Inspire, Summer 2001

the Dominican Republic to counsel and nurture 22 juvenile delinquents. After a year, we moved with these same young people to a halfway house in Florida and continued working with them for several years. There our son Jake was born. Afew years later we realized that we were becoming physically and emotionally drained by our work.After much thought and prayer, we decided to move in another direction. As our students graduated, we stopped accepting new residents. During this transition period, I was introduced to a fashion designer. She was an art institute instructor who was looking for someone to work under her in an apprenticeship, and she hired me to sew her designs. I began to do this on a part-time basis so that I could stay home with Jake.The marriage of our last student provided me with my first design project: bridal party gowns.I loved to sew and began to realize that I enjoyed the fashion design business. My interest areas have always been in fashion,creativity, psychology,and counseling.Through that opening,God showed me that with Him in control, I could enjoy all of my passions. Soon afterwards, Randy decided that we needed to move to a small town in Indiana.Some of my Florida friends thought my design career was going to take a vacation. I soon discovered that they were wrong.A short time after we relocated,I was introduced to a famous hair designer who was looking for someone to design a clothing line to be shown with her hairstyles. After she accepted my designs,I was able to show a line of clothing in London.(I thought that was very creative of God!) I continue to develop my fashion design business, having had lines ofclothing shown throughout Europe and North America. Closer to my heart, however,and more closely.linked to my goals, God has developed for me a ministry of speaking to women through seminars, banquets,conferences,and retreats. Drawing from the life experiences that God has designed for me,I am able to encourage women to trust the details of their individual lives to God as their personal Designer. Often at these events I am asked to do a fashion show which becomes the "sanctified bait" to draw women who might not otherwise attend. God is so creative as he works in each ofour lives to manifest Himselfto our hurting world.I praise God for His incredible hand as He continues to unfold His design for my life. For more information on Martha's ministry, contact her at 812-278-8508. Inspire 15