It took a broken heart for Michele Washam to finally realize that she was breaking the hearts and ruining the lives of countless women.
In 1995 while living in Delaware, Washam designed what may have been one of the first “ladies only” adult pornographic Web sites, Just4Ladies.com.
That site still exists 10 years later but with a new focus — Jesus Christ.
Washam, who was raised a Catholic and now serves as the secretary for West End Baptist Church, Newport, Tenn., is not proud that she designed several adult Web sites.
She was not addicted to pornography. For her, it was all about money. “My income was incredible — an average of about $24,000 a week,” she said.
Washam said although she felt some guilt, the money kept her from pulling the plug on the lucrative site.
She knew that what she was doing was destroying the family values she cherished. Still the money was hard for her to give up.
It finally took a broken engagement to break her heart and make Washam “realize I needed to change.”
While walking on a Florida beach, Washam “called out to God.”
“Instantly I felt Him plant seeds of faith in my heart. I knew He was going to help me,” Washam said.
At that moment, she decided to respond to God by shutting down her current business.
“I immediately took down my porn site and refunded thousands of dollars,” she said.
Washam is convinced now more than ever of the evil of pornography and the need to protect one’s home from it. She is remorseful that she contributed to people’s addiction to pornography, but she has turned it over to God. “I have forgiven myself because I know the Lord has forgiven me and I am doing my best to make up for it,” Washam said.
Her former porn site now offers hope and encouragement to both women and men who have been hurt through broken relationships.
She noted the site is “dedicated to helping men and women cope with, overcome, survive and restore their broken hearts by combining faith in God and knowledge of His word.”
Washam has designed a workshop, which includes her book, “A Course in Heartbreak,” and she recently launched HeartbreakUniversity.org, where she shares the course with men and women around the world. “Women’s [and men’s] hearts break the same, no matter where they live,” Washam observed.
At the height of her pornography career, Washam’s site had about 7,000 to 7,500 paid members. About 1,200 of those have since signed onto the Christian site, which has grown from 12 members to about 57,000.
The underlying theme of the site is to “reach people by getting them to look up,” Washam said.
“I can’t solve their problems and I don’t want them to think I can. Little by little I introduce them to God and gently guide them through the gospel.”
The site includes information on how to be saved and helps lead a person through a prayer of salvation. Washam also follows up on those decisions and tries to help the individuals find a church home. (BP)
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