SIP PODCAST: S06 EP01 - Redeemed from Inner Scars with Suzanna Griffiths

SIP PODCAST: S06 EP01

Redeemed: From Inner Scars to Healing, Identity & Covenant Love

She grew up in a home that didn’t always feel safe.
Where competition was constant.
Where labels were louder than love.

But what happens when the words spoken over you don’t align with what God has written for you?

Season 6 of Souled Into Purpose opens with depth and truth.

Suzanna Griffiths shares her journey of:
 Overcoming inner wounds Defying academic odds Breaking spiritual patterns Choosing healing in relationships and marriage Embracing covenant love

Because if God didn’t speak it over your life, it is not your destiny.

This is about doing the inner work.
This is about redemption.
This is about becoming whole.
 Hosted by Akeelia Thompson
Founder of Souled Into Purpose International
Host & Executive Producer of the Souled Into Purpose Podcast
 March 4 6PM (JA Time) Live on YouTube → @AkeeliaThompson

Season 6 returns — and we’re starting strong.
 About the Host

Akeelia Thompson is a Creativepreneur, Transformation Strategist, and Author of A Fall From Grace. As the Founder of Souled Into Purpose International and Host of the Souled Into Purpose Podcast, she equips faith-driven leaders and creatives to align their voice, visibility, and calling with purpose.

Through powerful conversations, strategic insight, and bold faith, she helps others step confidently into who God has called them to be.
 Connect With Us
 Instagram: @iamakeeliathompson | @souledintopurpose LinkedIn: @akeeliathompson TikTok: @souledintopurpose Facebook: @akeeliathompson | @souledintopurpose
 JOIN US IN PERSON

Ready to experience becoming beyond the screen?

The Becoming Conference Jamaica 2026 is happening June 27 in Kingston.
A transformational one-day hybrid experience designed to help you align, elevate, and step into your next level.
 Buy your tickets now:
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Limited in-person seating.

Questions? DM us souledintopurpose@gmail.com
1-876-277-7590
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Listen & download audio episodes: souledintopurpose.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:09

So they can grab it to come up with the money.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

Hi there, purple seekers, and welcome to season six of the Sold Into Purpose Podcast. I'm your favorite host, Aquila Thompson, coming to you live out of Jamaica. Happy New Year to you. Of course, we would have left a message for you, but this is my first time back on set with you, and I don't take it for granted. It is indeed always a privilege and a pleasure to share time and a space with you because this is a space where we provide you with actionable steps, practical insights, heartful stories, and of course, just really powerful gems that you and I can use to live a more purpose-driven life. It is a pleasure to be with you coming straight out of Jamrock. And for those who don't know, I'm talking about the beautiful land of wood and water that is Jamaica. Let me know how are you doing? Reach out to us in those comment sections. Of course, you have the option to follow us at sold into purpose on all socials. That is S-O-U-L-E-D Into Purpose. Let us know how has life been and did you miss us? Which episode from season 5 was your favorite? And of course, what we're looking forward to in season 6 is really to bring you inspirational stories from across the globe. As always, you know that we pride ourselves on providing you with stories that carry depth, conversations that will really enlighten you and really will enact a level of change in your life and destiny. My prayer for you in all that you do for 2026 is that you'll be prosperous, that you'll be in good health, and that the Lord's grace and mercy will continue to bless you as you go through your respective endeavors. Season six, I can't believe that we're actually here, and we started out. Someone mentioned on social media that she's so proud of me. She was a guest in season one. Oh my god, like we had no idea that this will be a global platform touching nations and transforming lives. We do not only speak about purpose, what we do here is seek to foster a holistic community that helps you to activate it. And if you're looking for a space to grow, one that seeks to challenge you as you go through the different phases of life, this is definitely the space for you. And as always, coming up in our Soul Stories, we have a wonderful story by Lady Susanna D. Griffiths, and she's here to take us on a journey from redeemed and uh you know, looking at the inner scars and moving through healing, identity, and covenant love. So we recently had Valentine's Day, and in case we didn't have a book, well, you can learn some relational tips today because she'll definitely be breaking it down as it relates to marriage and things that you should or shouldn't do to tap into that. We had our incredible Zoom session, Why Am I Still Single? And we have another session coming up that will definitely help you to tap into your kingdom relationship for this year. I'll tell you about that in a bit, but all we need you to do is to stay connected, let somebody know who will let somebody know that we are live. We come to you live at 6 p.m. every Wednesday, JA time, right here on YouTube at Achelia Thompson. Feel free to go to all major audio platforms at Sold Into Purpose to grab your clips, download it, listen to it while going to work, drinking your coffee, or just having a conversation with a friend, share it with somebody. It's always good to share, and guess what? It's totally free to do so. And we appreciate you so much for doing that. So I just want to tell you a little bit about our incredible guest coming up in our Soul Stories today. She is Susanna, a woman of strength, conviction, and authenticity. Her story is one of defying all the labels, yes, everything that they place on her. Remember that if God did not say it, it is not your destiny. She's one who helps you to defy the labels, to confront the broken spaces, and to rebuild your identity. And she'll also give you some powerful gems in seeking that covenant love. She understands what it means to unlearn survival and step fully into wholeness. She's very articulate. I'm sure you'll hear that in the episode. And she's here to discuss her inner wounds, you know, the unsafe beginning, spiritual strongholds, relationships, marriage, and of course, the redemptive hand of God, and how the Lord would have provided her with encounters and guidance as she went through her seasons and came out victorious. Trust me, you don't want to miss it. This is not a surface-level conversation, as you all know, right? We want to tap into transformation. So, purple seekers around the globe, stick and stay with us because we have some very impactful things coming up just ahead. We're launching the bulk, a fall from grace. Of course, we started that initiative last year, but we had Melissa in Jamaica, a category 5 hurricane, and we're still in the process of rebuilding. We came a long way, and we're grateful to God for that. We have the dynamic, the becoming conference, a hybrid experience that will be held right here in Kingston, Jamaica. So if you're across the globe, have no fear, you can fly in, or you can connect on our virtual platforms and streaming to see all that we're doing. We're having five and incredible women who are speaking. These are international leaders who are speaking and providing us with different areas that would help us with our faith, identity, finances, relationships, and so much more. And then we also have, as I mentioned to you before, another initiative coming up on March 28th, 2026. That's this year in a few weeks, and it's entitled It Is Your Season to Be Married. We're having some couples who will be coming on and providing us with practical gems from the standpoint of kingdom marriages. So if you believe that this is the year for your level of divine settlement, then we want you to tap into the grace and join us. So, purple seekers, lean in, take notes, and share it with someone. Season six starts now. So before we dive into today's session, thank you so much for sticking and staying with us. I'm your host, Akira Thompson, and as always, it is a privilege to be with you. Before we get into today's session, of course, we want to take a minute to pause as we always do. So at this particular moment, I just invite you to take a breath, right? Take a breath. How are you really feeling today? That's what we're tapping into in the soul check-in. You know, our vision and our mission is being sold into purpose, and the soul component is important, our spirit man is important. How we're doing in the physical realm is also important. And for some of us, the answer may be no, I'm not fine. For others, the answer may be yes, I'm doing exceptionally great. For some, you may have those polished, curated answers. For some, it may simply be, I just don't know. I don't know how I'm feeling today, I don't know where I'm at. But irrespective of what your answer is or how the year has been going, we want to just pray over you today and to help you to tap into the next level because it's important for us to understand who we are, whose we are, and what we're doing in this particular season. And just a reminder of his love, his grace, and his mercies. And as always, I'm not just sharing this with you, but I'm also encouraging myself in the process because then what we do is not easy, right? And so we want for you this year to tap into your next level, your new season to tap into healing, not just surviving. We actually want you to thrive, and so this is just a check-in. I may be your sister, your aunt, your big sister, your little sister, just really checking in with you. Um, just in case no one has asked in a lot in the longest while how are you doing? And I trust that everything is going according to his will, and even if it's not, that it will come into alignment soon. This season sold into purpose is about intentional growth, spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and of course professionally. And growth begins with awareness. So, with that being said, of purpose seekers, as always, you know that we can't go any further without acknowledging the one who has given us the skills and the capabilities to do what we do right here on Soul Ins of Purpose. This is season six. I'm excited. I don't know about you, but let us go to the throne room of grace. Heavenly Father, we thank you for a new season, we thank you for a new year, we thank you, King of Glory, for a new opportunity to become. We thank you, mighty God, for every listener, every viewer, every person connected to this broadcast, whether they're watching live or they'll catch a repeat of this program. Father, we pray that you will cover them. You see them, you know them, you understand their silent battles and their private prayers. Lord, as we step into season six, we ask for clarity of purpose. Remove confusion, remove fear, remove every word that has been spoken over our lives and destiny that has not aligned with what you think about us, with what you know about us in this season, mighty God. And we pray that you just give us the strength, give us resilience, give us the level of perseverance to go to the next level. I decree and I declare by your blood, your grace, and by your mercies, mighty God, that season six will be one for the books. We will go from grace to grace, from glory to glory. Heal every inner scar, mighty God. Restore their identity, break unhealthy cycles, strengthen marriages and relationships, give courage to those who need it to confront the battles even now, and let this be a season of wholeness and not one of performance. We declare and we declare alignment and not just striving. We declare obedience and not distraction. Cover every home that is represented, cover every business, every vision, every calling. Grant us wisdom and divine strategy in this season and increase discernment as we have the conversations, mighty God. Let us go into depth and let us also produce fruit. Let healing begin where pain once ruled. Let redemption speak louder than regret. We declare that you have written it, you have rewritten the story. You are the author and the finisher of our faith and of our lives and destiny. And we trust in you, we trust in the process, and we decree and we declare by your grace and by your mercies, mighty God, that it is finished in Jesus' name. Thank you, Purple Seekers. So we have our soul story preview. Kicking off season six of the Sold in to Purpose Podcast, we have the incredible Susanna Griffiths, and she is here to show us so we can be redeemed from inner scars. Take a look.

