The still small voice

We live in a time where we desperately need to know and hear the voice of God. The noise of this world is louder than ever—politics, pain, social media, confusion, and chaos all trying to shape what we believe. Yet, in the midst of it all, there remains one truth: God is still speaking.

However, not everyone believes that. Some think God stopped talking after the Bible was written. But I can’t serve a God who can’t hear and respond back to me. My relationship with Him is not one-sided. It’s not built on rituals or religious routines—it’s built on conversation. I talk, and He listens. He speaks, and I obey.

Maybe you do believe He’s still speaking, but your struggle is recognizing His voice. I’ve been there. We often expect Him to respond the way He did before—through the same people, the same songs, the same signs. But what happens when the familiar ways go silent?

Sometimes, when life gets hard and storms start raging, it feels easier to discern His direction. We hear Him in the winds of crisis or the fire of pressure. But can you hear Him in the quiet? Can you sense His whisper when life isn’t dramatic?

We must learn to hear God outside of the winds, earthquakes, and fires. Don’t miss His voice because you’re waiting for something loud, emotional, or spectacular. God doesn’t always move in the drama—sometimes He moves in the details.

In 1 Kings 19:11-13 (KJV), the Lord taught Elijah a profound lesson:

“And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains… but the Lord was not in the wind… and after the fire a still small voice.”

God was showing Elijah—and us—that His presence isn’t always proven through power but through peace.

During the pandemic, when the world grew silent, I felt God reminding us of this truth. So many of the things we were accustomed to—our routines, our churches, our systems—came to an abrupt halt. It was as if heaven whispered, “Be still and know that I am God.”

I remember praying years ago, “Lord, teach me to hear You more clearly in the small details of my life.” Not long after, He began doing just that.

One morning, as I was getting dressed, I was removing safety pins from a skirt that had just come from the cleaners. I heard a still, small voice say, “Take one of those safety pins with you today. Someone will need it.” It seemed odd, but I obeyed and tucked one into my purse.

Hours later, one of my employees walked into my office and asked, “Do you happen to have a safety pin?” I smiled inside because I knew this was no coincidence—this was God teaching me to trust His voice in the everyday moments.

It wasn’t “something told me.” It was Someone—the Holy Spirit. That gentle whisper that we often overlook is God showing us that He is with us, even in the smallest things.

When we learn to listen in the small things, we can trust Him when He speaks about the big things. Every prompting, every nudge, every quiet instruction matters.

So, I want to challenge you in this season: don’t limit how you hear God. He may not come through thunder this time. He may not use the same vessel He used before. He might not shout over the noise. Instead, He may simply whisper.

Listen closely. Because the whisper of God carries more power than the noise of the world.

Stay Here

“Don’t Stay Here—Keep Going!”

There comes a time when even what once led you must release you to grow. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”

What in your life is trying to tell you to stay here?

If you stay where you are, you’ll miss what God is trying to give you. The enemy will always try to convince you that comfort is confirmation—but sometimes, comfort is captivity. Elisha could’ve easily obeyed the familiar voice of his mentor, but deep within, he discerned that his next level was attached to his continued pursuit.

God is calling some of you to move beyond the place where you’ve settled. That “stay here” might look like fear, fatigue, heartbreak, or even advice from someone you once trusted. But you cannot stay where God’s glory used to be—you must follow where it is now.

The prophets at Bethel came out and said to Elisha, “Do you know the Lord is going to take your master today?” Elisha said, “Yes, I know—be quiet.”

There will be moments when people around you question your discernment, your timing, or your faith. They may think you’ve lost your edge or missed your moment. Elisha’s peers were prophets too—they had gifts, but they lacked persistence. They knew what was coming, but only Elisha refused to be talked out of his pursuit.

Sometimes, you have to silence the noise. You can’t afford to entertain every conversation when you’re on the brink of transition. Elisha’s response was consistent: “Be quiet.”

That’s what you must tell your fear, your doubt, and your weariness. Be quiet. You’ve come too far to stop here. Don’t let your situation confine you to a box, while the world passing you by.

Then Elijah said to him again, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But Elisha refused again. He was determined. Each new level required greater separation, and Elisha wouldn’t let go until he got what God had promised.

So I ask you: what in your life is challenging you to “stay here”?

Is it the email that said you didn’t get the job?

The diagnosis that tried to seal your fate?

The divorce papers that whispered it’s over?

The financial statement that made you think it’s too late to dream again?

Don’t stay there. Keep going.

At every stop, the prophets questioned him again. And Elisha replied again, “Yes, I know—be quiet.” His consistency positioned him for inheritance. His persistence was the proof of his faith.

Finally, when they crossed the Jordan, Elijah asked, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken?”

Elisha didn’t ask for money, a title, or fame. He asked for a double portion of his spirit. And Elijah said, “You’ve asked a difficult thing—but if you see me when I am taken, it will be yours.”

That’s it—if you can see it, you can receive it.

This is the season to pursue what looks difficult. Stay in position. Keep following God’s voice even when others fall away. Don’t settle where it’s safe. Don’t let fear tell you to “stay here.” The double portion is waiting on the other side of your obedience.

You are closer than you think. Keep walking. Keep believing. Keep pressing.

If you can see it, you can have it.

Don’t stay here—keep going.

Offenses will come

Standing for Truth, Even When It Costs You

What do you do when the truth and a lie collide like two football players crashing into each other at full speed? Years ago, I watched the movie Concussion, and it left a lasting impression on me for several reasons. I was moved by the passion and commitment Dr. Bennet Omalu showed as he examined his patients—men whose voices were silenced by death, yet whose bodies held the stories of their lives. He became their voice.

Have you ever felt called to be a voice for the voiceless? Have you been placed in a position where you must speak truth even when it’s inconvenient, unpopular, or costly? That is exactly what God calls us to do.

There was another moment in the movie that resonated deeply with me—the integrity and honor Dr. Omalu maintained. He risked his career, his finances, his reputation, yet he stayed faithful to the truth. Offenses came, and opposition arose, but he did not waver. Jesus told us that offenses will come in this world. How we respond to them is the true test of faith.

God wants us to remain faithful to the truth and the message He has given us, no matter the opposition or offense. Even when those closest to us may not understand, even when family or community may reject our words, we are called to be steadfast. For me, despite my father’s family being Islamic, I continue to share my Christian beliefs. I share my story. I share the Word of God. And I pray that those who hear will be delivered and saved, even if my words are seen as offensive.

Dr. Omalu’s discoveries came at a great cost. The truth he revealed changed lives, but it also put him in the center of controversy. His purpose required sacrifice. Have you ever had to suffer for standing up for what is right? I have. And watching Dr. Omalu reminded me of the power and weight of obedience, of courage in the face of opposition.

