In Spite of It All January 2016 by In Spite of it All

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In Spite of It All! Magazine is a Journee Multimedia, LLC publication P.O. Box 13384, Durham, NC 27709 Phone: (803) 728-1598 Email: inspiteofitallmag@gmail.com 3

JANUARY 2016

Faith simply believes that God is able, and that prayer is the process of allowing your burdens to be given to Him. Wow! How easy is that but do you believe it? I know how life's transition will knock you down and bring an emptiness that causes you to feel stagnant. I have experienced the stubborn pride that will cause an eruption that leads devastation.

It’s Your Turn Lord.. I found my dream and held it tight, And prayed for wings to give me flight, But yet it stayed earthbound with me, Because I did not set it free. Although I held it to my heart, Somehow it seemed to fall apart, “Oh, Lord,” I cried unhappily.

In the midst of our pain we overlook the presence of God Himself. Instead, we don't turn around to see where He is. And surprising enough, He has never left us. The only thing missing is our attention and focus on Him.

Why did you take my dream from me? ~Author Unknown

Our mission at In Spite of It All Magazine is to provide a venue for women to prosper through methods of resourcefulness and survival by sharing this common thread running through life experiences. In Spite of It All releases all our fears, insecurities, and apprehensions by demonstrating God's transforming grace. Our prayer and vision for the In Spite of It All Magazine is for every woman to experience the works of faith and not be afraid to be herself while expressing her fears, pain and passion through life's transformation.

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Contents 4

IN EVERY ISSUE

Have You Met the Seventh Man? By Daryl O’Neil

The Heart of a Woman By Gilda Morana

HELLO, WOMAN OF GOD!

Church Abuse: Identified and Exposed By Demetrice Mason

Is There a King in Israel? By Regina Grey

A Vessel of Honor By Jacqueline Goodwin

FEATURE ARTICLE

MEN OF VALOR

I Didn’t Know By Becky Dewitt

My Love for You By Becky Dewitt

Living Past the Pain By Donna Faulkner

Prison By Jacqueline Goodwin

Redeemed By Becky Dewitt

READING CORNER

Rebuild Your Temple By Jacqueline Goodwin

Bella’s Book Reviews By Placedia Nance

Hello, Woman of God...

Vessel of Honor

By Jaqueline Goodwin

Do you see yourself as a container, a receptacle, or a holder? If you said yes to one then you are saying yes to all three because all three are one and the same. Be it a container, a receptacle or a holder, all contain the past mistakes and negative criticisms of others.

Well, God has called you a vessel. There may have been periods or stages of your life where you have felt empty. These were the seasons that God was preparing you as a vessel in order to carry His knowledge forth to those who are lost, broken, and spiritually blind and

abused. Yes, the process was painful but before the craftsman displays his masterpiece there are stages the clay must go through. The clay must be centered on the wheel before the craftsman can began his process. This is an essential step because if his clay is not centered when he starts to pull up the piece, it will be off balance, and he will fight the clay during the whole process. Just like the clay must be centered before the craftsman can start the process of creating a masterpiece, women of God, you must be centered in the will of God so that He may began the process of making you an honorable vessel to be used daily to bring other women over the obstacles of life and through the storms of life. 2 Timothy 2:2022 states, â&#x20AC;&#x153;But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.â&#x20AC;? Next, the clay must be thrown down close to the center of the wheel so that it will stick well. As vessels we must stay close to God so that no matter what trials, tribulations, and tests we are confronted with, we will never walk away from the presence of God. God said He

will never leave you nor forsake you if you just stick to His will so that you will mature into a usable vessel: beautiful, valued, and prized. Next, the craftsman starts the wheel spinning at a moderate or fast speed to force the clay the center. Sometimes God allows trials to come into our lives to force us into the center of His will, just as the craftsman presses down, forcing the clay downward, the pressing of the trials forces us to become vessels of prayers. As God plucks things out of the vessels you will decrease and He will increase only to build you into an honorable vessel. There will be days that you may feel broken down but He is only repairing the cracks that life has placed upon you. He takes the chips that have fallen from His vessel only to replenish them. Jeremiah 31:28:28: “And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD.”

There’s no more sitting on the shelves of life, waiting to be seen. The broken vessel is what Jesus is looking for: you, empty and naked, waiting to be filled and clothed in His righteousness. Hello, Women of God... YOU ARE A VESSEL OF HONOR!

Community activist Jacqueline Goodwin is an ordained pastor with a ministry focus on deliverance and healing. She is passionate about and has a heart for the youth. Her book, "Healing In the Vessel," tells of a mother's love and a daughter's journey of faith. Purchase her book today from Amazon.com. Twitter: @lenisegoodwin

Yes, women of God, you have been swept through the fire a vessel left to be burned into ashes but God took your ashes and gave you beauty for ashes. A you are now a beautiful vessel fit for your Father’s use. He will not use man-made super glue to seal the cracks but as He wraps His loving arms around His chosen vessel sealed with His mercy and grace, you shall rise to the call of being an honorable vessel ready for the Master’s use.

By Becky DeWitt As she looked at the picture, she looked into a life in a time that was so far way. Instantly, she knew exactly the day, New Year’s Eve, 1989. She was thinner then, wearing a designer dress that cost five hundred dollars. All dressed up with plans for the evening and the entrance into a new decade. As she looked at the picture, she remembered that she had no idea of the great change that was about to occur in her life. Actually, her friend and partner, who lived one floor beneath her, took the picture. Little did she know that the picture was a moment in time that would hold and capture the beginning of her journey to freedom. God was in the midst and she didn’t even have a clue. Of course the day began with shopping for that dress. All day long, preparations were made for the party to enter into the new decade. This wasn’t a regular New Year’s party. But God was in the midst. Staring at the picture, she remembers that she had made up in her mind that before she made one step into the party, that she would go to church. Remembering this part of that night seems funny now. It was not even the type of church that she would attend today. But at least she had enough sense of reverence to know that it was important to be in God’s house. On various occasions, she was a regular visitor. There are just some things that we were raised to do that will never leave, no

matter how far away we stray. After taking the picture, she went to the church dressed for the party wearing a full-length fur coat. The funny thing is that many people still do that today. It would not be a long service, because she knew that the regular Sunday services only lasted forty-five minutes. After the service, she would just call him and be on her way. Even at this point, God was in the midst. As she sat there during the service, she began to review her life. The entire decade of the eighty’s, she was high and probably the seventy’s too. You may start out getting high for fun, but it ultimately leads to experimenting with other drugs and into the downward spiral to addiction. Truth be told, she had gotten tired of getting high and the feelings that came after the fun was gone. She was determined not to enter a new decade high. There are some people who manage getting high, taking care of their family, and maintaining a professional job very well. For them it was really a weekend thing. Thinking back now, even the thought of that statement was the deception of the enemy that kept her in bondage. Driving downtown to the party, she was determined not to get high. After all she had just come out of God’s house. Thinking back to where she was at the entrance of the New Year and a new decade, sitting and praying about her future. This was something that she had never done before. God was in the midst. Now the question was could she really do this tonight? Did she have the strength to resist the temptation? After all, she was accustomed to the best and of course the supply of drugs was not an issue.

