Dr. Paula L. Smith is a native of Houston and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence D. Smith. She accepted Christ at an early age and sang in a gospel choir since she was 5. She was baptized and taught Sunday school starting at 14 with pre-K at Greater Northeast Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.

She served several pastors and held several leadership roles for fifteen years at Love United Methodist Church. She was ordained as a lay ministry leader and accepted her calling under Dr. Michael L. Bowie, Jr. Paula began evangelizing through street ministry, teaching Bible study, counseling using biblical principles, and intercessory prayer. After church service, she and Sis. Bertha Washington would visit the sick and shut-in, going to hospitals, nursing homes, and personal care homes and praying, worshiping, and ministering the love of Jesus Christ. Paula became an ordained chaplain. The Power of Prayer Conferences were birthed out of devoted time to prayer.

Dr. Bowie and the elders of the church laid hands on Paula and sent her forth to pastor a church. She was anointed, appointed, and ordained by God to shepherd Holy Arm International Church in Houston, Texas. Paula became an ordained minister under Bishop Gibson. Chaplain Fellowship Ministries International, Inc. is one of the largest faith-based entities serving ministers and chaplains (911, prison, hospital, nursing homes, etc.). She volunteered as a mission minister/chaplain at the Mission of Yahweh Emergency Shelter and the Hampton-Alzheimer’s unit in Houston and continues to visit the sick and shut-ins. She mentored other ministers under her leadership.

After three years of shepherding, she took up her cross out of obedience to God and moved to Dallas. A wonderful door opened for her to work for one of the largest megachurches in Dallas, T. D. Jakes Ministries, Inc., and then the Lord released her to fulfill the vision he had given her in 2001.

The Lord has been faithful to Paula, and he has rebirthed her in ministry and the marketplace in North Dallas. She is the CEO of Holy Arm Ministries, Inc., Easy Steps Learning, Providing Leading Solutions, LLC, and Epistle Publishing, and the author and founder of the Easy Steps Learning Series. Paula is known as “The Encourager” and has an apostolic anointing on her life, operating in healing and deliverance. She is a dynamic preacher and teacher of women’s and singles’ Bible studies, mission studies, retreats, leadership summits, and conferences. Paula is hands-on as she counsels using biblical principles to many hurting women who have been raped, molested, victims of incest, physically and verbally abused, divorced, homeless, abandoned, prostituted, and addicted to a substance; disciples other ministers in leadership roles, entrepreneurs, and business owners; serves the homeless on streets and at the Salvation Army; and visits the sick and shut-in. She is passionate about helping lost and hurting souls.

God gave the vessel of mercy, the ministry’s name, “Holy Arm.” The ministry is based upon these biblical scriptures:

“O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.” (KJV Psalm 98:1)

“The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” (KJV Isaiah 52:10).

God knew Holy Arm would carry out the mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation so lives can be transformed for the Kingdom while experiencing the love of Jesus.

Paula recently earned her doctorate in learning technologies from the University of North Texas and completed her GSTEP program to teach online courses at the university level. She is an ordained minister, chaplain, certified Christian counselor, life coach, Microsoft-certified trainer, author, innovator, community activist, and entrepreneur. Paula believes her life and walks with God should speak for themselves. Ministerial and corporate degrees and certification credentials are available upon request. Most importantly, she is a servant of the almighty God. Vessel of grace and mercy!

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