Even though millions of people still love football, his work brought awareness to a painful reality that otherwise would have remained hidden. Similarly, even if millions choose to follow false teachings, including those of the Nation of Islam or other religions, I will speak the truth of God’s Word. I will proclaim Christ. I will continue to testify of the love of Jesus, regardless of rejection, misunderstanding, or offense.

Even when it feels like your sacrifices go unnoticed, do it for the glory of God. Even when the world does not honor your obedience, do it for the glory of God. God is looking for faithfulness, not applause.

Dr. Omalu’s work exposed a hidden truth that saved countless lives from pain and injury. God desires to reveal a similar truth through us—revelation, light, and understanding that pierces through deception and lies. He wants the world to know that He so loved it that He gave His only begotten Son so that none would be lost. Jesus is Lord!

Stand for truth. Speak your story. Remain faithful. Your obedience may cost you something, but it will bless generations and glorify God. Just as Dr. Omalu became a voice for those who could no longer speak, God wants you to be a voice for those who need to hear Him.

Push

Sometimes in life, we all need a good PUSH.

I think about a child learning to ride a bicycle without training wheels. You can see the excitement and the fear in their eyes. They want the freedom to ride, but not the fall that might come with it. And then—there’s that moment when a loving parent stands behind them, gives one good push, and says, “You got it! Keep going!”

That’s how God works with us.

Sometimes we want to rush the process and prove we can handle things before we’re ready. We think we’re strong enough to balance our own weight—to ride through life independently. But then, the winds of disappointment, delay, or distraction start to blow, and we realize we still need His hand on the seat. We need that divine push to get us moving again.

No matter where you find yourself—whether it’s in your career, ministry, education, or your walk with God—there will come a time when you need that extra push. Even a woman who has carried her baby for nine full months can’t bring that baby into the world without one final, powerful PUSH.

Whatever God has placed inside of you—every dream, vision, or purpose—will require your willingness to push past fear, past disappointment, and past your own disbelief. Because sometimes what God promised seems delayed, and you start to wonder if it will ever happen. But just because it’s taking longer than you expected doesn’t mean it’s not coming forth. It just means the delivery requires your participation.

I remember after graduating high school, I told myself I wasn’t going back to school. I thought, “Jesus is coming soon, so what’s the point?” I was waiting on His return but not doing anything to develop myself in the meantime. I spent a whole year just drifting—no direction, no progress—until a friend looked at me and said, “You need to go to college.” That one statement changed my entire trajectory. It was the PUSH I needed. I registered the next day.

Years later, when it came time to go back for my Master’s degree, that push didn’t come as easily. It took years—many small nudges from different people, and even divine conviction—before I finally obeyed. I was comfortable where I was. I had a good job, stability, and familiarity. But God was calling me higher. I didn’t realize that the next degree wasn’t just about education—it was about preparation. It was about being seated at tables I never would’ve reached otherwise.

Sometimes God’s push isn’t about a classroom—it’s about positioning. It’s not just about acquiring knowledge but being aligned with purpose. He will surround you with people who will challenge you to grow, confront your comfort, and push you toward the next level of your destiny.

Maybe you’ve lost your job and feel like your world has gone dark. But what if that’s not rejection? What if it’s a divine redirection? Maybe God is finally giving you the space and time to build that business, start that ministry, or finish that book you’ve been carrying for years.

God knows when to push us. He knows when to let go so we can ride and when to steady us before we fall. His push doesn’t come to punish you—it comes to propel you. You are not being abandoned; you’re being launched.

So, if you’re feeling the pressure right now, take courage—it’s not the end; it’s the PUSH before the promise. God is opening doors, aligning divine connections, and surrounding you with people who will help you move into your NEXT.

It’s time to balance, breathe, and believe again. Don’t be afraid of the push—it’s God’s way of saying, “You got it. Keep going.”

Audacity to Hope

The Audacity to Hope Again

We were born for the times we were needed the most. When God sent us into the earth, He sent us as an answer. You are not a mistake — you are a divine response.

The question becomes, what have you been called to die for? King David once asked, “Is there not a cause?” What burdens your heart to tears? What takes your breath away because it stirs something eternal inside you? What could you give your life to every day, even if you never received a paycheck for it? These are clues to your divine assignment.

God made Abram and Sarai a promise — a son. That seemed small enough, simple enough, but what they didn’t know was that God’s plan was far greater than their desire. What they asked for was personal, but what God intended was generational. Their belief in God for one child would unlock blessings for every generation that came after them.

You may be holding onto a dream or promise right now that feels delayed, distant, or even dead. You may not even realize how many destinies are attached to your obedience. Nevertheless, to see that promise come forth, it will take what I call the audacity to hope against hope.

Abram was 99 years old. Sarai was 90. Every natural reason to hope had expired. Their bodies were worn, their passion tested, and their faith stretched beyond imagination. If I’m being honest — and I’ll always be honest with you — I would’ve told God, “Never mind. You took too long, and I don’t want a child anymore.”

But God never forgets a promise.

Some of you are standing in that same space right now. You’ve been believing, but the time has tested your endurance. You’ve cried silent tears and whispered, “Lord, when?” But let me remind you: don’t do what Abram and Sarai did and try to make it happen without God. When we rush His process, we birth something outside His promise.

Then God comes again and says, “You will have a son.” He names the promise Isaac, meaning laughter. Because after all the pain, after all the delay, the joy was still coming.

The Word says He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His promises are not just for you — they are for generations to come. When God blesses you, He blesses your bloodline. But to see it come to pass, you must dare to believe when everything looks and feels dead.

There will be times your dream will seem impossible.

There will be times people will mock your faith.

There will be times you will even question yourself.

But remember — Abram and Sarai had to become Abraham and Sarah before the promise manifested. Most people believe they were waiting on God, but the truth is, God was waiting on them to become.

The same is true for you. God has already written the promise; He’s just waiting on the version of you that can handle it. Allow Him to make you into the person He gave the promise to.

And when it finally comes — you’ll realize that every tear, every test, every delay was preparation for the miracle.

Psalm 126 says, “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.”

God is calling you to dream again — even in the middle of your captivity. Hope again. Believe again. The promise still stands.

Because when God turns your captivity, your laughter will return — and your story will testify that you had the audacity to hope again.

Meet Ruth

Who is Ruth?

Please indulge me, as I take a few minutes to share about someone very near and dear to me. My sister, Ruth Muhammad.