SPEAKER_02 12:19

I battled with shame, guilt, rejection, fear, and those wounds caused me to, I would say, act out of character. Things were not as pleasant as they ought to have been from an emotional and spiritual standpoint. I operated with the spirit of Jezebel. It ignited the Leviathan spirit in my husband. I tried to dictate everything and I tried to control because I was so fearful of losing a second time. We have to be careful of the thoughts that we entertain because every thought is a talk, and behind every talk, there is a spirit. A relationship with yourself will impact all other relationships. Marriage is a journey, healing is a process, but with God, all things are possible.

SPEAKER_00 13:13

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SPEAKER_01 13:54

Hi there, purple seekers. Well, you've seen our very incredible guest, but just before we head over to our soul stories, we know we're almost there. Trust me, trust me, we're almost there. I want to introduce to you the Becoming Blueprint and why is this segment so critical as a part of our whole production this season? Well, firstly, I'm releasing my book A Fall from Grace, and secondly, we have an upcoming conference entitled The Becoming Conference, First of It's Nature, happening right here in Kingston, Jamaica on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And what we're doing is the catering to holistic development. We're having international speakers, we're having the book launch, and we're having a prophetic and worship session. And what we really want to do is to take you on a journey because purpose me is a continuous journey, which we have established in our previous episodes, and we want to curate an atmosphere for you. Firstly, it will be the first half of the year, and at that particular point in time, many persons may be tired and weary. But what we want to do is to add more fire and fuel to your spirit, man, so that you know that even if it is up until that point nothing was going right, there is still possibility, there is hope for transformation and for a turnaround. And because of that, on Soul into Purpose, we don't just talk about healing, we create the spaces where becoming is made possible, and so we're doing this by faith and creating that level of investment so that you can have that becoming blueprint, and this will help you as you interact with the cross-section of your identity, growth, and execution as it relates to your life and destiny. Trust me, this is for a woman or a man who wants to know or who believes in this season that you're called for more. If you have that prompting in your spirit, then this is definitely the space for you. You don't want to miss it. And of course, my book, A Fall from Grace, it will be a transformative guide that will help you to navigate challenging situations, spiritual warfare, learn about the goodness of God, unlocking spiritual encounters, and just to see that even in the pit, purpose can still emerge. It is a modern-day Joseph's story. You can call me Josephina, as we're tapping into the next level and to know that I was not where I am today. And by his grace and his mercies, he has helped me to curate this platform to speak into lives and even to grow in my own life, as this is a part of the journey. So if you really want to tap into that to hear a testimony that will bless you and one that will help you, not only this generation, but if Jesus tarries, it will help the generations to come. Then this is definitely the book that you want to get and have it in your backpack, and this is definitely the conference that you want to be a part of because we are helping you to become on stock. You are becoming all that God has called you to be, and more. Our theme is becoming aligned from process to purpose, and our anchor scripture is Philippians 1 verse 6. And we believe that God, once He has started a work, He will complete it right and carry to fruition to the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so everything that we're doing in this season is designed to support you. And as we go through the blueprint, we'll be touching different chapters in the book and giving you insights so that you will know all about everything that's happening. We'll be revealing our speakers. But if you want additional information, the website will be live soon. But we also encourage you to follow us on our socials at sold into purpose because we'll be having live updates that will definitely take you to the next level. So, purple seekers, up next we have Soul Stories. Join us for the Becoming Conference 2026, powered by Sold into Purpose International. Saturday, June 27, we gather in King Sandra Michael for a transformational experience designed to move you from process to purpose. Featuring the incredible Susanna Griffiths and other powerful voices. This is more than a conference, it's a defining moment. From becoming aligned to becoming empowered, this is your season for transformation. Tickets available soon. Follows at Soul Inter Purpose, the Becoming Conference 2026. It's your time to become. Hi there, purple seekers, and welcome to Soul Stories. This is the first episode in season six of the Soul Inter Purpose podcast. I know you've been waiting, and we've been so excited to share this incredible episode with you. As we're stepping into Soul Stories for this season, we're starting off strong with our very special guest who is joining us today from Jamaica. She is Lady Susanna D. Griffiths. She is a woman of resilience and conviction, one who holds transformative faith. Susanna is known for her passion for wholeness and covenant alignment. She is a powerful advocate for not just health, but also identity restoration, relational healing, and spiritual growth. Her journey reflects strength in the face of adversity, academic excellence, despite early challenges and an unwavering belief that what God has declared over your life, He will watch over it and it will supersede every single thing that persons have spoken over your lives and destiny. She's not a woman who is limited by any label, and she's very bold as she navigates her life through leadership and lived experiences. She has become one of the voice uh published author, a woman navigating healing, marriage, faith, and purpose with authenticity. She is so real but very articulate, and she's here today to open up and to have a very honest conversation about being redeemed from inner scars, unpacking identity, inner wounds, and relationships, as well as covenant love, purpose seekers. If you want to know all about love, the ups and downs, the ins and outs, and what you can do to go even further, all you have to do is to stick and stay with us, share it with somebody, and don't miss it. See you soon. Hi there, purple seekers. Welcome to another incredible episode of the Sold into Purpose Podcast. You're in season six, and this is Soul Stories. I'm your host, Aquila Thompson, and this is where we invite our incredible guests from around the world to share their stories. Today we have a guest from Jamaica, yes, from Jamra, right here. And she is here to provide us with practical insights that you and I can use to live a more purpose-driven life. And so, purple seekers, what I need you to do in this moment is to let somebody know who will let somebody know that we are live, all right? Share it with somebody. I would say she's also a health and wellness practitioner, and she has been helping marriages, speaking about relationships, and helping you and I, who are not in relationships as yet, to tap into that next level. She recently shared that if we prioritize our partners in marriage, then of course that would be everything, that would make a world of a difference, and so we want to tap into that incredible aspect of growth and development, but even more so, we want to hear her story, what she has overcome, and how it is that she can help you and I to do the same. I'm talking about the incredible. I call her Lady Susanna Griffith, and she is here today to share her story. Hi, Lady Sue, how are you today? Thank you so much for joining us on the Soul Divos podcast. Hi, Lady Akeela.

