Inside Beauty Inspires

Celebrating Survival: Reliving Biblical Trials, Overcoming Self-Comparison, and Encountering God's Providence

October 08, 2023 Stephanie Fowler Season 1 Episode 52
Inside Beauty Inspires
Celebrating Survival: Reliving Biblical Trials, Overcoming Self-Comparison, and Encountering God's Providence
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

Join us for an intimate conversation with Day, our birthday celebrant, whose feats are a testament of resilience and unwavering faith. Stand in awe as she narrates how scriptures like Jeremiah 29:11, James 1:12, and Hebrews 13:5 serve as her reminders of God's unyielding promises, even in the darkest of times. May her powerful testimony inspire and encourage you to hold onto your faith, knowing God never abandons His children.

Feel the weight of God's words as we delve into life's challenges through the lens of biblical characters such as Moses, Pharaoh, and Joseph. Ponder on their lives and how, like us, they might have felt the urge to quit but chose to persevere for the love of Christ. Let's also navigate the treacherous path of comparison and its destructive potential on our self-worth and mental health. As we honor Day and her remarkable journey, let's reflect on our own lives and the milestones we've conquered.

Lastly, let's venture into the realm of purpose discovery. Hear how Day, in spite of being given away by her parents, was bestowed with Godparents, a testament to God's providence. Explore the benefits of mentorship and life coaching, and comprehend the significance of community and fellowship in bolstering our connection with God. May this episode be a beacon of hope, instilling in you the conviction that you are valued and cherished. Allow this inspirational narrative to fill the voids in your life and propel you towards your God-given purpose.

Speaker 2:

I don't do the most, but I do a lot. I'ma make a toast cause we still alive. No big. I feel like pop. I shoot the shot, I'm coming in.

Speaker 3:

Hello, it is Stephanie and you are now listening into Inside Beauty Inspires, where we motivate, encourage and inspire through biblical principles. In the studio with me, I got my ISI sisters.

Speaker 2:

Hey, it's your girl. God of Say Honey, hey, hey, hey, hey, it's me.

Speaker 3:

It's your girl Day and we are here to bring you guys a word, a rama word. Did I say that word? Right? Y'all you did Good, good, and I want to shout out Day, it's a happy birthday. Oh, you know chapter 42,. Never mind, oh You're gonna say it.

Speaker 1:

She had her birthday. I'm like, I mean, she's been saying this. I am proud to say 42.

Speaker 2:

You know why? Because I just went into my jo 42 season Amen.

Speaker 3:

Amen, amen, amen. Listen, I just want to tell you in front of the world that I'm so proud of you. I've watched you grow. I've watched God turn your life around Asia. You are a walking testimony. People can try to deny you and say that you're not who God called you to be, but let me stand here on today, in front of your face, in front of the world, and let you know that you have been called, you have been chosen. You are his child. He is going to do wonders in your life. Stay close. I want you to tell the readers what the father gave you on today.

Speaker 1:

What was your word? First of all, 42, joe, 42 listeners and happy Saturday. That's when everything was restored back to Joe.

Speaker 2:

That's the last chapter in that book.

Speaker 1:

Go read about it. It is about a man, a rich man, who went from riches to rags, back to riches.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, he got riches.

Speaker 1:

I read it because my God, after Joe the enemy, didn't talk anymore in the Old Testament. Amen, get some job. Amen. Amen, I'm in the spirit, but these cards that I pulled today. First of all, jeremiah 2911, that's the one on the right, for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Amen.

Speaker 2:

Amen.

Speaker 1:

Amen, amen, james 112. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. I love God.

Speaker 3:

You don't love God. Let's round with you. Let's round with you. I was ready. I was ready. I was ready. That's it. I get excited about it. I'm on one today because he's the reason we're here. We made it. You know what I'm saying. I mean, he didn't make it but we made it Thank you, anna. Speak to the people about your card girl.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

Man, I got so many cards. I'm over here plucking my cards. I like the one that says Hebrews 13.5, because God has said never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. That has been the story of my life y'all. Let me just say something really funny and quick. No matter what, I have been through this Bible that my parents gave me back in 1986, you do the math.

