Delivered or Dormant - When Soul and Test Meet

Once a theft always a theft. Once a liar always a liar. Once a cheater always a cheater. Does any of these phrases sound familiar? I'm sure they do.

A church person receives a call from the famous Nephew Tommy from the @SteveHaveyMorningShow. Unknowing to the church person on the phone, Nephew Tommy pushes their buttons so far that he or she begins to use curse words.. Something they said they were delivered from. Once Nephew Tommy gets them all the way out there, he tells who he is and that they've been prank by .whomever.. .and get this.. and most of the time it's another church person. The caller precedes to say that they are embarrassed and ask Tommy if they were on the radio. He of course says yes. Then the church person says that they haven't cursed in years and that the Lord had delivered them from cursing. Well, I wonder if they were delivered or was all that cursing just sitting dormant waiting for the right moment to reveal itself so it could come out.

Now let me use myself as the next example.

I am a recovering Bulimic. One who would eat as much food as I liked, then go in the bathroom and throw it up. Or, I would take laxatives so it wouldn't sit in my stomach over night. This went on for years. From the age of 16 to I'll say 39 or 40. I can say that I've been delivered from Bulimia or have I really. As there are times when I feel like I want to throw up or feel the need to take a laxative after I've eaten something I knew I shouldn't have eaten because it may trigger the desire to throw up or eliminate quickly. Have I thrown up or taken laxatives to eliminate after I've eaten something bad, YES.. am I still delivered YES.

What about the person who was a habitual cheater or drinker or drug user. Are they really delivered from that demon or is it just sitting dormant, waiting for the next test. I've cheated in my previous marriages. It was by choice for sure. In my current marriage I haven't cheated.   I delivered or have I made a spiritual decision NOT to cheat. Have I been tested, sure I have. Did I fall, no I didn't. WHY.. because I've made a conscious decision to keep my covenant first with God and secondly to my husband. Am I delivered from cheating. Yes I am.

Before I got delivered from my eating disorder, I wasn't aware of the WHY it exist in my life. I didn't know why I was a cheater before being delivered from promiscuity. When I began my TRUE Spiritual journey I discovered the WHY behind my issues. It was because of abandonment. Those spirits came along with the strong man of Abandonment.

I know what triggers the desire to do those things I've been delivered from and I do my best to avoid anything that would trigger those desires.

There are things I stay away from that doesn't push me to do what I know I've been delivered from and is sitting dormant just waiting for the right opportunity to show it's nasty head in my life again.


Here is what I do to stay delivered:

1. I Stay away from fast foods as much as possible. There are times when we're on the road traveling and fast food is the only option. I do not get hamburgers and milk shakes. I'll get a small chicken sandwich and a small bag of fries or side salad. Because I don't eat those foods often, my body rejects it automatically. So, there's no need to take a laxative or throw up. I made a choice to choose something that wouldn't trigger the need to throw up or take a laxative.

NOTE: If I have to take something to eliminate, I take a detox tea that's made from natural herbs and is not habit forming.

2. I do not look at shows where spouses are cheating on each other.

3. I do not look at shows with a lot of sexual contact and content. Not even heavy petting, kissing etc. Even though I'm married and can clearly and easily enjoy those moments with my husband, I personally prefer not to put those scenes in my spirit. (the the gate to your soul... the eyes.)

4. I'm not around the opposite sex alone EVER. I protect myself, my husband and our marriage by avoiding those situations. If it's business or a situation where I have no other choice but be along, it's not because there is any other motives outside of the reason what's being handled at the time. I know the enemy will present itself in the form that he knows I love. He'll do it to you too, what ever that type is.

5. I stay in the word. I read the word of God daily and pray for my mind, spirit, and soul.

6. If the feeling does arise, I ask myself WHY is this happening.

7. I Identify what's missing, what's triggering it and handle it.

Delivered or Dormant - you decide.What I know to be true -  When you've done your Spiritual Soul work, (being fully aware of your WHY's) what's lying dormant will submit itself to the process of staying delivered.

Remember to Find Peace Within,

Be blessed,
Ms. Lisa D.

Self-Pity A Walk to Self-Worth

After the tears have dried up.
After the voices become silent.
After the heart stops beating rapidly.
After the knees stop shaking uncontrollably
After the hands stop trembling
After the head has cleared
Then is the time to face the pit of self-pity you're in.

What is a pit? A pit is a hollow or indentation in the surface of something. What is self-pity? Self pity is self-absorbed unhappiness over one's own troubles.