SPEAKER_02 21:48

Thank you so much for having me. I'm happy to be here to share the authority to help others understand that marriage is a journey, healing is a process. With God, all things are possible.

SPEAKER_01 22:02

I love that. Marriage is a journey, healing is indeed a process, but with God, all things are possible, awesome stuff. And she is here to take us on a journey of being redeemed from our scars, and we're looking at healing, identity, and covenant love because we have all sorts of love, but we want to tap into the one that God has for us. I mean, he says to us in his word that he loves us because he gave his only begotten son for us, and so we want to do that and to experience that as we go through our lives. So thank you for sharing that. But before we even go back to your roots, I just want you, in maybe in one or two minutes, reflect on your journey and uh what part of your story would you say that God has redeemed the most?

SPEAKER_02 22:51

Alright, so the story never ends, but I think where redemption has really happened for me, it's in a transformation of mind. So I was convicted for many years, but never converted. And with that gap between conviction and conversion, what we had were unhealed soul wounds that showed up multiple times, that questioned my integrity, my authority, it questioned the fabric of my marriage. I am a second-time wife, and so I had to be adamant that the devil would not steal my marriage a second time. But at the same time, while I was saying that from the lips, my actions, my character, it it epitomizes the devil's playing field, the things that I battled with shame, guilt, rejection, fear, and those wounds caused me to, I would say, act out of character, compromising that which I was trying to build. And so I believe when the conversion really began, it was a mind opening for me. The conversion came after my pastor, he preached from Galatians 5, verse 16 to 22 for more than a year. And every Sunday the sermon took a different twist because he was trying to help us to understand that my mind controlled my destiny. In that moment, when the light came and I recognized the things, the spirit, the fruits, the bad fruits that would hinder me from inerting the kingdom. I was like, wow, I have potential, but the fruits that are required for my growth, for my purpose to come to life, those were lacking. And so for me, I believe I have been restored, I have been healed, and I am still healing. I have been able to, with partnership with the Holy Spirit, of course, by making changes to who I am. I didn't pray for my husband to change because the Lord would have spoken about that. I had to pray for myself as a person, my character, that more of Christ will be seen in me, and everything became clearer.

SPEAKER_01 25:10

Awesome. Thank you so much for sharing that. So she shared some wonderful gems, and let me see if I can unpack that a little bit. So you were convicted but not yet converted. And I have a twist on that that we are saved but not surrendered, and so that's a process. So thank you for sharing that. As you're going through that, you would have had different wounds. But the reality is sometimes we say a lot of things because there are good things to say, but we're not actively living that out, and so it's important for our words to align with our action. You mention relying on God and then asking God to give you the fruit of the spirit so that you can make those changes and ultimately everything around you change because change more often than not, we look on the exterior, but not on the interior. And it's important for us to ensure that we have those changes first, change yourself first, talking to the man in the mirror, then we can go and impact the world. And sometimes, so you don't even have to say anything to other people, they will definitely see the change in you, and that will shift something in them. So, starting off, so many powerful gems already with Susanna, but I wanted to take us back a little bit to your roots, going back to Portland. Tell us about baby Susanna. What was her story or her dreams and aspirations?

