My Addiction Was My Past, But Jesus Changed My Future

 In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Planted by the Word, host Barbara Wallace sits down with special guest Rita Goss to discuss her incredible journey from addiction to redemption.

What began as a dark and painful season filled with struggles, brokenness, and hopelessness became a testimony of God's amazing grace, healing, and restoration. Rita openly shares how addiction once controlled her life, the challenges she faced trying to break free, and the moment she encountered the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

Today, Rita serves faithfully in ministry, helping women who are battling addiction and reminding them that no one is beyond the reach of God's love.

Together, Barbara and Rita discuss:

• The hidden pain behind addiction

• Finding hope when life feels impossible

• How faith carried her through recovery

• Breaking free from shame and guilt

• Walking in purpose after healing

• Helping other women find freedom through Christ

• Why no one is too far gone for God

This episode is for anyone who has struggled with addiction, loves someone who is battling addiction, or needs a reminder that God's grace is greater than any mistake, failure, or past.

Because addiction may have been part of the story...

But Jesus changed the ending. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

So yeah, we're live on uh Facebook and we're live on Instagram. Facebook and YouTube, I mean. So yeah, we're just waiting for folks to come in. And as they come in, we will be able to see uh in that chat who comes in. But it's definitely going to be a blessing. So I'm excited about it.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

It is gonna be a blessing.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

I'm blessed already with it.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

Amen. The conversation has been outstanding. All I can say is, you know, God is an awesome God. Who would have thought years down the line? This is how we would recon reconnect.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Absolutely. It's been a it's been a while, but it doesn't feel like any time has really elapsed. That's the thing about it. Yeah. And that's that's that's how God works. You don't have to talk every day to folks. Let's see one on the chat. I do as well. Welcome, welcome. If you could tell us your name and where you're from, we would really appreciate that. So we know. Blessings to you today. Today's gonna be a a powerful uh podcast today. Got some things in store for folks.

SPEAKER_00 1:47

Definitely deserves the glory and the victory.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

He does, he does. They may have hit the you know, hit the live and then got off. The good thing about it is recorded, so you can always watch it later on. So that's the good thing about it.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Okay, yeah. Yeah, I know a friend of mine just wanted to be on, but she had church service this evening, and she said, I hope it's recorded, because I definitely love to go back. It's going to be yeah, it's gonna be recorded.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

Hey Lily, how are you? There you go. God bless you. Palm Coast, Florida. That's my sister Lily. All right, sister Lily. Welcome. We're just waiting for folks to come in. We have not started. I've been giving folks time. It is early, 7.57. I was raised to be prompt. My mother opened up the church.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

You're on time, you're already late.

SPEAKER_01 3:06

Exactly. Yeah. You're on time, you're late. So I I'm guessing common proves meaning we're talking to comedy. Uh oh, we lost her. She gotta jump back on. She'll be back. I think I can. I can do a chat too. See? There he is. I'm your host, Barbara. I was able to put God bless you all. Now we gotta get Rita back on. Rita popped off. I think her system may have disconnected, but we're waiting for her to come back. We're just waiting for folks to come in. Here she comes. Welcome back, Rita, but I think you are mute. Is your mic on mute, Rita? Yeah, your volume is still gone. Okay, I see the mute button. Hit that again, Rita. There it is. There you go. Well, it was before now.

unknown 5:24

Take it off.

SPEAKER_00 5:25

There you go. Now?

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

Yeah. Something powerful is about to happen because the enemies man, the whole system went down. We were talking all this time and nothing happened.

SPEAKER_01 5:35

I know that that that that's how the devil does it. God, but God got something in store for us.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

That's right, amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 5:46

Yeah, we're gonna give a few more minutes for folks to come on in. You can open your chat. Uh read it and you can respond. On the bottom it says type a message. When you hit that chat button. There you go.

SPEAKER_00 6:20

Okay, am I clicking where it says studio chat?

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Uh yes, chat.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

Is that where I'm clicking?

SPEAKER_01 6:28

You see where it says people and then chat?

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Yeah, it's I see it, but nothing is holding up for me. It's time to reconnect again.

SPEAKER_01 6:40

Okay. You just hold it.

SPEAKER_00 6:44

That's why. Just a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

You're right, Carmen. God got this.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

I can see what they're writing me to say then. Alright. We've been talking all the time. And now it's just the wants to act up, I tell you.

SPEAKER_01 7:27

And all of a sudden he wants to like throw you off. We're not gonna be defeated.

SPEAKER_00 7:39

Not at all. God is in control.

SPEAKER_01 7:51

No, you're good. I'm gonna give it like five more minutes and then I have a special video. Well, before I show the video. Well, before we show the video, I'm gonna give it five more minutes, then I'll pray. Because we're gonna welcome in the Holy Spirit in this place. It's already here. But we're gonna we're gonna pray and then I have a video to share with uh folks. It's uh um a song that uh you know I created and I wrote and then I put it to uh a music video. And it's uh called He'll Wake He'll Make a Way. And in these times of troubles, Jesus will make a way. Don't you even doubt that. So at 805, I will pray because we want the Lord to bless this, which He's already done it because you are here, and I'm glad you're here. I'm glad everybody got on that got on.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

Thank you everyone for tuning in. Absolutely glad that you're here. Thank you for everybody tuning in. We appreciate that.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

So welcome, welcome, welcome.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

Welcome, my sister as well. He just wrote her uh devotional as well.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

He gets all the praise. Amen. I'm just excited that he's he's using me as his vessel in the song of He's the Potter on the Clay.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

We had a conversation. Yes, we did. Yes, we did. His hands is all in there. Alright, ladies, I'm gonna pray. Oh Rita, you stopped. Rita's recording has stopped. I don't know why. Oh, because you're you're in and it just stopped on its own. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Yeah. Father, take control.

