β€Š πŸ“ Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh β€Š my hair in place. I was just in the restroom. β€Š She never been on Facebook or anything, so. β€Šin place. Is it soundproof in here? Yes. Oh, for, For the most part. β€Š what biblical promises does πŸ“ God provide to those of us who Opening Moments: Setting the Stage β€Š So this is from surviving to living the spotlight series and I am here with Brenda β€Šand we are going to be talking today about How does the God of the Bible respond to human suffering? You know, is there a purpose to suffering? How does God's sovereignty intersect with suffering and trials in the lives of believers and what biblical promises does God provide to those of us who, and all of us experience suffering and trials. And so Brenda, you have, I know an amazing. Very interesting story. I have, um, heard only a little bit of it and I'm excited to learn more today about you Brenda's Harrowing Journey of Suffering and Survival . So can you please tell us who you are and where you're from? Well, I, um, My name is Miss Brenda. I got that, um, by chance from the judge putting that on my driver's license. So I have multiple names now because it just got mirrored a month ago. So I'm Miss Brenda Hunter Hopper Amponsa. But all those other names are dropped and I'll just be Miss Brenda Hopper. I grew up between Jackson, Mississippi and Chicago, Illinois. And, um, What was your other question? Well, just uh, give us a little idea of where you're from and maybe if you can take us through whatever you feel is appropriate to share from your life that Helps us to understand that your life is really an example of trials and suffering and how God came to respond to you in that I think most importantly take us to the turning point when you maybe first realized I'm going to need god in this but I don't know what that looks like yet Finding Strength and Escape: A Tale of Resilience . β€Š πŸ“ Yeah Well, you know, um I believe that I'm sitting here today β€Šbecause of, uh, God's breath, God's favor, God's hand, all of the above. Um, as a young girl, uh, from my mom, um, taking us from Mississippi to Chicago, Illinois, uh, to open her own soul food restaurant. As I was a teen girl, I met my first, uh, Uh, boyfriend, I had two children out of wedlock, uh, that turned from, um, I want to say troubled waters, um, into a danger, uh, zone of, uh, abusive, um, physical, mental and sexually abuse. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠUm, I was 16 when I met him. The year later, when I was 17, my dad was shot and killed. The year after, that particular man that I had those two children with, um, my two oldest children, I had four kids. Three girls and one son. I had two from him and two from a different man. Um, he, uh, shot and killed my only 15 year old brother and placed him behind my grandmother's house. We didn't have proof that he did it, but he did it. that he did it. He told my sister, this is the gun. He shot him in the heart with the 22. Uh, the beating started, um, when I was carrying my, um, daughter, uh, just, it was just a slap. So I ignored it. Just the first red flag I ignored and he apologized, said he wouldn't do it again. And, uh, brought me a ring. Um, You know, and I was naive and young and I believed it. So, um, as time went on, uh, I had another child with him, had a wedlock. And that's when the nightmare began. I was, uh, 18 years old, 17, 18. And, um, he would just come home and I was living with him in his basement. And I left my mom's home and, um, Started living with him after my dad was shot and killed. Um, we was standing in the basement of his parents home. And he would lock the door from the outside and lock me in. And I thought, why is the door locked? I'm like, maybe it's just a latch or something was messed up. But when I, uh, brought it to his attention, that's when he don't ask any questions. And so, the abuse started. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠAnd, uh, it, it continued. And, uh, he, I was forced to, um, have, uh, intercourse with him when I didn't want to or whatever. It was just a lot of physical, mental, uh, abuse. And, um, I started sneaking out with my sisters through the window of the apartment, basement apartment. And so he found out from the neighbors that I was out doing the time that he was at work. So he put bars on those windows. So I wasn't able to get out until he, uh, the word, I wrote a writing, um, a memoir that I want to write allowed me never allowed. Don't never give no one that power over you. But I was young and naive and I thought. That, uh, you know, this man really, really love me if he's doing all this, but the, the, the hitting was not love, the sexual abuse was not love, and, uh, true love do, uh, wait and it don't hurt. I, uh, just published a book, yay, about ladies waiting for God's chosen mate. Uh, very successful, thank God. Um, however, back to, um, God. I didn't have a Bible in the basement, but my mom always, uh, she planted us in church at a young age. In Mississippi, you always go to church, no matter what. You, uh, Monday through Saturday, Sunday, you going to church. And so I knew how to pray. I did have a praying mother, praying grandmother, and praying father. So I knew how to pray and I believe that I prayed