SPEAKER_02 26:31

Alright, baby Susanna um was born in average weight, but I mean early, I was called bonus. So that gives a picture that I was wrong from the beginning. Life in Portland was not as bad, I would say, in retrospect. I grew up with my grandparents, primarily my grandparents, my maternal grandparents, and maybe at the age of six, seven, we moved to our own home. In Portland, mommy was a school teacher, daddy was a local pastor. So I'm supposed to be well behaved, but I had lots of questions, and so daddy had lots of rules, and when I say lots of rules, rules that at six years old I could not comprehend, and when I couldn't comprehend, I were challenged. So for example, we couldn't have friends, and uh, when I asked why, the explanation, I hope you can understand the language, that they were crumblers. No, I don't know what that means. Because I learned that no man is an island. We sang that in school. So if no man is an island, no man stands alone, why can't I have friends? So that was one of the challenges we had in our home. I was brilliant, and so I would describe it as community pressure. So in my primary school, they expected me to come first at all exams. I attended the Cascade College School, and I believe that I had completed grade seven before sitting common entrance. After common entrance, we went to high school, and because of where our community, Cascade is located, is closer to St. Andrew than to Port Antonio. We had to board. So technically, I left home at 11. However, back at home, things were not as pleasant as they ought to have been from an emotional and spiritual standpoint. We had a Sunday morning devotions and we had to be quick on the scriptures. Our diction or pronunciation had to be sharp, or else we would be called different names. I was told that I was fist because I would speak back and I would say whatever is on my mind. So there was a time when I was about four or five years old when mommy told me that she was gonna ask me to turn the tap on as she watered the vegetable garden. When she got to the garden, she called my older sister to turn it on. And I was okay until she called me to say, Sue, turn off the pipe. Now, Akeela, I said to her, I'm not turning it off because you never allowed me to turn it on. We lived on the hillside, so when we spoke, it echoed across the hillside. And she kept saying, You hear me said turn off the pipe? And I was like, You hear me, sir, Minah, turn it off because you never met me turn it on. So by the time I got to school, the entire school population were they were saying that Mina, turn it off. So that was the kind of community we had to go to church every Sunday, sick or lame, we had to be there. Our church was the least populated, we had to take part in every church activity, and we had rallies and Christmas broke and we had to recite. And so um we knew of God, but God was very abstract for me. We grew up reading the Bible, but as we looked at the lives of the people, I couldn't make the relationship between this God and their life. There was just such a big disconnect. So as I got older and ventured off into high school, Sunday would be our travel day, so I would have missed church by default. Now that was a good escape for me because it felt like hypocrisy at its best. You're saying that God never leaves us or forsake us or he provides all our needs, but there was lack all around. And when I questioned why is there a lack, the response would usually be trust God. So I did ask, I had a rebuttal for everything. I said, when we continually trust in God, who's gonna pay him? Because every day we are trusting him, somebody has to pay, and at what stage do we pay? There was no response for that. In my early years, I wanted to be a medical doctor as I got older, a trauma surgeon to be specific. At home, we had limited entertainment, so we were told that children should be seen and not heard, and we spent our days reading. My older sister, she read novels. I was defiant, so I read Encyclopedia, and I wanted to understand how the body functions, how the eye works, how the brain works, and as I got older, I recognized that I became fascinated with death. I believe death is a process, it's not a one-time event, and it happens in stages and phases. So I would read about pathology, physiology, to find out what is the process and at what stage are you really dead? My school was good, high school was Stitchfield High School, it went well. I had friends, I boarded, so I had limited influence from my direct parents. But one of the turning points for me, or one of the most fond memories of boarding, when I was in grade seven, the lady with whom we boarded, she also boarded other children. And within maybe three to four weeks, she started calling me coach. And that meant something for me. It meant that I had leadership skills, it meant that I thought about everybody. I would not wake up for school and not wake everybody up. I would not bring my clothes in off the line and leave other people's clothes out there. I would not see pain and hurt and not render assistance. So I was uh very much like that throughout high school. I had my friends, we we are still communicate up to today, and um life was relatively good outside of home. Inside the home, it felt like a judgment zone because I was uh somebody who questioned authority, I was considered to be antagonistic. Um, my dad used a phrase to describe me that I just learned what he was trying to say. So he would call me tampong nanny. And now I recognize what I'm actually saying, a pompong nanny. Right? I was not easily influenced, and as such, I was not the favorite. There were many main insults. I was told that I wouldn't amount to anything much. I remember coming home from high school in grade 11, and my high school album had my classmates, all of us, our pictures were in the album, and I was told that men would take me for an India because the boys in my class were in my album more than the girls. So obviously, I am leaning in the wrong direction because I love the boys more than I love the girls. Home felt like competition all the time. Who is prettier, who is more brilliant, who has the nicer smile, who has the nicer feet, everything was a comparative zone. And so anything that took me outside of home felt like peace. It felt safe. And so I developed heavy resentment towards my dad, like resentment plus tax a killer. As I got older, I told myself that I didn't need to talk to him. And I remember being slipped a note one night to say, regardless of what you think, as a child, you must speak to your dad. And I smiled and I said, If he's an adult and he's careless enough to malice me, as a child, I am carelesser. I don't need to speak to him. Before I got into college, when it was time for my 60s, that was a challenge. The utterances were so mean. Like, why are you doing eight subjects? You are not brilliant enough, you shouldn't do more than one. And so the insults hurt, but nobody on the outside knew because what I did every time he would say something, or every time an insult would be hurled at me, I would say under my breath, that will never happen. And so for Teach Video, you had to be successful in at least five CXEs, including math and English, to be awarded a diploma or graduation was held in November of each year. I was the first female from my community to make it to sixth form, and so that concretized that your words have no power over me because I am in control of my destiny. High school, as I said, was well done. I completed sixth form, I did the sciences in high school. In sixth form, I started leaning towards the humanitarian subjects, and that's how sociology and psychology came into play. And I recognized then that I had an aversion, I had a quite an interest in human behavior because something must cause us to behave and act in a particular way. So after high school, I went to the University of Technology where I completed a Bachelor's of Science in Environmental Health majoring in public health. That too met with insults. I remember one occasion when I came home and I was excited because I'd gotten a message that my older sister was being awarded for outstanding academic performance. I just wanted to share that, you know, hey, big sister's getting an award. And the feedback or the response was, when do you think you will live to get an award from the university? I walked away. That was my first year. But suffice to say, when I got to fourth year, dad called one night and mommy, when she picks up the phone, she said, I can't talk to you now because I'm at Suzy's Prize Giving and exit prize giving. Susie getting prize. And she said, Yes, this is the third consecutive year. Every year since second year, outstanding academic performance in my group, and I made it to the dean's honor role. I graduated with first class honors, and I was among the 20 most brilliant students in the university. So that told me that once I am intentional, it will happen. However, on the other side, it made me believe that I had a duty to prove the world wrong. And that duty to prove the world wrong, Akeelah, it brought me into several challenging situations where I had no business.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

Thank you for sharing such an incredible journey. I just want to capture some highlights from what you share just now. Because for those who are listening on the international scene, in our Jamaican culture, we have the Sunday ritual, I would call it, where we have to go to church. So many of us we grew up in the church, but as Sue would have rightfully noted, we grew up in the church where we don't know God, and then there is an element of hypocrisy as it relates to being in there, just warming the bench. We call them bench warmers in our context, and also the whole knack of stay home, listen to the rules and regulations, and don't go outside, don't mix and mingle, is what they would tell us. My mom would always say to me when I was younger that little pigs have big ears whenever she was having um conversation with adults. And in my mind, I'm like, this little pig knows exactly what you're talking about. Essentially, she was trying to tell the adult that you know the children are listening, so be careful of what you share. So we have a very cultural and bright um culture, I would say, as it relates to our upbringing. But there are some key factors that you shared, and it's as it relates to how persons speak to us, because words are powerful, and we do understand that from the perspective and where you sit now, even as a professional. And if luckily for you, you are able to overcome those words and understand that people can't really speak into your destiny, you have that power to tap into your greatness and to go beyond people's expectations. But for individuals who are listening and watching you, Susanna, and they're saying, Wow, I've gone through so much, I've heard so many negative sentiments, oftentimes from our parents, because they don't understand or they won't deem it that what they're saying is actually negative and that it has repercussions. They're just looking at us as a child who is out of order and they're trying to rein you in by the rules and regulations that they would have stipulated over the household. But for those who are listening and watching, they have encountered so much. It can be from their parents, negative words from their parents, or just individuals in their environment. What would you say to them to overcome those negative challenges or scenarios?

SPEAKER_02 39:56

I would say first, words are powerful. And so each time a negative pronouncement is made, we have a responsibility to cancel, to capture, to take it captive, and to replace it with the word of God. So on your healing journey, or while you're struggling, somebody says an insult or hurls an insult at you, rather, and you are not sure what word to replace it with. But the first thing I did and I recommend you do to say that will never happen. That's not what the Bible says about me. I am not sure what God's word says concerning this particular matter, but I know that he created me in his likeness and his image for a purpose, and I know that all things are possible through him, and even then, he is the one who has the final say. You don't need to speak back to the person, but just smile and say, Are you God? That's not what God dictates for my life.

SPEAKER_01 40:57

Powerful. That is not what the Lord has said. He has plans for us to give us a hope of future and an expected end that is indeed powerful. But just tapping back into your story, many persons, it's a commonality across cultures where we have that level of resentment for either both parents for whatever reason or one parent for somebody who's listening and watching, and they are at that crossroads. We see it playing out online or just in our everyday conversation. What would you say to that individual to help them to overcome that level of resentment, to forgive, to release? And even though you may not get that apology, just to encourage them to move forward and to become a better version of themselves for their children if it is that they do have a child or children.

