Jackson Free Press

Sometimes, we as people are thrust into circumstances over which we have no control. Erica Quinn Thompson, co-founder of the Magnolia Medical Foundation, released a daily devotional titled "The Transforming: 31 Days of Process for Purpose" in January to help others navigate these changes.

"Transformation isn't always about improvement. Sometimes it's about just rethinking things, and knowing that any transformation always begins with us. We are wonderfully made just the way we are, but we have to be able to understand the process (of change)," she says.

The wife and mother of two teenagers came up with the idea for the book while reading old journals that detailed the struggles and changes she had experienced through her life.

"I realized that things I was writing 10 years ago would be great for someone else, because they're all the things that I was questioning, and I felt that other women were probably having some similar questions," Thompson says. "I started just chronicling them into a daily devotional, and 'The Transforming' was born."

The book speaks to issues of abandonment, fear, self-empowerment and comparison, contains situational life lessons, and emphasizes the importance of understanding that change has purpose.

"We have to shift the mindset of how we're going to think about this situation and look at the positives instead of focusing on the negatives, thinking about what am I to learn from this as opposed to what am I the victim of ... the process of taking a situation and learning and growing from it, as opposed to allowing it to basically paralyze you from moving to your divine purpose," Thompson says.

The devotional is targeted for women of all ages and stages of life and walks readers through a 31-day process. Each entry is paired with a Bible scripture and words of affirmation.

"For young women, (the book) shows them that process. For older women, you may have had change as an adult, but there's still hope to go back and make sure you're still reaching your purpose."

The Natchez native describes COVID-19 as a prime example of the theme featured in her book: that we may not be able to control our circumstances, but we can control how we react to change and what we take away from the situation.

"What do you want to be on the other side of this? We now have time to really reflect. (The pandemic) has created an environment where we are more cognisant of the people who are in our world, too. ... The situation is providing a way for us to appreciate the moments we have with the people we care about," Thompson says.

In her spare time, Thompson enjoys reading, gardening, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

Find "The Transforming: 31 Days of Process for Purpose" on Amazon or visit transformingmovement.org to learn more.