my way out and I've written journals and journals and journals and uh, I believe that's why God has given me this story for his glory to help someone else overcome, um, the obstacles. I want to call them, um, Finding Diamonds from Difficulties. Uh, my pain, uh, I, I started my book speaking about my prayer, my praise, and my purpose, and my process. And, uh, the thing that I came up with is I had a prayer to be free, a purpose to live, and a process to grow through, and a praise to God for carrying me through all the pain. And the diamonds from my difficulties was that I have acquired a gift for inaccessory prayer. To pray not just for myself but for others. I had to search within to find my purpose in life to live. So, so you're at about age 18, 19 at this point and maybe just beginning to understand There probably is something better. Yes. This isn't how it should be. So after you recognized that I am certain things didn't immediately get all better and you just left that and life was all roses. After your understanding, did you encounter new barriers in, uh, solving your problem and freeing yourself from that situation? Yes. Um, uh. I, um, God allowed me to break free from that. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠUh, he was headed, um, hunting with his dad. And he had a rifle on the couch. And this was a couple of years prior to after all the beating and after the death of my brother. I had a rifle laying on the couch and, um, he was going hunting that day. And, uh, he said, um, when I get back I want that, that, that, that. And I'm like, oh my God, I'm just tired. God. And then in my mind, I'm like, You know, the enemy was telling me, you know, boil water while he's asleep, pour it on him, uh, set the place on fire, the bed. You know, I watched that movie, the burning bed, you know, all these bad thoughts that the enemy was bringing in my mind, God of grace and mercy. just was saying, no, you know, God, uh, had chosen me not for murder, but to be a survivor, not to, uh, be as the, you know, not fight evil with evil. So that particular morning that I did escape, he left that rifle on the couch and he was going hunting and he came over towards me to, to hit me with his fist balled up. And I said, not today. And I picked the rifle up. I hadn't, I didn't know how to use it, but I've seen my uncles and them in Mississippi with, with rifles and guns. And so I just did what I thought that worked and I kind of shifted and he was coming toward me. You don't, you too stupid. You're not gonna, you don't know how to use it. Blah, blah, blah. And he was coming and as he was proceeding to walk toward me, I just shot. And it put a hole in the wall and he ran out the door and left the door on ajar, unlocked. That's how I was able to escape. After I escaped, I went to some relative's house that he wasn't aware. I didn't know that I, you know, had way out distance in another suburban area from where I was living. I stayed there a year. And lost contact with him for a year after. But this is when the real deep water started. After he found out that I had my own apartment at 22 years old. My mom died. She no longer wanted to live. After her only son was killed. So she drank and drank and she just didn't want to live. She wouldn't eat. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€Š And, um, as I said, I was 22 years old with two children out of wedlock in my first apartment in Chicago, Illinois, in the projects on the eighth floor. I decided, okay, this life is not worth living. I put a chair up to the window. I contemplated suicide. And I heard my mom as if I'm speaking to you now. Brenda, who are going to love your children like you? Who are going to take care of them like you? Don't do that. Your life is not yours to take. I got down out the chair and I proceeded to just weep, weep, weep. And a couple of months went by and, you know, God put a heart in me to be quick to forgive, but I was naive at the same time. So after so many years passed, he came and he knocked at the door and I, he said, I promise I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. I'm not gonna, I just want to see our children. Me being within a compassionate heart and forgiving and all this, I'm like, okay, he's, I believe him, he made me not, you know, it's been years, he's not gonna come in here and hit me. I didn't have a phone. Uh, didn't know anyone too many. I knew the neighbor lady because my son was over there playing and my youngest daughter, she was a year old, she was asleep. And, uh, he came in and there was a cord in the ceiling where someone lived there prior, had a phone. He snatched that cord out from the ceiling. He tied my hands behind my back and he tied my legs together. He put a sock in my mouth and put one around my mouth and he raped me in my rectum. That was the last time I seen that man and that's been over, oh my, 35 years ago. So that's um, I would think you had a solution. You have this great apartment and things are better and there's this reversal. That's all. As it were, where you haven't really been rescued. Were there new things you tried after that? People you turned to for help? You know, The Turning Point: Embracing Faith and Freedom β€Š πŸ“ I'm glad you asked that because that's when I found Jesus, β€Šreally