Cindy’s Story

Testimony

Her childhood dreams accomplished and living a successful life, author Cindy Shufflebarger still found herself wanting more. Not more stuff. Not more education. Not more success. More life. In her restlessness, she began to seek God for greater purpose. The closer she got to Him, the more she sensed that He was preparing her for something ahead. But nothing could possibly have prepared Cindy for the day she learned that her daughter had a fatal chromosomal defect. Fatal. Death for her unborn daughter would come early—likely before birth. Yet Cindy chose to celebrate the life God created in her. And a miracle happened. Ashlynn was born, and Cindy received the gift of two and a half days to love and care for her beautiful baby girl. Out of Ashlynn’s death, when life seemed at its worst, Cindy discovered the source of life at its best: a deep and personal relationship with God. Now, through her journey to true joy, Cindy encourages others who hurt, offering hope for turning their trials and tragedies into stories of triumph. Her heart’s desire is that hurting women would discover a closer walk with Christ, even in the midst of their struggles.

Life as a Dietitian

Cindy never dreamed of being a dietitian… she didn’t even really know what one was until she entered college. Yet, it seemed to be the perfect fit because it involved food.  She had a love-hate relationship with food.  She loved to eat, but hated how it made her feel.  It lured her in, but never delivered the satisfaction she was longing for.  Whether it was stress, worry, exhaustion, or a myriad of other emotions, she turned to food to fill her.  Her stress level always seemed to correspond to a number on the scales and she often felt like she was paddling upstream as she exercised to manage her weight.  Her journey to freedom hasn’t been an easy one, and although she sometimes stumbles into old patterns of thoughts and behavior, she has learned the secret to win the war.

A Registered Dietitian for fifteen years, she also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health. She wants women to ditch the diet approach to weight loss.  Dieting fuels us with more thoughts of food, leaving us hungry and wanting more.  Instead she encourages women to tap into God’s power… wielding His weapons to win the war.

Interests

Cindy delights in spending time with her family. She feels blessed to be able to see life through the eyes of a child again as she watches her children discover new things and experience life anew.  She’s made it a life goal to try new things herself.  Cindy also enjoys women’s Bible studies, walking, photography, traveling, and scrapbooking. She lives in the suburbs of Richmond, VA with her husband, Scott, and their three children.