Deborah G. McBride-Lewis

DARE TO BE FREE

From Victim to Victor: A Journey Through Trauma

By Rev. Dr. Deborah G. McBride-Lewis, Creative Author

Each of us experiences unexpected blessings in life and moments of extraordinary kindness. These moments fill us with joy and inspire us to share them with others. By communicating acts of uncommon favor, we express love. Every act of kindness is unique, and we should actively celebrate and share these gestures, helping to ease the world's suffering by extending the love we have received. Ultimately, what matters is not merely what we say, but the good we do.

I am grateful for this platform, Influential Women, because it encourages authentic sharing among women. My journey into Christian leadership, centered on womanist concerns and biblical theology, did not happen overnight. It was forged through a traumatic, life-threatening automobile accident involving eight vehicles on April 3, 2019.

Sustaining multiple broken bones led to a complete transformation in both my life and ministry. There were moments when survival was uncertain—whether due to the accident itself, the surgeries that followed, or subsequent complications. Yet throughout it all, I experienced a profound assurance: "No to death, and yes to life."

Through this experience, I have come to see God's plan for healing and restoration through Jesus Christ as a source of deep gratitude. I have learned that even the most painful experiences can produce unexpected growth. In my darkest moments, God's love was present, revealing Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit in new and powerful ways.

Scripture reminds us that love is from God (1 John 4:8) and that God is love (1 John 4:16). It is time to share God's healing love because, just as love lifted me, it can lift you too.

A Miracle in the Making

We often prefer not to talk about traumatic experiences. Yet rising above physical, mental, and spiritual battles and witnessing God's healing power is what I want you to know about me. I hope my story inspires someone who may be facing their own struggle.

The truth is that embracing vulnerability and acknowledging that I was once a victim of trauma has empowered me to see myself every day as a victor of transformation.

I AM A MIRACLE!

Before the accident, I envisioned my ministry primarily as that of a Christian intellectual. I imagined preaching and teaching the Word of God from the comfort of the pulpit. My goal was to explain biblical passages in simple and practical ways.

In truth, however, I struggled with pride and self-promotion, fueled in part by the privilege of studying the Word of God around the world. Participation in interfaith settings strengthened my confidence and helped me navigate a religious landscape often dominated by men.

But God had a different plan.

Through His miraculous restoration, my calling became clearer. Today, I am called to serve as a womanist preacher and prophetess of the Lord Jesus Christ, proclaiming God's message, especially to women.

The revelation of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy that God gives to His servants (Revelation 1:1), and that Spirit always points to Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:10). The universal Church of Jesus Christ continues in the apostolic and prophetic teachings of the New Testament and stands alongside the prophets of old, who called people to God through faith.

My goal is to please God regardless of obstacles, suffering, or even death, as I faithfully pursue His will. Only then is my joy in following Jesus Christ complete.

Medical Challenges and Miraculous Survival

The following medical summary illustrates the severity of the trauma I endured and the courage required to overcome it.

At age 57, I was involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision. I was initially treated at St. Anthony Medical Center, where CT scans of my head and cervical spine were performed. Due to the severity of my injuries, I was transferred to the University of Chicago through the University of Chicago Medicine Aeromedical Network (UCAN), which provides rapid helicopter transport for critically injured patients.

According to medical records, I experienced multiple cardiopulmonary arrests both at the scene and upon arrival at the hospital. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) restored spontaneous circulation on several occasions. Upon arrival, emergency medical personnel had already performed life-saving interventions, including bilateral needle thoracostomies and intubation.

During the initial trauma assessment, no palpable pulse could be detected. Additional rounds of CPR and emergency chest tube placement again resulted in the return of spontaneous circulation. During these interventions, my systolic blood pressure dropped dramatically from 125 to 75 mmHg.

Personal Troubles

Motor Vehicle Collision Injuries

• Motor vehicle collision (MVC), initial encounter
• Left hemidiaphragmatic rupture with herniation of the gastric fundus and proximal gastric body into the left lower chest
• Small right and minimal left anterior pneumothorax
• Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture with contusion of multiple left ribs
• Pelvic injury
• Left femur fracture

Personal Trauma

Medical Complications

• Neurological: Encephalopathy; subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)
• Cardiovascular: Cardiac arrest
• Pulmonary: Acute respiratory failure
• Renal: Electrolyte and fluid disorders
• Gastrointestinal: Diaphragmatic hernia repair
• Endocrine: Stress hyperglycemia
• Hematologic: Anemia

Personal Transformation

Physical Healing

With focused physical therapy, I regained the ability to walk independently. This progress laid the foundation for my continued healing and recovery.