If you have wanted a baby girl, Ruth was born that beautiful brown eyed, curly head, healthy baby girl. She was a dream of every mother at birth. Ruth was a big sister, a loving daughter, a kindhearted friend and a mother that loved her children in spite of her flaws, insecurities and troubles.

One of the things I admired most about my sister was her artistic abilities. She was so talented. We all ran to her as children to draw all of our art projects. Ruth was my first teacher in some places in my childhood.

I did not learn how to tie my shoe from her or my ABC's, but I learned how to choose my friends. I learned that doing drugs was not the answer to my problems. I learned the importance of finishing school. I learned that the streets would never be my friend. I learned to never trust in my natural beauty. I learned to value people every day because you never know when a loved one will be gone.

Some of our last moments were the most special to me. Ruth came to visit me and on this particular day, I was doing my homework and she bent down and kissed my hands, and told me how proud she was of me for finishing school. She was killed the semester before I graduated from college.

Another moment, I had before her passing, I saw her on the street on a cold night. I was going to the store. There I was 24 years old, she was 28, and the only thing she asked of me, was to hold my hand as we walked through the store. I did it without hesitation.

The last day, she came to visit before she was violently taken was 3 days before she was murdered. I had gotten a sore throat. She was sitting in the hallway on the stairs outside my apartment door. I asked her what made her come and I kept saying, I am not normally home at this time. I left school early that day.

She told me Jeremy, my three, soon to be four year old, had asked her for a Barney tape for his birthday. She insisted that she had to get him the money. She handed me a wad of change, running in and out the door several times to gather more, until it totaled $10 dollars. She was crying so hard. I asked her what was wrong. I'll never forget her last words to me, I'm tired now. I am tired of the streets and she knelt in the floor and just wept. She had a heaviness on her, I will never forget.

She let me know before she left that she was concerned about her children. Jeremy often asked for them, which would cause her to cry harder. See, Ruth had gotten on drugs as a very young teenager. This door was the slow demise of her life that was a constant struggle that lead to many other paths of destruction.

Ruth died a death that was every mother's nightmare. Ruth struggled with a lack of support. I believe proper support would have helped her end to be different. It is through these support systems that I am hoping to help other young single moms to overcome. I pray that through Ruth's Vineyard, my sister will find a place of honor on this side of heaven, through every woman that receives what she needed the most. Support.

What's in your cup?

Sometimes we become thirsty but the drink that we end up getting from God is not the drink we thought we would get. What’s in your cup?  Only God knows. God has prepared a drink for you with a cup prepared especially just for you.  That cup that has been prepared for you has everything to do with what you will suffer for in this life for Christ to rule and reign in his kingdom both now and in eternity.

One of the most fascinating stories in the bible illustrates this story from a request for both her two sons. 

Think about this for a moment.  Her two sons weren’t even chosen disciples.    However, Jesus didn’t rebuke her for asking but instead allows her question and his answers to be put in the bible so we can learn several things.

Lets read the scriptures first from Matthew 20: 20-23

20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

21“What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

22“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink THE cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

23Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

1.    Jesus lets them know that they don’t understand the magnitude of their request. Sometimes we ask God for things but don’t really understand what it will cost us to get it.

2.    Jesus wants us all to know that our cup of suffering now has everything to do with our eternal positioning in the kingdom of God.

3.    Jesus ask her could they drink THE cup but then goes on to let them know  that they would indeed drink FROM that cup.

4.    And lastly, he lets them know that our heavenly father has the final say in the positioning in the kingdom of heaven.

God wants us to settle in our hearts that we will suffer to reign with him in this earth and in eternity, if we are willing to drink from that same cup.  Just like Christ asked in the garden of Gethsemane for that cup to pass from him, he totally understands the pain and suffering of the trials and tribulation, peril and persecution knowing that he drank THE entire cup.  We need to resolve in our hearts that because he overcame all these things that we too can overcome as well.  We cant reign if we aren’t willing to suffer for Christ. We must drink the whole cup that he has prepared for each of us.

The Fingerprints of God

“Whose Fingerprints Are on You?”

Before we were ever created or knit together in our mother’s womb, the Bible says that God knew us (Jeremiah 1:5). That means before our first breath, before the world ever saw our face, we were already known. Every hair on our head is numbered—not just counted. God doesn’t simply know how many we have; He knows exactly which strand falls, and every detail of our life is recorded.

One of the greatest ways God has built my self-esteem is through His nurturing love, forgiveness, and grace. His patience with me has healed wounds that no affirmation, relationship, or earthly validation ever could. The Bible says, “Freely you have received, freely give.” That doesn’t just mean money—it means love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

As a young girl, by the time I was twelve, I didn’t feel special at all. I was born on June 13th, and my “golden birthday” was approaching. But instead of excitement, I felt empty. I made the same mistake so many of us do—I compared myself to others. I began to measure my worth through the eyes of people. To me, I was just another light-skinned, long-haired, brown-eyed girl—nothing special.

At that age, I remember thinking, If my own mother, who had four children, couldn’t love me the way I needed—how could God love me when He has billions of children? That question followed me for years.

Maybe you’ve asked yourself something similar. Maybe life, rejection, or how you were handled as a child caused you to question your value or what makes you unique. But the Word of God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). That means your existence was crafted with holy reverence. Every fingerprint is different—no two the same. So, what was on the mind of God when He created you?

Psalm 139:2 says God knows our thoughts from afar, and verses 17–18 remind us that His thoughts toward us are more numerous than the sand on the sea. Imagine that—God thinks about you constantly. You are not forgotten, overlooked, or replaceable. You were hand-sculpted by the Creator Himself.

When God began to reveal Himself to me at seventeen, He went out of His way to show me how special I was to Him. Through prophetic words and divine encounters, He began to unlock my heart. He affirmed me. He confirmed me. He revealed His plans for my life. Slowly, He began removing the lies and replacing them with His truth.

Exodus 20:4 warns us not to make or worship graven images—and yet, many of us have unknowingly done just that. We have created false images of God based on how we’ve been handled by others. I didn’t realize as a child that I was viewing God through the lens of my pain. Because I had been mishandled, abandoned, or overlooked, I began to project those same attributes onto Him.

But God came after those graven images. He wanted to heal the distorted picture I had painted of Him in my heart.

So, I ask you today: Who has mishandled you and caused you to question your value? Whose fingerprints have been left on your soul?

Sometimes, we can’t even hear the cry of our own children or spouses because the child within us is still screaming for love, safety, and validation. But the Father desires to heal that part of you. He wants to remove every fingerprint that doesn’t belong—and leave His own divine imprint upon your heart.

Let Him touch the places that still ache. Let Him show you that you were never forgotten, never a mistake, and never ordinary. You are His masterpiece—and His fingerprints are all over your life.