SPEAKER_02 41:45

First, I would say an apology is not necessary. Your parents don't need to apologize. The apology is an expression of regret. But if there is no change in behavior, then the apology was would be worth nothing. So what I would say, understand and accept that hurt happened. Accept that your parents did you wrong, or the way they spoke to you made you feel ill about yourself. So acceptance is the key. When you have accepted that, confrontation is not necessary at all. We are on a healing journey. Forgiveness is a process. So Lord, open my heart and allow me to let go of the hurt, the guilt, the pain, the shame, and every other attribute that might have inflicted wound to my soul. My parents, my dad, my mom, was just a vessel that was being used by a spirit, and that spirit saw my star. So, Holy Spirit, help me to take my star captive in partnership with you. Give me the grace to heal. Healing is not linear, so there might be days when you feel as if you have gotten over the situation and you might have days of relapse. When you have days of relapse, you just need to ask the Holy Spirit, give me grace, give me fortitude, because you cannot do it on your own. Forgiveness on your own is denial. Forgiveness requires partnership with the Holy Spirit, and that is why when the disciples ask Jesus how to pray, he said, forgive me of my sins as we have trespassed against others. You have hurt other people as well, and you want them to forgive you. So forgiveness is for you to not allow that hurt or that pain to control your life. We have to get to a point where we take responsibility and accountability for our lives, Akilah. We cannot continue in perpetual blame. We cannot continue making excuses for the mistakes of our parents. We cannot continue holding them hostage or ransom for the things that they did. We must be mindful that they probably did the best they could with the resources they had. And resources means information, insight, wisdom. Those are resources as well. So your parent might not have been the best version of him or herself. But let us be mindful as we go. We all have challenges, and we wouldn't want our children to hold them against us. So let them go and let God.

SPEAKER_01 44:44

Let them go and let God. And you can only make the best decision with the information, as you said, and the resources available to you at that particular point in time. And that is definitely something that the Holy Spirit revealed to me as I was going through my own journey that sometimes you're you're even awaiting the apology or you're seeking something from them that truly they didn't have it to give. So I'm waiting on something that will never come because they lack capacity. Because the word of God tells us that such as I have, I give unto thee. If they don't have it, then they possibly could not have given it to you and I. So we have to let it go. Be accountable, that's important because we only have so much years on earth in this life. So be accountable, live your life and become a better version for others around you. But as you're going through your story, Susanna, faith and God would have played an integral role in your life and in everything that was happening to you. At what point in time did you look and realize that yes, God has definitely been with me and He has been carrying me on my journey?

SPEAKER_02 45:53

God has been speaking to me on so many occasions, Akeelah. And as I said, in the physical, I would talk back, and in the spiritual, I would talk back as well. And so when I realized that my second marriage was on a collision pathway, I had to say, God, what is this? I'm saying, Lord, you have to help me because obviously I can't help myself. I would have been a very successful career woman, a corporate leader, and the team thinks highly of me, and I'm always there. But when I get home, I'm not getting something right. And so the Lord said to me, while I drove this, I think it was on Saturday, he said to me, Whatever your husband does or does not do, however, he treats you or doesn't treat you, has nothing to do with him. Your marriage is a covenant with me. Lean on me, trust me, and watch me. On another occasion, not too far from that, he said, Why would you complain to your husband about his behavior? He has a father. When children misbehave, you complain to their parents. So instead of complaining to him, take it to me because you can't fix him. Only I can do that. What I asked was, What are you trying to teach me that I am not learning? And he said to me, Virtuous woman, I said, What you mean? I am already a virtuous woman, I am loyal, I am hardworking, I am a goal getter, I have my house in order, and I would have I reeled out the characters of the virtuous woman. And he said, Susanna, wisdom, wisdom, but he continued speaking to me, and as I showered one morning, he said, The spirit of Jezebel. So when I got out the shower, I called my friend and sister in Christ and I said to her, Cher, Jezebel is about to ruin your friend marriage, you know. And she was like, What? Which girl is him to cop again? I said, No friend, Jezebel is in me. Because I operated with the spirit of Jezebel, it ignited the Leviathan spirit in my husband. So I would question, question, question, pretending as if I'm seeking clarity, but in essence, I was manipulating. And because I was manipulated, he lied in and out of season. But there was never a lie that went undetected. Because I usually the Holy Spirit would have shown me the situation. So when I asked, I knew what the answer would have been. So when he went around, the more he lied, the more I asked, more questions. And so we had a battle. I said to her, Today, Jezebel dies. I said, Today, Jezebel dies. And I became a bit more conscious, a bit more focused, a bit more. Lord, teach me your version of a virtuous woman. As I listened to Maris Monroe, as I spent time in the word, Aquila, I mean, this came at a low point because I was out of work for a period, an extended period. I had to visit the doctor every Sunday. I had to see the psychotherapist every two weeks, and the massage therapist would come every two weeks. I was physically ailing. I was killing myself. It's self-sabotage. And it was all from a place of fear, fear of rejection. Now, as far as I'm concerned, we came from country together, from auto-s together. I mean, I am older, I am wiser, I am more educated. You must listen to me. That was my posture. And so instead of allowing room to grow, I smothered him. I tried to dictate everything and I tried to control because I was so fearful of losing a second time. And that happened because I was not healed fully from the hurt of my first marriage that was both physically and emotionally abusive. So this cycle of rejection and fear kept on resurfacing at different junctures of my life. So when the Lord spoke to me about being a virtuous woman and the spirit of Jezebel, in that moment I realized that there are a few things that needed to happen. One, I needed to repair my relationship with my dad. Unless that healing it was initiated, my respect, my thought, the value I place on men would have always been compromised. Two, the hurt that I endured in my first marriage, this is a new person and he deserved his own playing field. And three, you cannot play the devil on his battlefield using his tactics and expect to win. So I started leaning more into the word. And as I leaned into the word, my identity was reaffirmed. I found purpose in a way that things that I never dreamt of became life. So I never dreamt of becoming an author. I never thought I would become an author. It was never in my schema. But as I started leaning into the word, I remember we're driving from Monteco Bay, and I said to my husband, at what stage do people throw in the toil and quit on their marriage? At what stage do you give up? And I asked that question because in prior years, if I had invited him out for a weekend or some time off, he would always say that he's busy, he cannot make it. But that was just an excuse, was an avoidance static. But this time I was shocked when he came for the entire weekend, Thursday to Sunday, two consecutive weekends. And so we were talking, and I was like, okay, Holy Spirit, I'm hearing you, but I'm listening and I'm hearing you. I wasn't judging, I wasn't preempting, I wasn't wondering if I'm just hearing you. And as we drove home, we spoke more about our relationship because the truth, Aquila, we get along, we have a very, very good relationship. And I started asking, why does some marriage fail? Where is the blueprint? Why some person struggle to make it to the first anniversary? How is it that some people celebrate 40 years? And the Lord said to me, Write your story so that you can help others so they don't struggle the same way you do. And so I said, Okay, marriage is a journey that begins with healing and wholesomeness. I started writing Aquila, and when I was finished, redeemed from inner scars was born. Says the Holy Spirit, this is not what I was supposed to write. What is this? The Holy Spirit said you cannot talk about marriage unless you are healed. So that was the precursor to build a nation, not to empires, and so I leaned forward, I leaned in the Holy Spirit. I was totally submitted to God, and with that, the the layers, the mountains that I had built up, the resentment that I had created, the the way rejection and fear had me gripped, it no longer exists. As I came out of that cocoon, as the butterfly came out, I realized that my marriage was improving. I didn't do anything. Akilah, I didn't, I haven't had a conversation with my husband to say you must change one, two, three. I went into the hospital for surgery and it was just I couldn't understand his disposition. When I told him that I wasn't feeling well and I went to the doctor and the diagnosis came, and he asked, What is the means of correction? And I said, Surgery. Um, and he said, Okay, what's the cost? Now my family called him Mr. How much. He might not be very physically involved, but when I say money, he says how much and when. And so I told him and he said, Okay. He made himself available for every doctor's visit subsequent to that. Now that was something I've never seen before. The day before surgery, he came home at midday. I was supposed to be admitted in the hospital at by two. I thought I could drive myself to the hospital and they could make arrangements to pick up my car. Nothing was wrong with me, of course. He was like, no, we're not doing that. And he came and he waited through admission and he was there. He was there after surgery. He came and picked me up when I was discharged, and he would not have gone to work if somebody was not home to take care. He was super attentive. And I said to him, What caused this change? He said to me, Sue, I asked the Lord about us, and he said, You have never given yourself totally to Sue. And he said, In my mind, I said, This time I'm going to be there for her the way I need to. And since then, nothing has been the same. I don't quarrel anymore, I don't shout anymore. There are times when fear or I would say questions are arise, but I say, Holy Spirit, you're my partner, you're my chief judge, you're my advocate, you're my friend. Show me what I need to know. But while I went through those periods, there were times when I couldn't pray. Akilah, there was there were times when I couldn't pray. I remember one period in my marriage, it was so low that nothing, no scripture resonated. In fact, I would tell you, it was a secular artist, and I say Shanil Muir, her songs ministered to me that helped me to pull myself together. Because if you struggle with anything from your secular life, I struggle with secular music. And so when she said, Top girl in your life, and alive, top girl, it reminded me that you are bigger than this, you are better than this, but at the same time, the Holy Spirit fired back to say, not from a place of pride, but from a place of position of and authority of who you have become in Christ. And so I I understood my authority, and I said, Lord, give me strength to cope, wisdom to understand, and grace to stand. That became my three-point prior for more than a year. Strength to cope, wisdom to understand, and grace to stand. I cannot perceive anything that marriage goes through that I have not been through. But what I want my married persons and persons who are considering marriage to understand that there are dynamics, there are phases and stages of marriage. And comparison is a serial killer. Value your marriage from a place of honor. You honor God, you honor your husband, you honor your wife. If you're going to be comparing yourself to others, you need to ensure that it's a level playing field. Did we both start this marriage whole? I had challenges. My husband had challenges. He has challenges that he was struggling to overcome. But we are so consumed in ourselves, we're so self-centered that the world, we expect the world to revolve around us, not understanding that both of us are trying to keep our heads above the water. Two, um, in the book Build a Nation, not to empires, I equated it to building our dream home. And why? Because I would have read several books from my first marriage, but yet it failed. The information felt as if it started in the middle, assuming that both parties are whole. We're assuming that both persons never struggled with resentment, abandonment, shame, guilt, pride. We're assuming that this is an ideal world and it's the furthest thing from the truth. So, what I did, I tried to look at you as an individual first. Who are you? Are you actually ready for marriage?

