The author of The Power of a Positive Woman, Karol Ladd is serious about making a positive impact in the lives of today's women. Formerly a teacher, Ladd now applies her leadership skills to deliver a message of hope to people in all walks of life. Her company, Positive Life Principles Inc., offers resources for personal development and intentional achievement. In addition, Ladd is the co-founder of USA Sonshine Girls, a Biblically-based, after-school club for girls. The purpose of USA Sonshine Girls is to teach character qualities through fun lessons, group activities and enlightening field trips.
A graduate of Baylor University, Ladd is the author of 12 books, including her bestseller, The Power of a Positive Mom. Her latest, The Power of a Positive Woman, demonstrates that every woman has the potential to make a lasting difference in the world. In the following interview, Ladd explains more about what it actually means to be a positive woman.
Crosswalk.com: Most people want to make a positive and lasting difference in their world. What is the message you have for today's women through your book "The Power of a Positive Woman"?
Ladd: Positive choices make a powerful difference in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The message of The Power of a Positive Woman is God can use both our strengths and our weaknesses for an eternal purpose as we choose to follow His direction and allow Him to work through us. It's not about us; it's about God's power working through us.
Crosswalk.com: When people think of a positive woman, many images come to mind. Give us a description of a positive woman. What is she like? What does she say and do?
Ladd: Often people think of a positive woman as a "perky" woman with her life perfectly together. That's not what I would call a positive woman, because honestly none of us have perfect lives, and we can't possibly be "perky" all of the time. A positive woman is a woman who finds her hope in God, and wants to follow His plan and purpose for her life. She is a woman who wants to move in a positive direction and make a positive and lasting impact in her world.
Crosswalk.com: Can any woman become a positive woman? What about the people who tend to be negative all the time -- can they develop positive qualities too?
Ladd: Even the "cup half empty" sort of woman can be a positive woman! Why? Because God's attributes are positive. He gives us hope, love, forgiveness, joy and much, much more. As we read in Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of His spirit working in us produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Now those are positive qualities! As we draw close to Him and abide in His word, we see these qualities grow and develop in our lives. God is a redeeming God, and I'm so thankful. He forgives my sins and helps me turn from them. He sets me in a positive direction and makes my life new. He is all about new beginnings and turning from the past.
Crosswalk.com: Have you been positive all your life?
Ladd: My life has been a journey in a positive direction. I'm not sure we could say anyone was born perfectly positive, but I can say when I turned my life over to God at a young age, I began moving in a positive direction. As I put my faith in Him, not only did I have the reassurance that my sins were forgiven, but I also had the joy, hope and security that heaven would be my eternal home. I also began to have purpose in my life, knowing that God had a plan for my life and that I wanted to honor Him in all I did.
Crosswalk.com: What inspired you to write this book?
Ladd: Women in all walks of life need a positive boost and a word of encouragement to step up and step out in the right direction. It's easy in our world today to become discouraged, fearful or negative in our thinking and in our living, but women in Christ can be positive women of hope. Positive women bring a message of hope to the rest of the world.
Through The Power of a Positive Woman, I wanted to inspire woman to make wise choices and to allow God to powerfully work through their lives. The principles in this book are powerful and true, not because I thought them up, but because they are Biblical principles. The message is clear; every woman can be a positive woman as she looks to God and chooses to let Him work through her life and her circumstances.
Read an excerpt from Ladd's book, here.