Friday, May 20th, 2016, was the day life as I knew it came crashing down before me. That day I was given a chance at living a life of salvation, freedom, peace, joy, and abundance. I recall the pain of rejection when my then-boyfriend of three years explained he wanted to break up. We were having problems in our relationship because I wanted to make things right with God and quit fornicating, but he did not share the same convictions. I had accepted the responsibility for changing a man when that was not my job, but I still wanted to make things work. However, God had a different plan for me.

When I came home from closing that chapter with my then-boyfriend, all I could do was share my broken prayers with God. I repented for fornicating, knowing I should do better and not doing so, for living double-minded and being lukewarm. Hours passed by, and I was still locked up in my bedroom, crying my heart out. Finally, after a while, I prayed the sinner's prayer and decided I would no longer be a puppet for the enemy. I would live for God even if it cost me everything.

The following Sunday, I went to church to begin my journey of healing and deliverance. The Pastor prayed for me, and the presence of God was so rich that once again, all I could do was weep. That day God reminded me that He had cast all my sins to the sea of forgetfulness. When I looked in the mirror, I saw rejection, shame, guilt, and condemnation. He responded with love, and cherished, forgave, and accepted into the beloved. I was holding on to regret when God was showing me that He had better plans for me.

Often all we can reflect on is our past and the mistakes we made, but God wants to make us whole and point us in a new direction of purpose. God is not looking for perfection; He is looking for our willingness to live for Him. He does not expect us to have it all together as soon as we say ‘yes’ to salvation. He needs us to make room for Him in our hearts so that He can take us through the process of healing, pruning, and refining.

It was a challenging journey for me, but with God, I overcame. There were times I was tempted to give my ex-boyfriend another chance. To run from the pain of the process. To quit on the woman I was becoming with Christ. But I remained, even when I faced the trials of this world. In my process, God healed me from the wounds of rejection and grief I carried from the time I was a child. My father was not around for most of my life. He was in and out of prison, but when I turned 15, he changed his life around, and I was only given three years to grow a relationship with him. A month after I turned 18, he died of an enlarged heart.

Although I wished for more time with him, I accepted he did the best he could and that my heavenly father had adopted me. Also, God renewed the mindset I had about myself. I had suffered from self-rejection until God’s unconditional love helped me see myself through His eyes. While building my relationship with Him, I studied scriptures on what He had to say about me. Each time I recited the words to myself, my heart transformed. God even dealt with my fear and turned it into faith. I always wanted to have control of my life because I feared the future. However, God reassured me He had perfect plans for me. Plans to give me hope and a future.

Now, almost five years later, my life is marked with the glory of God. He used me to create a blog and YouTube channel called Amomentwithmonica to equip, encourage and empower others through the word of God. I have written and published two books on healing and deliverance, and they are on major platforms such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Good Reads, and Google Play. I get to share my story with others on how choosing God delivered me from the hands of the enemy. I am no longer bound by fornication, rejection, self-hatred, fear, heartbreak, guilt, and shame. I am born again, a new creation in Christ. “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV.

My encouragement to those who read this is to choose God because He makes all things beautiful again. He can turn your sorrow and mourning into gladness. He can give you the garment of praise instead of the spirit of heaviness. He can uplift your soul and give you a life of meaning and purpose. No, it will not always be easy, but it is worth it. Even when you fall, He won’t turn you away. He will uphold you with His righteous right hand and deliver you from what tries to keep you down. Allow God to break the chains off your life so that you can walk in freedom. “If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” – John 8:36 KJV.

What does being FREED mean to you?
It means being able to live a life of peace and purpose.
What are you FREED from?
I am freed from fornication, rejection, shame, guilt, and condemnation.