SPEAKER_01 59:50

We are before we even tap into the individuals, I mean ready for marriage. You said so many things, Susanna, and I just want to just break it down a little bit to pick some highlights for the audience. So we're tapping into leaning into God, um, allowing God to help us to go through the process. So that's one, releasing the fear and anxiety that we have, uh, releasing our control, because God is ultimately the one who can make the changes in our lives as well as in our partners, and taking an assessment of ourselves to see the things that we need to heal from, giving grace to ourselves and to our partners respectively, because as you mentioned, we're all trying to survive and to go through the journey. And this is also important, not just for those who are in a marriage, but also for the singles, that we listen and hear the different things that we need to do. So while you're in your waiting season, it's important for you to work on your healing, tap into God, ask God to show you the things that you need to do and the eras that you need to steward so that you are effective when you go to that realm of marriage. So these are some critical things, and I love the wonderful story. I'm hearing them, you know, taking the love zone from it because you mentioned that he showed up for you, and what that means is that both parties have to be intentional, but what is important is that you spoke to God and he also spoke to God, which shows that both persons need to be surrendered to God so that he can be the center of your relationship and just being in obedience, because we understand from the word of God that obedience is better than sacrifice. So these are some key points, and I trust that those who are listening and watching, you'll take that information. You've tapped into your books, and we will speak about those in a little bit because those are critical as it relates to your journey and helping others in your capacity as to where it is that you are now. But I just want to ask you what does purpose mean to you at this particular point in time in your life?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:03

At this time, purpose means full submission and alignment to the will of God. The will of God can be found in the word of God, and so as you assess where you are, where you aspire to be, is it in the word and the will of God? Now, the will of God will not tell you that you are called to be a doctor, but you can look at patterns, you can look at traits, you can look at what is it that you do without thinking much. Unconsciously, it brings you joy, but most importantly, it brings glory to God. So, my purpose now is to help others to be healed, to be restored, to understand who they are in Christ, that there's no condemnation in Christ. Your pain has come to reveal your purpose, you are on the potter's wheel continually, and your purpose will not die, it will not be aborted because God is in control.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:07

In your capacity as a counselor, because as you would have shared, based on your educational background, you studied quite a bit about the human anatomy and all of that, and then from the psychological aspect as it relates to humans, how we behave, how we interact, all of those stuff are good. But there are some individuals how they approach life or counseling, is that we are solely relying on the logical aspect of it. But what I wanted to do is to tie in for us the faith aspect and why faith is such an integral part, if not the most important part, as it relates to offering counsel or helping individuals navigate the various stages of their relationship. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:52

