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Stephanie Renee Parks has walked through heartbreak, loss, and challenges that could have broken her spirit. Instead, she turned her pain into purpose. Now, as a new author, she’s ready to share her journey with the world through her debut book, Beauty Secrets: Redefining Beauty Through Inner Healing, Self-Discovery, and Self-Development, released on June 16, 2025.

For Parks, beauty has never been just about appearances. The inspiration for her book came during some of the darkest seasons of her life, when people around her would remind her of how her light and positivity encouraged them. “I realized that what God was doing in me was not common, it was divine,” she says. “That revelation became the foundation for Beauty Secrets.”

At the heart of her book is the message that true beauty is found in identity—knowing who you are in God and embracing that fully. Parks believes that when women begin to heal from trauma, forgive themselves, and walk confidently in who God created them to be, they can live freely and with purpose.

Her story is deeply personal. Raised primarily by a single mother, Parks became a teen mom at 16. Over the years, she experienced devastating losses, including the passing of her brother, father, and mother. Despite it all, she pushed forward—earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration, becoming a licensed cosmetologist, and opening her own salon in 2017. In 2018, she experienced a spiritual awakening that led her to therapy, healing, and a deeper relationship with God.

“Forgiving myself was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do,” Parks admits. “As a teen mother, I always felt like I had to prove myself. But I’ve learned that grace applies to me, too. Healing allowed me to see my value and start showing up authentically.”

With Beauty Secrets, Parks hopes to inspire women and young girls from all walks of life. While she has a passion for reaching at-risk communities, she knows her message is universal: every woman struggles with identity at some point, and every woman deserves to know she is enough.

“My goal is to impact and inspire,” she says. “I want women to know that beauty isn’t just what you put on—it’s who you are becoming.”

Her book is not just a collection of personal reflections, but a call for women to shift their mindset, embrace their God-given identity, and walk boldly into their purpose.

As Parks reminds us, “Life gets better. Healing is real. And beauty begins the moment you see yourself the way God does.”

Photo credit: Joy Guinyard