Introduction
Hello, my name is Crystal Deeds and I would like to tell you about my book, I Have Better Plans for You, and the vision for H.O.P.E. Ministries and Resources.
First, let me introduce you to my book. It was impressed upon me, over 20 years ago, that I needed to write a book. I thought it was merely going to be about my life and the abuse and pain I experienced, however, I soon realized that it was going to be about so much more. As God began the process of healing in my life I had a feeling that my story was going to go much deeper than a simple autobiography and as you will see, it truly became something special to me and has fueled a passion for ministering to other hurting people.
I attempted many times over the years to write the aforementioned book to no avail. In fact, each and every time that I would try I inevitably ended up trashing the whole thing; I guess the timing just wasn’t right. Then, after several failed attempts, I finally began to write the book I am now describing to you. I suppose writing was easier this time around because I had finally learned the lessons that God wanted me to learn and, most importantly I believe, had seen the process of healing take place in my own life and so I could now share this information with others as well. In other words, I actually had something to say. So instead of simply being a book about my life, it also became a book about my healing and the steps I had to take to get there.
The healing I experienced in my life was just between the two of us, God and I, with Him guiding me through it step by step. It was tedious and slow, but I truly believe if the process would have gone too quickly, I wouldn’t have learned as much from it.
The steps I learned through the healing process became something I naturally shared with other hurting individuals, especially in my church youth group. As a youth leader, I was able to use what I had learned to help girls struggling to cope with their own pain and suffering. Helping people find healing became my passion.
Because of the passion that grew out of a desire to see people healed and as I got closer to finishing this book, I saw that it was becoming so much more than just a book, it became a vision. The title of my book has a message all its own, “I Have Better Plans for You.” I believe this “life saving” message, as the preface of my book explains, is a message that we all need to hear. I believe that God has better plans for each of us, I believe that He planned us, formed us, and has plans for our future that are far beyond what our own imaginations can come up with.
When we think that our life is without purpose, we lose hope, and hope, I believe, is a building block to healing. Hope, by virtue of what it stands for, has become the name for a ministry that has been launched from the foundations of the book. Using H.O.P.E., as an acronym for the ministry’s mission statement, wherein H stands for Honesty, (as in learning to be honest about our pain and daily struggles), O for Opportunity, (finding opportunities to learn, grow, and heal), P for Purpose, (finding a purpose for our pain), and finally E is for Eternity, (finding hope in our eternal future). Honestly, the vision is so much bigger than what I can even share on here. But isn’t that just another example of how awesome God is? He is so much bigger than what we can even wrap our minds around so why wouldn’t He give His children a vision beyond what they can readily see. The exciting part is watching it all unfold. Like solving a mystery, bit by bit, as each informative piece comes together they begin to form a picture and it all starts to make sense.
This is the totality of what I believe about myself and my life experience; God created me, saved me, and healed me, so that I might bless and impact others for His kingdom, and that they too would find healing from the damaging effects of a lost and broken world. I believe that He has a similar plan for all of His children, including you. I believe He created you on purpose for a purpose, and that the most amazing hope comes from believing this for yourself.
My desire for the future, with help from donations and the proceeds from the sale of my book and other merchandise, and once I obtain non profit status, is that I will be able to help fund counseling for hurting teens who otherwise could not afford to seek the help they need. This is not the only vision that I have, the rest will come in time but you can read about what the ministry is currently doing by clicking here. I hope that you will join me by supporting, sharing, and investing in the book and ministry!
May God bless you and may you find hope in the knowledge that God has better plans for you!
Crystal D. Deeds, Author
Please consider donating by clicking the button below, buying a book, or buying H.O.P.E. Ministry products, your support will go a long way to helping the hurting individual find hope and healing.
(disclaimer, we are not a nonprofit at this time)