Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped when she was 14 years old. However, she refused to let her worst moment become her whole story. Now, she helps thousands of people navigate life's biggest challenges and detours through her activism, her books and her foundation that provides aid to victims of sexual abuse. In this special episode of Miracle Mentality, Elizabeth reveals what gave her hope during her nine months in captivity, how she found her purpose and how God guided her through the entire process. She also walks through her parenting philosophy and the inspiration for starting her foundation.

Elizabeth Smart is an author, commentator and advocate for child safety and sexual violence. She is also the founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, a survivor and women-led organization dedicated to building a more compassionate, educated society to end sexual violence. 

In this episode, Tim and Elizabeth discuss:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:03) Elizabeth’s Childhood Personality and Passions

(07:21) The Moment that Elizabeth Turned Her Pain into Purpose

(10:48) How God Guided Elizabeth Through Nine Months of Captivity

(19:13) The Danger of Labeling Yourself

(22:07) Elizabeth’s Inspiration for Writing Detours

(26:12) Elizabeth’s Parenting Philosophy

(28:25) How Elizabeth’s Purpose Evolved Over Time

(31:50) Why Elizabeth Started Her Foundation

(36:39) Elizabeth’s Future Creative Plans

Elizabeth Smart is a child safety activist, ABC commentator and author of three books. Fueled by her own kidnapping at 14, she advocates for several child safety measures, such as the international AMBER Alert system, the Adam Walsh Child Protection & Safety Act and other safety legislation to help prevent abductions.  Her latest book, Detours: Hope & Growth After Life's Hardest Turns, is set to release on December 16, 2025. She is also the founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, a survivor and women-led organization dedicated to building a more compassionate, educated society to end sexual violence. Their programs include Smart Defense, a holistic self-defense program designed to protect people from sexual violence, and We Believe You, which provides sexual violence survivors with platforms to talk about their experiences and make others feel less alone. 

Resources Mentioned:

Pre-order Detours: https://www.amazon.com/Detours-Growth-After-Lifes-Hardest/dp/B0FKTMCS9L 

Elizabeth Smart’s first two books: https://www.elizabethsmart.com

Connect with Elizabeth: 

Elizabeth’s Website: https://www.elizabethsmart.com

The Elizabeth Smart Foundation: https://www.elizabethsmartfoundation.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_smart_official/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethsmartofficial/

Connect with Tim:

Website: https://www.timstorey.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timstoreyofficialYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MiracleMentalitywithTimStoreyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timstoreyofficial

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Motivation, Self Help, Mindset, Faith, Purpose, Resilience, Mental Health, Healing, Transformation, Inspiration, Growth, Leadership, Comeback, Spirituality, Personal Development, Breakthrough, Overcoming, Growth Mindset, Hope, Life Transformation, Determination, Confidence, Vision