You may be wondering where I'm going with this... here's where I'm going with this.

Here's the story -
At my parents house in South Carolina my dad has a BBQ pit in the back yard. That BBQ pit has been there for years. He enjoys cooking out, so he had our neighbor build him a pit in the ground. There are a lot of things my dad enjoys cooking in that pit but the one thing I've noticed is he loves to cook BBQ ribs in that pit. My dad would go through this ritual of patting the meat down with his famous seasonings. He would let it marinate in that seasoning over night. Then he would cover it up real tight with some aluminum foil. The foil kept the meat sealed tight so the meat wouldn't fall apart while cooking. Then he'll place it in the pit and let it cook pretty much all day. Through out its cooking process, my dad would come back to check and see if it was done. Most of the time it took about 2 to 3 hours to fully cook. Once it was done, he ready to serve his famous BBQ ribs to the family. And boy did we enjoy eating that BBQ.

When we're walking in self-pity we are going through the same process as the ribs in the BBQ pit. We'll pat self-pity down with the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves and our situations. We marinate our self-pity by exaggerating the story with extra seasonings. You know, making it out to be bigger than what it really is. Then we sit in it for days, which turns to weeks, which turns to years and heavens forbid it goes on for years. At that point we've told that story so many times it's wrapped so tightly that it's hard to even distinguish if it's the truth or a lie. And finally, once it's fully cooked, we'll serve that lie to others; who walks away thinking we must be crazy and depressed and in need of some help.

Self-pity is a personal hole we use to hid ourselves in. How do we do that? Through:

1. Denial
2. Rejection
3. Grief
4. Heaviness
5. A Broken Heart
6. You even may find it hard to laugh at life and at yourself
7. You may tend to crave for drama
8. You may tend to crave for sympathy
9. You may tend to be left alone
10. You may tend to live in the past

Does this sound like you? If so, you do not have to stay there. I've been there before. Trust me, it wasn't easy facing the facts about myself. But with my hunger to be free, I faced the truth about the stories I was telling about my life. Through that truth I uncovered that I was only telling parts of the story that justified my opinion of myself. There were several things I did that helped me get out of the pit I was in and I believe they will help you get out of the pit you may be in.

 1. Recognize that you have a choice. You can blame others or take responsibility for what you did to cause you to be in that state of mind.

2. Allow yourself to feel the pain. Acknowledge it's there and that you're ready to heal.

3. Take control of your life. Do not let someone else control your feelings.
4. Commit to not bragging about the bad things in your life. Not even to yourself. Speak life into your situations.
5. Do something productive in your day, everyday.
6. Notice the good things in your life. Start a gratitude journal.
7. Ask God for help. It's going to be hard to let go of the story you've been telling by heart. Now you have to get a new story. The true story.
8. Give yourself gospel straight talk. Check yourself when you find yourself out of line.
9. Repent to God for the sin of self-pity. Don't forget-He has made you beautiful.
10. In Faith, take the steps you need to move forward in your spiritual healing.

Remember, God wants us to prosper, be in good health, just as our souls prospers. God is very concerned about our SOUL so why shouldn't we be concerned too. Let's start today turning our story of self-pity into a story of self-worth.

Remember to Find Peace Within

Be blessed,
Ms. Lisa

Laundromat Tears - When Mercy and Soul Meets

One thing I've learned in my life-time is this; you will never know who God will send your way to minister to. That's why I believe it's ALWAYS important to have yourself together so you want miss the opportunity to serve an angel unaware.

Here's the story of a young lady, her baby, and the laundromat tears.

It was a Wednesday morning I decided to dry my clothes at the local laundromat instead of hanging them on the clothesline I made outside my carport. I'm a country girl and I love to let my clothes dry on the clothesline the way my grandma and mamma did. But, I didn't have time to wait all day for that to happen, so I took the quickest way out- the laundromat.

While folding my clothes, a young lady rushed in the laundromat with her baby. I'll say the baby was between 12 to 18 months old as she was able to sit up on her own. The young lady had horror and fear written all over her face. I could literally see her chest moving as she was trying to calm herself down. All she had on her person was a diaper bag, purse and cellphone. I watched the both of them while I continued folding clothes.

The laundromat owner approached her and said, "ma'am, you have to leave, here. You can't stay here if you not getting services here." She said, "sir, I'm waiting on my ride." He said, "no you can't stay!" She told him again, 'Sir I'm waiting on my ride." She even went as far as to hand the phone to him to prove to him that she was waiting on her ride. He did not take the phone and turned and walked away.

