story by Jordan Pupa
With much time and with her faith, Dawn forgave her sister’s murderer. Dawn explains how forgiveness has been a major part of her life and inner healing is a process that is different for everyone. She says, “Only by the grace of God can we make it from broken to mended.” Shari’s murderer actually allowed her to write a letter of farewell to her family, saying: “Please don’t let this ruin your lives. Remember, everything works out for the good to those that love the Lord. Some good will come of this.”
When it comes to the inner healing process for those who may face something similar, Dawn shares, “I believe that is the key: taking it one day at a time, however many days it may take. There is no right answer or amount of days to be allowed. Each person and story is unique, different, and worthy of whatever time it takes. For me, choosing to put my trust in God daily, His plan and purposes, and walk daily with Him, all these years later I can say it was a journey worth walking. I’m a firm believer in Christian counseling and have benefitted greatly from that area of help. I believe the best gift we can give ourselves is to allow time to grieve. I love the saying, ‘It’s ok not to be ok. It’s just not ok to stay that way.'”
Dawn has a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Columbia College in Columbia, SC. She is a former Miss South Carolina and second runner-up to Miss America, a recording artist, author, and sought-after keynote speaker for events all across the United States.
She has appeared on many TV shows, has opened for many other Christian artists, and has shared the platform with many of today’s leading speakers. Her story has even been shared in many publications. With such a busy schedule, it is not surprising that Dawn finds it difficult at times to balance all that she does. “Each of us is a person of influence and with that position comes responsibility. For 2019 I am pursuing a life of excellence, seeking to wisely choose how to spend the time I have been given while on earth well.” She is currently reading The Best Yes by Lysa Terkheurst and is learning how to say “no” when it is the best choice while praying carefully over the “yeses.”
Dawn considers it a great privilege to share her music and ministry out of the story God is weaving into her life. “What I most love and look forward to when asked to speak at an event is the people that I meet, spend time with, and encourage,” Dawn shares. “I am passionate about sharing a word of hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless, and joy in the midst of the journey. While my story is one of tragedy, my hope and prayer is that each listener will leave hearing a story of triumph, and then, in turn, be challenged to choose triumph in their own lives. If my story makes a difference in one person’s life at each event, it has been worth it.”
Dawn Smith Jordan is a Christian singer, songwriter, author, and speaker. In May of 1985, Dawn’s younger sister, Shari, was kidnapped and murdered just two days before her high school graduation. It became the largest manhunt in South Carolina’s history, drawing national attention. Today, the heartbeat of Dawn’s message and music is the sufficiency of God’s grace, even to the point of forgiving the man who killed her sister. Dawn will be the keynote speaker right here in the Pee Dee at the Healthy Woman event hosted by Carolinas Hospital System on February 21 at the SiMT building.
Event: February 21st at 6 pm
For more information or to purchase tickets to the Healthy Woman event hosted by Carolinas Hospital System, visit www.carolinashealthywoman.com/hearthealth or call Morgan Holley at 843-674-2615.