found Jesus. I always knew Jesus, like I said, as a young, but I didn't know that he was my personal savior. I had no clue that, um, I can trust him. I had no clue that, uh, God was a deliverer, was a healer at that time. And you would, you're not going to believe this, but I tell everybody, listen to people, no matter what their, uh, Beliefs and religions are because we don't know where the message is going to come from. It could come from a babe. I completely agree with that, that God can use anything and anybody. Amen. So a Jehovah witness would knock at my door. And, uh, she would always say, can we come in? And she had the little picture and I love the pictures on the watchtowers because it's so pleasant. You see the green grass and the lion tame land there on the grass. And so she's like, wouldn't you like to live like this one day? And at that time I was not living holy or saved. I was drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. And I'm like, Well, you came at the wrong time cause I'm going to have a beer right now. I don't want you to, I don't want to listen to that. So she kept coming and kept coming and one morning she came and I believe this is when the heavens open up. And, uh, she said, I said, I don't understand any of this, uh, watch tower and Jehovah witness stuff. She said, Brenda, all you have to do is ask God for understanding. Oh my God. It was like a light went on. I'm like, okay, I can really go to God and ask him to give me understanding. And right now today, that's my best phrase. All you get, get a understanding. I always say good understanding. β€Š πŸ“ Cause all I want to get now is a good understanding. β€Š Understanding Love and Overcoming Misconceptions So I have a question for you about all of this. It sounds like there were certain things you believed were true. And now you're starting to see them as lies. Can you tell me what some of those wrong beliefs might have been initially that you're learning are new? Like, for example, this is an example of a loving relationship when that's not love at all. Well, you know, I've learned the difference between manipulation and narcissist behavior. And just, uh, evil and good, bad and good, you know. Uh, we have a devil and we have a God. We have day and we have night, and it's just so different. And I had to learn, um, through my trials, through my tribulations, you know, as David said, it was good for me that I was afflicted so I can know. who I am and who's I am. I know now that I have a personal relationship and the testing and the trials was to produce my character. And it wasn't for me. It was for you, it was for her, it was for them. My gift is for someone else to know that you too can overcome. You too can make it out of a storm. You know, I had to learn and find out that, um, God is sort of, um, I want to use the phrase umbrella. When you're in the rain, the rainy day and storm, you know, and you know how the wind blow your umbrella up sometime, God would keep it, uh, uh, sturdy for you until you get to dry ground, you know? And so I had to grow and I want to say grow through because I was young, naive, and, and, and just, uh, lack. You know, we perished for the lack of knowledge. And I wasn't taught, you know, I lost my mom at a young age. My aunts were not in my life a lot. You know, so I was never taught about true love. I mean physical that agape kind of love and you can have that from an individual, you know, without that kind of pain. Love does not hurt. True love does not hurt. And so I learned that over the long years of the suffering. You know. Yeah. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠAnd, and I want to talk about that next because I believe many people have a wrong understanding that as soon as you recognize God and need Jesus as your saver and commit to that, that everything is perfect after that point, that life is cured of all problems and that's just not true. So what did that look like for you with this new understanding? Well, it was just, uh, Um, new, uh, roads to travel. Uh, some were easy, some were not, some were challenging. But I don't believe that, uh, anything that we get in life, uh, worth having and worth appreciating. Is easy, you know, I always use an athlete when they win the, the, the run, the, the, the ball game or whatever they trying out for they practice. And so I believe that when we, uh, spend that time with God, that, um, that time and that word, and we, we have to take all our medicine, so to speak. We got to take our vitamins and eat our vegetables. And that's where I look at God's word. We have to drink from the right cup. And even though we may drink from, uh, even though we are drinking from that, that cup of Jesus, we We still going to have, you know, we have to, um, look at it as though we have to suffer because our savior suffered. He wants us to know him as, as what he did, we can do through him. So then take me through the next, Life After Liberation: New Beginnings and Realizations uh, β€Š πŸ“ Several years after that, um, what did life look like for you β€Šwith this man finally out of your life, and you have your two precious children? Uh, what did you go through next? Uh, God sent a man after his heart. And, um, Had two more children out of wedlock, but we did get, you know, finally