Contact: Dave Bohon, WDC Media, 612-940-8406, [email protected]

TUPELO, Miss., Sept. 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- Paula White is coming home. The internationally renowned author and life coach, who was born in Tupelo and proudly calls herself a “Mississippi girl,” will bring her one-of-a kind message of hope, faith, and promise to Tupelo’s Bancorp South Center (375 Main Street) September 22nd at 7:00 p.m.

“My roots are here in Tupelo,” said White, whose grandmother and other close relatives still reside in the area. “And it’s pure joy for me to come back and give what I treasure most to this wonderful community.”

White has gone far since she left Tupelo as a six-year-old girl. Today she graces the covers of major magazines, has been featured in the international media, and had audiences with such renowned world leaders and policy makers as General Colin Powell, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, and Presidents George H. W. and George W. Bush.

She is also a popular life coach on the Tyra Banks television show, and her daily program Paula White Today has consistently been one of cable TV’s most popular inspirational programs. Ebony magazine said of her, “You know you’re on to something new and significant when the most popular woman preacher on the Black Entertainment Network is a white woman.”

But White is not shy about the fact that her life was once much different and that she has shared in many of the life struggles faced by her most ardent fans, including the suicide of a parent, physical and sexual abuse, and teen pregnancy.

That all changed when White became a committed Christian at age eighteen, a choice she said has been pivotal to her success. “That one decision made the difference in how I viewed myself, my past, my future, and those around me,” she said. “And it wasn’t long before I realized that what changed my life could be the catalyst to change others as well. That’s the core of my message.”

Today Paula White is an inspiration and life coach to millions of men, women, and children around the world, helping them discover who they are and all they can become. “This is a woman the world needs to hear,” said noted pastor and author Bishop T. D. Jakes.

In addition to a speaking schedule that takes her around the world, White co-pastors the 22,000-member Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Florida with her husband Randy, and spearheads a worldwide humanitarian program that has become a model for others. General Colin Powell was so impressed with White’s feeding and outreach programs that he required the entire staff of his organization America’s Promise to view “Making a Difference,” a video about White’s humanitarian efforts. “This is a model to follow,” said Powell.

White is also a best-selling author, whose books like “Birthing Your Dreams,” “Deal With It: You Cannot Conquer What You Will Not Confront,” and “Simple Suggestions for a Sensational Life” have sold over a million copies.

“Paula White is not your mother’s evangelist,” wrote Julia Duin of the “Washington Times.” Instead, she’s a voice for this generation. Said Susan Zahn, a noted expert in faith-based media, “Paula has a message for a world in desperate need of hope -- that anyone who wants purpose and destiny can reach out and receive it. It’s there for them.”

For more on Paula White, visit www.paulawhite.org.