So my first response to that is as human beings, we are two-thirds spirits, one-third physical. So even if our body aches, we still have ammunition because that's less than half of us that's incapacitated. The Bible is our manual for life. Everything that we can ever experience in this realm, we can find it in the scriptures. And when we find it in the scriptures, it provides an antidote for the situation. So I know that psychology and logic a lot of times is what we rely on, but we are spirit beings, we were with the Father before we became here in this realm. Right? So, whatever God has ordained for us, it is already imprinted on our DNA. Now, when we look at things like sadness, depression, those things they don't have a place in the word of God because the joy of the Lord is your strength. You have to know who you have become. All of this starts with your identity in Christ, not with who society says you are. Now, the challenge we have as parents, when we conceive, we start thinking what we want our child to be without consulting the master for the technical specification concerning this individual, and so we miss the mark. So when it comes to your faith and when it comes to logic, your brain is a blank slate. And that is why we would say a child is fearless. A child doesn't know sadness until an adult says to him, Why do you look like this? Are you sad? And so the child starts equating a disposition to sadness. The child doesn't know salt from sugar. Breast milk has no taste, but they enjoy it. That's because we were created with blank slates. So we are the ones who write our stories, we are the ones who improve. What we want. So when it comes to the spiritual aspect, we're spirit beings first. And everything that happens in our lives, it happens spiritually before it's manifested physically. Even as an individual, you see things, you have dreams, and we were we were taught in psychology that dream is an extension of your subconscious. Is that really so? Remember, we have soul, body, and spirit. In our soul, our soul is the intermediate between our spirit and our body. So our body actually showcases what our spirit is detecting, and our spirit is controlled or expressed through our souls. So when our souls are wounded, our body shows sadness. It must be a spirit that tells you that you are wounded because you never knew wound before. And so it tells me that we have to be careful of the thoughts that we entertain, because every thought is a talk, and behind every talk, there is a spirit. If it doesn't align with the word of God, then you know it's not the Holy Spirit who is talking to you. I would have also expounded that for me, the Holy Spirit doesn't speak about emotions, it doesn't talk about how you feel because your emotions are short-lived chemical impulses. It talks about what you know to be true. So I feel sad, but I know that this is the day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it. So you have to learn to dispel your feelings with the knowledge because we don't question knowledge. The other thing I would want to say to us is sometimes we need to learn to assess our role in a situation. We're spirit beings, and if you're if there is an altar or if there's an evil covenant speaking against you or against anybody, by association, you can become collateral damage. So we often say misery loves company, and the company is by association. Now you don't want to find yourself in a circle where everybody is sad, and that's how you know it's a spirit because they attract each other, it's like it's a conglomerate. So sadness, depression, suicide, despondency, they all group up and they look for people who are struggling with the past. Now the past is just the past. I often say Jesus was from a shady past, and Isaiah 43 verse 18 says, Leave the past in the past. The rear view mirror is just for glimpse, it's not for long stairs. If you drive and stir in your rear view, you're still going, you're not getting anywhere. If God wanted us to be so mindful of the past, wouldn't He give us an additional pair of eyes at the back of our heads? Leave the past in the past, move forward with clarity, with purpose, and with authority, because you know that you have been given power over everything that crawls, that's that's on the surface of the earth. In Genesis 1, verse 26, when God said, Let us make man in our own image, he gave us dominance over the marine kingdom, over the things of the sea, over the terrestrial, over the things of the air, and every beast that walks the land. So we know who we are, but if we have not accepted and embraced and tested it, we will not be able to stand. So, Akilah, for me, we are spirit beings, nothing happens by chance. Pay attention to your spirit, man. You have an impulse, you sense something in your spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks to us when we accept the life of Jesus Christ. He comes on board and he speaks to us in soft, subtle words, confirming the word of God in our lives.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:25

Pay attention to your spirit, man. We're spirit beings first, nothing happens to us by chance. Everything that happens to us in this realm occurs in the spiritual realm first. But in order for you and I to know that, we must have a relationship with the Holy Spirit because He is indeed the revealer of all things and He reveals to redeem. Be mindful of our circles, as she shared before. Um, don't par with no come belong. So choose your circle wisely. Um, the the school of thought, and for me, it's debatable that show me your company and I'll show you who you are, which in our case is not is not always true, but there is some merit to it because um, and also another one birds will feel a flock together, right? You want to ensure that you're around positive spaces that will reinforce that positive energy and thought process so that you can tap into God and the next dimension to become a better version of yourself. So, so many powerful gems. But as you would have gone through these experiences and you've garnered these life lessons, you compile that in your book, which you were sharing with us a little bit earlier. So, you have two books, so you can go ahead and tell us about those books, what it entails, how can it help us as we go through our lives, and where can we purchase them?

SPEAKER_02 1:11:43

The first book, Redeemed from NSCAR, is a reflective emotional journey of healing, restoration, and hope. It's a story of my own journey and how I had to go through the different layers of healing to find purpose and wholesomeness. Now, when persons hear that you're a relationship coach, they often assume that you are for spousal relationships. But in this book, what it highlights is that your relationship with yourself will impact all other relationships. So the first chapter is a reflection of who you are and why you are the way you are. It is filled with activities and scriptural basis to give you direction, clarity, and a sense of purpose, a sense of who you are. In chapter two, I will look at how your relationship with yourself impacts your social relationship with your family, your friends, your co-workers. Because the truth is, we employ executives, brilliant people from resume. They have a personality, they have spirits at work, and how they perceive themselves will impact how they integrate into the dynamics of the organization. And finally, I looked at how these these two relationships will foster or hinder your spousal relationships. Hurt people, hurt people. I am a testament of that. And so I hurt him, he hurt me, and we continued on that cycle of hurting each other until we got to a breaking point. So, unless you're whole, unless you find yourself, unless you know who you are, not from a place of pride. And I keep reiterating that because we have a moral standard, a moral compass that is so contrary to the word of God, and women in particular, and not being feminist or sexist, we need to understand the power and the capacity that we carry when we learn our role and we learn to be who God created us to be. Alright, so that book is just reflective healing, the things that you battle with, the things that cause you to sad, to identify your emotions. So many of us we don't know the different emotions that are out there, and so we group them and we attract spirits to ourselves because we misdiagnose ourselves. So when I was through with Redeemed from Inner Scars, I was led to write the real thing the Build a Nation, not to empires. And this is a practical marriage guide. The Lord would have allowed me to equate this book to building our dream home. A lot of other marriage books are on the market, but for me, they start at the fundamentals. When you're building your home, you don't start by buying material, it's your dream home. You consider the location, you consider the residents who actually occupy the projection for upward um escalation. You might want to do a geotechnical assessment to see what type of foundation you need to erect to substantiate the superstructure, the monstrosity that you want to build. So in the book, in the first chapter, it's you looking at yourself. Are you whole? Are you emotionally sound? Do you understand who you are as a person? Do you have your own social circle? Do you understand his needs versus her needs? When you ask a lot of us, what is it that you're looking for in a partner? We are muffled. And Akila, we will proceed to tell you. So anything that looks a little bit different from what we don't want, we assume that okay, this must be what we want. But isn't that really true? And we also looked at um your education, your plans, your boundaries, your expectations, your non-negotiables. What are your non-negotiables? And we are so afraid to have these conversations because we don't want to lose the prospect. If having these hard conversations cause us to lose the prospect, he was not our prospect, or we were consumed by flesh and selfish motives. Then we move to the foundation. Now, the foundation is where our prior life comes in. Do we pray together? Is praying an escape route? Is it something that we do as a part of the union? Because we have to understand that marriage is a covenant, and once there's a covenant, you're going to come under spiritual attacks, and you cannot fight spirits with flesh and blood. Your spouse is not your opponent. Amos Triebers tells us that we cannot walk unless we agree. Akila, I had to take a stance. I had a dream about some strange woman coming for my husband. And I had to say to her, let me explain something to you that you might not know. He and I are one. And if you attack him, you attack me by default. So let me put him aside. Step up to the bigger authority now. Who are you? Because who got us joined together? Let no man put asunder. We have to get to that place. We talk about our finances, the secret loans to keep up with the Joneses, the multiple credit cards, the secret accounts. We do these things and we expect our marriage to thrive. How can it? We talk about children. Now, some of us don't want to have children, some of us want to have three, four children, but we're so afraid to tell our partners, you know, we really want three children because we don't want to lose them. We talk about physical attraction. I never knew that women needed to be physically attracted to their partners. I grew up believing that once the man is not ugly, it's fine. But I never understood that physical attraction it enhances your intimacy. Right? So you have to find your partner physically attractive. And now men will speak about things like women don't take good care of themselves after marriage. But I say to my men, we pay attention when you go to the barber, we pay attention to when you get a pedicure and a manicure as well. And for me, I pay attention to the condition of your boxes. Take care of yourself. It's an indication of how well you can extend yourself. So that is the foundation. Nobody sees those parts. Nobody knows that you're praying and fasting and discussing childbearing or you have a health situation. What they see when you are building your home is your superstructure. Now, this is where all hell breaks loose, where the walls can be seen. This is where the physical fights become evident. This is where you're trying to advance in your career. So both persons want to go to school, both persons want to own assets, you're trying to buy a house, you're trying to buy a car, your parents are getting ill, your children are misbehaving, you think it's the opportune time to cheat, you want to sleep with people for promotion, and everything that can go wrong goes wrong at a phase in your marriage. But know who you are, and the beauty of God is while you might have made error in your preliminaries or your foundation, if your superstructure becomes compromised, you can go back and correct those. You can revisit your prior life, you can make adjustments and alignment to how you communicate, how you manage finances, it's not your money. The earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof, your custodian of God's resources. So do you tithe, do you sow into the ministry? Do you offer? Do you give? Because if you don't give cheerfully, if you don't offer your tithes and offerings, if you don't believe in helping others, then you cannot expect to have a lavish life. Do not allow yourself to be fooled because the king of this earth will give you resources, but it's not sustainable. And in the final chapter of the book, I would look at retirement. What happens after you have accomplished all? And I equate that to the finishing touch. Your windows, your doors, your tiles, your fixtures, your fitting. Now that is what adds value to your property. It's not your block and steel. So at the end of it all, when your children are grown and you are settled, what legacy would you have created? Do you know yourself? If you were not a good partner and you were consumed in your children and your career, what memories will you have to live on? Will you become a hindrance to your children? Will you become a bother? Or will you go on to make meaningful contributions to society, recognizing that you have walked into your purpose and lived a full life? So that's the essence of both books. They are available on Amazon. And they are also available at BookJungle in Orteries, which is located on Rex Plaza. If you visit my link to you from my Instagram page, you'll be able to access both materials there.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:34