Speaker 2:

You do the math when I tell y'all I have lost so many things along the way living with people, staying with people, things getting thrown out, stuff in stories getting tossed, even when I went to jail for two weeks.

Speaker 3:

Oh my God, that's another time. Wait a minute, yes, Uh-uh. Flag on the flag. I didn't know she was talking.

Speaker 2:

Hey, hey, hey, he calls us all. We all got past, right, amen, amen. It's crazy how I came across my Bible and I'm like that's the one thing that has stayed with me. I mean, I have lost my birth certificate and I have to read it down in my social security, but that Bible, that red Bible, is the one thing that has followed me everywhere and I'm just like, how has this Bible stayed with me the whole time? It blows my mind. It blows my mind because I've lost everything. At one time I was homeless. Y'all my stuff was in a trash bag that I was carrying. How did my Bible stay with me all them years? So that card really resonates me because I remember being a little girl staying, god, you know, you just let me live, let me experience life. Once I get out of this hell that I'm in, like I was, just like. I will never forsake you, I'll never forget you, I'll never turn my back on you, god. But guess what? He was doing the same.

Speaker 2:

He never turned his back on me and that Bible. Every time I look at that Bible, it reminds me that, no matter what I have lost along the way everything that's crazy that that Bible has one thing has always stayed with me, and it's still in good shape too.

Speaker 1:

That's what's amazing. Come on through somebody Y'all know about stories about. I know about houses burning down in a. Bible still be standing. They making movies where you know it doesn't matter what's going on. The Bible is still there. The Bible is still standing. You heard the ring? That was just a notification.

Speaker 3:

Come on through. That was confirmation Amen.

Speaker 1:

But it's a couple. I never lost it, thank you God, and when I say it I mean my mind. Amen, because I'm standing right here with Ana, when I say job y'all, when I tell y'all I started losing everything, but guess what I didn't lose. I didn't lose my mind.

Speaker 3:

Amen. Thank you, Lord.

Speaker 1:

So I'm talking to somebody today. I don't care what you're losing. God is keeping you in your right mind.

Speaker 3:

Yes, God, okay, we gonna give him some praise for that.

Speaker 1:

Because these people, I get us a lot of state mind in behind, losing things.

Speaker 3:

Come on, guys, you speak to the people.

Speaker 2:

And y'all ain't never seen. No.

Speaker 1:

U-Haul following. No, hearse you better preach. Those things cannot serve to you. You be trying to figure out. Why do people in this world have all of these things? And then they will still go jump off a 20-foot building man. Yeah, they will still find a rope. They will still find a blade. They will find a gun and a bullet. They will find themselves somewhere alone, listening to what they think is a thought. It's not a thought and I rebuke that in the name of Jesus. On today.

Speaker 1:

Anybody that's having those thoughts that you're tired, that is getting too heavy, that you wanna throw the towel in. I'm telling you keep on going, keep pushing. Child of God, woman of God, man of God, just hold on. Okay, he say yo help come in the morning, just hold on for one more night. Amen, I'm talking to that thing on today we didn't lose our mind. You're not gonna lose your mind, just stay the course. In Jesus' name.

Speaker 3:

Amen, my God, my God. Well, listen, that just brings me into what my card was, and it's Proverbs 3-5, trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. Listen to me, people, Stop thinking you know everything, because we don't know everything. We are all still on the potter's wheel. Okay, the potter, the potter God, that's who we need to be afraid of. But we're still on his wheel. So he's teaching us, he's leading us, he's guiding us, he's pruning us. We're not the finished product of what we've been through. He's taking us through those things to show us training.

Speaker 3:

Okay, we're gonna be on another level in another week or two weeks, but if you don't pass that test because you lean to your own understanding, Houston, we have a problem. You gotta get it. It's in the word and I'm glad you talked about the Bible because the word will follow you wherever you go. And you know, I'm glad you spoke on that trauma because, Deja, you were speaking about a straight up demon. Suicide is a demon and it's a real entity and it really does speak. And you know, when you lean not to your own understanding, you can miss it. It has this way of getting in because you think that you're thinking this, but it's not your thoughts. It's the enemy plotting and planning, putting little things in your head just so you can, and he's banking on you not knowing who you are, Cause if you don't know who you are, you're gonna listen to that voice. If you don't know who you are, you're gonna think that that's the only way out. But I'm here today to tell you that that is not the only way out.

