Road To Redemption
Road To Redemption
Lori Smith - Finding Purpose After Losing Everything
Lori Smith never imagined she'd find herself sitting alone in a dark parking lot, tears streaming down her face, begging God for direction after her world collapsed. As publisher and executive editor of Life Media Group—a thriving media company with eight newspapers across Florida's Emerald Coast—Lori now radiates confidence and purpose. But the road to her current success required navigating through extraordinary pain.
"I lost everything," Lori reveals in this raw, emotional conversation with host Valerie Peterson. Her story unfolds as she details facing a painful divorce after a decade of trying to save her marriage, mourning her mother's death, enduring financial devastation, and relocating to a community where she knew no one—all simultaneously. The image of Lori crying in her car before work, during lunch breaks, and on the drive home paints a vivid picture of someone in pure survival mode.
The turning point came through divine intervention when, during her darkest moment, she heard God audibly release her from her marriage—a direction that contradicted everything she believed about divorce. This moment of clarity didn't eliminate her suffering but provided the permission she needed to move forward. Throughout this valley, Lori clung to specific worship songs that articulated her pain when she couldn't find words to pray, and to the promise that faith "the size of a mustard seed" was enough to sustain her.
What makes Lori's testimony particularly powerful is her transformation from brokenness to becoming what she calls a "marketplace minister"—someone who brings Christ's presence into professional settings without formal ministry credentials. Now leading a successful media company, she prays with clients, speaks hope into business relationships, and uses her platform to influence others for Christ. Her journey proves that our darkest moments don't define us—they can become the very experiences God uses to equip us for greater impact and purpose.
Ready to experience hope in your own journey? Listen to Lori's full testimony and discover how faith can sustain you through your darkest valleys. Connect with Lori at lori@lifemediagrp.com or visit MyDestinLife.com to learn more about her work in the community.
For more information contact us at
rtrdestiny@gmail.com
Welcome to Road to Redemption, a show sharing powerful life testimonies, giving hope to those on their own road to redemption.
Speaker 2:Well welcome. This is Road to Redemption. I'm Valerie Peterson and I have a very special guest here today. She is Lori Smith. I know many of you know her, but Lori is the publisher and executive editor of Life Media Group. Can you just share a little bit about your position before we get going and what you do in this community?
Speaker 1:We are a multimedia company where we have eight newspapers now in each community on the Emerald Coast and we are serving communities such as Destin, fort, walton Beach, south Walton, freeport now with a new one about to launch, with a new one about to launch and we are also in Niceville and the whole north of the Bay Area in Panama City Beach. So we are out in the community, we're doing great things, telling stories of people and places and events and things happening in the community, and we direct mail those into people's homes and businesses and they just love it. We represent Christ in so many ways. We are not a Christian newspaper, so to speak, but we're not afraid to go there. So somebody who picks up the paper that is mainstream is going to get the gospel. If they're reading the paper, they're going to get it in there. So I just wanted to add that real quick. Yes, I'm glad you did.
Speaker 2:And that's our mission, that's one of our purposes. We truly believe this is God's business. You know, lori, I want to say to you I so admire you. You are such an influencer, you are such an influencer and you really are an influencer for Christ, and I would love for you to start by sharing your testimony with our listeners today.
Speaker 1:So, yes, it wasn't always that way. We go through things in life. Personally, that affects our business many, many times. And so a few years ago I was in Birmingham and I found myself going through a divorce and my marriage was falling apart. And not only that, my mom had died and there were several things going on financially that I found out about later. But there were so many things going on and even moving here and moving to a new place that I didn't know, leaving my hometown, leaving all my friends and coming to this area and in fact, I had like the top 10 stressors you know if you read about what those are, I had them all and they were overlapping and all kinds of stuff and it was just an incredibly, incredibly challenging time.
Speaker 1:And you know, when you go through things like that, there's an array of emotions that happen. And you find yourself, you know, mourning, and then you feel guilty. When you know things aren't working out, you feel like it's your fault and then you even experience anger. You could. There's so many realms of emotions that you can go through Right and it just becomes a very hopeless situation sometimes. Or you feel like it is. It's not really and, looking back on it, but you feel that way and you feel like you're a failure. Feel that way and you feel like you're a failure, and when you can't, it's out of control and you feel very alone. And that's where I was, val.
Speaker 1:I moved here, I didn't know anyone, I was it. It took three years to go through the divorce and the whole time you know you're. You know one point I'm thinking, oh. I'm thinking, oh, this is not right. I don't want to do this. Divorce wasn't even in my vocabulary. I thought God would be mad at me. I spent years and years trying to stay in it. I really did. I did everything I could, from A to Z. I really did. I did everything I could from A to Z, and still I truly believe God released me.
