When I Was Almost Thirteen

Josette Love

Description

Inside the walls of one womans house are many secrets known only to God, as well as a few that are very close to her. Commandments, all ten being broken, mental and physical abuse; words spoken that cannot be uttered outside those walls for fear of retaliation. Such conflict within her mindnot understanding how anyone can be this cruel to another person. Beat down to the bottom, lower and lower in her self-esteem with her head bent down in defeat and humiliation; being tormented within the walls of that house confined as if in chains and the key had been thrown away. Then one day she remembered who she was.

Sujets

• Lettres et linguistique

Informations

• Publié par: Inspiring Voices
• Date de parution: 23 octobre 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781462407194
• Langue: English

Extrait

When I Was Almost Thirteen
JOSETTE LOVE


 
Copyright © 2013 JOSETTE LOVE.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
 
 
 
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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
 
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ISBN: 978-1-4624-0720-0 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4624-0719-4 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013915053
 
 
Inspiring Voices rev. date: 10/18/2013

Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1 Meeting Joss
Chapter 2 Married Years with Joss
Chapter 3 Fear
Chapter 4 Trusting God for Finance
Chapter 5 Overcoming Your Fears
Chapter 6 Living in Victory

Foreword
In these pages are only some of the trials and tribulations of a woman I hold dear to my heart. I have seen her life over the years; she has held true to God and his teachings in the Bible. Many times, when others would give up, she would stand when she could do nothing else but stand, and we would see the hand of God move. People have literally knocked on her door, said they had heard she was a Christian, and asked if she would show them the way to Christ. Things like that happen only when you fast and pray and have the love of God in your life. I believe you will enjoy reading this book and the things she has learned in life.
I remember when Josette had to move back home with Mother and Daddy because of the circumstances with her husband. One day, she walked past me as I was washing windows on the back door. Mind you, I had been watching her life, which was always happy, but I knew the trials she had had to endure. I asked her, “Are you really happy with all the things you have to go through?” Her response was, “Yes, I really am happy because I have God, which gives me this joy.”
She asked me if I wanted to go to church with her. Within two weeks, I was at the altar, asking Jesus to come into my life. Now I know the joy she was telling me about.
Sometimes, in the midst of our trials, we can’t see the outcome God has on the horizon. I’m so glad she didn’t give up when she was going through these trials, which led her back into my life; it was through these adversities that I found my way to Christ. These trials gave me a deeper love for my sister, my best friend.
Roxanne

Introduction
I will write a lot about fear and how you can be an “overcomer.” However, there is one thing you need to know: 1 Corinthians 13:1 tells us, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” The Bible goes on to say what great things we can do, but if we don’t have charity, none of this really matters.
The love of Jesus covers a multitude of sins. I cannot look back at Joss, my ex-husband (but not his real name), and hold any grudge against him. What is in the past is in the past. We have all sinned at one time or another, and God knows we have all made many mistakes. I can look at my own back door and see many times I have sinned and failed Jesus since I gave my heart to Him, but, thank God, He is a forgiving Father.
I couldn’t have accomplished victory without forgiving Joss. Matthew 5:38-39 tells us, “We have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever smites [hits] thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” We have to walk in the love of Jesus. He could have called ten thousand angels to come to get Him off the cross, but He didn’t; He said, Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them; they know not what they do. You see, Joss at that time didn’t know what he was doing because his master, Satan, had commanded him.
Do you remember when God was in the process of setting the children of Israel free? No matter what Moses said to Pharaoh, he would reply at times, “I’m sorry; I have sinned; you can leave,” and Moses would go to God and pray that the plagues be lifted. God would remove the plagues, but Pharaoh would change his mind and not let them go. I know Moses was a true man of God. Exodus 9:28 tells us, “Entreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no mightier thundering and hail; and I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” This is why Moses was so clever. He let the devil know he was not fooling anyone.
Moses said unto him, “As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord, and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how the earth is the Lord’s. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God.” (Exodus 9:29-30)
Moses was right on with his prediction because he knew God and walked in His ways. We need to tell Satan we see his tricks and don’t have to put up with them. We’re washed in the blood of Jesus, which has power against Satan. By the word of God, I am more than a conqueror; I have been given power. “And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils” (Mark 16:17).
Now that we have that authority, we should use it; that’s why Jesus gave it to us. Any gift given to us that we don’t use is no good, but if we put it to use, it becomes a blessing. The more we use what God has given us, the stronger we become in Jesus. Satan knows this; that is why he fights so hard against us.
Not until the final plague, when Pharaoh lost his son, his most prized possession, did he let the Israelites go. Of course, after the children left, he changed his mind again. God kept hardening Pharaoh’s heart against Moses and the Israelites because He knew Pharaoh’s heart would not change; after all, Pharaoh thought he was a god. When you think you are god, you have gone too far.
I will share with you something God showed me one night after I had left Joss because he was not being nice to me. I was in my bedroom praying, “God, I know you are the one that is hardening Joss’s heart as you hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Help me understand.” You’ll notice I didn’t question God; He knows what He’s doing, but I just wanted to understand; sometimes, God just wants to see how dedicated we are; He wants us to prove to Him we are serious where He’s concerned.
You have to remember the children of Israel had sinned repeatedly. Therefore, this time, they had to show God they were sincere, and God set them free. I understood what was happening with Joss, why he wouldn’t go to church and hear me speak or why he wouldn’t set me free—he didn’t love me. I understand now why he was so opposed to me in everything I did. God knew what He had called me to do, and I had to prove myself. Yes, I have very much forgiven Joss, and no matter what the circumstances are in your life, you will have to forgive also.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted forgiving one another. (Ephesians 4:31-32)
But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)
But I say unto you which hear, love your enemies, do good to them, which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them, which despitefully use you. (Luke 6:27-28)
These are just a few scriptures on forgiveness, but there are many more. I just want you to know how important this is in the kingdom of heaven.
Soon after I received Jesus into my life, God led me into a deeper walk with Him. I was willing to take all God had for me with no shame whatsoever. When it came to getting closer to God, maybe you could say I was greedy, but that’s okay; I’ve been called a fanatic many times, and that was fine if that’s what you call a person who wants to get as close to God as he or she can. I was guilty as charged, so label me what you will; as long as I get to stroll down the street of gold with Jesus, I’m happy.
I’ll share with you one incident. Some people are afraid to let go and let God have His way. I know when I came to Jesus that I had discovered a great gift from God other than salvation; it was the blessed gift of the Holy Spirit I had never heard about Him; I never knew He existed. One glorious night at church, I saw people expressing themselves as never before. I have to say it was different but not confusing, and I wasn’t afraid. I can’t explain how I felt, but I wanted what they had.
I began to pray and ask questions with great eagerness when I went back to church. I said with great anticipation that I wanted the Holy Spirit. They sa