Divine Turbulence: Turning Pain into Purpose

🎧 Watch the full interview here → https://www.youtube.com/live/kzA8YoAEmCw

When I joined Daniel on Book 101 Review, as so often happens when real stories come alive, the conversation turned into something deeper — a journey through loss, healing, faith, and the incredible resilience of the human spirit.

The Story Behind Divine Turbulence

I had the privilege of co-authoring Divine Turbulence with my dear friend Gary Lee Price, a world-renowned sculptor whose art lifts hearts all over the world. Gary is also the visionary behind the Statue of Responsibility — inspired by Viktor Frankl’s belief that “freedom must be balanced by responsibility.”

But Gary’s story didn’t begin in light. It began in unimaginable darkness.

As a little boy living on an army base in Mannheim, Germany, Gary witnessed the unthinkable — the tragic loss of his mother and stepfather in a single night. He was sent back to the U.S. and endured years of abuse before he discovered something that would save him: art.

Art became his language of healing. Faith became his lifeline.

Through both, he transformed pain into purpose — rising from trauma to become one of the most uplifting artists of our time. Divine Turbulence tells that story. It’s about how we can all become more refined, more whole, and more compassionate through the divine chaos that life often brings.

Finding Hope in the Hardest Times

We began writing this book during the height of COVID — a time when the world was filled with uncertainty and heartbreak. Everywhere I looked, people were struggling to find hope.

Gary’s journey reminded me that even in turbulence, there’s transformation. His story became a mirror for me in ways I didn’t expect.

While we were writing, I took a DNA test that revealed something life-changing: the man I thought was my birth father was not. I had been a secret for over fifty years. That discovery cracked something open inside me — and I poured every ounce of that emotion, fear, and eventual peace into the writing of this book.

Both Gary and I were wrestling with identity and truth at the same time, and the process taught me a powerful lesson: we always have choices. Even if we didn’t have the best examples growing up, we can choose who we’ll become — as parents, leaders, creators, and human beings.

The Healing Power of Truth

We didn’t include every graphic detail of Gary’s abuse, but we told the truth. Vulnerably. Honestly. And that honesty has changed lives.

Since the book’s release, Gary has heard from people all over the world — many of them men who survived childhood abuse and had never told a soul until now. They saw themselves in his story and realized they didn’t have to carry that pain alone. They found hope in his healing.

One of the most powerful moments in the book comes when Gary finally confronts his abuser. It’s raw, painful, and completely human. In facing that darkness, he freed himself — and showed readers that healing isn’t about forgetting the past, but about reclaiming your voice within it.

Compassion, Responsibility, and the Hands That Lift

Writing this story reminded me how deeply I believe in the power of connection. Gary’s life work — to “lift the human spirit through sculpture” — resonates with my own calling to lift through storytelling.

The Statue of Responsibility captures that beautifully: two hands, one reaching up and one reaching down. Sometimes we’re the one in need of lifting.

Sometimes we’re the one doing the lifting. 

Either way, we’re connected.

At a time when the world feels divided, I believe stories like Gary’s bring us back to what really matters — compassion, responsibility, and remembering that we belong to one another.

Why I Recommend Divine Turbulence

If you’ve walked through heartbreak, loss, or hopelessness and wondered whether the light will ever return — this book is for you.

It’s a story of resilience, faith, and the quiet miracle of starting over. It reminds us that no matter what has happened, we are greater than our pain. We are never too broken to begin again.

My Own Divine Calling

As an author, mentor, and book whisperer, my mission is to help others discover the power of their own stories. Every one of us carries something extraordinary inside — and when we share it with authenticity and soul, it can change the world.

If you feel called to write, I’d love to help you bring that story to life. Join me at the Inspired Writers Retreat or connect with our writing community at Your Inspired Story on Facebook and Instagram.

✨ Don’t give up. Your story matters. And the world is waiting to hear it.