Speaker 3:

I'm so glad you touched on that, because people are really tired. You know they're tired of what they're going through. They're tired and it's almost like God, where are you? God is not. God is right there. But guess what? There are some things that you have to do. You gotta change that one thing that's gonna change everything. And what's that one thing that changes everything? The word of God. The word of God we talk about. Oh, we believe, I'm a believer, I'm a believer. But time something comes up, we're over here stressing out, we're worried. The Bible tells us not even to worry about anything. So how are we gonna say we trust in Him when we are worried about whatever is going on in our lives? The enemy comes to do three things. What is that?

Speaker 2:

Honor To kill steal and destroy, and does he?

Speaker 3:

have that type of power like that.

Speaker 2:

Not really.

Speaker 3:

He doesn't.

Speaker 2:

I mean the world will make you think that, he'll make you think that. But if you get in your word, it says God gave us the authority. Yes, he did Dominion over all creatures and that's why, like I said, we have to change our mindset. For those of you that don't understand people that get these thoughts and stuff, be grateful that you haven't encountered that. Amen, amen. The world makes people feel bad and it needs to be talked about.

Speaker 2:

I was telling Deja, there is so many people people you would probably never expect to have thought about suicide yes, and I was sharing with them and I was like you know what? I have a sister. She went through a lot, a lot of trouble. My sister went through a lot of trauma growing up and there was some incidents where I would get phone calls where she tried to take her life. My God, I love my sister to death. But I could not understand for the life of me, like why? Why, we are free, now, we're away, but I didn't understand what was going on in her head. I didn't understand the nightmares that she was sitting up all night long. I would wait till the sun come out to finally get rest.

Speaker 2:

And the thing is is that if you judge people, god has a way of making you walk in their shoes. Come on, there's an honest aid again, and I literally walked in my sister's shoes one day. I shared it with a very few people, but there was a time I was in the shower and I probably was going through a little bit of something with somebody and the devil spoke to me. I was literally shaving my legs, y'all, and it was like the sweetest voice I've ever heard in my life next to God. It made me feel like, hey, you don't have to go through this anymore. You're alone. Do you want to continue being alone? I mean said things that played off of my fears. That's what it was. I literally saw myself slowly shaving my legs, quitting and lifting it up to my wrist when I tell you thank you, jesus, for whoever stays praying for me, and the fact that I knew the word, because it's like something snapped and I came out of it and I was just like oh my gosh, and I literally cried and thanked God like oh my gosh. But I got to experience just a portion of what my sister goes through. See, people think that when the devil comes, it becomes all ugly and scary. No, he comes in like the sweetest thing you've ever heard. He comes through a person that maybe you have dreamed and fantasized about. That is how he is. He can change his face, his looks, ever, mass.

Speaker 2:

When I tell you, all people that talk about suicide, take them seriously, seriously, even if you think that they're just doing it for attention, because it might be that one time that they really go through with it. And yeah, in a way they are looking for attention, but not self seeking attention. They're looking for someone to say we care, you care, you matter. Like I said, this is something that needs to be talked about. It's something that my sister has struggled with and I'm glad that we're talking about it today because, listener, if you are that person out there and you feel like nobody loves you and nobody's there for you, please, please, don't listen to that fear that's inside of you. Please reach out. Even if you have to reach out to us, let us know, let us pray with you, talk to you, seek out someone you trust. You matter. It doesn't matter what the enemy has told you. You matter, ok, you matter. Don't listen to the devil equals lies. He is a liar. He is a lie Everything he says is a lie.

Speaker 3:

Amen, anna. You know that's such an important message to the world because I'm hearing about this every day, y'all. You know it really does break my heart, it does. It takes me to a place because it's like I want to help everyone and I understand that they're trying to feel a void. You know, in most cases, whenever there's a suicide or depression or any type of emptiness, whenever we feel empty, whenever we feel like we don't know what else to do, when we get to a place we don't know I don't know God, I don't know what to do, I don't know where to go. If you're not connecting to the plug, the main source, you won't know how to feel it, you won't know what to do. See the thing about this word.