Emotional Healing

With the support of skilled therapists, I worked through trauma, accepted my physical scars, and learned to love myself again. This emotional work opened the door to deeper healing.

Spiritual Healing

Through spiritual counseling and the support of women ministers, I experienced unconditional love free from judgment and doctrinal debate. Their compassion helped me move from survival to victory and inspired a deeper commitment to God's calling on my life.

A New Purpose

Today, I share the miraculous love I received with others. From the darkness of a devastating automobile accident to the light of renewed life, I can joyfully testify:

"Wow—I am a miracle of God, and I dare to be free!"

My journey reflects transformation in body, mind, and spirit.

Reflections on Influence

As I reflect on my journey, I invite you to consider these questions:

• Can we truly be influential women without sharing our stories of overcoming adversity?
• Is our influence meaningful if we fail to acknowledge the physical, emotional, relational, mental, and spiritual challenges that have shaped us?
• Does our impact deepen when we invest in the lives of others through genuine, transformative love?
• Are we truly influential if we have not triumphed over difficulties that sought to diminish the human spirit?
• How do our struggles strengthen our ability to influence, encourage, and uplift others?

These are questions worth pondering as we reflect on our own journeys of healing, purpose, and influence.

WHEN GOD AUDIBLY SPEAKS THROUGH THE VOICES OF WOMEN PREACHERS

BY: REV. DR. DEBORAH G. MCBRIDE-LEWIS, Creative Author

With numerous influential voices in our society—from propaganda promising prosperity to overwhelming advances in technology—our world faces immense challenges. Amid this noise, this reflection explores how clearly and powerfully God speaks life to distressed and oppressed women through women preachers, rather than only through the male preachers who often dominate church spaces.

From antiquity to the present, the Word of the living God has always spoken and will never cease to speak through the voices of Spirit-filled preachers—especially women preachers. When women embrace one another with love, God is speaking through them. When we bear the image of God and proclaim the path of divine life by speaking the magnificent Word that brings salvation and eternal life through faith in the redemptive work of Christ Jesus, God speaks audibly. When we are women ordained to uplift other women, sisters bearing one another's burdens and offering encouragement and unity, God speaks audibly through us. When mothers nurture, encourage, and speak dignity into the lives of their children, God is speaking audibly through them.

I believe the problem is not that people fail to listen or respond accordingly, but that they misunderstand the intersecting roles of women as individuals, sisters to other women, and mothers within the family. Let us begin with the God-ordained purpose of every woman.

The God-Ordained Purpose for Every Woman

Close your eyes and picture a radiant life filled with new, positive energy as a woman of God. Imagine hearing a message from a Spirit-filled woman preacher. What words would empower, edify, encourage, and educate you about God's purpose for women?

This reflection seeks to reveal God's voice through Scripture and illuminate every woman's purpose, reflected in the archetype of Eve—the first woman created by God and the symbolic mother of humanity (Gen. 1:27; 2:22–23).

Eve's creation reveals her essential purpose. She is not merely a companion. She is the fundamental life-giver and wellspring of human community. Her name means "life" or "life-giver," underscoring her role. This meaning is rooted in the Hebrew words chayah and hayah, both of which convey the giving and sustaining of life. God's creation of Eve highlights her distinct and intentional role alongside Adam. She participates in God's creative work by bringing forth new life and expressing creativity. Eve's origin in God's divine imagination reminds us that we, too, are daughters of infinite imagination.

Eve was created as Adam's equal, meant to share in the stewardship of creation. Her presence blesses and enriches all of God's creation. She embodies beauty, kindness, and a nurturing spirit. As a companion and life-giver, she brings vitality to those around her, requiring strength, energy, compassion, and perseverance. Eve needed these qualities in her relationship with both God and Adam. At her creation, she appeared before Adam fully mature and radiant—not primitive, but whole and complete. She reflected the perfection of God's creative work.