I kept my eyes on the mom and the baby as I continued folding my clothes. What I observed was the baby looking at her mom with grave concern. She couldn't do anything about her mom's situation but she knew something was wrong. She didn't cry at all. She just kept her eyes on her mommy. She was absorbing the pain of her mom. I can only assume, this little precious soul had experienced this kind of sorrow from her mom before as she wasn't alarmed by what was going in her mom's spirit.

Once I finished folding my clothes, I walked over to her and sat down. I asked her if she was okay, (knowing she wasn't but I didn't want to assume)... she looked at me and the tears began to fall. She said, "no ma'am, I am NOT okay." She proceeded to tell me about her journey and ALL the pain she has been in and is currently in. As a person who operates in the ministry of deliverance, I've learned to allow people to speak their pain, give it a voice and let them get it out of their spirit. I didn't say a word while she talked. I took the baby in my hands and sat her in my lap. She had such a calm spirit. Not one time did she cry; even though her mommy was crying endless tears. She would reach for her mommies arm and touch her face as to say, "it's gonna be alright mommy!"

I want go in to detail about the young ladies story, but what I will say is, she was alone, no mom, no dad, no baby daddy, no close friends to help her. She walked at least 2 miles to the laundromat without a stroller I will add. I asked her if she would like for me to drop her off somewhere. She said her ride was on the way. While we waited, the laundromat attendant called me to the side and explained to me that he would give her 10 more minutes but she would have to leave. He understood she was in distress but because of the behavior from others in the past, he couldn't let her remain there without getting services. I had been with her for about 30 minutes at this point. I let her know what he said and she said okay. I prayed with her and the baby before leaving to take my mom to the doctor.

You might ask, what's the message in this story... well here's the message.
First message:  God always puts us in places for certain reasons. I made a decision earlier that morning to go to the laundromat instead of hanging my clothes on the line like I usually do. My intentions were to go there much earlier but that didn't happen. So, I was in the right place at the right time just for that young lady and her baby.

Second message: The young lady needed and advocate for her. You see, the attendant would have kicked her out of the laundromat had it not be for someone sticking by her side and allowing time to pass by, which gave her time to get her emotions together and calm her spirit. The attendant would not have done that had I not been there. That I feel in my spirit.

Third message: The young lady was on the brink of giving up. She said so herself. She felt she had no other choice. I reminded her of that little soul that was sitting in my lap and if there was no other reason to live, it was because of that beautiful baby girl. She agreed.

Fourth message: Prayer does change things. Even though she was in a bad situation and a felt alone, the prayer she received that day gave her hope and reminded her that God is still in control of all things; even her life.

I had to leave her there that Wednesday morning, but I was glad I was there to intercede and be an advocate for her so she could experience the Mercy of God, through the actions of the laundromat attendant.

My message to you - Don't be afraid to intervene when it looks like someone is on the verge of giving up. Often times we turn a def ear or blind eye to people when they are in need. Not everyone is a scam and looking to get over on you. There are some people who are truly hurting and all they want to know is "Someone Care."

Remember to Find Peace Within
Be Blessed
Ms. Lisa 🙂

All Wheel Alignment - When the Crazy in your Life is Revealed

Isn't it amazing how you can get one thing fixed and something else that's wrong is revealed? Yes, it is possible. Think of how many people have gone to the doctor for minor cough and find out cancer is lying beneath the cough. My story isn't as drastic as identifying cancer, but it is a story that revealed something very shocking.. at least to me.

Here's my story...

It was time to purchased new tires for my Honda CR-V. It was well over the total mileage so I figured I would go ahead and get the tires. Because we do a lot of traveling I decided not to get BRAND NEW tires so I got some GOOD USED tires. I've done it before, so I didn't see any harm in getting some GOOD USED tires.

As the mechanic begin to take my old tires off he noticed that the tires weren't wearing properly and suggest I get an all wheel alignment since I was getting a new set of tires. He even recommended a good place for me to get the alignment done.  I thanked him for letting me know what was needed. Once he was done, I paid for the tires and left.

I was happy I got new tires on the car. My tires are perfect, driving is smooth and no more slipping and sliding on the roads. I felt safe driving in the rain, which is very important to me. The next weekend I decided to go ahead and get the wheel alignment. My husband and I pulled up to the repair shop, let the mechanic know what we needed and he said it would be at least a two hour wait. So, we decided to take a walk to KFC to have dinner and browse in Habitat Resale Store. We found a bike for Max and pushed it back to the shop.

