Meet Our Point Woman Debbie Thurman, founder of TheFormers,com, is a freelance journalist, speaker and author of seven nonfiction books since 2000, plus scores of articles and commentaries published in a variety of newspapers and magazines over her 30-year writing career. She is a 2006 Amy Writing Award winner. Debbie is a former managing editor of two national magazines and has written on a variety of topics, focusing mainly on social and spiritual issues. Debbie is the founder of Sheer Faith Ministries, which includes a publishing arm -- Cedar House Publishers -- and her family mental health advocacy service. She also provides an Author's Advocacy service to aspiring Christian authors. She has served in church ministry for more than 25 years, including children's ministry, women's ministry, music ministry and recovery ministry. A native Virginian (whose family tree reputedly extends back to John Rolfe and Pocahontas), Debbie resides with her husband of nearly 27 years, Russ Thurman, in Central Virginia. They have two grown daughters. She holds an A.B. degree in English from Sweet Briar College in Virginia. She served eight years as a public affairs officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. Part of Debbie's ministry mission has been to educate and encourage consumers and their families as they battle mental and emotional disorders and to integrate Christ-centered recovery programs within the church and community. She is one of the facilitators who helped start the Freedom Recovery Ministry at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va. She led a depression recovery group there for more than five years, and now facilitates a group for women struggling with same-sex attraction. Mostly, Debbie seeks to fulfill the Christ-given "ministry of reconciliation" the Apostle Paul speaks of in 2 Cor. 5:18 through her writing and discipling efforts. That mission now also includes an outreach to those struggling with homosexuality and churches wishing to know how best to minister to these people in their communities. Debbie has begun sharing her own past struggle with same-sex attraction as part of her larger testimony. Debbie at age 10 Debbie accepted Christ at the age of 10. Her early exposure to Christian teaching came at home and in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and other children's and youth activities. Her faith grew as she matured and held her steady amidst the hardships of a broken home and an alcoholic father. She taught her first Sunday School class of 13-year-olds when she was only 20. Debbie experienced the greatest test of her faith during her young adult years when the trauma of a failed first marriage and the delayed effects of childhood pain and abuse took the form of major depressive disorder. Her faith and the support of Christian friends and her husband helped her overcome this life-and-death struggle. Even during these years, Debbie served in several ministry capacities, teaching Sunday School to both children and adults and serving in both music and women's ministries when her health permitted it. So overwhelming was her healing and restoration in 1991 after more than 10 years of suffering that she felt compelled to take this message of hope to others who were in similar circumstances. Debbie signing her first book She began ministering with small devotional presentations to women's groups and in special music. Debbie continued teaching children and became co-leader of her church's women's ministry. In 1994, she began writing her first book, "From Depression To Wholeness: The Anatomy of Healing," and published it under her ministry imprint, Cedar House Publishers, in March 2000. She followed this book with five others, including four titles for teens, over the next few years. The United Methodist Church selected "From Depression To Wholeness" for its 2003 General Board of Global Ministries Women's Reading Program. Debbie has appeared on a number of Christian radio programs, including "Live the Life" with Dr. Tim Clinton of the American Association of Christian Counselors, "Crosstalk," "The Bob Dutko Show" and "Take A Stand with Adam McManus." She has been interviewed twice for Focus on the Family's Family News in Focus and has spoken in churches across the country. "My faith and my family are at the core of my life," says Debbie. "I can't imagine doing anything other than serving Christ, and I am very blessed in my ministry." Debbie is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). Her first book dealing with gay rights issues and the Church is awaiting publication. Stay tuned.