Dr. Marla Ministries: Encouraging women worldwide

By CINDY THOMAS, Staff Writer

When Dr. Marla Woodmansee says, “With God, all things are possible,” she’s not just repeating a motto. She has seen God do miraculous things in her own life, and she wants to use Dr. Marla Ministries to encourage other women that God can do the impossible for them, too.

A recent example of God’s provision is the expansion of the TV exposure for “Dr. Marla.” The program now reaches an estimated 250 million households via satellite and cable TV channels and streaming services including Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and Roku.

“Several new Christian networks are picking it up,” said Dr. Marla. “Many, many prayers have been prayed, and we are seeing results.” Along with powerful, encouraging Bible teaching, the program features occasional special guest interviews, recently including Jennifer Maggio of “Life of a Single Mom” and Christian filmmaker Kevin Sorbo. Find U.S. networks airing the weekly teachings, plus links to past programs, at www. drmarla.org. The expanded TV coverage includes much of Europe, Australia and Canada, but also areas in Malaysia, the Indian subcontinent, and more. Even more miraculous, women are being reached in places where they have historically faced tremendous cultural barriers. Some are hearing for the first time that every woman is loved and valued by a powerful God.

Dr. Marla’s own story includes some difficult times, starting with being the child of an unplanned pregnancy and time in foster care as an infant. Although she is grateful to have been adopted into a loving family, she can relate to the many adoptees who struggle with their birth story, and she encourages them to allow God to cover any doubts, unresolved longings, and feelings of inadequacy. She has also been supernaturally healed of a brain tumor. Through it all, God has given her peace as she’s learned to trust him.

Through the many facets of her story, God led Dr. Marla to study ministry and theology and earn a master’s degree and a Doctorate of Ministry, in addition to graduate work in Israel. This helps her to teach with a good foundation of research. God also orchestrated her meeting her husband, Branson physician Dr. Ray Woodmansee, whom Dr. Marla credits with being tremendously supportive as she follows God’s leading. She has participated in numerous ministry trips and founded Dr. Marla Ministries as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization in 2014, with the purpose of encouraging women in all stages of life—single, married, moms, grandmothers—that their impossibilities can become possibilities, based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:26.

Along with the expanded TV reach, more exciting things are in the works. Dr. Marla continues to speak at women’s events across the United States and has been invited to be interviewed for a mini-series, “The Power of Womanhood,” airing in September on Total Living Network (TLN) in San Francisco and Chicago. A Bible study guide is also in process and planned for release in December; the study is based on women from the Bible as well as inspirational modern-day women. The opening chapter shows how God has made each of us as a chosen masterpiece, establishing identity in Christ and God’s plan and purpose for every woman. The study will explore character traits of women whose lives illustrate these foundational principles. “We can learn so much from the valleys these women walk through and the breakthroughs they finally receive,” said Dr. Marla.

Women interested in studying the Bible in its historical context will also want to check out an educational outreach trip to Israel, planned for September 2023. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the land and encourage women in the cultural context of Israel, and a teaching series will be filmed for the “Dr. Marla” program. Watch for information coming soon, including how to register, at www.drmarla.org, or email marla@drmarla.org.