Just as he said, it was ready when we returned. Excited that NOW, the alignment is done and our tires will now have long life. Well, little did we know there was something else going on. I noticed when we went over a bump, hole, and or rail road tracks, the back of the car would sway like a fish tail. I was like, "What in the world is going on with the car NOW!" So, I took to Google to diagnosis what was wrong. During my research, most mechanics either said you needed to get a wheel alignment or have the rear differential mount checked. I told my husband something was going on and what I found on Google.  He said to take it back to the shop where we got the alignment.

Doing what I was instructed to do, I took the car back to the shop to get checked out. The mechanic drove the car and told me the alignment was good. He even showed me under the car how everything was connected and aligned. But, the one thing he did notice was that the Differential Mount had a little play in it and suggest we have our mechanic check it out. I told him that we were not having this problem until we got the wheel alignment. He said, ma'am,  often times when one thing is fixed, other issues are uncovered. That was a prophetic moment for me... I was like WOW!.. that is so true in the spirit as well.

Often times when we are dealing with one issue and we take the spiritual time we need to deal with it, something else that has been lingering is revealed.

When I was working through my eating disorder of Bulimia, I had no idea the spirit of insecurity was lying beneath it all.  All I thought I was dealing with was me not wanting to gain weight and not having a big butt. But the real issue was insecurity and acceptance. Once Bulimia was no longer an issue for me, I began dealing with WHY I was insecure and why I wash having a hard time accepting myself the way I was.

I started on my spiritual journey to wholeness and now I am no longer dealing with any of those issues.

What do you do when your wheel alignment reveals some more crazy in your life?

1. Acknowledge that it exist
2. Identify the root of the REAL problem
3. Begin working through those feelings when the feelings arise.
4. Do your spiritual work by releasing it to the Lord
5. Walk in the newness you've discovered in you.

Don't ignore symptoms when they arise. Get it checked out, deal with it, don't sweep it under the rug. It could be detrimental to your spiritual and natural walk.


Remember to Find Peace Within
Be blessed,
Ms. Lisa

Who Do You Run To When Your SOUL Is Crying?

"I'm the CEO of a fortune 500 company, I'll loose my six figure salary!" , "I'm the president of a prestigious college, I took an oath to protect those I serve!",  "I'm the leader of a growing ministry, it will damage my witness..!",  "I'm the leader of my child's PTA, the other parents will isolate me from all activities....

SOUNDS FAMILIAR?

These are words that people often say when they have issues, sins, struggles, or however you would like to label them, that they feel they could never tell anyone about for the fear of...the WHAT IF..

This weekend my husband and I had a very long conversation about people who have fallen because they felt they had know one to talk to about the things they were struggling with. We all have something that we're struggling with, if you say you don't, then you're struggling with lying. As none of us have arrived in our daily walk to the point there isn't an issue of blood that we need to seek healing and deliverance from. He gave examples of preachers with mega churches who have fallen because it is believed they didn't have anyone to run to. There have been physicians and political leaders in our very own city who have fallen because they too felt they had know one to run to. I personally know people, including myself, who has endured pain alone because we felt know one would believe us.

The fear of your truth being rejected is a bad thing to feel when you know you telling YOUR truth is the very thing that's going to save your life from destruction. But who do you run to when your SOUL is ready to be free? Who do you trust with your truth when your truth is a lie to the people who you serve or influence and or to the world.

When I came out with my truth of my past, and being an adulterous woman who slept with married men, and who watched pornography, and suffered from an eating disorder, the spirit of whore-dorm, and the spirit of suicide; (Weee, that was a lot... lol) yes, but God has delivered me so I am no longer bound by my past. But back to my story. :). When I began to tell my testimony and how my journey has lead me to a place of peace, most people were shocked because I don't look like where I've been or what I've experienced. But, it took years for me to come out because I was afraid people would judge me, and I would be rejected by those whom I loved. But what I've learned in my studying of the SOUL... there is no fear in LOVE. When you begin to tell the truth about who you are and the expediences you've had, those who supposed to be in your life will commend you for your courage and be by your side as you walk these things out.

Satan wants us to sit in hiding and remain bound and broken. He wants to embarrass us and use our experiences as a weapon to those who look up to us. But what we have to remember is, God's love covers all and Jesus Christ's blood was the sacrifice for every sin we have and haven't committed.

