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This week, I am interviewing a woman whose life got off to a rather contentious start, but she has made it her mission to help others find peace in their lives.
Dawn Marasco was born to a 16-year-old mother and a 20-year-old alcoholic father. Consequently, her young life was defined by chaos, anger and confusion. To protect herself, she built a lot of walls around her to prevent others from hurting her even more.
At 19, Dawn fell in love and was engaged to be married, but she watched in horror as her fiancé was murdered in front of her at a party they were attending. The darkness in her life was thick and deep, and her life was ruled by fear.
One day, she confided her fears to the mother of a close friend. The woman was concerned about Dawn’s state-of-mind and asked what she could do to help. Dawn wanted reassurance she would go to heaven when she died. So, her friend’s mother helped Dawn give her life to Christ that day.
Yet, for nine years after becoming a Christian, Dawn did not have peace. She was still burdened by her past and controlled by fear to the point anxiety ruled her heart. But, she kept doing the next right thing. Eventually, Dawn discovered the peace she was searching to find.
Now that her four children are out of the house themselves, Dawn has a passion for helping people, especially young women, to find the peace she has enjoyed for years.
Dawn wrote a book about her journey titled “Continuous Peace.” The book’s central theme is that people should not be bullied by fear. She is convinced too many people are missing out on a full life because they are content to remain stuck in fear. Even people of faith fall into that trap and remain stuck for much of their lives.
Dawn knows full well the past does not dictate your future. She guides people through a four-step process to live a life of peace that God intended for them. Dawn also teaches people how to surrender their lives by laying down things they are trying to control by themselves.
When people can overcome their fears, even in their 50s and beyond, they can enjoy lives of continuous peace and impact others in ways they can’t imagine.
The key is to surround yourself with what Dawn calls “high-value friends” who do not seek to crush your dreams, but rather help you nurture those dreams into their full potential.
Dawn also developed a course called “Jumpstart Your Peace,” to guide people through a four-step program to enjoy more peace in their lives. She and her husband are tweaking the course to make it applicable to couples who want to grow closer together, improve their communication and, of course, find more peace in their relationships.
To help women identify seven obstacles that rob them of peace, Dawn also formed a membership group for them. She helps women to build their faith, be restored and be empowered to live their best life in Christ.
Finding true peace was a 25-year journey for Dawn, but she wants others to enjoy the benefits of a peaceful and purposeful life much faster than that. By helping people identify the next right thing to do, Dawn can help them enjoy a strong, peaceful second half to their life, not a life controlled by fear or regret.
Dawn created a free ebook for the Forward From 50 audience titled “7 Prayers That Led to Peace.” It is available on the homepage at www.dawnmarasco.com. By downloading the ebook, people are automatically subscribed to Dawn’s weekly newsletter titled “Thrive.”
That’s all I have for this week’s show. If you’d like help in identifying a purpose for your life or to get help planning your next steps, I’m offering a complimentary brainstorming session to members of the Forward From 50 Facebook community. For details, connect with me on Facebook or visit www.forwardfrom50.com.
I’ll have another inspirational interview on the next episode of the Forward From 50 podcast. Thanks for listening. If you like this show, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes.
If you order a book from one of the links above, Forward From 50 may receive a small commission.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.