Speaker 3:

I remember watching this show. It was this documentary and it was about this guy and I didn't know at the end of the documentary that he eventually, you know, committed suicide, unalived himself. But you know, it was just a sad story, because I watched this documentary and throughout the documentary I just watched it here. If I heard Jesus, I watched it here, if I heard anything about the word of God, and I did it. You know, it's like all of these people are around you and nobody's in their word. You know we really are just living an aimless life, thinking that we can just get through life by on our own will and thinking about things on our own way and trying to figure it out with the world's wisdom. That's not God's wisdom and the only thing that can feel that void is the spirit of God. You know, we've been in the word. We've been talking about this. We've been talking about Moses, we've been talking about Pharaoh, we've been talking about Joseph, we've been talking about his brothers. We've been talking about all of these people that God used, and I know there has to be times in that life when they wanted to throw in the towel. I know it's been times in our lives when we want to just give up, but we can't because we have a life to live and we're living it for Christ. Really, our life don't belong to us, it belongs to Christ. But when we don't know which way to go, we start looking at the world and start comparing ourselves to what the world, god and what the world is saying. And then, before you know it, comparison has taken over and you feel inadequate. You feel like you don't measure up and that's the thing you know. You're doing something along the lines of suicide or going into a depression or losing your mind. And I have to thank God, too, because I've been there. I've been there. I've been there with suicide, but I've been there where I could have lost my mind, I could have.

Speaker 3:

Witchcraft is real, enemies are real, the devil is real, counterfeits are real and they appear as an angel of light. This is what the Word of God has taught me, you know. And so, to watch you and Anna, I want you to talk about it in YouTube, deja, because there's trauma, there's trauma that has happened in all of our lives, that leads us into these areas, because we haven't been healed, healed people, healed people, her people, her people right, and so I want you guys to talk about this, because you're not by yourself. You're not by yourself. Anna, you know, this is my sister for real. She did go through some things in her life for real that was unfortunate and that you wouldn't wish for anyone to go through, but my sister is still standing 10 toes down, and then let me say this that Bible followed her everywhere she went, because she was a baby, a child crying out to God, crying out to God.

Speaker 3:

God, where are you at? Where are you at? I need you to help me. God, can you do this, can you do that? And with the God do we show this Almighty in the land of the living? And you're still here today to talk about it. I'm going to talk to the people about it.

Speaker 2:

I mean you're exactly right. What you're saying is that, when I look back, I've always had a relationship with God. It may not have been being in church, it may not have been screaming to the rooftops that I love God, but I know that in time of need I always turn to Him. Amen, and that is what has got through to me. I mean God when I think about the times I was homeless, the times I didn't have no friends. God would send me somebody to feed me, somebody to house me, and they didn't want anything from me. They didn't hurt me. I was protected the whole time. I just didn't know that it was God orchestrating everything and when the time was right, he brought the right people into my life to then deeper my relationship and to help me find my purpose. That's the thing is that if you are praying for God to show you a sign of what your purpose is, the best example is to start serving, get under some leadership, whether it's your local church, a YMCA, somebody you trust. That is wise. I had someone tell me like hey, I don't know much about God, but I do know a good person that does a lot of great things. So I went under their leadership. That's all it takes. God will do the rest. It's just opening up your heart, ready to receive, like, hey, I wanna change. I wanna find out who this man is that they call God, and I'm telling you, it changed my life. I got under a mentor. A couple mentors I mean even life coaches have life coaches Amen.

Speaker 2:

This world is tough and there is nothing wrong with educating yourself on knowledge, on how to get through the day. You can go literally onto YouTube and say how do I deal with you know someone cheating on me? How do I deal with moving on? Somebody abused me. How do I deal with moving on? Like, you can go online and they will teach you the steps on how to self-help yourself. If you're the type that doesn't wanna go to a therapist, if you don't wanna tell anybody your problems, you can go online. It has taught me so much on how to control my anger, how to speak and communicate efficiently. So it's things like that that there is help out there. You just have to want to, though. I had to want to change my mindset, I had to want to humble myself. It is work required, but it is so worth it because, hello, I'm standing here today, when I could have been wiped out a long time ago.