get married. But we, uh, he helped me with the two children prior that I had. Uh, he helped raise those kids and we were together 26 good years. And, uh, You know, uh, that too, I had, I learned and I learned how to be a good wife. I learned how to be a good mom and I learned that, um, I am worthy of a true love. You know, I never knew that a man could love me because I was told prior from the abuser that I was stupid. I was ugly and I wasn't unlovable, you know? So when I met, um, My, uh, second, uh, set of kids when I met their dad, he showed me that chivalry that, you know, just that attentiveness that you matter, you know, he would buy gifts, just unexplainable, come home with gifts. He would go to work and earn money and give me all the money he earned. And he was just very respectful and caring and kind. So I know that you were recently married again, you mentioned? Yes. Oh, just a month ago. Yep. Oh, wow. The Journey of Faith and Ministry . Very newlywed. Yes. Very new. Yeah. And even despite all this time that has passed and all that God is teaching you, there are still things that are hard. Oh yeah. And you know, I believe, uh, much is given, much is required. You know, God was molding and building me to be an outreach minister in the basement. I started out as an evangelist. I knew I was called to evangelize, to, to win souls. I knew that was my passion. That was, uh, and it's still my passion to, uh, gather the, the villages and the nations and say, come on, look what I got, you know, this Jesus. Oh my God. He's awesome. And so I always had that fire in me to, to, um, you know, to save the world, so to speak, you know, and I know it's not me. I know it's the God in me that, that does the work and use me as a tool and a vessel. And I'm grateful because it's all for his glory. However, I didn't know the assignment and the assignment is not easy Embracing Challenges and Finding Strength . β€Š πŸ“ You find yourself, uh, And more prayer, praise, and worship, β€Šuh, because of the challenges, the challenges get harder. Life gets more complicated and, but you know, the sorts, you know, where you can go to to get that relief, get that bill paid, get, get that answer. We have the answers. It's, it's basic instructions before leaving earth Bible, you know, it, it, it, it, it seems, um, um, that some of the days are harder than others when it's just life. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠIt's just life. And it gets some of us up and down. And then there's oppression, depression. But I always, I have a saying, if you look to the world, you're going to get distressed. You look within, sometimes you get depressed, but you look to Jesus, you're going to get rest. And so when my battles come today versus yesterday, I know where to look to get some relief. You know, it may not be instant relief. Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, none of that. But you know, I know that this too shall pass. Whatever the, this is what I'm dealing with that particular time. I know that greater that is in me than he that's in the world. So I do want to talk about your ministry that you've been doing and serving others. But before I ask that, I have a question because of all of this, How did it change you or we're still changing so I know we're still growing but how has it changed you so far Do you think how did it affect you? What is your attitude towards what you went through and I'm sure you use all of that in your ministry β€Š πŸ“ So let's talk a little bit about that first The Power of Love, Joy, and Kindness . β€ŠI Believe that it changed me by pouring more of the fruits of the spirit in me. I'm still working on that self control one When, when, when I'm angered or when something, uh, anger me or, or, um, push a button to where I know that I'm doing right and a person do me wrong. But my pastor, um, Apostle Stephanie Bond, uh, she often say, you got to do right in a do wrong world. And so that's my thing that sometimes. Some days I, I struggle with, you know, I know that I was doing right and this person do it. So that's one of the things that God is God and myself are working on, uh, that self control piece of, of that part. But other than that, I believe that he gave me more love to give no matter how bad I was wronged and hurt. I love to love is something about love that makes the world go round and I just genuinely love people. I love that you've said that. You know, and I love people and then the other, um, uh, fruits. I want to be kind. You know, I love Ellen. Be kind to one another. It's just so better to be kind than to be mean. I just want to be, and then there's Joy. Oh, I love Joy. All the time. So what the devil Genesis 50 20, what? The devil intent, evil against me. God used it for my good. Mm-Hmm. . So he wanna make me that, that vessel and that s sword to be used to be his hands and feet on the earth where I can pour those, uh, attributes and to others joy, peace, love, you know, gentleness me. I can, if I offer anything, offer a cup of sugar. And I mean cup of sugar by being kind and joy. Let's laugh a lot. And I love that you said you gained those by experience. When I first read the Fruits of the Spirit in the Bible, I misunderstood and thought that these were things I was to try to become through