Kim Crawford was born October 21, 1969, but did not breathe for 11 minutes at birth. Doctors told her mother she would have severe brain damage, but instead she thrived and was a completely healthy little girl. Having this miraculous beginning in life always gives Kim the reminder that God has a plan for her life and a purpose. She continues with great determination, resilience, and hope, even though she has endured and overcome many traumatic experiences. Kim's joy abounds as she uses each experience in life as an educational and growth opportunity. She loves to share her amazing journey through writing.
Kim has a blog entitled "unveiledanduntangled.com" which has over 300 posts she has written. Her writings are expressions of her heart as she hopes to share how she copes with life, grows in all circumstances, and never gives up.
As a Board Certified Chaplain, Kim witnesses people in chronic sickness, acute illness, and trauma. She focuses on helping her patients and their families to express their emotions and find coping mechanisms within their own beliefs, abilities, and gifts.
Kim also worked in the funeral home industry for many years. During this time, she was told by her manager that she had special gifts in supporting those in grief. The seed he planted grew and blossomed as she realized her calling to Chaplaincy and she accomplished a Masters of Divinity, Board Certification, and Clinical Pastoral Education at University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. As she worked with families there, she witnessed children being told not to express their emotions and not to grieve at the loss of a loved one. She wrote Growing Wings after going through several losses in her own life. She pursued publishing the book, after working with children in Chaplaincy, in order to help children express their emotions, validate those emotions, and normalize that people do come and go in our lives yet we can hold their love in our hearts and make meaning of every relationship.
She is also an instructor of Laughter Yoga, which offers the benefits of laughter when nothing in life is funny, therefore you are not laughing. Laughter Yoga is a wonderful coping tool, provides stress reduction, is relaxing, and great fun. She is available to lead Laughter Yoga sessions with your group.
In her work in Children's Ministry, Kim has an alter ego puppet named Penny. Penny has become a popular member of the community as she teaches children about God, love, and joy in life. Kim also leads children's ministry with interactive worship songs, teaches, leads drama, skits, and games, and camp for children. She is available to lead children at church and camp settings.
Kim has spoken in schools for many years. She wrote a program entitled "Be Me - Be the Best Me I Can Be" to help young people realize their worth in life and to treat one another with respect. She was inspired by a caller who stated she was being bullied and called in for prayer when Kim appeared on a local Christian radio station. Kim also speaks about her own journey through childhood and youth and all that she faced and overcame.
Kim speaks in church and community settings about her experience in a tornado in 2012, which destroyed her home and buried her family in the rubble. She has an incredible story of God's protection and presence from this tragedy. There were many blessings in the midst of this storm, and she felt great loss, grief, and yet love of God, which also inspires her writing. Her daughter was ran over by a motorcycle which is yet another story of God's work in their lives, along with many other experiences of challenge and growth.
The little girl in the book "Growing Wings" is modeled after Kim's granddaughter, Lily. She is a vibrant, beautiful, funny, creative, and very smart little girl. She is expressive, which Kim encourages and hopes Lily will continue to grow in as she experiences life and growing her own wings.
Kim may be reached to speak to your group at:
psalm40.123@gmail.com / unveiledanduntangled.com
She is Board Certified through the Association of Professional Chaplains, endorsed by the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and serves in the largest Catholic Health System in the United States.