Embrace and Celebrate Your Individuality

Embrace and celebrate your individuality. Our differences reflect the brilliance of our Creator.

To understand our value, remember that Adam was alone and needed companionship. Although the animals surrounded him, none could provide the partnership he required. Eve fulfilled that need. Just as Adam and Eve were created to support one another, we are called to support one another today. Women bring compassion, wisdom, resilience, and nurturing strength to every relationship. By caring for God's creation together, we share the responsibility of strengthening, encouraging, and uplifting one another through our unique gifts. Each person contributes something essential. Together, we help one another flourish.

Adam and Eve's relationship is like two rivers joining into a single stream, drawing life from God. From that stream flow partnership, creativity, and purpose, all sustained by God's presence. Adam represents humanity, while Eve, as the mother of all living, represents the nurturing of life and community. Their unity reflects God's design: distinct individuals working together toward a shared purpose. This union prepares us to understand Eve's deeper significance in the biblical story.

Eve's Powerful Symbolism

Building on this foundation of unity and creative partnership, Scripture reveals Eve's profound symbolism and central role in humanity's story. Her choice to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6) ushered humanity into a new reality, making her a figure associated with change, consequence, and ultimately hope. Though creation was first declared "very good" by God, the Fall became the beginning of God's redemptive story. Eve's journey ultimately points toward hope, resilience, and restoration.

Even after the Fall, Eve remains a figure of hope and anticipation (Gen. 3:15–16). God's promise that her offspring would ultimately overcome evil establishes her place within His plan of redemption. Christians understand this promise to find its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, born through Mary of Nazareth. In this way, Eve's story points forward to redemption and underscores the significant role women play throughout God's redemptive plan. Womanhood is presented as a source of life, dignity, hope, and purpose, affirming the immeasurable worth of women in God's eyes. Ultimately, this story reminds us that humanity shares both a common hope and a common calling.

Journal Your Thoughts on Renewal and Restoration

Today, journal your thoughts on renewal and restoration. Write about what renewal means to you and how you have experienced restoration in your own life. As you write, reflect on the grace and wisdom found in renewal, the freedom found in God, and the transformation that comes through Christ.

Next, think of someone who struggles with identity, meaning, or self-worth, and send them a message of encouragement.

Then reflect on your identity as a woman created in God's image. Consider Eve, whose name means "life." Ask yourself whether anyone or anything has challenged your understanding of the life and purpose God has placed within you.

Finally, look in the mirror and say aloud:

"I am wholly a woman, God's leading lady of legacy. My God has made me beautiful."

Allow this truth to settle into your spirit, and return to this affirmation whenever you begin to question your worth.

You need only believe.

THIS IS THE TRUTH I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR PREACHED TO DISTRESSED AND OPPRESSED WOMEN THROUGH THE VOICES OF WOMEN PREACHERS.

SHOULD LOCAL CHURCHES HAVE MINISTRIES FOR THEIR WOMEN ON MANAGING MENOPAUSE?

By Rev. Dr. Deborah G. McBride Lewis

Educator, Biblical Scholar, and Womanist Leader

Local churches of all denominations must take immediate steps to establish ministries that support female members through menopause. Church leaders should collaborate with health professionals and women in their congregations to create and promote education, resources, and compassionate support for those experiencing menopause. This intentional action will demonstrate a true commitment to holistic care, fulfilling Jesus’ call to abundant life referenced in John 10:10.

Actively supporting women ensures they can fully participate in church life and prioritize their well-being. Churches must treat menopause support as an essential part of their ministry, placing it on par with all other areas of holistic care.

By initiating support groups, hosting workshops, and launching mentorship programs, churches can foster healing, wisdom-sharing, and spiritual growth. These targeted efforts equip women to navigate change, deepen relationships, improve communication, renew intimacy, and address specific health challenges.

Deborah reports night sweats disrupting her sleep. Dianne describes how discomfort has reduced intimacy with her husband and led her to seek solutions with healthcare providers. Extending from these accounts, consider whether conditions such as osteoporosis and low bone density—risk factors for hip fractures—are affecting women such as 80-year-old Mother Douglas. These cases underscore the need for open, church-level dialogue about menopause.

