc. . . Although I cover these areas when I speak and in my book, I believe that God has told me to focus on helping victims break free from the bondage of abuse. I help people connect the pain of their past to their present situations. I do this mainly through sharing my story ~ how I was able to connect the dots from one bad choice to the next, which ultimately led back to my experiences with sex at an early age. I speak at conferences, schools, and for private groups and organizations. I would love to expand into speaking inside of prisons and at marriage conferences.


Q: For those who have not had the opportunity to read your book, tell us about it.

My book is short, honest, and real. I don't go into a lot of detail about the sexual abuse or my abusers. I focus on the effects that it had on my life. Again, I believe that God wants me to help people see why they made certain choices and have found themselves in certain situations. It's divided into sections, which cover my story, the effects on society as a whole, how to recognize sexual abuse and uncommon signs, and how to begin the healing process. Many, many victims have called, written, or sent emails to say that it has blessed them tremendously. To God be the glory!


Q: So it was written to bring an awareness about child sexual abuse?

Yes, but that was not the primary objective. It is more to show how sexual abuse affects the victim, the family unit, and society as a whole. It's to help people understand why they've made and continue to make certain choices, especially as it relates to sex, relationships, drugs, and alcohol abuse.


Q: There are so many issues that children face today from drugs, peer pressure, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, single parent homes without fathers, and even single parent homes without mothers. What advice would you give to child/teenager who is dealing with any of the issue of being sexually abused?

The most important advice that I can give to a child/teenager is to tell someone. They need to talk about it and release the pressure of the pain, especially if they're still living with their abuser(s). I would then suggest that they get to understand and know the Love of God and His healing power. Now I know people may think this should come first, but unless the child/teenager says something about the abuse, it's highly unlikely for people to minister the Love of God to them outside of a church setting. This is sad, but it's true. Finally, I would encourage them to learn to love who they are. I would tell them how special they are. Sexual abuse victims tend to have low self-esteem. They must understand that the abuse doesn't make them weird, damaged, or different from others.


Q: What do you have to share with someone who is of an adult age now and has not dealt with the fact that they were sexually abused as a child?

Unfortunately most adults don't even realize that their intimacy, relationship, alcohol, marriage, and debt problems are a result of sexual abuse. They don't trace it back that far. For those who do, I say get help now! Talk about it! This doesn't necessarily mean that counseling or professional therapy is required, but if that is the case ~ then so be it! Don't allow for something that happened 10, 20, or 30-plus years ago continue to rob you of your happiness. You deserve better. Ask God to help you let it go once and for all and learn to forgive those who offended you. Ask God to direct you to someone who you can confide in that won't judge you, but love and console you. Allow for God to heal your broken heart through His Word and Love.


Q: Please share any upcoming events, projects that you are working on. Any plans to write another book?

I have several speaking engagements coming up that I will post to my website soon. There's a few there now, including a discussion at the Redford Public Library. April is national child abuse awareness month, so that's when I'll really get busy. My book just released November 2007, so things are just beginning to take off. Another book? People keep asking me about a second book (laughing)! Honestly, I could take the questions, emails, phone call conversations, and replies that I get from my readers and write two more books! There's so much that I didn't cover. But we'll see what God says about another book. I don't want to go beyond the word of the Lord my God ~ to do less or more (Numbers 22:18). Besides, I don't really focus on "the book." I focus on the message.


It has been a pleasure, thank you for sharing with the Raiz' The Praiz' Network! We look forward to hearing more from you and even working with you in any way that the Lord connects us. Be Blessed!!!

For more information about Stephanie go to www.StephanieLJones.com

An entrepreneurial spirit and passion to serve others has guided Stephanie L. Jones through an extensive background in sales, public relations, and community service.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Jones began her corporate career at Charter One Bank, where she played an instrumental role in leading her team to become the district’s number one office. Her flair for building relationships and savvy in customer service grew even more when she later accepted employment with SBC (currently AT&T).  As a service representative and team leader, she trained and coached hundreds of employees.

In 2005, Jones opted out of the corporate business world in favor of an opportunity to pursue her entrepreneurial goals as a freelance publicist.  She successfully designed and coordinated marketing campaigns for organizations, several best selling book authors, and for a nationally distributed women’s magazine.    

Although highly successful in her endeavors, Jones soon took another bold step, this time to fulfill her destiny.  She became an advocate for individuals suffering from the effects of child sexual abuse.  Jones, author of The Enemy Between My Legs, unashamedly shares her story with audiences around the world on how she was able to overcome the effects of over seven years of child sexual abuse, which began at age five.  She is known for her honest approach in dealing with sexual abuse, a subject that few people will openly discuss.  She has the ability to understand and connect with abuse victims, especially teenagers and young adults.  This has made her a highly sought after speaker for schools, churches, and major organizations. 

Among several other honors, she has received the Kiwanis International Lee Harden Take Time to Care Award for her community service work.  She’s a volunteer student mentor and works with several organizations whose focus is youth and community development. 

Jones lives in the metro Detroit area with her husband Robert.