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Her 60 books and products sold over 8 million copies and have broken records for their staying power topping bestseller lists
Four workout videos
Taught exercise and nutrition for eight yearsPerformer on top TV shows
Married to Grammy winning producer Michael Omartian, three adult children
The
Prayer That Changes Everything
(Harvest House, 2004)
The
Prayer that Changes Everything accompanying CD
(Integrity, 2004)
CBN.com –
Overcoming Life's Obstacles
As a child, Stormie grew up poor and often went to bed hungry.
Her family and she led isolated lives. They only went to church
on holidays and special occasions, so there was no real spiritual
grounding at home.
Her mother had a mental illness and she severely abused Stormie physically and emotionally. Her mother would deal with Stormie either by locking her in a closet for hours at a time or not being aware she was there – there would be extremes of physical abuse or total abandonment. Stormie would never know why these things were being done to her. Because of this treatment, Stormie grew up with deep feelings of rejection, fear, depression, loneliness, and hopelessness. Her father was a gentle, passive man and truly loved Stormie's mother despite her mental illness. As a result, the illness and the abusive behavior wasn't dealt with – he thought one day she would "snap out of it." Because her mother's mental condition wasn't treated, it worsened.
On the Path to Stardom
Stormie thought of herself as ugly and unlikable. She tried to commit suicide in junior high. In high school, she compensated for her personal insecurities by being active in school activies and getting good grades.
She went to UCLA and studied music. She began to work in Hollywood on several TV variety shows, like The Dean Martin Show, The Glen Campbel Show, and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. She also was a backup singer for Glen Campbell, Cher, Ray Charles, and Neil Diamond.
An Emptiness Only Jesus Could Fill
Though her career seemed to be going well, Stormie still had emotional turmoil. She tried to cope with her emotional pain by using a lot of drugs and alcohol. She tried to fill her spiritual void by exploring Eastern religions, but found the pathway to false gods to be distant and cold. Stormie also tried to fill her relational void by having relationships with different men. This proved empty, too, because she would reject them before they could reject her. As a result of a couple of these relationships, she had two abortions.
At age 28, Stormie knew her life needed a change. Her career as a singer, dancer, and actress on TV was coming to a halt because all of the shows were getting cancelled. A first marriage failed, and all the outlets she used to cope with her pain were no longer working. She contemplated suicide again.
At this time, Stormie's friend, Terry, shared Jesus with her. Though Terry had shared about Jesus before, this time Stormie accepted the message – not because of what Terry said, but because of the love and concern she showed Stormie. Soon after, Stormie met Jack Hayford, the pastor of The Church on the Way. After talking to Terry and Hayford, Stormie wanted the love she saw in them and accepted Jesus as her personal Savior.
Stormie started attending The Church on the Way and felt the love of God immediately. One of the first things she learned at the church was the importance of worship and praise. She was taught how and why to worship God, that God loves people, and that people can love Him back through praise and worship. Immediately, Stormie saw her life change for the better.
The Most Powerful Prayer
Stormie has been a prayer warrior for years. She's found that praise is the purest form of prayer and that worship is the best way to be closer to God. Worship is trusting that God is all the things we worship Him for, that He is there, and it’s always about Him. It also means welcoming God's presence, focusing on Him and who He is, and allowing God to move in one's life in a deeper way. When we worship God, our hearts open like a funnel so that God can pour into us.
Stormie says that people usually look at praise as a last resort, but it should be a lifestyle. It should be all about Him because He is the greatest blessing. One of the main keys of making worship a lifestyle is changing our attitude and mindset toward it. People need to realize personally how good He is in their lives and need to worship Him for who He is. She also says people need to know that God loves them, because many don't know this. We need to praise God in the midst of doubt.
Stormie says that the hidden power of praising God is that the more we worship God, the more we become like Him. It is the means in which God transforms our lives and enables us to do His will and glorify Him. It is the means in which God pours Himself into our lives.
She also indicates 15 reasons why we should praise God now. A few of the key ones are that He loves us, He has forgiven us, He is a good God, He is with us, and He has purpose for our lives.
The worship songs on her current CD are worship songs that really lead one into worship. Stormie hopes to lead people to the presence of God and sense the presence of God. She doesn't perform on the CD, but she has co-written three of the songs with her husband, Michael, who also produced this CD. Their daughter, Amanda, is a featured vocalist on several of the songs, and their son, Chris, does the percussion. Various vocalists, such as Don Moen, are worshipping on the CD.
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