Speaker 2:Would you be willing to share? There was a moment, as I remember, reading about you in an article that you knew but knew that it was okay.
Speaker 1:I got to a point where I would get in my car every day and go to work. I would cry the whole way to work, I would go to work and then I would put on my happy face and then, once lunchtime came around, I'd get back in my car and drive around and cry again, and then after work, I would cry some more on the way home. And one pivotal night I did go home and some things occurred and I got back in my car and started driving around and I was just crying. I was just asking God, god, what do you want me to do? What do you want me to do? I was just at the end, I just didn't have anything else in me. And he said and you've got a picture of this I'm sitting in a dark parking lot at like eight o'clock at night in October, so it's pitch black, dark and I'm just crying and crying. Lord, what do you want me to do? I just want to do what you want me to do. I'm going to be in line with your will. And I just don't know what that is. I didn't know what it was and I literally heard, all of a sudden I now release you from this marriage.
Speaker 1:And even then, even then, I sat there and I kind of stopped crying. You know, it's kind of like this abrupt stop and I said, surely, god, that's not what you want. I literally said that to God and he said it again I now release you from this marriage. And I had spent a decade trying to stay, trying to do everything I knew to do, and after that my whole perspective and my whole demeanor changed and I knew that I had to obey God. I knew, I knew that I did, and some people probably don't understand that, but I knew that, I knew that. I knew that was one of the very few times I've actually heard God audibly talk to me. I've actually heard God audibly talk to me. So, in saying that that was a pivotal moment in time but it did push me forward, but it didn't mean that I didn't still feel the feelings or go through the emotions of the incredible loss and the mourning of losing my marriage and for my children and I want to stop you.
Speaker 2:Yes, Then you had the loss of your mom, so I'm thinking you know those are two like significant losses that you were walking through at that time.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and people don't realize it affects everything you do and even though, as I said, I was walking into the office and putting on my happy face, you know, and trying to go through the motions, if you will, because I cared very deeply about my work and what I did and the people, what I did and the people, but surely they knew, you know, even if you try to hide those things you know, you know in a professional environment, I think some people still know and they still see through that. But the incredible aloneness that you feel going through that. And there was three songs. One of those songs was never alone, by barlow girl, and um, some of the words are and I felt like I was singing these, but, um, some of them are. I waited for you but you didn't show. I needed you today. So where did you go? You told me to call, said you'd be there and though I haven't seen you, are you still there? I cried out with no reply and I can't feel you by my side. So I'll hold tight anyway to what I know You're here and I'm never alone.
Speaker 1:I just would sing that over and over again through my tears, talking about powerful yes and somewhere deep, deep down inside I knew God was there and that he was holding me, even if I didn't feel like it or even if I didn't see Him or hear Him even during those times. And I believe that I did. But I just was under such an oppression at the time and so lost feeling. Because going through that and going through the decade of trying to hold my marriage together, val, you lose yourself. Sometimes you lose yourself. You don't know what you like. You don't even know what movies you like to see or what your interests are, or just your hobbies. You don't have anything you spend, for some people spend so much time trying to please their husbands and I lost myself. So my identity at that time God brought me to my knees and my identity was in Him and I knew that. So somewhere deep down inside, but at the same time I was looking for myself. Yeah, you know, and I knew he had the answer. It was like such a survival. I was in Just survival, absolutely. I knew he had the answer. It was like such a survival. I was in Just survival, absolutely. I was trying to survive life. You know, I knew that and God had impressed upon me. He said never say anything negative. Never say anything negative about your husband. Never say anything negative. You are not a victim, you are an overcomer, and I am here for you. And you continue to get up every day, put one foot down on the floor and then put another foot down on the floor and walk, and he would tell me he did. And I knew just somewhere in my spirit. I knew, I knew I just had to walk and look forward. I couldn't. I knew I just had to walk and look forward. I couldn't look back, I just had to move forward. I had to move forward, I had to move forward. What was the other song Can you share? Yes, yes.
Speaker 1:When I was talking about feeling like I had lost my identity as Lori, there was another song who Am I? By Casting Crowns, and it says who am I? That the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt, not because of who I am, but because of what you've done. Not because of what you've done, but because of who you are. Still, you hear me when I'm calling Lord. You catch me when I'm falling. I felt like I was falling, I truly did. And you've told me who I am? I am yours, I am yours. And who am I that the eyes that see my sin would look on me with love and watch me rise again? Who am I that the eyes that see my sin would look on me with love and watch me rise again? Who am I that the voice that calmed the sea would call out through the rain See, I was going through the storm, many storms. I felt like there were several storms and calm the storm in me Because, you see, I was going not only through the loss of my marriage and the breakup of my family and the loss of my mom, but I was going through financial.
