Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelia Boone.
Hi Shelia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a young East Texas girl, I grew up in the backwoods of a small community called Arkadelphia. I think I may be the only country girl who grew up afraid of every insect and crawly thing! At age 19, I married John, the man who would be the father of our two sons, and my partner in ministry for 25+ years. In 2008, we moved from Texarkana, TX to Tyler, TX where we continued raising our children and serving in ministry. In 2012, I began a career with the Dept of Veteran Affairs helping veterans with their healthcare needs; fast-forwarding to 2015, we relocated to the Dallas area where I transferred to the North Texas VA Hospital and continued my career path in the Administration Section where I now get to assist over 130+ providers as they take care of our veterans. In March 2018, my husband of 29 years suddenly died, and my whole world was changed. Being a person who loved God with all my heart, and dedicated to His will, now found myself confused, angry, scared, and not speaking to God. I threw myself into work because it was the only thing that felt normal; until it didn’t! I began to experience mental and emotional meltdowns, which eventually led to me being totally broken and crying out to God! I went the first year without acknowledging God, this next chapter would prove how much I needed Him! In May of 2019, two of my supervisors saw I was hanging on by a thread, and they “strongly suggested” I take a month or two off to allow myself some time; thank God I did. I took a whole month off and during that time, I began to journal and talk to God again. The more I journaled, the more healing came. Then God told me the journal wasn’t just for my healing, but it would be a tool to help others. In December of 2019, I released the book, “Grief, A Passageway to Freedom” detailing parts of my grief journey through five stages. In June of 2020, I started Shelia Boone Ministries, a live podcast on FB called “Chatting With Champions”, as well as the founder of M.E.N.D.E.D., (Minding my Emotions to produce a New Direction Every Day) a private FB group created to help people learn how to acknowledge their emotional state of being, and then cultivate healthy emotions in order to produce more positive results. In October of 2021, I held my first Navigating Through Grief & Loss Seminar, and it’s been fast forward ever since. I’m now in the process of getting my Grief Coaching Certification, as well as just finishing my second book, “Overcoming the Widow’s Mentality”. (Release Date TBD). I never saw this path for me, but God knows the plans for me, and because He’s blessed me to see the other side of grief, He’s now graced me to help others get to the other side as well; I’m embracing His will for my life! I’ve been a public speaker most of my ministry life, but now it’s more focused and with an added passion to see people live life and live it more abundantly.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Having to start over in several areas of my life, it was pretty scary. Having gotten married so young, I had never lived on my own, so here I was at 47yrs old and didn’t know a lot of things about life. Things I depended on my late husband to do, I think I went into a “sink or swim” mode and so I learned how to swim; in the deep end! After being in the forefront of ministry for so many years, and having a heart to help others, I found myself suddenly feeling empty with nothing left to give, all of my energy was going inward and I attempted to tell God I was done with ministry. I think it was Woody Allen that said “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” LOL! Not only have I learned how to swim, but I’m throwing out life jackets every opportunity I get.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In 2020, I started Shelia Boone Ministries, which everything I do falls up under. After publishing my first book, and realizing it was giving “voice” to those who were hurting, I wanted to provide that avenue for other people, so I started my live FB podcast “Chatting With Champions” where people who normally wouldn’t share their stories, can feel free to come into my virtual studio and have the comfort of knowing they are in a safe space to share and their story will help someone else. We have been fortunate to reach thousands thus far. Along the same time, I founded a private FB group MENDED, (you can request to join on FB) which was birthed from me recognizing my own emotional state, and deciding to take control of my emotions, instead of allowing my emotions to control me. God has given me a great gift to help people who are struggling with deep emotional issues, and offer them a better way so that they are able to embrace their future. Now, through seminars, public speaking events, group sessions as well as one on one coaching, I find myself asking God to use me as He sees fit. I’m proud to say that though I had given up on Him (for the moment), He never gave up on me, and He already knew the plans for me! I believe one of the things that sets me apart is my ability to be transparent and to recognize that the gifts He places in us, aren’t for us, but for others; He doesn’t change His mind about us! I have an ability to hear and not judge; that’s God!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Before I went through my grief journey, I only saw grief in the traditional sense of someone dying. Now, I see that grief comes in many forms and through many channels; for example: I’ve seen people grieving due to divorce, loss of a home, loss of a job, lost dreams, health issues that prevent a normal way of life, or simply the life a person was used to is no more. So many around us are grieving, we just never knew what to call it because no one had died. I believe through Grief Coaching we will transcend the traditional methods and ways we look at grief, and more people will start to see that there’s life on the other side of grief and loss, no matter the cause.
Contact Info:
- Email: theofficialsheliaboone@gmail.com
- Website: www.sheliaboone.com
- Instagram: theofficialsheliaboone
- Facebook: theofficialsheliaboone
Image Credits
Marletta Jammer
Healing Shots Photography