Spiritually, Jesus asks, “Do you want to be made whole?” (John 5:6). Though He addresses a man seeking physical healing, His redemptive work extends to all humanity—body, mind, and spirit.

In another passage of Scripture, Jesus responds to a Canaanite woman seeking healing for her daughter: “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26, NKJV). Here, “children” refers to God’s people, and the “bread” symbolizes blessings, including healing. The woman’s unwavering faith and persistence moved Jesus to grant her request, illustrating that healing is available to all who place their trust in God’s provision.

In the same way, menopause marks a normal and meaningful transition for every woman of God, often celebrated as a “second spring” of life. During this season, churches can be a source of encouragement, helping women embrace new purpose, reflect on their journey, and pursue opportunities for growth and renewal.

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

I am writing this article for two main reasons: my personal experience with post-menopausal symptoms and my involvement with the senior pastor of my former church, where this issue was brought before the elders for approval to be included in women’s ministry teaching.

Building on these experiences, I learned that effective women leaders connect personally by demonstrating humility, integrity, and vulnerability in professional settings outside their areas of expertise.

As an example, my husband remains in Jamaica due to a pause in immigration processing of spousal petitions. During our separation, I visit him twice a year, and recently I noticed changes in our intimacy. Rather than making assumptions, I approached the situation with humility and vulnerability and consulted my U.S. doctor, who provided the medical and professional insight I needed. She thoroughly explained menopause and its effects on aging women.

THE MAIN STAGES OF MENOPAUSE

According to my physician, to better understand my experience, it is important to know that menopause is a defining stage in every woman’s life—unless the ovaries are removed—marked by significant hormonal changes. The main stages include:

1. Perimenopause: Irregular periods and hormonal changes typically begin between ages 40 and 50, leading up to menopause.
2. Menopause: Twelve months without a period, usually around age 50, signaling the end of reproductive years and the beginning of new bodily changes.
3. Postmenopause: The years following menopause, generally from age 51 onward, marked by distinct health changes.

The unique nature of being a woman is both mysterious and marvelous. I felt relieved to learn that these changes were due to post-menopausal adjustments, not infidelity. Do you see how a lack of understanding could have affected my marriage? If I had accused my husband when the issue was a natural biological process, it could have caused serious harm to our relationship.

Thankfully, my physician’s guidance provided clarity and prevented misunderstanding. I now urge spiritual leaders to educate themselves and intentionally address the spiritual, emotional, and self-care needs of women to protect and strengthen relationships within their congregations, families, and communities.

MOVING WOMEN THROUGH MENOPAUSE

I submitted a proposal titled “Moving Women Through Menopause” to the senior pastor of my former church. I followed proper ministerial procedures to honor women through research and support.

The proposal was declined because the pastor preferred to keep the topic strictly spiritual. After resigning from the ministry to pursue other opportunities for women, I later learned that the program was implemented during women’s ministry week as an educational activity.

Although it was initially misunderstood and rejected, I am grateful it was eventually adopted. I hope it inspires transformation, wisdom, and comfort for the women who attend and who seek intimacy with God and their spouses, as well as improvement in their overall quality of life during this season.

A CALL TO HOLISTIC SELF-CARE

Self-care is essential for growth during menopause. Honoring body, mind, and spirit supports spiritual development. Rest, nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction strengthen emotional health. Neglecting self-care can hinder a healthy transition.

As a certified clergywoman and doctoral-level professional, I emphasize the importance of holistic self-care as key to thriving through menopause. I urge all church leaders to act now: educate women, engage the community, and invite qualified experts to lead supportive menopause discussions.

Let us work together to form ministries, build strong support systems, and create safe spaces where women can share and seek guidance. Stand with us so that no woman faces this transition alone. Together, our churches can become beacons of holistic healing and growth.

In a future article on menopause, we will explore the spiritual, mental, and natural blessings that come with life’s progression, including the transition from physical motherhood to spiritual nurturing and mentorship within faith communities.

Our Lord has favored us as maturing women to move from the “death” of biological childbearing into the “life” of bringing others into fellowship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

I close with these words of Jesus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24, NKJV).

By empowering women, educating sisters, and supporting mothers, our approach to menopause becomes more than hope—it becomes a movement toward health, wholeness, and purpose.

Are you ready to join us on this journey?

Thank you.