Speaker 1:I was going through moving to a new place where I didn't know hardly anyone. I was going through having to go back into the workforce after having my own business for 19 years and trying to. You know, I didn't even know the lingo anymore, the professional lingo. I didn't even know how to do that. But God and I was going through all these things and it was just of such magnitude. But the one thing I do want to say is that I did lose everything. I absolutely lost everything, monetarily speaking, but I didn't lose my children and I would thank God. I would thank God every day. I have three beautiful children and I would thank Him every single day. Thank you, lord, for my kids, thank you for them. Thank you for them Because I felt like that was it and that's really all that mattered. Yeah, because I knew deep down he would take care of me. But there is still a fear there too.
Speaker 2:You know, speak to the listeners today that are really going through loss, depression, despair. What would you say to them?
Speaker 1:I would say that the feelings are real, the hopelessness you feel is real, the aloneness you feel is very real, and just the suffering and the heartache that you feel is real. But, just like the fear, god is there and you have to know on the inside that he is there for you. You are His, he is yours and you can call to Him and he will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you do not know. And you do not have the spirit of fear. You're an overcomer. You have strength through him. You have that fight in you. You have the will to move forward and move on.
Speaker 1:If you will allow Him to take you and allow Him to cover you with His blood and allow Him to, if he has to bring you to your knees so that he is all you have and he can lift you up, just like the words of these songs he can he will be right there for you and you are an overcomer. You're not a victim and you, you know, even though you feel like it, and those wounds will be healed. Sometimes it's a process, as it was for me for many years. I wasn't able to talk about this, even bring it up, for three years. Three years, and you know, over the years I've been able to slowly um tell my story and and bring it out a little bit more.
Speaker 2:But as you're talking, I'm thinking about the verse in micah 7, 8 don't gloat over me, my enemies, when I have fallen, for I shall arise. Yes, he does help us to get back up. He does, and you probably could testify to this. He says he has us by the hand in Isaiah 41.10. Behold, I am the Lord, your God, who takes you by the hand. Do not fear, I will help you. Yes, there's days I bet you're like Lord. Take me by the hand today, oh, yes.
Speaker 2:Help me to take it one step at a time.
Speaker 1:And still and still, to this day.
Speaker 1:You know he said be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, make your request known to me.
Speaker 1:And the peace I think that's very important the peace that passes all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus, and I don't know if I said that exactly, but I would cling to that and I would pray for peace, because when you're going through something like this, you feel no peace but your feelings are a liar and God is not, and God's word stands. And go to God's word. I would tell you, go to God's word, pray and find those people in the Bible who have gone through similar circumstances, because what greatly comforted me was that and from the words of these songs, knowing that I wasn't the only one going through this, that there are other people that feel the same way I do, and that somehow gave me some comfort. But there would be pivotal times that God would give me peace and move forward in that. Where you feel peace, move forward in that and let him just let go, and let him take you and let and blossom you into who you are.
Speaker 2:Lori, I remember you telling me that a verse that you hung on to was Matthew 17, 20. If you have faith, a grain of a mustard seed.
Speaker 1:Can you talk?
Speaker 2:about that.
Speaker 1:Oh, yes, you know, val, there's so much, there's so much that I could say that we won't get in today, honestly. But I did tell you that if you have faith as of a mustard seed, oh my goodness, and I would say to myself all the time, I would say Lord, as I was crying out. I would say, lord, I know I have faith of a mustard seed because it's teeny, tiny and I know that I have at least that bit of faith. And you said, you said you promised that, even if you have a faith of a mustard seed, that you could take that and make it grow, and make it, because I felt like I almost felt like I lost, I was almost about to lose my faith.
Speaker 1:And I'm sure there are many people out there that are, yes, that feel that way. And I would tell you, just picture a mustard seed. I actually had a little bracelet that was made up of mustard seeds and I would look at it and I would say, lord, I know, no, I have faith of a mustard seed. And I stand on that and I am going, I'm praying that, you know, and I would, I would just, I would almost get indignant with it. And he honors that.