Guarding God's Perspective in adversity

Let’s take a closer look at the life of a man who understood what it meant to guard God’s perspective during adversity — Joseph.

When Joseph shared his dream with his brothers, their reaction wasn’t celebration or support. Scripture says, “They hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.” (Genesis 37:8) They looked at him with envy, jealousy, and resentment. Even his father, Jacob, didn’t understand and rebuked him.

There will be times in your life when God reveals a dream — something so divine and specific to your purpose — and those closest to you won’t understand. That’s because the dream wasn’t given to them; it was entrusted to you. Joseph’s dream set him apart, and your dream will do the same. But with that dream comes a responsibility — to guard God’s perspective through every stage of adversity.

Not long after sharing his dream, Joseph’s life completely shifted. Joseph didn’t know God enrolled in the school of adversity. He went from being his father’s favorite son to being sold into slavery by his own brothers. The same brothers who should have protected him plotted his death. From that moment, Joseph’s life was marked by betrayal, false accusation, and imprisonment.

He was forsaken by his family, betrayed by his master’s wife, and forgotten by the very man he helped in prison.

If you’ve ever walked through a season that felt unfair — when it seemed like life and even God Himself had forgotten you — then you understand a little bit of Joseph’s pain. The Bible doesn’t record Joseph’s tears, but I’m sure he had many of them. It doesn’t tell us about the long nights he cried out to God asking to see his father again, or the moments when he felt so low he wanted to give up.

But one thing I believe kept him alive — the dream.

When God gives you a dream, it sustains you in dark seasons.

Maybe you’re in that place now. You’ve done nothing to deserve the suffering you’re experiencing. You’ve been faithful, you’ve been obedient, and yet life seems to have turned against you. You’re asking God, “Why me?” But maybe God is asking, “Why not you?”

We are not greater than our Lord. It pleased the Father to bruise Jesus — not because He enjoyed His pain, but because He knew what the suffering would produce. If it pleased Him to bruise His own Son, do we think we’ll never be bruised as well?

For Joseph to fulfill his dream, he had to guard his “why.” He had to remember that what he carried was divine. I’m convinced God didn’t bring Joseph out of the prison until He knew Joseph could look at everything he had gone through and see it from heaven’s perspective. He had to pass his lessons on love and forgiveness.

When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, listen to his response:

“Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life… So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.” (Genesis 45:5,8)

That’s what it looks like to guard God’s perspective. Joseph no longer saw betrayal — he saw destiny. He no longer saw pain — he saw purpose.

So, what happened to you?

And what is God’s perspective in your adversity?

Get Ready to Be Given to the Multitudes

How many of us have gifts, talents, and ideas that visit us every single day—yet we never pursue them because we underestimate our own value and significance? We talk ourselves out of what God is trying to awaken in us. We convince ourselves that it’s not enough, that we’re not enough. But what if the thing you’ve been minimizing is the very thing God wants to multiply? What’s in your hands?

I’m reminded of a story in the Bible when Jesus had been preaching to the crowds and they became hungry. Not hungry for the Word this time, but for food. In John 6:8–9 it says, “Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’”

Listen to that. “How far will they go among so many?” That question exposes how we often see what we have—small, insignificant, not enough. The disciple couldn’t see how something so little could make a difference. And if we’re honest, many of us feel the same way about our gifts. We look at our limited resources, our lack of support, our past failures—and we tell ourselves, “What I have can’t possibly make an impact.”

But here’s what I love about Jesus: He didn’t need a full bakery or a fisherman’s market. He just needed someone willing to offer up what they had. The boy gave what was in his hands—small loaves, small fish—but in the hands of Jesus, it became more than enough.

God is saying to someone today: “Offer it up.”

Offer up what you’ve been holding back. Offer up your voice, your creativity, your calling, your heart. Because when you give it to Him, He blesses it, breaks it, and multiplies it. And what once seemed insignificant becomes supernatural.

God is not asking you to have it all figured out. He’s not waiting for you to feel ready. He’s simply asking you to give Him what you have. You might feel like that little boy—standing in front of a crowd, with what looks like not enough—but when Jesus touches it, He turns little into overflow.

Don’t let your own opinion of yourself limit what God wants to do through your life. You’ve been through the breaking, the process, the waiting—but that was all preparation. Because when God is finished with His process in you, He’s going to give you to the multitudes.

Somebody out there is hungry—not for natural food, but for what God has placed inside of you. There’s a world waiting to be fed by what you carry. Your story, your wisdom, your anointing—it’s all nourishment for someone else’s breakthrough.

So today, stop disqualifying yourself. Stop saying, “It’s not enough.” If it’s in your hands, it’s already enough for God to use. You may not see how far it will go, but that’s because it was never meant to stay in your hands.

When you give it to Jesus, He multiplies it.

When you surrender it, He blesses it.

And when He’s finished, He gives you—whole, prepared, and purposed—to feed the multitudes.

Get ready to be given.

You Matter

“You matter.”

Those two simple words echoed in my spirit as I listened to Iyanla Vanzant share her spotlight moment on Oprah’s SuperSoul.TV. Her voice carried more than wisdom that day — it carried a generational cry. You could feel it. Her story wasn’t just told through her words; it was revealed through her scars. Scars that weren’t even originally hers, but her grandmother’s.

Iyanla shared how her grandmother grew up on farmland with invisible lines drawn in the dirt — lines she was never supposed to cross. Yet at nine years old, her grandmother crossed those lines and was raped by the sharecropper’s son. The most painful part wasn’t just the assault; it was her father’s reaction. Instead of protecting her, he beat her — worried more about losing his job than his daughter’s innocence.

That moment communicated a message that was louder than words: You don’t matter.

And that lie was passed down through generations, quietly replayed in patterns, choices, and self-worth.

That same message has echoed in many of our lives, hasn’t it?

I’ve had to face that same question myself. What were the lines drawn in the sands of my own generations? What boundaries did pain and shame create before I even knew they existed? What was I robbed of — not physically, but emotionally, spiritually — that shaped how I saw myself and how I believed others saw me?

For me, that message came early.

My mother had four children. By the time I was nine years old, I believed my mother didn’t love me — because she never wanted four children. And I was the fourth. That seed of rejection took root so deeply that it started shaping how I saw God. I thought, If my mother couldn’t love me because she had too many children, how could God love me when He has the whole world to take care of?

That was the question of my little heart. And it was a question I carried quietly for years.

But I’ve learned something since then — something the enemy never wanted me to discover: the truth that I matter.

Every scar, every tear, every “why me” moment — God was using it to rewrite the message that had been passed down to me. What the enemy meant to use as rejection, God turned into redirection. The same lines that were meant to define my limits became the place where I met His grace.