“Crying and tired of being in the cycle of getting high, she called out to her Father in heaven.” She rang the security intercom thinking, ‘Here we go.’ She opened the door and stepped into the elevator. There was an unusual sense of peace and calm. God was in the midst. Usually there was anxiousness before entering into that place. As she got off the elevator, there was another buzzer to let her into the hallway that led to her destination. Walking down the hallway, as she got closer, she could hear the noise of the party. She rang the door bell and he opened the door. If she only knew that when she stepped in, she was stepping into the next decade of many changes that were about to occur in her life and they would be happening very soon. As she worked the room greeting all of the participants, the New Year’s hugs and kisses began. Actually she was kissing goodbye to a life that was over. Within one year, the change would be complete and many of these people she would never see again. God was in the midst. Amazingly she did not touch any drugs that night. There was not even a desire. She just sipped on Moet. There were no cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, or cognac. 9

Her appetite had changed and she only thought that it was for one night. She did not know that God was in the midst and had answered her prayer. Looking at the picture, she remembered something that amazed her. God had even sent a witness to confirm what He was doing that night. About three thirty in the morning, one of the guests, Masara, was leaving and said something to her about her being different tonight. Masara did not know exactly what it was, but she could see it on her face. No one knew that God was in the midst. Later in the year she succumbed to the temptations of the drugs. One night as time passed into the early dawn, she was face down in a drug induced stupor. Crying and tired of being in the cycle of getting high, she called out to her Father in heaven. She was so high that she actually thought that she was crying out to her natural father who had died when she was seven. Little did she know that God was in the midst. Thinking back on that night and the days that followed, she realized that God was working and had a plan for

her life and it was not what she had planned. Salvation and total deliverance proved that God was in the midst. One of the things that she says in giving her testimony is ‘that God held back the hand of the enemy long enough for her to make a conscious decision to call out to Him.’ God was and still is in the midst.

Many may ask how does one become addicted? The enemy uses various methods to strategically devise an attack. The most common cause of addiction is the void or emptiness in one’s life. This void or empty space creates a longing or a need. The problem arises because of what is being used to fill the emptiness.

For every person that is born on this planet, God had and has a great plan for our lives. There is a plan whether you are an unbeliever or Believer in your present state of existence. His plan did not include addiction to anyone or anything. One of the most important things that must always be remembered is that we were not born to be enslaved. As we go through the many changes of life from childhood through early teens and into adulthood, the thought never enters the mind to be addicted to something. When you ask a child about their plans for their future, the question is, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The response is usually a doctor, lawyer, fireman, policeman, or etc. It is never, “I want to be an addict.”

Another cause is scars on the soul. These scars come from many areas of mental and physical abuse, neglect, and even words. If these experiences occur during our childhood years, these scars can last for a lifetime if not dealt with through the understanding of God’s love.

The day that I realized the love of God and the power of that love was the beginning of a new and adventurous life. I did not enter into rehab or any type of step counseling program. I took one step and that was to Jesus. He cleaned me up and took the taste and desire away. This year is my 20th anniversary of being free from bondage.

It is the love of God and the realization of how much He loves that will deliver one from addiction. Knowing that He took time to fearfully and wonderfully make you by knitting together every aspect of His grand design is an important key. You are His individual masterpiece formed for great purpose and destiny. There is no one that can take your place because He has never duplicated anyone to be like you.

I realize now that He was there all the time, watching, waiting, and protecting me. His eyes were always upon me. Even though I was broken in bondage and scarred, His grace and mercy covered me while He repaired the damage the enemy inflicted upon me. As He made me over and continues to do, even today, it is easy to see that God + me= unlimited possibilities!

upon the soul, the void and emptiness, can only be filled and healed by knowing and understanding the power of the love of God. The love that He wants you so much, that He sent His Son, Jesus to be sacrificed so that you can be reconciled to Him.

The hole in your heart, the scar

Becky DeWitt is an inspiring Christian author who speaks from the experiences and encounters of everyday living. Becky's writings reveal trials and tribulations while edifying the soul. She developed her short story, “Destiny's Closet,” into a book that teaches children the importance of developing a personal relationship with God. Becky is an ordained evangelist under the leadership of Pastor W. Green of Tree of Life Ministries. Blood Drop Inheritance Group http://www.authorsden.com/beckydewitt www.amazon.com/author/beckydewitt http://writtenvoicesblog.com

Notes to Godâ&#x20AC;Ś.

My Love for You Beloved, I see that you have decided to take time to read this letter that I have written just for you. There are so many things that I wanted to say to you, for a very long time, and I have decided to write them for you to keep near your heart. First, I want you to know that I am with you always. I have been with you since the day of your birth. I have never left you or forsaken you. My eyes are always upon you. I have watched over you diligently. There is nothing about you that I do not know. There was pleasure in planning everyday of your life. I want you to have everything that was planned for you in the fullness. You see, from the moment of your birth, provision was made for your every need. Do not doubt, for instance, my

love for you. Even in the midst of your pain, I am there, for that you have seen and been through. If you only know how close I am to you right now even as you read these words. Many times I have touched you gently and waited for you to turn unto me and call my name. Each time I waited with anticipation and the joy of knowing that we would began an everlasting relationship. I have waited and wanted to give to you, and restore into you, all that you have been robbed of. The struggles that you have gone through were not from me but from the one who is robbing you of the truth. Your birthright, your inheritance is from heaven and not of this world. You see, even in those times when you turned away from me, I still waited. I knew that there

would be the day that you would read this letter. I am watching you as your eyes move across these words. As I sit silently, patiently, I am waiting for you to call my name. In an instant I will come in and make all things new within you, removing all of the darkness and despair of this world. I am the light of the world and I want to share my light with you and be on the inside of you, shining brightly, instead of looking and waiting on the outside. There are many keys to many doors in this life. I am the one key that will open or close every door. I came that you may have life and have it more abundantly. Our Father is waiting for you to come home. Love, Jesus

Prison

By Jaqueline Goodwin Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me - Psalm 142:7. Walls, chains, bars, and doors lock behind me as the guard walks away with the key to my freedom. This cold, dreary, isolated, dark place that I speak of is prison. Prison is defined as a state of confinement or captivity, jail, a place where people who have been convicted are sentenced, or are awaiting trial.