Speaker 2:He really does and I look at you and you are an example of I. He says I'll restore the years the locust has eaten. I look at you and the restoration that has happened in your life. I just believe it's going to give other people hope. You know it says in Hebrews 6, 19,. Hope is an anchor. It keeps us firm and secure right, and you are bringing hope to our listeners today. Thank you so much for just being transparent and honest. You know we have talked about marketplace ministry. You are a marketplace minister. I read that you we didn't even talk about this, but you said in an article my purpose for existing is to help people come to know Him, meaning Christ. Yes, can you talk a little bit about that?
Speaker 1:Yes, the thought that comes to my mind right now is that the latter is greater than the former. The latter is greater than the former. And Val, you and many others spoke that into my life. And, though it's a process, god gives you these little nuggets and these little treats along the way to let you know he's there and to let you know that he's building you up. But I would pray all the time. Lord, what do you want me to do? What is my calling? And I was so afraid that I didn't know my calling and that I would miss it. I would be so afraid I would miss that and I just would pray it all the time. And it took me many years until I realized. And one day God just said you are a marketplace minister. And I was, because, you know, I used to think I needed to go into the ministry to serve him. No, I was given an opportunity by Dave White, who had started Sew All Life and he wanted to expand into Destin. And it took a little while to think about it. And then I just said okay, because I knew the Lord wanted me out in the marketplace somehow. But I still hadn't put all the pieces together. So I one day heard him and I realized that's what I was doing. And then I knew my calling.
Speaker 1:I don't even know how to explain that but as being in marketing and PR and all the things a writer, editor and all these things that I'm doing, I get to go see clients. I get to pray with them. I get to sometimes, if God will nudge me and say, hey, they're having a bad day pray with them. I pray over our advertisers. I am able to be out there hopefully leading my life the way God wants me to lead it, and just be out in the marketplace. It's a ministry. It is a ministry and there are people looking for answers, even in work, even in their professional lives. And if God can speak through me and help me, help them, then that's my place, that's my position and that's really my identity is through him.
Speaker 2:You know I do want to dialogue with you on a couple of things in closing, and I think you can relate to this. I'm going to encourage our listeners John Martin always really loves to encourage our listeners to get in the word. The word transforms us To find a Christ-centered church and, lastly, find a small group, find community, because that verse iron sharpens iron. When we are in community, people speak into our lives and we can speak into other people's lives.
Speaker 1:So anything you want to say on those three points in closing, Well, I would just say this A lot of times you don't feel like your prayers are reaching God, but prayer changes things and most of the time when I am praying and I have a loss for words, I pray the word, and that's the most powerful, because you know that that's God's will. So when you're praying the word and sometimes Val, I'll just take a psalm, and it might be the day, the date of the day, like today is what the 19th, and I will take Psalm 19, and I will put myself in it or others that I need to pray for, and I will put myself in it or others that I need to pray for, and I will put my name in there and I will pray that Psalm for that day. And that's a great way to do it. You can pray the Psalms and the Proverbs. That's just a great way to pray and I pray like that a lot.
Speaker 1:And as far as a church, yes, it's very important to be connected to a local church and to really get to know people in a small group.
Speaker 1:But I will say one thing about community, and that is as a workplace minister, when you are out in the community and people see you and you're talking to them and you're talking to them.
Speaker 1:You don't have to hit them over the head with spiritual matters, but if it's in you it's going to come out and they know that and you gain their trust. And so being out in the community, gaining goodwill, networking as a representative of not only our business, I'm a representative of Christ, and when things get rough and things are not going the way somebody may want them to, you may be the one they come to Because you've been there and they see a depth in you that others don't have, maybe in their workplace or out with their clients. So it's very, I would say, community is just one of the utmost importance and that's why I love, love, love what I do, because it's not work for me, because you know, some of it is, of course, two in the morning when I'm on my computer and I'm working, but most of the time I'm out, I'm out in the public and I'm seeing people and it makes a huge difference in what you do.
Speaker 2:Lori, if someone wanted to contact you or find out more information about Life Media Group, where can they go?
Speaker 1:They can hit one of our websites. We have several, actually. It's. Mydestinlifecom is one of them and they can always email me if they want to laurie at lifemediagrpcom. And they can pick up a newspaper in any of these communities that we've discussed and they'll see my contact information in there, or someone's who's ever spearheading that particular publication, and you can pick those up. If you don't get one in your mailbox, you can pick one up at Publix or Winn-Dixie Whole Foods, several restaurants, the chambers and community centers Awesome, yes.
Speaker 2:We so appreciate you coming on. I hope you come back, john, and I just appreciate you and your transparency and just God bless you.
Speaker 1:You've been listening to Road to Redemption.