And that’s what I want you to hear today: You matter.

You matter even if your beginnings were broken.

You matter even if your story started in pain.

You matter even if you were made to believe you were unwanted, unseen, or unloved.

Don’t carry the wounds that were never yours to hold. Don’t let generational pain define who you are. Let God show you how to cross those lines in the sand and step into the place where His love meets your healing.

Someone is waiting on the other side of your testimony to hear that same message — from your voice, from your healing, from your deliverance.

Tell them the truth:

You matter.

One way

Headed the Wrong Way on a One-Way

I’ll never forget the day I was driving full speed ahead—right in the wrong direction—up a ONE WAY. I was distracted, laughing on my cell phone, and I missed my turn to enter the correct ramp. In my own reasoning, I thought I could take a “shortcut.” My mother was sitting in the passenger seat, and before I knew it, I was halfway up an exit ramp—cars were supposed to be coming down, not up.

I remember feeling the shock hit me all at once as I realized what I had done. But even in my carelessness, God’s mercy met me. He gave me the grace, space, and time to back up, turn around, and safely get back into the right flow of traffic.

You see, it should have been obvious I was going the wrong way. The signs were there. The warnings were clear. But I was distracted, confident in my own decision, and not paying attention.

Isn’t that how life can be sometimes? We’re headed in the wrong direction, fully convinced we’re right. We ignore the signs. We justify our choices. And by the time we realize the truth, we’ve already gone too far up the ramp.

Maybe it’s not a literal one-way, but a spiritual, emotional, or relational one.

Maybe you’ve gotten involved in an adulterous affair, believing the lie that he or she was “separated,” so somehow you had a right to them. Maybe you’ve followed a belief system that seemed right because it made sense to your mind, but it wasn’t God’s truth.

The Bible says in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

No matter what lie you’ve believed, God loves you enough to protect you even in your deception. He loves you enough to give you time to make a U-turn. He will reveal the truth if you earnestly ask Him in Jesus’ name. There are no shortcuts to righteousness, and there are no alternate routes to God.

Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

There is only one way, and His name is Jesus.

I think often about that day. Who did God divert to protect me and my mother and me from hurting them? Who forgot their keys and had to go back home? Who took another route that afternoon because heaven’s angels rearranged traffic just to save us? God was working behind the scenes the whole time.

If you have loved ones going the wrong way, don’t stop praying. God is able to deliver them just as He delivered me. What He did on that ramp physically, He can do spiritually for those you love.

Even in relationships, when we finally realize we’re heading the wrong way, God in His mercy allows us time to turn around before we destroy ourselves—or others in our path. A wrong connection can derail a destiny. Generations matter to God. Scripture carefully records, “this one begot that one,” because lineage carries legacy.

Think about Ruth and Boaz. What if Boaz hadn’t discerned Ruth’s worth? What if she had stayed tied to the wrong field or the wrong man? Jesus Himself came from that lineage. One wrong relationship could’ve altered generations.

So if you find yourself heading up the wrong ramp—spiritually, emotionally, or relationally—pause. Seek God. Let Him show you where you are, and give you grace to turn around.

God’s love is not just in the blessings—it’s in the warnings. And His mercy is not just in the rescue—it’s in the chance to turn back before it’s too late.

You may have gone the wrong way, but thank God, there’s still time to make a U-turn.

The ledge of faith

Keep Building: God is Not Done with You Yet”

Sometimes in life it will feel as though you’re standing on a ledge and nothing but ashes and the task before you seems impossible. You can see the vision, but your hands tremble at the thought of how it’s ever going to come together. That’s exactly how Nehemiah must have felt — standing on the ledge of faith, staring at broken walls and burned gates, yet believing God enough to start rebuilding anyway.

There are those of us who are called to both guard and build. God is calling us to pick up our tools again, even when it feels too late or too heavy. You may have lost your passion, your focus, or even your sense of purpose — but let me ask you this: What makes you cry? What burdens you so deeply that you can’t ignore it? That thing right there is often where your purpose lives.

The walls of Jerusalem had been broken down and the gates burned for years. But when Nehemiah heard about it, he didn’t gossip, complain, or scroll past the problem. The Bible says he wept, fasted, and prayed. He was grieved over the ruin of his nation. Some may have looked at him as just a cupbearer — an ordinary man with an ordinary job. But Nehemiah was a cupbearer with a burden from God, strategically positioned to serve the King and Queen.

Don’t you dare underestimate where God has you. Your position isn’t random — it’s divine. You are where you are because God is using that place to prepare you, shape you, and give you access for the assignment ahead. You’re not just serving a system or a company; you’re being positioned to change history.

Before Nehemiah ever built a wall, he built an altar. He repented for the sins of Israel and reminded God of His promises. That’s where breakthrough begins — with repentance and remembrance. God hasn’t forgotten His word over your life, but sometimes He’s waiting for you to remind Him of what He said.

If you’ll stand in the gap like Nehemiah did and begin to rebuild what’s been torn down in your family — spiritually, emotionally, or financially — God will restore the waste places. What’s been broken for years can be rebuilt in days when it’s God’s appointed time.

The enemy mocked Nehemiah, just like he mocks you. They said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Do they think they can rebuild this wall?” They laughed at him, ridiculed his efforts, and questioned his strength. But Nehemiah didn’t stop. He kept building. Mute the noise. It’s none of their business. Everyone won’t understand what you’re doing or why you’re doing it — but they don’t have to.

You will be challenged. You will be mocked. You will be misunderstood. But you must remain focused and finish what God told you to do.

Maybe the enemy is whispering to you: “How will you recover from this divorce? How will you rebuild after bankruptcy? How will you help others heal when you’re still healing?” The answer is simple — the same God who helped Nehemiah will help you.

God is rebuilding the walls of your bloodline. He’s restoring what’s been in ruins for generations. He’s bringing beauty from ashes and speed to the rebuilding process. It’s not over. You are being positioned for favor. You are being strengthened to finish. Keep building and warring with the promises of God. The walls and gates are being restored — generationally. God is not done with you yet.

Against all odds

I absolutely love horses and believe I will ride more in the future. There’s something powerful, free, and spiritual about the way they move—graceful yet strong, calm yet full of fire. Horses have always spoken to something deep in my spirit, maybe because my childhood dream was to be a jockey. I had the height, the weight—but even more than those, I had the heart.

At 18 years old, Apostle John Eckhardt prophesied over me: “No matter how much the odds seem to be against you, know that I am a God of miracles, and My miracle-working power is in your life to break you through against incredible odds.” I still believe God. Those words have followed me through every heartbreak, every closed door, every moment I wanted to quit.