This place of confinement is where Satan has many of us today, bound in captivity. I remember from the age of three, and all during my school years,

that I was sentenced to a conviction of fear. Satan was the guard who walked away with the key as I looked through the bars of anxiety. I was being held captive without even physically being placed in a prison. The cell which contained me was my past experience of being told by others that I would never amount to anything and that I was not smart enough. The words had been spoken into my spirit, and the seed was planted just like Satan intended. I dreaded going to school because I felt different from my classmates. I would know the answer to the questions that my teacher would ask but could not answer because I was afraid of being called a nerd and picked on by classmates.

Though I usually could express myself, my soul felt locked down and confined, not able to explore the depths of being free. Yes, Satan had sentenced me and walked away with the key. When all the teenagers my age were planning to go drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and party I simply wanted to learn more about God, read, and write poems and stories, but I did not pursue the things of my heart because I was in prison. The seed that Satan had planted began to take root. Fear of not being liked by the popular girls, fear of being called a freak, these controlled me. Yes, Satan had confined me to prison. Satanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan was for me was to serve a life sentence, but one day

Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me Psalm 142:7.

at the age of eighteen, when I attended a revival at a small church in the country I met the man who held the key to unlock my prison door. His name was Jesus. As I sat in the back of the church something drew me to the altar as the preacher called people to come down for prayer. For the first time I did not fear what others would say about me. I did not fear being unique because I wanted to be free. After I got up off my knees and face I was no longer bound and my soul was released out of prison. As I walked away from the altar I felt a sense of freedom that I never knew existed, a freedom to become who I was ordained to be even before I was conceived in my mother’s belly. I realized that I no longer had to be shackled by the grips of Satan’s tactics and lies. I was

free to be an individual and not a prisoner! I was free to see the potential that God had placed in me, and I was now able to move freely towards reaching my full potential. You may have never spent time in a physical prison but you are still imprisoned. Satan has held you captive and sentenced you to a life time of fear, unforgiveness, shame, low-self esteem, and brokenness, but don’t despair because Jesus is standing with the key to unlock your prison door so that your soul may be free.! Satan will no longer deprive you of a bountiful life. You do not have to wait for the guard to come and release you because Jesus is standing with the key now. He wants to heal you emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Death and life are in the power 14

of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21) and the tongue of others will keep us in prison because we will not move forward from our past. No matter what my past and yours consisted of Jesus has the key to unlock the door. I encourage you to walk out the prison door and be release from your past so you may embrace your destiny just as I have.

Welcome to Bella's Book reviews! I encourage you to relax and read. All the book reviews are designed to uplift, inspire and draw us closer to God. Mama’s Boy by Reshonda Tate Billingsley A white officer is shot and the murder is captured on a cellphone camera. Jamal Jones is accused of shooting and killing a police officer in Jasper, Texas in a predominantly white town. Jamal's mother, Gloria Jones, does not believe her son killed a police officer. Gloria believes it was an accident and she is determine to prove Jamal innocence. Kay Christiansen is a Houston mayoral candidate and attorney. Kay has a track record of placing thugs in prison and Jamal is no different until Kay's past catches up with her. Kay is forced to reconcile her past hurts in order to move forward in life. A great story about friendship, forgiveness and redemption.

Miracle at the Higher Ground Café by Max Lucado Recently separated from her NFL football husband, Chelsea Chambers decides to revive her grandmother's coffee shop. Chelsea is shocked to receive a tax bill from the IRS. In dire straits to pay the IRS bill or lose her business, Chelsea begins to pray for a miracle. Her prayer is answered when Manny miraculously appears and assists Chelsea with her business. Manny installs wi-fi in the café and customers are only able to connect to the God Blog. Customers begin to flock to the café to ask questions to God and God begins to answer. Lucado provides an inspirational story of hope, forgiveness and love filled with plots and twists.

Stand Your Ground by Victoria Christopher Murray Janice Johnson's seventeen-year-old son is brutally killed by a Caucasian man. The shooter uses the Stand your Ground law to help justify killing an African American teenager. Murray does a wonderful job of capturing a mother's pain and emotion of losing an only child and telling the story from two perspectives: The mother of the murdered teen and the wife of the accused killer.

Men of Valor

Have You Met the Seventh Man? By Daryl O’Neil

Relationships, Love, Marriage…

unsuccessfully navigating the relationship waters.

These are topics tending to be of great interest to many people. The topics of relationships, love and marriage happen to be of great interest to me . I talk about, and teach about them all the time. I am a pastor, author and more importantly, a father to many. I have been gifted with a bit of wisdom and experience, which I desire to share with you. I want to empower you, if I may, to overcome challenges that may lead to unhealthy relationships in your life and to enable you be positioned to help another person who may be

Let me begin by making some positive declarations over you. I decree you are a safe place, I decree you will become a safer place. I decree your love level is about to be affected positively. I hope to provoke you, today, to consider living life, in 2016 by definition. I decree a breakthrough to healthy friendships with the opposite sex. A saying which is dear to me that I share with those around me is “Your definitions will determine your destination.”

