Today we’d like to introduce you to Retta Timmons.
Hi Retta, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
There was a time when silence was my language.
I smiled on the outside, but inside I was a storm no one could see.
Imagine being a child who feels unseen, unloved, and unheard by the very people who should have been your safe place — your family. Imagine the sting of betrayal when those meant to protect you become the source of your deepest wounds. I grew up surrounded by rejection, abandonment, and abuse that tore at my heart, mind, and spirit. Those experiences left scars that bled into my adulthood, leaving me questioning everything.
The weight of trauma became unbearable. I remember one dark moment, driving with my daughter in the car, when a dark thought flashed through my mind — a vision of ending it all. But right in that moment, God interrupted the plan of the enemy.
As I wrestled with low self-esteem, rejection, and feelings of unworthiness, I began to notice something long before I understood what healing looked like — people would open up to me, sharing their deepest wounds and hidden hurts. Even before I understood why, I listened. Later, I realized that my own scars had made me a safe place for others.
What the enemy meant to break me, God used to build me. He revealed something that changed my life forever: the attack wasn’t about ending my story — it was about silencing my purpose. The enemy saw the calling on my life, and on my daughter’s, long before I did.
That realization awakened something fierce inside me. I made a decision — my pain would no longer define me; it would refine me.
Per a connection, via Periscope, I took a leap of faith and shared my story publicly. My voice shook, but I spoke from my heart. And what happened next was nothing short of divine — people began to find freedom in my words. I watched as chains of shame, guilt, and silence started to break, not just in me, but in others.
That moment birthed Purpose Restored — a movement built from the ashes of pain and the grace of God. Now, in a new state and a new season, Purpose Restored is experiencing its own rebirth. It’s the sound of many voices rising. What began as a single act of obedience has now grown into a mission to help women find healing, wholeness, and freedom from the things that once held them captive. Women shedding shame, releasing rejection, reclaiming identity, and walking boldly into the life God intended for them.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been anything but smooth. Some challenges came from the very heart of the mission itself; others came from the practical realities of building something from the ground up — finding clients, securing support, and financing a movement that speaks to wounds many people are still too afraid to name.
What I mean is this: sexual abuse is one of the most hidden traumas in our communities. Most survivors will not acknowledge it, accept it, announce it, or even allow themselves to confront it. I’ve met women in their forties and beyond who have carried decades of silence — secrets buried so deep that even their closest loved ones have no idea what they endured. It takes someone willing to stand in the light, someone brave enough to speak first, to show others they are not alone. When they hear another woman share her truth, something shifts. Courage awakens. Healing becomes imaginable.
Many don’t even realize that healing is possible. They’ve lived so long with guilt, shame, and quiet torment that they can’t envision freedom. But with the right support — the right partner on the journey — they can face what once felt unbearable. Shame loosens its grip. Embarrassment dissolves. And little by little, they begin stepping into the version of themselves they were always meant to become.
Like most purpose-driven start-ups, finances have been another hurdle. But even here, there is grace. The overhead is low, and every step forward — no matter how small — feels like another confirmation that this mission is needed, and that lives will be restored.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Purpose Restored is a movement dedicated to building up the broken, restoring the silenced, and awakening the God-given purpose within women. We provide a safe, compassionate space where hidden pain is met with understanding, empathy, passion, patience, healing becomes possible, and wholeness becomes reality. Through storytelling, certified mental health coaching, creative experiences, community support, and Spirit-led transformation, we walk with women from brokenness to wholeness — empowering them to reclaim their identity, embrace resilience, and step confidently into a flourishing, purpose-filled life. At Purpose Restored, freedom is reclaimed, identity is rebuilt, and purpose is reborn — because every woman deserves to live healed, restored, and powerfully aligned with who she was created to be.
Not only can the Executive Director, Retta Timmons, sympathize with the clients, but also empathize with them. That is what sets Purpose Restored apart from others, along with continued education, and out of the box techniques. Purpose Restored offers one-on-one coaching, group coaching, published works, as well as public speaking engagements, and upcoming in-person experiences.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising that most people don’t know is that I’m a retired fashion model and background actress. I’ve appeared in hundreds of runway shows and hair magazines. I’ve also worked on many movie and television sets. The most notable is “The Wire”.
I’m also in the midst of creating a mentorship program, Dinner & A Dream, for young girls, between the ages of 13-18, that will transform their lives by fostering resilience, self-esteem, and personal growth, that will equip them to navigate life’s challenges with confidence, achieve their dreams, and positively impact their communities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rettatimmons.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rettatimmons/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PurposeRestoredwithRetta
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9-21lfo2H2P0U064QbSR3g