It takes guts and grit to believe God when the odds are stacked against you. It took the same kind of faith for jockey Sonny Leon on May 7, 2022, when he rode Rich Strike in the Kentucky Derby. He wasn’t even supposed to be in the race. No one saw him coming. In fact, his owners didn’t even get the call until minutes before another horse scratched.

But here’s the part that gets me—he was ready. He didn’t need time to prepare because his training had already prepared him for that moment. When opportunity called, he didn’t hesitate. He mounted up and ran his race. Against 250-to-1 odds, Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby. According to Fox Sports Australia, he only had 30 seconds to register before the deadline. Thirty seconds! And as he headed out of the stall, he was sitting in 17th place with just 40 seconds left in the race.

I see myself in that story. I see God’s prophetic word being fulfilled even when it looks like I missed my window. God has saved you a spot. Nobody is even going to see you coming. You may have felt overlooked, left out, or delayed, but your moment has already been reserved in heaven.

When God says it’s time, it won’t matter how many odds are stacked against you. You won’t have to fight for a position or beg for a seat. You’ll be divinely called into your moment. Like Rich Strike, you’ve been trained in the background for a stage you didn’t even know you’d be on.

I believe God is about to release not just me, but others like me—those who have been hidden, faithful, and obedient when no one was watching. Your training wasn’t in vain. The pain had purpose. The discipline was divine.

Esther, your season of beautification won’t last forever.. Your King will crown you one day— you are His crown. It’s time to take your rightful place. Don’t give up. You’re about to get your shot. What God has for you cannot be taken by anyone else. Your blessings have been on reserve.

Get ready to run. 🐎

Proverbs 12:4 – A virtuous wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones.

Dear June

It was on August 31, 2017 I heard you crying but you and I know this wasn’t our first encounter.  I could hear you loud and clear in my spirit.  Your cry was, Remember me.  I was on my way to drive and train a provider on some software he was struggling to document.  I headed out with my worship music on.  I wasn’t heavy about anything. 

Your cry to me was disturbing because I began to immediately weep.  How could I ever forget you?  See just like God said Abel’s blood was crying out from the ground in Gen 4:10. So was yours.

The Lord knew this.  I finished my book in September 2016 but did not release it until June 2020 on my birthday. My letter that prefaces my book under special thanks to you, reads as such!

To my unborn baby, you are not in the pictures with the other four everyone can see: you live in heaven’s nursery.  But you are forever carried in my heart and counted. I can’t wait to hold you and raise you in heaven! One of my greatest restoration gifts will be to raise you in heaven with your father.  Your childhood will be perfect! I recently learned that God doesn’t even take away the privilege of us naming you, if we both make it to heaven.  I found out that we are encouraged to name you, even if we don’t know your gender.  Together, we finally named you in December 2015. I would like to thank you for forgiving me, your father, and all those who were involved, the doctor, the nurse, and your grandmother. I love you more than words can ever express.  I found Jesus in my brokenness because I lost you.  Your blood still has a voice in my life that cries for restoration, forgiveness, mercy, and grace.  I love you.

See, what others don’t know was I never knew your grandmother’s name until that December 2015.  Your dad would often get extremely quite as he grieved her every December.  I had been asking him for almost seven years to name you.  See, I believe you are a girl.  I asked him what his mother’s name was.  He said, June.  I asked June what? He said June Estelle.  I immediately asked him, could we name you after his mother.  He was just as delighted but neither of us could believe it took that long to do it.  I then went on to ask when was her birthday.  I did know it was in June but wasn’t sure of the exact date.  See, your due date was June 19 and her birthday was June 21.  Never would I have imagined God would have given me another daughter.  I had long given up on having another child.  I wasn’t even married.

I was almost 45 years old, and your dad was much older. I had no idea he was slowly dying.  He didn’t share it with me.  We weren’t in a relationship anymore, but I didn’t want to add to my body count.  All hell had broken out in my home with your brothers, and I didn’t even want to go home anymore.  I couldn’t believe I was pregnant in July 2016.  It was just 7 months after naming you.  I took a blood test at 12 weeks pregnant with your sister.  They wanted to make sure she wasn’t deformed.  I found out she was a girl. 

Nobody, and I mean nobody, could have told me I would have another chance at having a daughter.  Your sister was barely hanging on.  I wasn’t regularly engaging sexually so I wasn’t on birth control. I actually took a Plan B pill afterwards. I cried out to God and repented after I found out I was actually pregnant. My gynecologist insisted I should abort.  I knew I would never abort again.  It broke me when I aborted you.  All the years I labored and travailed for Ruth’s vineyard to be birthed to save other babies from abortion.  She sent me three weeks in a row to test my HCG numbers.  They were significantly low.  She told me the baby would not be normal.   I went one last time to get a blood test and my numbers shot up to the normal count. 

I was having a baby.  He didn’t want any more children.  Your dad completely shut down on me for the third time now.  How could I find myself in this same place again, I asked myself.

It took him until I was 7 months pregnant before God turned his heart.  God knows if we hadn’t named you after your grandmother just 7 months prior than that would have been your sisters name.  This is one more reason why I believe with all my heart, you were my first girl.  God gave me a second chance.  He told me that Laialh was my second chance. It took me having a girl to raise back up in my spirit.  I wanted something different for the women in my bloodline.  I never again allowed myself to be dishonored myself with him after your sister was born. He was thinking about turning back.  He kept saying he didn’t believe she would remember him.  I cried out to God and asked him to please tell him that I was going on with or without him.

 The next day he came and asked me to sit down and he said I had a dream.  I said ok. He said in the dream, you let me know that you and I were done.  I said, I have been telling you that and I asked God to tell you.  He said, God also showed me that your heart was open to with be the one God would send you.  See, I never went back. Although he came almost every day to help me with her.  I don’t know why God let me hear you but perhaps the Lord wanted me to make sure I didn’t go back with him. So, when on August 31, 2017, I heard you weeping and crying to me, Remember me:  I was broken. 

See I had already read the books on Heaven that let me know that the aborted babies wait for their parents. You wanted your dad to make it home and I needed to make sure I wasn’t in the way. I wanted the same thing and your cry was the encounter that reassured me I had made the right decision. We spent our last day with him on 1/21/2019 including Jeremy.  And God remembered you and brought him home to you on September 15, 2019.  I dream about how your dad tells you all about me and how much you mean to me. God is going to avenge your blood and I am going to be working on Ruth’s Vineyard soon.  I love you so much. You are never forgotten in my life.

until the day we meet in heaven and I get to raise you,

Forever your mommy

Get Back up!