Our definitions shape our beliefs and conclusions, and the wrong definitions will lead to wrong places in our thought life. This leads to wrong decisions and wrong choices. There are quite a few instances in which people have different definitions of love and marriage. In our country alone, over 50% of all marriages end in divorce. It has become clear to me from these statistics that when the two people got married, they had to have had different definitions of the words “love” and “marriage”. It just probably was never discussed. Perhaps

there was no real counsel to help discover this type of truth. I am for successful friendships and relationships. Relationships are necessary in our lives in order to have success and achieve greatness in life. We would probably agree, that anyone who has achieved success on any level, in business, in family, in sports, community service or educationally, will say they had help. Usually the help they received came from people who loved them and were willing to sacrifice to see them succeed. Healthy relationships matter. People want successful relationships. I believe there are people wanting and desiring successful friendships. I believe there are a lot of people who want and desire to be married. To have these happy and successful relationships in our lives, be they friendship or marriage, is a true blessing, but unfortunately, many who desire them do not possess them. I used to think successful people at the top of their vocations and making good money, of course, should be able to have happy relationships. Boy, was I wrong. I think in many cases this is because they may have had the wrong definition of love. I want to share with you some names you will recognize, names of prominent people who, despite appearing highly successful in the eyes of many, must feel pain due to their lack of success in love:

Tony Curtis, Father of Jamie Lee Curtis, 6 wives John Singleton, director Boyz in the Hood, Poetic Justice, 6 wives Larry King, 7 wives and two broken engagements Elizabeth Taylor, 8 husbands Zsa Zsa Gabor, 9 husbands Halle Berry, 2 husbands and another failed relationship. Jennifer Lopez, 3 failed marriages and now a new boyfriend. When people fail to find healthy and strong relationships, they can become desperate and lonely and troubled. This sense of desperation and loneliness can cause them to make bad choices in relationships, leaving them even more lonely and unfulfilled. One of the greatest gifts a daughter, a young girl or a growing adult woman needs in her life is a male who is safe. This must be a man who loves her, but does not lust for her and who will offer the kind of support, wisdom and encouragement needed internally to protect her from making poor choices about men. I believe it is the will of God and there is a story in the scriptures we will look at declaring this same truth. I want to offer hope and some insight to some who have not had success in their relationships with the opposite

sex. I am shouting a phrase familiar to anyone who has been around the college life, “There’s A Man on the Hall.” Although we all know of people in the entertainment industry, who are highly visible in the failure of their relationships, such as the names I listed above, I believe there are many more of us, who are less visible, who struggle with the same challenges. I don’t share the names of these celebrities to in anyway shame or diminish these individuals. I am just making a point that even those considered accomplished and celebrated among us often miss the mark when it comes to love. I want to offer a solution. It is meeting and relating to the 7th Man. Here is a newsflash of hope: there are men who have not been corrupted by this misogynistic culture which does not understand the value of a God given woman. There is a lie which says, “There are not many good men available and all men are dogs.” I believe that statement to be totally untrue. I believe there may be a need to get beyond one’s own limited surroundings. God has a great big world and in His kingdom, the number of sons He has with His heart is abundant. Please don’t believe the lie. Jesus is a man and there are men in which He has their heart. St John 1:1-3 says, “In the

beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God.” St. John 1:14 simply declares the Word was made flesh and lived among and was beheld by humanity. In 1 John 4:7-8, the scriptures declare God is Love. In reading all three passages it helps me to conclude, Jesus, who is the word made flesh is the Love of God. Jesus is Love The story of the Samaritan woman by the well, in St John chapter 4, is one of my favorite stories in the bible and demonstrates principles of Love which all can learn from and be healed by. It is the story of a woman who had been in 5 failed relationships and was in yet another relationship looking for love, until she met, the 7th Man Jesus. St John 4:4 says, “But He needed to go through Samaria”. This speaks to me of the principal sacrifice. Jesus could have gotten to Galilee from Judea on another route but Love will go out of its way to heal those who are broken. Love sacrifices and is not selfish. Love makes time for us.

The bible says, Jesus came to a city of Samaria called Sychar. This is significant because the names of places and people in the bible signified the character or nature of a thing. The name Sychar has a meaning of liar or a drunkard. It was a town known for drunkards and liars. It becomes clear to me a city with men who may have these types of poor character traits would

not make good partners in friendship, relationship or marriage. Yet He stands in contrast to the men of town. He’s not like the others. As Jesus sat by the well, a woman of Samaria comes near and He asks her for a drink of water and she is astonished that this Jewish man was speaking to her a Samaritan woman. The Jews thought of the Samaritans as half breeds, dogs and not worthy, yet Jesus is not prejudiced. Love is not prejudiced or arrogant. Jesus, as love alive, causes her to be at ease and safe because He respects her and is probably not like every other man she has known. He is honorable. The conversation leading to her healing begins in earnest. “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him and He would have given you living water.” Love sees her as she was meant to be seen, not as a sex object. Love will care about the broken places in our life, not take advantage of them.

Jesus’ offer of living water gets her attention and the ladle to get the “living water” out is TRUTH. He asks her in verse 16, “Go call your husband, and come here.” She lives in a town known for drunks and liars, yet when asked a question the answer to which she could have lied about, she tells the truth. She goes against the old nature. A new nature is being forged. Love creates a safe

place in which we can share our messy stuff without condemnation. It is the place of healing. Those who have had bad relationships or friendships need safe places of love to get the heart healed. The Samaritan Woman has had 5 failed marriages and the man she is with is not her husband, yet Jesus helps her to understand the principle of true worship. It has nothing to do with a building. It has to do with wholly surrendering to the instructions of God and living in the truth. After her encounter with the 7th Man, Jesus, every other man she encounters she is filled with purpose and confidence and has become a transformer of men by her testimony. She becomes the woman she was meant to be, a worshipper in Spirit and in Truth. Love teaches us how to love.

