Real Story Of The Week...

"From Depression and Devastation to Passion and Purpose..."

By Jan Stumbo - August 19, 2012

Eric... These pictures are of me and Waverly Parson with Disaster Relief from the recent flooding victims I helped in Weatherford in July. I just had to share what you and TQ are helping me do!!!!" ~ Best Regards, Jan Stumbo

Dear Eric and TQ Staff,

Please allow me to introduce myself and explain my mission. My name is Jan Stumbo, and I live with my husband and two children and do my work in Arlington, Texas. I volunteer my time to several organizations in our community; however, in the last two years, I have found my passion in teaching children and adults through the power of art.

Since a young age, I have been inspired to create art that is imaginative, as well as meaningful to me and those around me.

Art has given me peace.

When I contemplate, express, and reveal my art to others, they not only see the art itself but also my PASSION to help others heal by turning their pain into pieces of art from within.

For years, I have suffered from debilitating depression.

I have tried every medication my physicians recommended and hours of therapy to treat my condition. It was only after the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina, that I found a calling that not only serves as a more healing process than anything my doctors could prescribe, but has also allowed me to create a program for adults and children that involves utilizing art to release their innermost expression.

After Hurricane Katrina, I saw the devastation of those displaced from the storms. I found myself questioning my abilities to help.

I packed up my 11 year old daughter and my art supplies and headed to the Salvation Army. I spoke to several of the children who had not only lost their homes, but many had lost their families as well.

By helping these children with drawing and painting, I found that they were able to express their fears, their anxieties, and mostly their dreams of one day having a better life. It was through these teachings that I began to heal myself from my demons, as well as help these children heal from theirs.

I am a self-taught artist and hope to someday get a formal education in art to further my teaching. I have developed an in-depth program involving expression of art, developing art skills, and using art as an outlet for high-risk, displaced, and underprivileged individuals who might not get the emotional help they need.

To see the expressions on their faces after releasing their emotions on canvass is not only healing to them, but to me as well.

Helping these children is truly my calling.

I woke up this morning and was somewhat discouraged but I went on line and saw your information about finding your passion and how to live it.

Your quote made my heart stand still this morning when I read it:

The TWO Great Tragedies In Life...

It has been said that the two great tragedies in life are these: Not knowing your purpose—not knowing WHY you are here on Earth... and once you know your purpose—not LIVING it with passion and dedication... every single day you are alive.

Your site has made me understand the divine reason for my existence.

The days that I wanted to give up because of funding reasons, my knowledge and finding the proper board to start a non-profit to further my mission... TQ saw me through— giving me the hope and encouragement I needed to proceed.

I can remember getting into a spiraling depression because of certain circumstances, and the first thing I did was go to your site to bring me up.

Sometimes people do not realize what a huge impact on someone's life they have just by sharing a word of encouragement.

I wanted to share that I wanted to give up and felt like I could not do this.

Today you made me realize that my purpose is my passion—and I know am ALIVE—because I am serving at risk youth and building a better community by helping those in need.

God put you in my path for a reason, and I just had to share with you what a huge impact you are making in my life and children's lives years and years to come.

I will be forever grateful to you and your staff for allowing me to help others cope with adversity.

I just started school to further this mission and now attend college for the first time at 35 years of age. Reading your information has helped me and be the driving force behind me exceeding the Soul Arts Foundation Inc.

Some days I would get up at 5:00 in the morning and go read your information and pray that I would have that push that I needed to get through the day. Your site was and still is my therapy. Reading your material allows me to press on.

I am forever grateful for your site and what you have helped me achieve. You may not be aware, but you are the driving force behind The Soul Art Project.

Every day I am healing with my depression and I am transforming my life's purpose into something that will help others years and years to come. I have been successful now and just received enough donations to pay for attorney fees and CPA's to start this non-profit... and I cannot wait to make this foundation take off and help children years to come.

Because of your site I am furthering my mission and I am forever grateful.

Best Regards,

Jan Stumbo

Soul Arts Foundation, Inc. (WOW ~ this is the first time I have written this down on an e-mail!!!) I cannot believe I am doing this now... Thanks to you!!!

Arlington, Texas

[email protected]

W O W! Talk about LIVING your MISSION...

Jan --

Kent, I and the entire Team TQ are humbled and honored by your wonderful comments!

Your strength through adversity is a beacon to us all -- proof positive that PASSION and PURPOSE yields an unstoppable MISSION.

In our newest book, Success On Purpose, we write about finding your Natural Mission and Authentic Direction in life.

As you just so perfectly illustrated, it is the foundation for real passion in our lives.

The sheer force of Passion and Purpose cannot be understated.

It has the power to move mountains... to cure the sick... to make the world whole again... to not only make a difference in the world... but to make the world different.

This is exactly what you are doing Jan, making the world substantially DIFFERENT because you are here... because of your PASSION... because you are unleashing your God-given TALENTS in a positive and POWERFUL way.

My dear friend and Minister, Pastor Mark, has told us for years that it is indeed small-time thinking to just make a difference in the world. He says, and I agree, that on our own we have such limited capacity for making the world a better, safer, more beautiful place in which to live.

Add GOD's power to your own Power of TQ, and now EVERYTHING becomes possible.

The possibilities and potentialities of waking up... shaking up... and making the world a decidedly DIFFERENT place can be achieved—as you so beautifully point out—one person at a time... indeed, one child at a time.

I now SEE exactly what Pastor Mark was saying.

You are LIVING PROOF that he is right!

God Bless You for Sharing,

Eric R. Haas, CEO ThinkTQ, Inc.