Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Ciccio.
Hi Lisa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi, my name is lisa Ciccio. I was born in Boston and moved to Jacksonville
Florida when I was four years old. I grew up in the church. I was taught the word and studied and memorized Bible scriptures as a young child. We were always at church every Wednesday and Sunday. I saw the power of God and I believed in God, but I did not know the love of Jesus. I did not know that he wanted to be my friend, and I didn’t understand the cross or the gospel message. I always had this driving force within me to rebel to test the waters so to speak I was the black sheep of the family. I attended Christian school till the middle of my seventh grade year. When I was 13, I started smoking weed with my babysitters and often times I remember their boyfriends and neighbors coming over and touching me inappropriately. By the time I was 15 unfortunately my parents had gotten a divorce. Things spiraled out of control for me as I rebelled even more. My parents went there separate ways. I moved in with my high school boyfriend and by the time I was 16 I was abusing drugs. I was working two jobs trying to make ends meet and to pay my bills. I was going out with friends and hanging out with people much older than me. I had a fake ID I was drinking and drugging most every night. I was the center of attention everywhere that I went, but I also felt like that I didn’t fit in either.
I decided to go into the adult entertainment industry and started stripping at a local strip club here in Jacksonville. By this time, I was so bitter towards my family and towards God and my heart was full of hatred it got darker and darker. Shortly after I met a man 10 years older than me and at the same time I was traveling the circuit to Miami , Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, working at high-end gentlemen‘s clubs. I was so numb. I was so bitter and I was so lost. I put myself in so many different situations that were so dangerous because I was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, at any given time I could’ve been killed raped or kidnapped.
It was like out of the blue I felt like Jesus himself was chasing me down. Every time I went to a nightclub or to work , people would come up to me up to me out of the blue and say things like you don’t belong here God‘s got a plan for your life. It was like my eyes had been opened and there was a veil lifted off of me and I began to see things differently. billboards with Jesus loves you on it cought my eye, this deep longing for something more burned within me. This still small voice spoke to me, I heard, this is not the life I planned for you. This is not who you really are, come home. I knew God was calling me. During this same time I experienced something that could’ve killed me. It Terrified me so much I decided to move back home to Jacksonville and I started going to church but I was still dancing cause I didn’t know anything else but God began to get a hold of me and I began to encounter Jesus as I read his word and talked to Him like a real person. There was no denying his presence, it was so strong, it was unlike anything I had experienced before. Any high I’ve ever had, I just wanted more of his presence, every time I encountered him I felt his love for me and his heart for me. he began to change me from the inside out, his love consumed me. He spoke so clearly to me about how much he loved me and how the path I had been on, was taking me straight to hell and would end in death. But he had a plan for my life, and if I surrendered to him that he would love me and lead me and bring me into all that he had planned for me. I trusted him, and I began to seek him with my whole heart and surrender…daily. I was never the same. I began my journey of healing from the inside out, going to counseling and getting inner healing, and he began to reveal the reasons why I had acted the way that I did as a child and a teenager, and a young adult . The reason for my choices and the bad decisions that I had made. The drug abuse, the sexual encounters always feeling like I didn’t belong , the adult entertainment industry. They were from sources of child sexual abuse And from generational curses, the same thing that happened to my mother and my grandmother happened to me. I was sexually abused throughout my childhood and into my teenage years. BUT God began to heal me, he began to speak to me about the plans that he had for my life! I am 25 years in my journey with Jesus now and it hasn’t been easy. But it has been worth it. He has been worth it. He has healed me. He has restored me. And continues to. Throughout my life I’ve been married and divorced remarried and lost my second husband tragically, three DUIs, struggles with substance abuse cause I wanted to numb the pain and toxic relationships, but God has been with me every step of the way he has been my constant friend and companion. If he can bring me into purpose and Destiny he can bring you into purpose and Destiny. No one is too far gone for Jesus, no one! Within the last eight years since I lost my second husband tragically, he was killed on his motorcycle. I’ve opened my own hair salon in Jacksonville Beach. Beaches beauty bar. I’ve been a licensed cosmetologist for 26 years learning and growing in the beauty industry. I’ve expanded my hair salon to salon suites in the last five years and I’m currently in the process of opening a private Faith based school of cosmetology and aesthetics. I’m the proud mother of my 18-year-old daughter who attends Providence high school. Shes an AB honorable student and in the national honor Society. She is a worship leader and leads the children in chapel services every week. She has been accepted into Southeastern University and will be attending her first year of college next year and pursuing her dream In The ministry. I am also the cofounder of she was made for more ministries. Where we walk alongside women in their healing journey. Women who’ve been broken, battered and abused from childhood sexual abuse, coming out of the adult entertainment industry, sex trafficking, prostitution, and all kinds of brokeness. We mentor, train and equip women in their identity and their authority in Jesus Christ. We host conferences several times throughout the year at different churches, venues, and spaces where we’re invited. We cultivate an atmosphere of worship where women can meet and encounter Jesus themselves and hear from him personally.
I’ve also just released My first book called Predestined for His Glory, its my life story with all the details of everything that I went through where Jesus met me , and healed every step of the way. It is meant to be a resource of encouragement and hope to the hopeless. if God can do it for me, he can do it for you.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No. It has not been a smooth road. Abuse loss grief addiction trial after trial. But I continued to trust God and keep the faith no matter what: I tried my best to make the next right decision time and time again. I have not been perfect, but I’ve been willing to put In The work that it takes to make the changes. has it been easy? Not at all. But I had A peace that I knew only came from God.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Beaches beauty bar are boutique style beauty, and wellness suites. We provide an atmosphere that’s friendly and welcoming for local beauty and wellness professionals and families to receive all their beauty health and wellness needs.
She Was Made for More Ministry empowers women, especially those affected by sexual abuse, involved in the adult entertainment industry, or trafficking, to heal and discover their identity in Christ.
Predestined For His Glory, by Lisa Jane Ciccio.
My memoir is a testimony of my life’s challenges, and how I overcame them
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think risk is necessary in business and in life to grow. I opened my hair salon in 2018. I started out with eight Salon chairs and just did hair. By 2020 my industry had shifted overnight because of Covid. Clients and beauty professionals wanted to work in salon suites. I reached out to my landlord and told him I needed to build some walls and doors. He informed me he had a space already built out and to meet him there. When he showed me around, it was perfect. It was almost triple the amount of rent that I was spending already, but I knew I had to take the leap of faith. And I’m so glad that I did. It was the best Business decision I could have made at the time.
And now I am in the process of opening New Creation‘s school of cosmetology and aesthetics coming in 2026..
Contact Info:
- Website: Beachesbeautybar.com | lisaciccio.com | shewasmadeformore.org
- Instagram: @Beachesbeautybar @lisajciccio @shewasmadeformore
- Facebook: Beaches beauty bar Lisa Jane Ciccio She was made for more
- Youtube: Shewasmadeformore