May you take time to engage the 7th man, Jesus, be healed and have the healthy friendships, relationships and even the marriage you desire. You are born to be in a safe place and to be a safe place for others. Daryl O'Neil is the Apostle and Senior Elder of Ruach Covenant Church International. With a true shepherd’s heart, he is known to be a unique builder of the Lord’s church. He is also the author of And to the Unmarried I Say and A Gathering of Kings and Priest. www.RuachInternational.com

Church Abuse:

By Demetrice Mason The root cause of a controlling spirit is usually the result of the strongman called REJECTION! Many church leaders suffer and remain bound by the spirit of Rejection because in many local churches there's a belief and practice that if you are the leader of a church, you are above needing spiritual help and deliverance. After all, you're the leader, so everything about you must be okay, right? As crazy as it sounds, this unspoken belief has “jacked” many church leader and has devastated many church members. If that isn't enough, many Christians have been duped into believing that abuse from a pastor or leader is legal and authorized in the spirit because the one that it's coming from is "God's Man or Woman." They have been seduced into believing that leaders have a right to do ANYTHING to

ANYONE who is under their covering because the leader is being “directed by God.” This teaching and belief is demonic and in direct contradiction to the Law of Love in I Corinthians 13th chapter in the Bible. “…Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel (rejoice) when others grovel (shows weakness), Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (MSG) 19

No one is exempt from obeying God's word, no matter their call or title. Authority was never designed by God for men and women to abuse others in the church, and to be excused for doing so because of their office or title. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” Ephesians 4:8-12 (KJV) The five-fold ministry was given by God to raise-up the church body to do the work of the ministry. “Ministry” means to preach, teach, train, activate, study, operate in all of the gifts of the spirit, help, pray, worship, win the lost to Christ and

function in leadership roles to maintain order in the local church. The performance of menial tasks and chores is not what this verse is referring to.

Many of these types of tasks actually fall under the ministry of Hospitality-the passion to serve and entertain others and this includes strangers. Many churches call it the ministry of HELPS, which is biblical. Notice that the word of God calls hospitality a gift: “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…” “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality…” Romans 12:5-6; 13 (KJV) However, there have been far too many incidents where church leaders have abused the gift of hospitality and turned people into personal servants in the name of God. This is a form of manipulation. Furthermore, with all that women have prayed and fought through to be accepted and received as ministers and leaders in the Body of Christ, it shames me to say that many of them have been used by diabolical spirits of control and manipulation to abuse others. Most often, this kind of woman is guilty of not allowing the Holy Spirit to process her in the soulish-emotional areas that she may come to maturity in Christ. It is not always the case, but

these types of women usually are insecure, jealous, intimidated, weak (perpetrating a false strength on the outside), fearful and more. These spirits work with the Strong Man called Rejection. Women who may be suffering from such bondage did not take the time to become transparent before God and man, and deal with their brokenness. Too often, gifts and charisma catapult(s) women to the forefront of ministry, while they are yet broken and rejected on the inside. We must allow the Holy Spirit to have His turn in us in order to bring us to the place of strength and healing within our souls. Let’s examine ourselves, my sisters, so that the enemy does not use us as pawns to hurt the body. Women are a tremendous asset to the Body of Christ! We are called to equip the saints and bring healing to many because of our unique sensitivity. If you are guilty of misusing your authority to abuse others in the church, repent right now. God is ready and willing to forgive and bring restoration to you and to all others in your ministry. If you have left the church because of this kind of abuse, find a church home with balanced leadership that will train, activate and release you into the call and destiny which God has always intended for your life. Balanced church leaders aren’t satisfied until they see you fulfilling your purpose in God and in the earth; whether it is in the church or other areas of society you’ve been called. God’s

never ending love; mercy and healing are available to both the church member and leader who’ve found they are victims of church abuse. May you receive God’s goodness and be made whole! Demetrice Mason is a multigifted Apostle with a strong prophetic dimension. She cofounded Antioch Christian Church in Wilmington, Delaware with her husband Apostle Barry Mason. She is the author of After Come Out, Then What: Avoiding the Problems and Pitfalls in Deliverance Ministry. Demetrice and her husband Royal are both under the covering of Apostle John Eckhardt. Twitter/Periscope: @Trueprophet1

PSSST! Hey! We Need You… Are you a writer, artist, or poet? How would you like to see your inspirational work featured in the next issue? To find out how you can contribute, check out our writers’ guidelines on the website at: www.inspiteofitallmag.com

Is There a King in Israel?

By Regina Gray “In those days when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite, residing in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.” Judges 19:1 “I want clergy to know that domestic violence occurs among couples worshipping in their churches. They may not look for it, and, even when it’s right in front of them, clergy may try to deny it. But it’s there. Alexis, Christian domestic violence survivor “Alexis” is far from alone. As domestic violence numbers grow, so do the numbers of those in the body of Christ who fall victim. Alexis’ situation highlights the need for domestic

violence outreach within the Christian community. Intimate Partner Violence or IPV involves physical violence, sexual violence, threats of physical or sexual violence and emotional abuse between two people in a close relationship. Current statistics from the National Institute For Health indicate that nearly three in ten women and one in ten men in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner with whom they have or have previously had an intimate relationship. In 2007, IPV resulted in 2,340 deaths. Of these deaths, 70% were female and 30% were male. Research, studies and interviews conducted by Rev. Al Miles and other clergy who teach and advocate in this area indicate

that churchgoing couples are by no means exempt from the threat of IPV. When this happens, the clergy and congregations involved have the power to either help the victim or cause greater harm. In Miles’ book, Domestic Violence: What Every Pastor Needs To Know, Professor Catherine Clark Kruger of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary tells a chilling story. A pastor saw a man in his congregation choke his wife while at the church. After rescuing the woman, the pastor counseled the man, prayed with him and sent him and the wife home together. The next day, the husband called the pastor and said that he had killed her. Thankfully the woman was revived in the ambulance, but a new problem arose. Instead of

focusing on the woman’s safety, church members argued whether or not leaving her husband was a sin. In other words, the crisis that almost took this woman's life turned into a doctrinal debate. One faction actually found fault with the woman for leaving. We live in a time where Christian values are under attack, and when marriages aren’t valued by mainstream society. As a result, the preservation of marriages is an area where we’re often reluctant to bend. Unfortunately, this rigidity can result in tragic situations like the choked wife. The sanctity of a healthy Christian marriage should be preserved at all costs. However, when one partner is being abused, that relationship is unhealthy and the preservation of life is of primary importance. No one is called to be abused, under any circumstances. This is by no means a new phenomenon. Judges 19 gives the account of the Levite and the Concubine, which is a sad parallel to the above situation. In verse 2, the concubine (or secondary wife) left the Levite and returned to her father’s house. While the NRSV describes the concubine as angry, other translations say differently. The NIV version says the concubine was “unfaithful,” and King James says she “played the whore.” Despite these unfavorable depictions, the commentaries agree that the act of her leaving was considered adultery in that culture, and that

sexual sin on her part was not the issue. The commentaries also agree that the woman probably had a valid reason to leave. One theory is that he broke faith with her by not providing food, shelter and protection, rights any slave, much less a wife or concubine, was entitled to. Her husband came and “spoke kindly” to her so she would return with him. When the Levite, his servant and his donkeys came to her father’s house, her father urged him to stay longer than the customary three-day hospitality period. After five days, the Levite left with his entourage and they stopped in the Benjaminite town of Gibeah to spend the night. The Benjaminites were not hospitable and let the Levite and his entourage sits in the town square. An alien in the town took them in, and then the townsmen acted up. As happened to Lot in Sodom, the town perverts came to the door and demanded that the Levite come out so that they could have sex with him. The Levite revealed his lack of regard for his concubine by giving her to the crowd instead. After a night of being raped and abused, she returned to the house and fell near the door. When the Levite saw her in the morning, he showed no concern. He simply told her “get up, we are going!” When he realized she was dead, he put her body on one of the donkeys and returned to Ephraim. His next actions were horrifying.