Get Back Up: You’re Still the Champ 🥊

We all loved Muhammad Ali for so many different reasons. As we remember and celebrate his legacy this month — the month of his passing on June 3, 2016 — we’re reminded that he wasn’t just a boxer; he was a force of nature. He had an unshakable confidence, a voice that couldn’t be silenced, and a boldness that made the world take notice. Ali was famous not only for winning his matches, but for calling his victory before the fight ever began. Some would even say he spoke prophetically about what round he’d knock his opponent out.

One of the most famous examples of this was his fight with Sonny Liston. Ali (then Cassius Clay) started taunting Liston almost immediately after the fight was announced. He even bought a bus and had it painted with the words “Liston Must Go in Eight.” On the day of the contract signing, Ali drove that bus straight to Liston’s home in Denver — with the press right behind him — and woke him up at 3:00 a.m. yelling, “Come on out of there! I’m gonna whip you now!”

Liston, who had just moved into a quiet neighborhood, was furious. But Ali didn’t stop there. He drove that same bus to Florida where Liston was training and shouted, “After the fight, I’m gonna build myself a pretty home and use him as a bearskin rug! Liston even smells like a bear. I’m gonna give him to the zoo after I whip him!”

What boldness! What confidence! And the thing is — Ali didn’t just say it. He did it.

That same boldness reminds me of how our enemy, Satan, operates. He studies us. He’s watched our past victories and our past mistakes. He taunts us just like Ali taunted Liston. Sometimes he lands a hit — and yes, sometimes we get knocked down. But God wants you to know today: you are not defeated just because you fell.

Get. Back. Up.

It doesn’t matter how many lies he throws your way:

“You’re not worthy.”

“You’ll never be forgiven.”

“You’ve messed up too many times.”

“It’s too late.”

Those are all lies from the pit of hell. The enemy wants to distort your image of yourself because if he can defeat you in your mind, he can defeat you in your life. Muhammad Ali understood that principle — if he could get in his opponent’s head, the fight was already half-won.

But here’s the truth: you are not who the enemy says you are. You are who God says you are.

Repent, turn back to Him, and get back up. You are beautiful. You are forgiven. You are the redeemed of the Lord. You belong to God.

So many in the body of Christ have been knocked down and don’t know how to recover. But Proverbs 24:16 reminds us:

“For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.”

Falling isn’t failure — staying down is.

God has a prophetic word for you today: It’s not too late to redeem your title. You can still finish strong. You can still win because the victory was already secured for you at Calvary.

Romans 8:37 declares:

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

So, rise up, champion. Dust yourself off. Step back in the ring. You’re still the champ — not because of your strength, but because of His victory.

You win because He won. 🥊

Now get back up!

“God will Remember you”

Genesis 30:1–2 says:

“And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?”

I’ve always been struck by this passage — the tension, the desperation, the longing. Rachel loved Jacob deeply, but her love became heavy when it turned into pressure. She cried out in anguish, “Give me children, or else I die.” Jacob, frustrated and angry, responded in truth: “Am I in God’s stead?”

I can hear him saying, “Rachel, I am not God! Don’t put that kind of burden on me. Only He can open your womb.”

That moment has ministered to me in such a personal way. I remember times when I looked to my husband to heal wounds he never caused. I wanted him to love me enough to erase my childhood pain, to fix what was broken in me. But like Jacob, he was never meant to carry that weight. Healing belongs to God.

What about you, friend? How many times have you placed an impossible expectation on someone — a spouse, a parent, a friend — hoping they could give you what only God can? Maybe you’ve poured yourself into your children, your marriage, or your ministry, and it still feels barren. Maybe you’ve prayed, wept, and waited, wondering if God has forgotten you.

Rachel felt that too. She watched her sister Leah give birth over and over while she sat empty. Her name means “ewe,” a female sheep — yet she was barren. Everything about her identity felt mocked by her reality. But here’s the truth: God never forgot Rachel. The Bible says, “And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb” (Genesis 30:22).

He remembered her, and He will remember you.

God’s timing is not denial — it’s development. Sometimes He withholds what we long for most so He can form what we truly need inside. Rachel thought she needed a child; God knew she needed to know her value beyond what she could produce.

In my own story, God used the pain of my marriage to draw me closer to Him. It wasn’t punishment — it was purification. The Lord wanted me to understand that my worth wasn’t tied to being chosen, loved, or validated by a man. He wanted to be the one to fill the blank places in my heart.

Maybe that’s what He’s doing for you right now. Maybe He’s creating enough emptiness in your life that you’ll finally let Him fill it.

Because when God “remembers” you — it’s not that He ever forgot. It means He moves on your behalf. It means the waiting season has served its purpose, and the birthing season has come. Rachel’s tears didn’t go unseen, and neither do yours. God is about to make your sorrow sing.

Your tears have not been wasted. The pain, the waiting, the heartbreak — all of it has been preparation for promise. Just as Rachel gave birth to Joseph, the one who would later save his family from famine, what God births through you will redeem generations.

You are not forgotten. You are being remembered. And when God remembers, everything changes.

Let Him fill in the blank. Let Him heal what others couldn’t. Because when He does, you’ll no longer say, “Give me or else I die,” but rather, “God, thank You — I’ve finally learned to live.”

Keep going

As a young child, I can remember when we heard our name called in school, we were instructed to say, present.  God is taking attendance in this hour and he is looking to see if we are in our positions.  Are you AWOL, absent without leave?  Have you abandoned your post spiritually and perhaps even naturally?  Sometimes we can be present physically but we have checked out in other ways.  We must return to our first love that is Christ and start over again and sometimes all it takes to start over is just to be present. However, sometimes life can throw you a curve ball and cause you to become so broken that being present becomes the miracle.

On January 26, 2020, the world was shaken not by Coronavirus but by the sudden and extremely tragic death of legendary NBA player Kobie Bryant and not just him but his daughter and several others.  It wasn’t supposed to be this way and while the world was grieving him and his daughter, his wife and children would have to find the strength to live on without them both. In an interview with People magazine, it tells how the world was mourning, Vanesa still had to stay present for her other three daughters.

 I can only imagine the weights not only on her shoulders but her heart.  It wasn’t just about her loss, but she had to now be able to comfort them while she also was grieving. The work that Kobie had already started would suffer and all of those that depended on it if she was not able to keep it together and be present.  The article shares how she was able to take charge of his unfinished projects at Granity Studios and how she relaunched his non-for profit Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, as a tribute to both Kobie and her daughter.  This organization will help empower young girls and other underserved athletes which was one of his greatest visions.  People magazine states. “All the while, Vanessa showed breathe taking resilience and grace as she navigated heartache while staying present for her daughters.” I believe this has been one of her biggest challenges.