willpower and Intentionality and actually they are fruit fruits are Results of the work the Holy Spirit is doing not the result of the work that Holly is And that comes through God providing us all of these life Experiences and the understanding to see it rightly. Amen. Amen. I agree. I concur You know and we can't change ourselves Yeah But if we surrender and want to, God said, axe, knock and seek. He don't lie. He can't lie. He's a gentleman. And so, I believe if we want to be a loving, kind person, Uh, we, all we have to do is apply ourselves and, and just allow the spirit to lead. You know, we have to walk by the spirit, talk by the spirit and, and, and I'm not perfect. You know, just the other day, my husband and I had a disagreement and I, I went from zero to 100 real fast because I'm like, you're out of order, but at the same time I was out of order. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠHowever, the Holy Spirit. Which is living in me. Corrected and convicted me of the The manner of my tone. β€ŠThe manner of my words. Now I'm not saying that I was totally wrong in what I was saying. It was my delivery. So those things matter and we have to check ourselves and give ourselves a spiritual enema. I say, however, at the same time you've got to give yourself grace and there's no condemnation. And I think God uses all of our experiences to, Create, uh, the skills we need in order to perform the tasks he has set for us. The Role of Suffering and Brokenness in Growth β€Š πŸ“ And for you, a large part of that is a ministry of serving others β€Šwho have been affected by life, uh, like you were abuse and things like that. So me a little bit about what you're doing to help Well, you know, I was troubled And still water and Uh, I praise God that that Trouble and pain don't You know, I think of myself as one of those little glow sticks. I heard a story of a lady, uh, had two sons. And, uh, The oldest of the eldest son take taking the stick the glow stick from the youngest and she said give it back give it back to him because he's screaming he's yelling he's kicking and he said but mom it's not gonna work until it's broken. Remind me of myself. I had to be broken to be healed. I had to be broken to let others know. Um, this is what happens after fact, the aftermath. So I believe all those trials and tribulations that God allowed me to grow through, uh, brought me to today to minister, to have an outreach ministry for nonprofit, um, domestic violent women, women of greater hope. And I got that name from the Sisters of Visitations over here in North Minneapolis back in 1999. And we had a group, I think it was like 15 And we named the group and then we was all like, what name could we come up? And I'm like, well, we are women. So we thought of women. And we want to give women a greater hope. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠAnd we all have a vision. So that's the name of my outreach ministry, Women of Greater Hope and And I think there's always hope, no matter what, how dark it gets, how dim it looks, how, how bad you feel. It's always a hope and we can offer that one ye to another and we need each other You know to overcome some Most of all we need jesus, of course But I believe god gives us to one another to to uplift to encourage to pour in to pull So in the in the women that you were working with, did you find that? You There was immediate success in their lives or that they found similar struggles to you. Now we know about Jesus and he's not going to rescue us from our situation. He is going to take us through it. I just love in the Psalms where it says, I walk through the valley of shadow, not around it, and I don't stop in it, but I'm walking through it. And my rod Yes. You know, and so that's, that's a great consolation to know, uh, it reminds me of Footprint. We, we, we're, he's walking, he's doing the footsteps, and he's just holding us in the palm of our hand, his hands. And I want to look at it like that, weep with those who weep, mourn with those who mourn. So, when I hear these stories, you know, I work with women, um, In Shakopee prison or coming out of and some of the stories you always, if you sit down at a table and you tell your story nine times out of 10, you want to keep your story when you hear what everybody else has to say, it's like, wow, you went through that and you look like this, you know, you, you look like you, you got, uh, been through, uh, all this flame of fire and you'd have no residue, no smoke, nothing, you know, but that's God, that's the washing. And so it's great rewarding to see that, um, God used me. I get a reward of, of just knowing that, um, he used me and put a word in me to make a difference. So I'm just looking for a verse that thinking of, about, you know, a broken And God talks about that so many times. I, I'm reading here from the book of Isaiah, okay? And it says, β€Š πŸ“ this is the amplified version for all these things my hand has made. And so all these things have come into being by and for me, says the Lord, but this is the man to whom I will look and have regard. He who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit. And he trembles at my word and reveres my commands.