The Levite cut her body into twelve pieces and sent them throughout the twelve tribes of Israel as a message. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions, he turned the situation into one of vengeance for the lack of honor shown him by the Benjaminites. This started a civil war which killed many Israelites and nearly destroyed the tribe of Benjamin. What does that have to do with domestic violence today? In Judges and in the case from Rev. Miles’ book, the abused person’s well-being was secondary. The doctrine of the day relegated women to second-class status, as evidenced by the fate of the concubine. She had no voice in society- in this story, her name wasn’t even given. She wasn’t important enough to her society to warrant protection, mainly because there was no king in Israel, and therefore no law and order. In protecting IPV victims today, we must remember that now we do have a King in Israel. Instead of a flawed human ruler, we now have access to Jesus Christ. We can do what is right based not on decisions from a person, but on His guidance through the Word, and the Holy Spirit. Churches have the power to save lives that might otherwise be lost to IPV. Strict adherence to doctrine cannot be more important than protecting those who are suffering. Marriage vows should never be taken lightly, but a vow to love, honor and protect goes both ways. Nobody should ever be

encouraged to stay in a situation where their health and safety are compromised. As the body of Christ, we cannot ignore the likelihood that some of the three in ten women and one in ten men enduring IPV worship among us. And when we do help, we must be effective. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t twist scripture to justify having abused persons remain in unhealthy and dangerous relationships. Instead, we must open our minds to what scripture tells us and act accordingly. Everyone isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t called to be a domestic violence prevention advocate, but we can all avail ourselves of training and education. We can establish relationships with community service organizations who are expert in this area. We must not only offer help to those who are abused, but learn effective strategies to hold abusers accountable. As children of the King of Israel, we are all committed to bring healing, help and hope for all who suffer. And that includes those who are caught in the nightmare we now call Intimate Partner Violence. Regina Gray currently resides in Wilmington, Delaware. She studied theology at and received a Masters of Divinity from Palmer Theological Seminary.

Living Past the Pain By Donna Faulkner

Pain is something that we all try to avoid in life, but the fact of the matter is it’s inevitable due to the fall of mankind. Pain is bound to find its way into our lives. It enters either by our own hands, or at the hands of others. As children we are helpless in stopping others from bringing pain into our lives. We are at the mercy of our parents and any other adult who is given authority over us.

By now, if you don’t know, I’m talking more about emotional pain than any other kind of pain, though I know that physical pain can lead to emotional pain

depending on the circumstances. No matter how pain comes or through whom it comes, we must deal with it. For surely, if we don’t deal with it, it surely will deal with us. And when pain is allowed to be the controlling voice in our lives, our lives then become one big wrecking ball. Have you ever heard the statement “Hurting people hurt people?” That statement is true to the core. I don’t take lightly the pain of others. God didn’t take lightly the pain of humanity. In fact, He made our pain His own. When Isaiah describes the crucifixion of Christ in the 53rd 24

chapter of Isaiah, he used words that are associated with pain. Here are a few: Despised, rejected, sorrow, suffering, stricken, smitten, afflicted, pierced, crushed, punishment, wounds, oppressed, cut off, and death. Looking at just these few words, we can see that God does not take our pain likely. And the fact that He took our pain on personally tells us that there is an answer for the pain that has entered into our lives. It would behoove us to read Isaiah 53 in its entirety and allow the Holy Spirit to take us in deeper. It’s a beautiful story of love and sacrifice.

Look at some of those words and see just how many of them describe some of your pain. I can relate, and I know many of you can also, to the word “rejection”. Most of humanity, if not all, deals with a spirit of rejection from a lesser to a greater degree. Rejection is a painful hurt. Jesus was rejected by men. He even felt rejected by God his father in his dying moment. He asked the question) “My God My God why hast thou forsaken me?” His pain was real, and he expressed it vocally. Moving on with the knowledge that there is an answer for our pain, and that we have not been ask to look past the pain and pretend it’s not there, but to look deep within and acknowledge it, and to even pinpoint the moment when it came and from whom, if we can. Was it from ourselves, or others? Will put us on the road to victory? For us to live in denial is an insult to the cross of Christ. He was not punished for something that did not exist. His pain was real because it was yours and mind that he bore. The question is not do you have pain? The question is does your pain have you? I myself have overcome a lot of pain. Growing up in a chaotic household that suffered from poverty, domestic violence and alcohol abuse brought with it more pain than any child should ever have to endure. I will be releasing my first book very soon about fighting my way to freedom. But for now I want to address all the women who are still held

captive by their pain. For some of you, you have lived with a broken heart for so long that it’s all you know. In fact, some of you are more intimate with your pain then you are with your God. It doesn’t have to be that way. Because Jesus is here today to take the pain away and heal you, to walk you out of it. And no, it may not all go away in a moment, but this I know: If you give your pain to Jesus, even if you have to give it to him every day, you will find yourself walking in a peace, and with a joy, that words can’t describe. The death of my dad brought a pain that I had never experienced. It was a pain that literally took my breath away. There were days I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I tried to be the strong Christian, the leader that everyone thought I was supposed to be, but on the inside I was in terrible pain and barely hanging on. One day, however, a year after my father had died, Jesus broke in on my pain, and spoke to my heart through a prophet. She began to describe my pain and how God said He was going to bring me through it. I share this story because, even though many around me thought surely I was okay as it had been a year since my father’s death, God met me right where I was. He not only said that He would heal me, He could describe my pain and He let me know that He cared about everything that I was going though. I was on vacation at the time, visiting my family. This took place at the church my sister and her husband attend. 25