Speaker 3:

Amen, amen. There's a way in on it because you know you talked about it this morning and it's okay. You know the tears. I see them for me, I see them, but it's okay because this is the thing. God gave me three messages to give the people today. I didn't know we were gonna go into this, but those three messages that are in alignment with what the people need is gonna be based off of what we're talking about right now.

Speaker 1:

Talk to the people. Amen, amen. So a couple of things what God have allowed for me to do is to look back and to see his hand all in my life. Amen, that I'm grateful.

Speaker 1:

Um, even when I think back because, you know, I know a lot of people are probably dealing with, uh, the spirit of rejection Um, it has felt like rejection, or not even felt like that's what it was. You know, my parents gave me away, but then I have to see even the God in that you gave me God parents, my parents that raised me. That's, that's what they have always been to me. My God parents. Never I'm your adopted mother or your step mother or anything else. I'm your God mother, I'm your God father. That's what I have always heard. So you know, even just starting there, and you know, my mother shot out Deborah Dawkins. She's had me since I was, uh, six months. So you know, just, God, you've showed me that. You have kept your hand on me.

Speaker 1:

And if you want to know more about what God has done, uh, I put it in a book. It's called, but, god see, I've had to put the butt in front of God because there's been so many things, uh, the, the, the drug abuse. I'll just start right there, because I know a lot of us. We have habits, we have addictions, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a drug. It could be a man, it could be a woman, it could be a thing. Uh, it could be a constant thought, because that's what suicide is, that's that demonic entity coming up, letting you feel as if you're not worthy, feeling as if you would rather take the easy way out. And so what I'm saying is because God have sent me my tribe yes, thank you God, because he has never kept his hand off me, because he left the 99 and he came back for the one. I'm so grateful and I'm so thankful.

Speaker 1:

Now I'm gonna say it find somebody. But sometimes it's not easy to find people, especially when we're reserved and we don't want to talk about it. But start talking to God about it. Okay, ask God to give you what it is. You need God. I need somebody to talk to God. I need this. Let him order your steps. But if you talk to him, I promise you he'll show up. He hears you, even if you think he can't hear you. What's so imperative is that you have to be able to trust God even when you can't trace him. Even if you feel like you can't see him, you can't feel him, you still have to trust him and that's where he's going to make sure he gets the glory. I promise you his words. Don't go for it. I promise you he is who he says he is. Amen, and thank you, god, for just being who you are. I love that.

Speaker 3:

Amen. Listen, his word says he'll never put those to shame who trust in him and I hold on to that. You know, I know I spit a lot of the scriptures out, right, but let me tell y'all I used to talk to God and be like Daddy. Will you help me remember scripture? I used to just ask him will you help me remember scripture? The more that I see his face, the more word got in me that was able to speak life into others. So you know us getting up on the prayer call every morning. I shout out to the ladies of ISI. You know, the group is growing, you know, and it's amazing, it's absolutely amazing. But that's where my grounding came from. Of course, like you said, we've always called out to God as little girls, we've always talked to him as little girls. We didn't know him, know him, but we're like God, this guy that, or I was like Daddy, this daddy that. Well, now we're older, you know we're in our forties now and we're experiencing his hand and we know without a shout of a doubt that he is who he says he is.

Speaker 3:

This is the three messages that the father wanted me to give this this, um, this morning, to you guys who are listening. The first one is that you're safe. He wants you to know that you're safe in his arms. He's safety, there's safety in this word, man. You know he'll keep you, he'll lead you, he'll guide you, he'll show you who you are. Deja said it. Call to him. Talk to him, jeremiah 333. Give it to him, deja. I already know, you know what it is. Call to me.

Speaker 1:

Call unto me and I will answer thee and show these great and mighty things. Come on, man.

Speaker 3:

Amen and I say it and I always throw it out there like that, like it's like a pop quiz for me. The reason why I always do this pop quiz is because I don't want you to ever forget Three, three, three. When you see three, three, three. Jeremiah 33, first three. If you've heard nothing else from Stephanie L Fowler, still want to be Harrison, shout out to my man. But you know, if you haven't heard anything else, three, three, three, okay, because that's where it is All right.