I have lost both my children’s fathers to rare forms of cancer. I can only imagine her grief because her youngest two daughters are very small. Although, her loved ones were not sick, they were abruptly lost in a moment without warning.  I still understand and can empathize with her pain.  I remember a day in my life that the weights and cares of this world I was carrying were so great, I didn’t think I was going to make it.  It was so difficult for me just to get up because of depression.  I was struggling as a single mom.  When my husband walked out and left me with my three sons, the youngest was 9 months old. I was a wreck and yet was required to stay present because they were depending on me. After just 3 years of our divorce, he died of a rare form of cancer. I had to keep going.  You must keep going. Others are depending on you.

And when my daughter lost her father a few years ago at two, she was consistently asking for him. It is a place that you must trust God to heal you and them so that the other things in your life don’t fall by the wayside.  God wants to heal your heart if you will continue to press and stay present in the moment.  There are others that are depending on you and this is a defining moment for you. Find hope and joy which is your strength in the beauty of the things that you have left and are surrounded by.  Don’t allow the bitterness of this past season to make you check out and refuse to be comforted.  Learn from Vanessa Bryant, myself and others that have experienced the same loss. Let us draw strength and remember that God is the same God yesterday, today and forever.

My notebook

From July 2005 to July 2007, I stepped out of my comfort zone and into a world I knew little about. I worked as a research assistant for a longitudinal study on Alzheimer’s disease at Rush Hospital. It was completely different from my field, yet God was preparing me in ways I didn’t understand then. I am a communicator by nature—I love to talk—and that’s exactly what the job required. Each day, I conducted two 2½-hour scripted interviews with participants. We had to ask the same deeply personal questions year after year.

The participants couldn’t already have dementia or Alzheimer’s, and they had to be at least sixty-five years old. What fascinated me most was not just the science—it was the humanity. The heart. My question then, and still now, remains: What will you remember when you forget?

Alzheimer’s first steals your short-term memory. But your long-term memories—those engraved in your heart—often linger. So what will your heart remember when your mind forgets?

I remember one Thanksgiving afternoon, sitting with my late husband’s stepfather, Charlie. He was almost eighty-one and helping me cut sweet potatoes. He told the same childhood story over and over—each time with the same sparkle in his eyes and gratitude in his voice. I listened each time like it was brand new. His memories of his mother’s love watered the soil of my own heart. He didn’t know it, but he had saved my life years earlier when my late husband told him not to leave me while I was pregnant. I loved him dearly, and he loved me and my boys. That memory, I’ll always keep.

Later, I thought of another moment that forever marked me. I was in Minnesota assessing a priest who had been both a social worker and a priest for thirty-eight years. As I finished wrapping up my laptop cord, he looked at me and said in this deep, commanding voice, “Dear, do you know you have a gift?” I laughed lightly and asked, “What gift is that?” He said, “You have a gift of ease. I’ve never felt so comfortable sharing with anyone like I did with you today.”

That word stayed with me. A gift of ease. It wasn’t something I’d ever read in the Bible, but I would later learn that this grace would serve me well in my calling—it was a shadow of my eternal assignment in heaven.

One question from those interviews still echoes in my spirit:

“Were you the type of person who stood up for what you believed, regardless of the consequences?”

If I were on the other side of that interview, my answer would be a resounding yes. Like David, I would say, Is there not a cause? I’ve always been willing to stand for truth, to fight for generations now and those to come. Caleb and Joshua believed they were well able to overcome the giants in their land, and God honored their faith. It took time, but they received every promise. They remembered what He had done for them in Egypt—and that remembrance carried them through.

You’re writing on the hearts of everyone who loves you. One day, if their mind forgets, may their heart still remember your love, your faith, your courage.

So slay your giants. Fall in love. Chase your Mavericks. Don’t be afraid to try again.

Stand for what you believe.

And never forget what your heart remembers.

Freedom

“The Word That Freed Me”

A year before my late ex-husband passed away, I received one of the most unexpected phone calls of my life. I was at work, minding my business, not knowing that a word of freedom was on its way to find me.

Now let me be honest — we didn’t talk much at all. In fact, communication between us had become almost nonexistent. But this time was different. He was obeying God. He said, “Marie, I’m not a hundred percent sure if you want to be married again, but this I know — you believe your future husband will not have a right to all that God is going to give you because of what you suffered with me.”

That statement stopped me in my tracks. See, we weren’t talking as friends. We were barely brother and sister in Christ at that point. But the weight of his words hit my spirit. He was a man who didn’t always understand his authority, but when he spoke for God, heaven moved.

He had already brought me before his church and openly repented for how he had treated me. His message had become forgiveness. Yet even as his spirit was being renewed, his body was bearing the cost of bitterness and unforgiveness.

When he spoke that word, I didn’t argue. I simply said, “I’ll consider what you said and ask Jesus.” I hung up the phone humbly, with an open heart. But let me tell you — I wasn’t ready for what came next.

Y’all, the Holy Ghost hijacked me right there at work. I didn’t have a single tissue in that office. I cried so hard that snot was dangling from my nose, and I thought my insides were going to burst. I ran to the bathroom, shut the door, and placed everyone in my office under “spiritual arrest.” I told the angels, “Guard this door. No one comes in.”

Right there, I told God I wasn’t going to wrestle with that word. I wanted to be free — and I didn’t believe freedom had to take years. I cried that thing out until the demon of bitterness had to go. I wanted nothing standing between me and my next husband. I knew I had stepped into generational warfare, and there were spoils waiting for several generations — promises that had been whispered to me in secret and confirmed publicly through prophetic ministry.

And here’s the thing: I didn’t even realize I felt that way until God used the same mouth that once wounded me to speak freedom over me. It reminds me of the little Shunammite girl who told Naaman to go see the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 5).

That story always humbles me. Can you receive a word of freedom from the same one who placed you in bondage? Or can you give a word to the one who’s holding you in theirs?

Naaman almost missed his healing because pride blocked his obedience. It was humiliating to strip down and dip seven times in the muddy Jordan River, but that obedience led to his healing.

Sometimes the road to freedom doesn’t look like what we expect. Sometimes it’s wrapped in humility, covered in tears, and carried by the very person we never thought God would use.

God told me to write my memoir and release it in His time — not when others were ready, but when He built the platform. And when He did, it wasn’t just for me. It was for those who would walk beside me — partners in freedom, faith, purpose, and love.

So if you’re willing to receive the word from an unlikely messenger and obey even when it feels humiliating — God says He’ll do it again, just like He did for Naaman and me.

Receive your healing. Be made whole. And walk free.