All of my family was there; these were the very people I was trying so hard to be strong around. They were by no means judging me at all. When God was done speaking to me there wasn’t a dry eye in that place. God knows where we are, and I’m not just talking about your address. When I returned home my prayer life changed, or, should I say, what I said in my prayers changed greatly? When I met with the Lord before work my words were “Father, heal me. Be my Father. Take this pain.” and then I would worship him in song. I can’t say how long I did this. I just know that one day the heart piercing pain was gone. I don’t believe in putting a time limit on God. It’s been over ten years now, and I’m still walking in that wonderful peace. Jesus is the only one who can handle or even understand your pain, so stop looking for healing to come in any other way, Let me add that if you are looking to the person who hurt you to heal you, you are sadly mistaken. People can say I’m sorry, but only God can reach in on the inside and heal your soul, your heart, and your mind. Jesus calls to us every day to come unto Him, all who are weary and burdened. Matthew 11:28. You have to find your own way to meet with God and in your own words give Him your pain. He can handle whatever you have to say. Be real because your pain is real. His answers and healing are real. And life, past

God's Garden by Author Unknown

the pain, is very real and sweet. For too long I have watched too many women, in the body of Christ as well as outside, become prisoners to their own pain.

Plant three rows of peas: Peace of mind Peace of heart Peace of soul

Donna Faulkner was ordained as a minister of the gospel in 1991. She graduated at the top of her class from the School of the Warrior Bible Training Center in Media, PA.

Plant four rows of squash: Squash gossip Squash indifference Squash grumbling Squash selfishness

Donna is a true evangelist who has the fervent desire to see broken people put back together by the love of God. This passion to see people set free and fulfilling their God-ordained purpose has provided her opportunities to minister at many churches and conferences.

Plant four rows of lettuce: Lettuce be faithful Lettuce be kind Lettuce be obedient Lettuce really love one another. You will have no garden without turnips: Turnup for meetings Turnup for service Turnup to help one another Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There is much fruit in your garden Because you reap what you sow To conclude our garden, we must have thyme: Thyme for God Thyme for study Thyme for prayer

By Becky DeWitt

The redeemed are the purchased possession of God through the eternal one time only sacrificial transaction of Jesus on the cross. Many do not fully understand and truly comprehend the word, “redeemed.” Those of us, who are Believers, were purchased from the bondage of the enemy, Satan. The devil owned you since the fall of Adam, and had full rights to do as he pleased with your life. His job was and is to steal, kill, and destroy you, by any means necessary. (John 10:10). He wants to keep you in whatever trap or cell that he has devised especially for you, so that you can never come to the full understanding and realization of the truth.

The truth, the driving force in this awesome transaction for your life is the agape love of God,. God loved us so much that He sent the precious lamb, Jesus, to be sacrificed so that we could be reconciled back into His heavenly presence to restore our intimate relationship. (John 3:16). “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” (Jeremiah 1:5). God knew you before you were wrapped in flesh with your organs developing to the point of completion and you made an entrance into the earthly realm. He knew you in the spirit. He wanted you to be reconciled to Him, to be in relationship with Him once again. Have you ever pondered the thought, that God missed you? Perhaps He still does because of where you are right now. The price, the cost for you, was blood. It could not be the blood of a bull, goat, or ram, but the blood of His only son, Jesus. Remember when God asked Abraham to sacrifice His only son? There was a ram in the bush, and His name was Jesus. This was a scene in the Bible in the Old Testament, which was a preview of the coming attraction. Because it was His only son, there could only be a one time sacrifice. It could not be done as in the Old Testament, over and over again. “He went once for all into the Holy of Holies of heaven, not by virtue of the blood of goats and calves by which to make reconciliation 27

between God and man, but His own blood, having found and secured a complete redemption, an everlasting release for us. For if the mere sprinkling of unholy and defiled persons with blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a burnt heifer is sufficient for the purification of the body, How much more surely shall the blood of Christ, Who by virtue of His eternal Spirit, His own preexistent divine personality has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the ever living God? (Hebrews 9:12-14 AMP). Can you envision Jesus hanging on the cross just for you? Do you see the large nails that are piercing His hands and feet with his precious blood dripping out and flowing towards the earth on the ground surrounding in a pool at the depth of the cross. What about the crown of many thorns pressing into His brow, separating the flesh so that the bloods runs across His nose and over the face that was maimed by the torture of man, falling to the earth creation, the sacrifice for many? During the season of the year called Easter, the television media shows the world many versions of their account of the cross. We each need our own personal vision of what actually

took place in order to make our relationship with Jesus more than just personal, but intimate. Do not let media marketing make this sacrifice a season in your mind. Jesus entered into the Holy Place for eternal redemption for us. See Him on the cross, just for you, daily. Visualize the blood, the agony, and the price. As you seek to personalize your relationship with Him even more, your view and perception will change. Understand that price. Examine yourself. Can you not give your all because of this price? What is the cost for the sacrifice unlike any other in eternity? Your blood has no power to redeem anyone! We must put ourselves on the cross daily so that we can crucify the flesh and lay aside the weights of the world, that easily ensnare us to make the shedding of the blood of Jesus of no effect. “Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses who have borne testimony to the Truth, let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance unnecessary weight and that sin which so readily deftly and cleverly clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1 AMP). After the new birth of your spirit, your flesh must be put to death, because it still has all of the wrapping of the world and it is accustomed to being in control. Now that you have His spirit, we

must be crucified with Christ, so that the life we live is through Him, not us. (Galatians 2:20). The power of your voice is through the voice of the blood of Jesus saying “let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” (Psalm 107:20). When you open your mouth, let nothing speak but the voice of the blood. You have no other voice that will conquer the enemy except the voice of redemption. Let the blood of Jesus speak. The blood of Abel cried out from the earth and God heard it. (Genesis 4:10). Do we really want to know Him and the power of His resurrection? (Philippians 3:10). Is there still the passion to be in His presence as when you first met Him? Have we become leaky vessels through the constant bombardment of the enemy, allowing that which has been invested, imparted, and sealed by the Holy Spirit to drip out causing a spill? “And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 NLT). Is this foundation sure or is there a hairline fracture invisible to the naked eye causing our anchor in the relationship not to be as deep as we once thought causing a saw or falling away? Is

the faith and trust that leans on the absolute confidence in His power, wisdom and goodness evaporated? What a price only He could pay.