Speaker 3:

And now the second one is I am kind and loving towards others while creating clear boundaries that protect my good feelings and emotions. There's nothing, absolutely nothing, wrong with setting clear boundaries to protect your energy. You know, when God gives you a piece of mind, you can let somebody have it, you can make somebody take it or you can hold on to it. I just choose to hold on to my peace and set clear boundaries because I like to feel good. I like the joy, the peace, the. You know everything that comes along with him, and you guys should too. So set clear boundaries is nothing wrong with setting them. Set clear boundaries that protect your good feeling, emotions. And the last one, certainly, certainly, not least Our father has big plans for us.

Speaker 3:

It's time to claim them. You know, deja, I'm so glad you spoke about the suicide Spirit, because God wants everyone to know that he has big plans for us. You said it first. You started, you lead it with you lead, you led with the Jeremiah 21, you led with it. And then we're closing with the fact that he has big plans for you. He got plans for all of us. You know, that is that's who he is. He. He said the call to me and I will answer you. And that's what we did. We called to him, we talked to him every day. That's why we're so confident. Yes, we're confident, we're bold about the word of God, because we choose love no matter what, and love conquers all evil. Amen.

Speaker 1:

Amen. And so, just real quick, I want to jump in, because when you say a scripture, it just makes me go back to the, to the scripture that I started off on y'all, proverbs three, five and six. You know, trust in the Lord with your whole heart and lean not to your own Understanding, but in all of your ways it knowledge him and he'll make your path straight, amen. And so when I, just when I think about that, that's the first thing, because we have to lean, not, okay, to our own Understanding. Okay, god is not like man. Okay, he is, just he's not like us at all. But you're not gonna know what he's like unless you get into your words. So on, today, listener, I'm encouraging you to open up your Bible and start to spend some time with God. If you don't have a Bible, talk to your phone and tell your phone to start playing Bible scriptures. Amen.

Speaker 3:

I said right there and then past.

Speaker 1:

The scripture is forgiveness. Okay, you got to forgive people who have done wrong to you. God is not even gonna ask you about them. He ain't gonna say oh well, what is such and such do? He ain't gonna ask you about them. He gonna be asking you all about you, and so on. Today I'm saying get a relationship with him. Even me they should. Deisha can let you down. Okay, I'll let you down. God is steadfast. He is what is not going to let you down. Okay, so talk to him and commune to him. He is far greater. He'll surpass your own understanding. That's why he tell you to lean, not okay.

Speaker 3:

Amen, no, amen, amen. I want to leave with this here. Okay, it says better together. So it just comes right into what you're saying. Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire. He breaks out against all sound judgment. Proverbs 18 1.

Speaker 3:

Isolation produces questionable judgment. Doing life with other people is challenging, but it's healthy and necessary. Being vulnerable with others keeps us accountable and honest. We can't stray off God's plan when we walk hand in hand with wise and committed brothers and sisters. The importance of community cannot be overstated.

Speaker 3:

Relationships are a gift from God. Be treasured, to be treasured in fault for. Working through disagreements teaches us to care for others and set aside our pride. In the moment. It may seem easier, easier to withdraw from the work of a relationship, but in the end is harder, because none of us were meant to walk alone. Lord, please remind us to prioritize Fellowship with other believers, so that we don't wonder astray or have our faith grow cold. We want to surround ourselves with positive, godly influence. That's why I love you, ladies. I'm gonna tell you why. Because the wise walk with the wise for real, and we walk together, we get up and we see guys face together, and that's why he's able to keep us where we are Together on a give them a word before we leave. You know you won't give him something funny, because she always got something. She got something for you.

Speaker 2:

I don't know that, they're real funny. I do want to say, though, that if you, today listeners, were looking for a confirmation, here's your confirmation.

Speaker 3:

You are worthy.

Speaker 2:

You are loved. God has not forgot about you. I don't believe in coincidences. I believe everything happens for a reason. You are listening to this for a reason. This is your confirmation.

Speaker 3:

Information. Take care Amen Peace. I'm coming in hot.

Encouragement and Inspiration Through Biblical Principles
Power of God's Word, Overcoming Challenges
Finding God and Discovering Purpose
The Importance of Community and Fellowship