What not to do is sit in silence and die a slow death of pain.

Here are a few suggestions that helped me when my SOUL was crying.

1. Find someone who you trust, even if you have to pay for a professional counselor... cry out to that person for help. I found a friend in my music theory teacher. Her home was a safe haven for me and she was there to listen and sometimes just a place for me to lay my head and rest.

2. Follow the instructions given to you by the one who you've entrusted with your truth. What's the point in confiding in someone, especially if you're paying for it, and you not listen to their advice. The word says there's safety in a multitude of counselors. So, since you found safety there, trust that they are giving you the right advice.

3. Write down what your experiences are and how those experiences make you feel. Identify what the root cause of your pain is coming from. Then seek spiritual guidance from someone in the word of God on how to walk out your experiences in a spiritual way. There is work to be done when you're dealing with issues of our past that are now showing up in your adult life. This will take someone who is mature in the word of God and who has already done their spiritual work.

4. Believe you have the right to be free. If you doubt in your heart that you don't deserve to walk in freedom, then all of what you've done from 1-3 was in vain. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, peace and a sound mine. Our Souls longeth to be free from those dis-eases that causes us to retreat to things that makes our heart ache.

5. Tell yourself EVERYDAY you are worth living. Suicide entered my mind more than twice while I was in my mess, but one day I heard a voice say, SMILE LISA...SHOW UP EVERYDAY  FOR YOURSELF LISA, AND SUCCEED EVERYDAY LISA. I've done just that...

Do not suffer in silence, God has someone ready, willing, prepared and able to help walk you to your peace.


Be blessed,
and remember to
"Find Peace Within"
Ms.. Lisa D.
#LDFPWN 

What do you do while you're in the Season of Reaping What You've Sown? - "When Harvest Time and Soul Meets"

"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, a time to heal; a time to break down; and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." Ecc. 3: 1-8.

I just wonder how many of us really have taken the time to think about this scripture. Reaping time and Harvest. That's not a question, just a statement..a thought..something to just think about. I believe when most of us think about seed time and harvest we think of giving tithe and offering and reaping from the sacrifice of giving that we give unto the Lord. However, have you ever thought what would it be like for you when it's reaping time of the bad things you've sown? Lately I've been thinking about that.

As I'm going through my spiritual walk, I've been thinking about the things I've done in my past, and how I've wrong some people and never owned up to what I did. Sounds familiar? I'm sure it does. We have to remember what the Bible says, we will reap what we sow, Gal. 6:7. The more I search my soul, the more the Holy Spirit reveals to me those things in my past and some in my present, that I am now reaping from.

There are things I did in my second marriage that I know was just dead wrong... I mean dead wrong. I blamed him for so many things..even though the marriage was bad and mentally and emotionally and verbally abusive, I played my part in damaging it as well. I cannot ignore the part I played in making it that way. Bad situations will cause you to act out of character.. that too doesn't mean you want reap what you sowed. Ownership is so important to your healing process. This is a good start to true authenticity. So this time I vowed to love, love and love.... however, there is still a reaping... grace is only for a time...I learned the seeds I sowed in my previous marriage doesn't mean that my current marriage will be the place of reaping. That's one thing we cannot control... where, when and how the reaping will come.

One morning during my prayer and meditation time, I asked the Lord what should I do during this season of reaping, as I just wanted to stay in a state of mind of feeling sorry for myself, after all I'm a very nice person, a contagious spark of hope. The Holy Spirit spoke clearly through the scriptures Galatians 6:

1. Refuse to become discouraged
2. Determine to keep your faith alive and active
3. Give and keep on giving; love and keep on loving.

Continue in the attitude of expectancy. A God possessed life guarantees partnership with God in world wide presence. Your conscious will be clear and your SOUL will be at peace. 

This is my message to you to day; when Harvest Time and Soul meets, allow your spirit man to minister to the experience. Refuse to beat yourself up for what you're experiencing in your harvest time. Do not let your faith waiver by no means and continue to share the gospel with others. And most importantly continue to love and give, even if you have to continue to love and give to those whom you are now receiving that harvest from. This perhaps maybe the challenge for us all. But when you realize what God is doing in your spiritual walk, you'll embrace the journey and allow your SOUL to be healed and set free.

I promise you, you'll feel better knowing you did it God's way and not yours.

Be blessed
And remember to Find Peace Within,

Ms. Lisa