CHANGING A GENERATION — A longtime registered nurse, Rhonda Hodges, 46, is the Founder and CEO of Rhonda Hodges Ministries, a Blytheville, Arkansas-based nonprofit organization/outreach ministry she organized largely as a strategic, effective way to empower this generation of women who, in turn, will empower other women.
DALLAS — Rhonda Hodges recently had a photo shoot done.
This particular shoot, as far as she was concerned, was worth certainly celebrating, as evidence by the awe-inspiring message staged under a newly-erected photo on her Facebook timeline Wednesday evening.
Said Hodges in a rather intriguing, forthright post before her 1,700-plus Facebook followers: Because I Don’t Look Like What I’ve Been Through!! Thanking God For The Scars and The Tears!!
And just like that, Hodges was the beneficiary of array of figurative applause, most notably from those who have witnessed her snatch victory from the jaws of defeat time and time again during her commendable, notable faith walk with her Creator.
FAMILY FOCUS
BUT GOD — Having pressed and navigated her past arguably the darkest hours of her life, Hodges In 1993 I was accepted into an LPN program in 1993, and capped off that milestone by earning her degree in June 1994 and marrying the godly man whom, to both of their credit, is still her loving husband to date. Despite having found out five years into her marriage that she could not birth children, the Hodges ultimately adopted their son, Jeremiah, who was just six months old at the time he joined his new family in November 2008.
“At age 16 years old, I felt the Holy Spirit and I knew it was something special,” Hodges told Making Headline News this week. “The older women in the church would just tell me that God had a great work for me to do and to always let the Lord use me. However, my gifts and talents weren’t nurtured.”
Because she knew full well that God had strategically set her aside for His use, Hodges — even while heeding the advice of those seasoned Saints — steadfastly continued to engage in kingdom work.
Hodge’s primary mission through her nonprofit organizational is to encourage the masses in their local communities, churches, and schools, as well as to generate effective outcomes through marriage seminars, various conferences, and youth and women’s groups.
As unto the Lord, mind you.
Then in April 2000, that is when things became rather intriguing for this beloved Joiner, Arkansas native, who doesn’t shy away from the notion that she undoubtedly is after God’s own heart.
Having accepted her heaven-mandated calling into the ministry in April 2007, Hodges was officially ordained as a licensed minister under the leadership of Pastor Theodis Rucker.
“While I know that I am not all that I should be, I am truly a woman after God’s own heart,” Hodges said. “I love serving others and I have a sincere desire to see God’s children walk in their God-given purpose.”
So immersed and passionate about living and dwelling on the larger side of God Hodges had become that she appropriately had taken another monumental step toward her destiny.
On November 4, Hodges will host her annual fall women’s conference called, “More Than A Conqueror,” during which she will be working with the Haven, a local women’s shelter to promote awareness about domestic violence. Her first inspirational book entitled “When He Speaks,” — a devotional-based written document — is presently in the works, she said.
A longtime registered nurse, Hodges, 46, is the Founder and CEO of Rhonda Hodges Ministries, Inc., a Blytheville, Arkansas-based nonprofit organization/outreach ministry she organized largely as a strategic, effective way to empower this generation of women who, in turn, will empower other women.
Hodge’s primary mission through her nonprofit organizational is to encourage the masses in their local communities, churches, and schools, as well as to generate effective outcomes through marriage seminars, various conferences, and youth and women’s groups.
“Rhonda’s desire for Christ is an onward, outward and upward journey,” said a spokesperson for Rhonda Hodges Ministries, Inc. at http://www.rhondahodges.org.
Also, on November 4, Hodges will host her annual fall women’s conference called, “More Than A Conqueror,” during which she will be working with the Haven, a local women’s shelter to promote awareness about domestic violence. Her first inspirational book entitled “When He Speaks,” — a devotional-based written document — is presently in the works, she said.
Just like her countless of peers throughout the Body of Christ, Hodges, too, had to overcome arguably some of the greatest of obstacles long before she shifted her focus to ministry.
At the tender age of seven, for instance, she was molested by her then-16-year- old cousin and witnessed firsthand her mother endure domestic violence at the hands of her father approximately a year later.
Hodges’ father, in fact, attempted to “kill my mother,” she said, a devastating, downtrodden encounter that ultimately gave way to her mother moving her family from Memphis and back to the Natural State.
GOD’S ELECTED OFFICIAL — Having accepted her heaven-mandated calling into the ministry and in April 2007, Hodges was officially ordained as a licensed minister under the leadership of Pastor Theodis Rucker. Pictured with Hodges is her husband, Arkansas State Representative Monte Hodges.
“We were not as fortunate as others, so I began chopping cotton at age 11,” Hodges explained. I chopped every summer until I was 17, while also being the weekend babysitter for women who worked or went to parties.”
By the time she had turned 19, Hodges found herself dealing with her own slew of hardships through domestic abuse, a trend that also prompted the man whom she admittedly loved to violate her physically, mentally, and sexually.
At times, Hodges said, “I found myself fighting for my own life,” a horrifically terrifying sequence that caused her to miss college classes and eventually vacate school altogether.
“I was forced to drop out of school and for several years,” Hodges recalled. “I had to rebuild my GPA in hopes of getting into a nursing program, (and that) was slim due to this.”
Hodge’s primary mission through her nonprofit organizational is to encourage the masses in their local communities, churches, and schools, as well as to amass effective outcomes through marriage seminars, various conferences, and youth and women’s groups.
Having pressed and navigated her past arguably the darkest hours of her life, Hodges was accepted into an LPN program in 1993, and then capped off that milestone by earning her degree in June 1994 and marrying the godly man whom, to both of their credit, is still her loving husband to date.
Despite having found out five years into her marriage that she could not birth children, the Hodges ultimately adopted their son, Jeremiah, who was just six months old at the time he joined his new family in November 2008.
“He was born on drugs, GI problems and, at birth, weighed three pounds, three ounces,” Hodges said.”
All things considered, Jeremiah undoubtedly was the appropriate name for the Hodges’ miracle child whom, befittingly, is a testament of just how God can turn an unfavorable situation into a dramatic comeback for the ages.
PRAYERS ANSWERED — In April 2000, things became rather intriguing for this beloved Joiner, Arkansas native, who doesn’t shy away from the notion that she undoubtedly is after God’s own heart.
His beloved mother surely can attest, as evidenced by her inspiring Facebook post Wednesday evening.
“Because I Don’t Look Like What I’ve Been Through!! Thanking God For The Scars and The Tears!!” Hodges wrote before her 1,700-plus Facebook followers.
All of whom consequently provided her with some well-deserved figurative round of applause — all while getting a firsthand look at her remarkable new photo from her recent shoot.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
