Episode # 105 "Lead to Inspire Hope and Love" with guest speaker Amy Thurston

Welcome back to the BE ENCOURAGED! Podcast! I am your host Jackie Brindle and you are listening to episode # 105 today! I want to say that I appreciate that you chose to press play today! Please note that the BE ENCOURAGED! Podcast is on a new schedule for when each episode comes out! I initially started the year by stating that there would be an episode airing every other week, but with some unforeseen circumstances like taking doctorate courses in strategic leadership at Liberty University Online, has made this quite a challenge to find the time to maintain the podcast. This program has certainly humbled me and I am grateful for my family’s support and my husband’s sweet care of our family while I burn the midnight oil most nights. Therefore, all production of episodes and publication of The BE ENCOURAGED! Podcast will come to a halt until the end of March! SPRING TIME! All that to say — our guest speaker is a wonderful example of leadership. Amy Thurston is our guest who leads with excellence, takes risks, has great ambitions, and values others deeply. Amy Thurston is the Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Hope Inspire Love. As CEO, she is passionate about leading the organization's daily operations and strategic planning efforts. As a seasoned executive, she is guiding the mission of eradicating human trafficking and sexual exploitation, empowering survivors of sex trafficking to flourish and thrive. Fueled by her passion for justice, she has spent nearly two decades building innovative programs that apply a social justice lens to teens and young adults experiencing trauma. By empowering survivors to outgrow the label of 'survivor' and fostering their strengths, she has cultivated critical efforts to uplift, inspire, and encourage others to be their best selves. She currently spearheads Hope Inspire Love's Trauma-informed Mentorship Program, where she works with survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. She also sits on the board of Greenlight Operation, a nonprofit that strategically combats human trafficking through educational initiatives and serves sex-trafficked women through a continuum of restorative care. We are going to be educated and encouraged by Amy today! So grab your cup of coffee, get on your walk or run and BE ENCOURAGED! Resources: website is HopeInspireLove.org Instagram: Hope. Inspire. Love Facebook: HopeInspireLove