β€Š And so it's so true what you say about, it's not necessarily that we need to be broken as a punishment or, you know, pain, but that we come into this world with wrong ideas that need to be weeded out of us or we'll never really get that rest. You know, I'm sitting here tearing up because I'm thinking about, um, he was wounded for five transgressions. And um, Um, I believe that's the way that we, uh, really, really know our Savior. Uh, you know, Jesus suffered. We have to suffer if we want to be in the kingdom and reign with Him. We have to do the things, the greater things than Jesus And it just make me weep because if they did all that opposition and spitting on Him and beating Him, and He was a just man. You know, and we're not. We're filthy rags, you know, and it, it just breaks my heart to know that, um, he did, laid his life, gave his life for me. A wretched man like me, you know, and it's like, okay, you know, Honor, you know, try to live right to honor Jesus. If nothing else, you're not doing it for you. You're doing it to give God. It's this song. I love that song. Whatever I do and say, Lord, long as you get the glory from this I love it. What all I do and say and I ask him all the time, you know, um, teach me, show me, guide me, lead me, wherever I fall short. Cause I am, I'm not, you know, like I said, I'm not perfect, but I want to get it right for God. I want to be well pleasing in His eyes. Yes. And so returning to the central question, how does God respond to human suffering and is there a purpose? I looked up some verses and there are so many verses in the Bible about these subjects, but one of my. Favorites is in the book of James, where James says, β€Š πŸ“ consider it wholly joyful. My brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort, or fall into various temptations, be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith, bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. And he goes on to say, and this is really important for me because when I get into suffering, I want to escape. I have very little tolerance for it and James, make sure to let us know, let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work so that you may be perfectly and fully developed, lacking nothing. β€ŠSo instead of demanding rescue, asking for help to go through it and let it do its complete work. Supporting Women in Transition: A Ministry of Hope Um, β€Š πŸ“ For you now today, um, helping women at Shakopee prison. β€ŠAnd, you know, I spent eight years at Shakopee prison. what is your ministry look like? Do you have future plans or more that you're going to do, or do you have women that come in and help you? Just, I would like to hear a little bit more about what that, that looks like. I certainly would have. when I was in Shakopee, guidance and help. And so, um, maybe share a little bit about what that's like. Well, I don't have a lot of physical help. It's five of uh, very small, nonprofit, Um, I try to, uh, get as much grant can, but that's very scarce, very rare. So most of the time I come out of pocket and my daughter assists My middle daughter, Jacqueline, and my youngest daughter, Sophia, she aids as well. Um, So, um, They pour in and donate and then I have sisters and brothers, uh, in the body of Christ that donate to the ministry. And I try to give gift bags to these women and make hygiene packs and I try to do women's conferences and Don't charge anything to feed them all and let them all leave there with not just a gift from God's word, but a physical gift bag with some jewelry. uh, I have, I work, I still work with the sisters of visitations and they're one of the biggest distributors to cases of jury each uh, to fill these And, uh, as far as women, uh, in the prison, I don't go in anymore. Like I used to, I, I just deal with those coming out. Sort of like an advocate. Yeah, re entry. Yeah, to help them get back into society. Housing, employment, clothing. I would love to open up a distribution To have these, uh, things that are generally used or new. Some like Dress for Success. but unfortunately the funding, you know, but I'm still trusting and believe in God for, uh, to open that door where someone just say, well, you can use this building three times a week, you know, give us 50 a month, you know, something like that, you know, and it, it, it could be just as As small as this office here, just to put a bunch of dresses here, purses here, shoes there, you know, new panties and pantyhose there, for a job interview or, you know, just starting a new home, some curtains or You'd be surprised at how many, um, young, single moms, uh, need assistance. You know, and they, you can only get so much through the state. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠSo, um, I believe that God, uh, allowed me, as I stated earlier, to grow through a lot of this stuff, you know, to be able to know how. And what? And, I love that you do all of that. I know from experience, leaving prison, I left owning nothing. I'd been there so long, anything I had had before prison was long gone. I really wanted a job, and, uh, All the things that you need for success, carnal, these things. And so, uh, people like yourself that to have those things so they can get the job, they job and feel cared about. Confidence is a big part of what people need. And it's something you're providing through your, your loving Um, if someone And thought that sounds wonderful. I would love to Would they, is that something they can contact you with or can you encourage people to be doing that on their own? What are the different ways They can make a donation to women of greater hope and Uh, my phone number is 612 328 3744. My website is visionarywomen. org. Women, not woman, VisionaryWomen. org And then there's an email, CoveredByLight at Comcast. So those are the ways you can contact we can, you know, go whatever donation helps You know, whether it's 5 or 500, it's always a need. Someone always has a new, and then, you know, another thing, resources. It's a lot word of mouth. A lot of people don't know that we still have Drex, Drex A lot of people don't know that you can go to a food chef, uh, once And then you have those that are pried for and just, not even pried, just ashamed because you go to some food chef, you have five kids and they give you one roll of toilet paper. So that kind of stuff I like to be able to have on hand to fill a family, a bag, you know, and so the monies that God allowed me to receive, I buy those things in bulk and people ask me, and especially my kids, my family, why are you keeping all that stuff? You never know who may need something. And I keep socks and, you know, I just collect stuff. And they like, mom, you are at my door to say, mom, you are harder, but you need harder. And I'm like, but it's not all for me. I want to collect to give you some, her some, him some. I want to give the stuff I accumulate and accomplish, you know, a way to bless, to be a blessing. So those, uh, the email address, the website, and the phone number that you mentioned, is that also what you collect? A way that women who are coming out of prison can reach out to you. Yes, yes, that, that is correct. Uh, I get a lot of calls. Um, sometime I just, uh, took taking a new client, uh, and I work with women from all across the United States. I had a new client last month from Ethiopia. Beautiful family. And, uh, my heart, I, you know, As I stated, you weep with those who weep, and I think he strengthened me for the journey. β€Š πŸ“ ​ β€ŠUh, one of the ladies referred to me, one of the sisters told me to read this book called Traveling Mercies or Traveling Graces. She said, you remind me of that, and I'm like, how? She said, because you're still traveling and you have the And I'm like, Oh, yeah. Thank you, Jesus. Because it's the Christ that gives me the strength to, to do it, to endure. And that's what that, that broken glow stick, that stick, uh, you can't shine until you're broken. You can't work. It won't fix until you plug it in the right socket. You know, so we each have a, I believe we each have a, uh, community or a, a, a group of people that God assigned, you know, Holly to, you know, Holly got a group of folks God want to use to you to reach, you know, and I think we all can play a part in this thing, building up God's kingdom. The Impact of Giving and Receiving Comfort β€Š πŸ“ I agree, and we're almost out of time, but along that same I, I want to refer to 2 Corinthians chapter 1 β€Šwhere, where the, The Bible tells us how God responds directly and allows us to then do what you're doing. And that's 1 chapter 1, 3 through 4, where it says, β€Š πŸ“ blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of sympathy, pity, and mercy, and the God who is the source of every comfort, consolation, and encouragement. Who comforts us in every trouble so that we may also be able to comfort those who are in any kind of trouble or distress with the comfort, which we ourselves received. β€ŠAnd so you are literally living that out. You have experienced things needed and received comfort. Now you are giving that to us. And I want to encourage everybody who's listening that This doesn't have my name in the verse. It doesn't have your name in the verse. It's meant for everybody and I am so that you are here and that you are willing to be a guest and I am excited to have you on again at sometime in the future. Thank Hear more about what you're Oh, it's been such an honor and a pleasure I just want to leave with this. This, you read a little farther down in that second Corinthians Uh, for we walk faith and not by And that's what the because just keep hoping no matter what, don't give up, don't give in and don't you know, this too. And whatever your, this is, It will And Proverbs 3, 5, and just trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and He will and He shall direct your path. He directed mine and yours. And look where we're sitting now, at the round white table, in a round white room. Hallelujah! God is great. God is great. And he says in Lamentations, joy comes in the morning. Thank you for allowing me to speak and share my story. Yeah. I'm so glad that we were here. So that is the end. Reflections and Future Aspirations And for more great episodes, I want to remind those listening, you can visit HollyBot. com. And you'll find many exciting guests like Brenda with wonderful encourage Thank you. β€Š πŸ“ πŸ“ ​ β€Š Look for more episodes that inspire@hollybot.me. Until next time, remember, your story is never over. God's grace is always waiting to rewrite it. This is from Surviving to Living. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.