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” (I Peter 1:18-21 KJV).

I Am Wit h You When you doubt, when you are filled with fear, know that I am there.

I am reaching out to you no matter how grim you feel your situation may be. It does not matter how terrible things look, I am walking beside you. I can calm any storm and lift you out of any problem that you face. I specialize in the impossible. Nothing is too hard for me! In fact, I desire to show you your life through my eyes. Then, you would no longer fear or worry about, what is coming against, you. Rejoice for I have overcome the world and whether you know it or not, so have you! So please give me all your cares and worries. You were not designed to carry the burdens you are now carrying.

Does a wheel barrow try to carry a mountain? Does a donkey try to carry the earth itself? I tell you truly, you are not to carry these burdens. Give them to me!! They are mine and I will deliver you from those burdens which weigh you down and steal your joy. I will fill you with my peace and my joy. Then when you come to me, you will rejoice and not fill our time together seeking your own needs. You will be able to seek the desires and needs of others. As I have so longed for you to be able to do In fact, sometimes, I desire for you to come before me with no wants or cares at all

Just sit at my feet and let me show you how loved you really are Rest in my love and I give you the desires of your heart.

Unknown

Rebuild Your Temple By Jacqueline Goodwin

One night stands, a rush job, a quickie, creeping, meeting in the alleys or across town, this was what she did to find love. She was an empty vessel longing to be fulfilled. She believed the love she longed for was somewhere hidden between the sheets. Is she a married woman or is she the Mistress? Her name became well known in her town. She was the Samaritan Woman of the Biblical ages, but today she is the Mistress. John 4:3-42 The Samaritan Woman was married but not complete and the Mistress is single and not whole. How do their lives intertwine? Both women were revolving doors allowing their bodies to be used as an exchange for love. They would enter into the presence of Jesus only to discover the woman they never knew. It was the woman who God had created them to be before they were conceived in their motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s womb. Somehow the existence of both women had gotten lost in the souls of all their past lovers. Both had slept with every man they came in contact with, longing to fulfill holes that sprung forth out of issues of

abandonment and loneliness. They chased after a need for love that could not be satisfied between the sheets or even in the streets. For they failed to realize that the love they had grasped would only last as long as the man they were with remained between their sheets. The Samaritan Woman found no happiness within her marriage and the Kept Woman found no happiness within her affair. The Kept Woman, who was simply the Mistress, was kept in the dark, kept in secret, kept behind closed doors, kept in the shadows of his wife. Yet, she did not realize that the man failed to keep a commitment, he only kept her flesh warm, but her soul, body, and spirit were torn. The Samaritan Woman stepped outside of her marriage to pursue something she thought would sustain her and make her whole. The Mistress stepped inside a marriage to pursue something she thought would hold her up and define who she was. However, they both discovered their temples had been broken from the inner area known as their “heart.” After sleeping with several men both were still hollow and alone. Their temple which was their body needed cleansing but how could both become purified after being contaminated with unholy soul ties. You see the Samaritan Woman nor did the Mistress know their bodies were the temple of the Holy Spirit. They were oblivious to the fact Jesus had paid the price for their bodies to be sanctified. They

were naïve to the scripture 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Both women had lost their identity within the sheets and not realizing they were destroying their spiritual houses. They were never aware of 1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Jesus wanted to dwell in both women so He waited patiently for the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well to rebuild her temple. He waited patiently for the Mistress to come into the bathroom after leaving the side of the man that was not her own to rebuild her temple. As they both listened to Jesus saying to them “Let me Rebuild your Temple” their eyes were enlightened and they realized their temple had fallen down and they were just existing out of their ruins. But in those words spoken by Jesus took the residue left by all those men and wash it away restoring them from their ashes of loneliness and rejection and erecting a New Temple from within. The Samaritan Woman and the Kept Woman both had comprise by

giving their mind, body and soul to men but when they encountered Jesus He rebuilt their temple by building their self worth. Jesus took down the first temple which was made by man and created a second temple which was prepared with his loving hands because He saw the Samaritan Woman and the Mistress spoils were worthy of being rebuilt into beautiful Temples. Jesus knew they had suffered from spiritual decay so he provided them with an abundance of healings to reconstruct their temple. It does not matter whether you are the Samaritan Woman or the Kept Woman God wants to Rebuild your Temple. God is looking beyond your spiritual deterioration because He sees your gifts and your significance in His Kingdom. Jesus is saying to you “Let me Rebuild Your Temple.”

NOTES TO GOD... Dear God, As I transition from being married to single help me Lord to empty my entire emotional luggage. You promised me that you would heal my broken heart. Psalm 147:3: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wound, Father my wounds are open and need your healing ointment. As the tears roll down my face I feel alone and lost but if you will order my steps I know that I will overcome. I give my three children to you and ask you to be their Father to guide them, love them, and protect them. Father, please do not forget about your daughter take my broken pieces and mold me for your use. I simply surrender.

Love your daughter, Lenise

Cares Are By John McLeod Cares are the cross that each of us must carry, Darkness must always contrast with the light, And having known despair's harsh ministrations Wisdom will bring its own unequalled sight. The Lord makes sure the back will fit the

burden, How harsh it seems, yet when the pain has

www.SpiritHouse-nc.org

gone, The eyes unto the hills of hope in turning Will glimpse the splendid wonder of His dawn!

Spirit House Inc., founded in 19991 in Durham, North Carolina, is a cultural arts organization focusing on helping low-wealth families gain the knowledge and skills they need to uncover and uproot the systemic barriers that prevent them from gaining the resources, leverage and capacity for long term selfsufficiency.

Curious Medley By Dixie Lee Baker The mystery which masks my wisdom Leapt to the sparkle of your spirit, The pace of your inner carrousel, And the way you wear Anticipated enchantment Around your neck Like a string of precious pearls. My mildewed nocturnal missives Through dreamcatchers To gather remnants of Your believing that Miracles are everyday occurrences; Fireflies illuminate your Soul with sparkling light; Dreams are but unspoken realities; Melodies are the strings That tie together your unsung songs; And fantasies are but truths turned inside out. ….and if I never give you anything else in my life, Take my tender legacy to you very seriously: Always be the Women child That I am/you are We, through life’s journey, Will continue to be and become…