Thank you for the wisdom and the insights that you've been sharing with us. And where I know that I've been blessed, and I'm sure others have been blessed by this conversation. And we thank you for those books. So go out and get the books, everyone. Don't worry, we'll have the information on the screen. All you have to do is to subscribe to our YouTube channel at Akila Thompson. So that is a K-E-E-L-I-A-Thomson on YouTube, and you'll be able to see all of that wonderful information to connect with Susanna. So before you go, so you have to tell us what are your final parting words of wisdom, something that the Lord is laying on your heart right now, just to encourage someone who is watching and viewing you, or listening rather today.

SPEAKER_02 1:22:20

First, I'd say diamonds are made under pressure. Your pain cannot kill you. It has come to reveal your purpose. So while you go through the painful period, do not be like the children of Israel where rebellion, stubbornness, and disobedience cause us to stay longer in the wilderness than we need to be. Let's lean into God because He's our ultimate source. Let us focus on the purpose, the lessons to be learned. Because if we fail the test, it's sad we have to resit. We don't want to resit life challenges. So while you go through your pain, ask the Lord, what is it that you're using this pain for? Because I know you will be glorified in the end. You are not defined by your experiences, and regardless of what is happening in your life, God's plans and his purposes concerning you, they have not changed. But in order for those plans to be manifested, let's pay attention to Matthew 6, verse 33. Let's seek first to understand how the kingdom of God operates. When we understand how the kingdom operates, the ranks, the rules, and the principles that govern the kingdom, and we understand our ranking as spirit beings who are seated in heavenly places with all principalities and powers and rulers of darkness on our feet. Then we can relax. We can say, Okay, Lord, we see what you're doing. We don't understand, but we trust you because you are the one who is the master architect. That's what I would say. Be blessed, be encouraged. This cannot kill you. The gates of hell cannot prevail against you. Your marriage will not fail unless you entertain the enemy on his battlefield using his tactics. Your spouse is not your enemy. Let's not confront our spouses, but let's confront the spirits that's fueling our spouses. And when we pray for our spouses, let's not use witchcraft prayer, telling God what to do and what not to do. Say, Lord, he or she is yours. You created him or her with a plan. Allow your will to be done in his life. And while you transform him, Lord, transform and enhance me to be the spouse that he requires at this time in this season of his life that will bring glory to your name. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:18

Whoa, whoa, a lot to unpack. Uh topping into God. We can't fight the enemy on his playground with his tools. Um, identifying as our partner, he's not the enemy, but instead he is a child of the king as well. So pray, uh, as Susanna mentioned, though, pray no witchcraft prayer because some of us went to witchcraft and we don't even know. But uh just so much to unpack, um, healing ourselves, we can't go to the next level with the wounds, but taking also taking accountability for where we're at and having those conversations, talking about our prospects or marriage. Listen, if you want to heal and learn so much more about marriage and everything else, all you have to do is to connect, right? She has shared a powerful story. And if it is that you have been blessed by this episode, just let us know in the comment section. Keep us encouraged as well as we go on this journey. So, Susanna, it has been a pleasure having you today, such a profound conversation. Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful insights and wisdom from above. Definitely, anyone who listens this, they'll definitely hear the wisdom of God and see your beautiful face as you delightfully shared your story with us. So, it has been my utmost pleasure having you. Thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you so much for having me. It was indeed my pleasure. Awesome, awesome. Well, purpose seekers, if you want to stay connected, all you have to do is to follow us on all socials at sold into purpose. That is S O U L E D Interpurpose. You may also download this audio on all major audio platforms at sold into purpose. If you wish to send us an email, you may do so at soldintopurpose at gmail.com and you may also visit our website at soldinterpurpose.com. So, purpose seekers, as always, remember that it is not the beginning, but it is the continuing to the end until it is faithfully, wholesomely, purposefully, and wonderfully accomplished. I'm your host, Akeelah Thompson, and until next time, see you soon. If you are out there and you wish to partner with us to share the vision across the globe, please feel free to visit our website at sold interpurpose, that is S-O-U-L-Edurples.com, as well as you may scan the QR codes that are presented on your screen. Feel free to also use the donation buttons and forms on our website, and we have our show link. Feel free to click that link and show us your support. We appreciate all that you do for the show, and we will continue to be sold into purpose. The Sold Into Purpose Podcast is brought to you by your faith creative crime, branding clarity and strategic positioning for visionary leaders. The Becoming Conference 2026, or premiere hybrid experience designed to help you move from process to purpose. Inspirational media creations where vision meets visual excellence, crafted by love, intentional creations made with heart and purpose. And Yoni Essentia, elevating wellness, lifestyle, and feminine care experiences. We sincerely thank our sponsors for supporting this purpose-driven global community.