SPEAKER_01 10:16

Absolutely. Well, press this Father God in the name of Jesus. We all gather together in your name's sake. We know that you are mighty and you are worthy of all the glory and all the honor. Lord, we're gonna thank you today for allowing us to have this seatest day, allowing us to give you praise, allowing us to humble ourselves unto you. But we pray, Father God, for every single person that's on here. Those that may watch it later on. We pray, Father God, you meet them where they are. We pray, Father God, that you just deliver a message that's straight to them, that no one else can accept but them. We know that you are a mighty God and you're greatly to be praised. There's nothing like your name. You're worthy of everything that we do. So, Lord, we just pray for every single one of here, whatever their situation they're going through, whatever they may be needing. We pray, Father God, they do receive that today. And we thank you for using us as your vessels, Lord Jesus. As I said before, that you are the potter and I am the clay. Make me and mold me into the things that you want me to do. I pray, Father God, that this is pleasing in your eyesight, and I pray, Father God, that there be in this place a mighty happening in here. So I give you glory, Lord. I give you honor in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen, everybody. All right, so I got a special song for everyone that I told you I wrote, and I'm gonna play it right now.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

Hallelujah.

SPEAKER_04 12:15

Trying to find a way.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

That is beautiful. Wow, hollow. So, welcome to Planted and Rooted in God's Word Podcast. Well, I am your host, I'm Barbara Wallace, and today's episode is a powerful testimony in God's grace, redemption, and transforming transforming power. Now, in this episode, it is titled My Addiction Was My Past, but Jesus Changed My Future. Well, I have the privilege of sitting down with a woman whose life has been completely transformed by the love, grace, and saving power of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. There was a time when addiction had a strong hold on her life. She faced battles, struggles, and seasons of darkness that seemed impossible to overcome. But God had a different plan for her life. Today she is faithfully serving in ministry, shares her testimony, and she helps women discover freedom, healing, and hope that can only be found through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Now, together we'll talk about the reality of addiction, the struggle to break free, the power of prayer, and God who never stopped pursuing her, even in her darkest moments. This conversation is filled with hope, healing, restoration, and living proof that no one is beyond the reach of God's love and grace. Because addiction may have been part of her story, but it did not become her future. So Jesus changed her life. And if God can do it for her, he can do it for anyone. So wherever you are listening from today, I encourage you to open your heart to what God may want to say to you through this testimony. But before we begin, I just want to welcome everyone. I want to welcome Rita for taking the time out to sit down with me and have this conversation. I is such a privilege and honor to sit down with a woman of God. So welcome, Rita.

SPEAKER_00 18:46

Thank you for having me, my sister. It's definitely a blessing, and God definitely gets all the glory and the honor. Absolutely. And thank you to everybody that's tuning in as well. It's very important.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

It is. So, Rita, my first question to you. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do in your ministry today.

SPEAKER_00 19:08

Currently, I am involved in a ministry as a servant of the Lord. I do um some teaching, some preaching. I'm currently active in the ministry. Um, I help with discipleship in our in our church. Um, but more than anything, I serve the people that are in the community and in the church.

SPEAKER_01 19:35

Amen. Amen. So if someone met you today, they will see a woman serving God and helping others. How different is your life now compared to where you were?

SPEAKER_00 19:50

Oh, it's very different. I have peace, um, I smile, I love life, and only God can get that glory because there was a season in my life, actually, many seasons in my life where I hated to wake up. I hated life. You know, and I think sometimes we are judged about things that people have not experienced, and people place a label on others because they don't understand why they are the way that they are. So if you can see me now, I love life. I enjoy the sunshine, I enjoy the rain, and I understand that that may sound very cliche, but to those that have walked certain journeys with me, um, I love life now. You know, I thank God um for the smaller things, but I think more than anything, I thank God for his grace. That is the thing that I would say my life is disposition for God's grace.

SPEAKER_01 20:52

Absolutely. His grace is everything, it's efficient to what we need. His love surpasses all other things, understanding. And there is a song that some churches sing, the joy of the Lord is my strength. And if you have that joy of the Lord, that will be your strength every day to battle what you might be going through. Even though troubles come our way, we still have that joy that will sustain us to keep us going forward. And I mentioned to you earlier is that you grow these muscles of faith, you grow them so strongly because what happens when you love the Lord so strongly so deeply, you are able to put on the full armor of God. And you can't go out into a war or a battle without being prepared. And when you have the word in you and you're reading and you're praying, you're dedicating yourself, that makes you so much stronger. So that when those challenges come, when the enemy comes in your face, you don't have to worry about, well, I'm not prepared because he tells you that he's coming. And he comes like a thief in the middle of the night, that he's there to steal, kill. And destroy, but because we are strong and we love the Lord and we have that joy that battles everything that may come our way. So that is so true. So tell me this: what do you hope, or what would you like listeners to take away from your testimony today?

SPEAKER_00 22:24

There's several aspects of my testimony that I would like viewers and listeners to take away. You are not your current situation, whatever that may be. The world puts labels on us, and they say that we're not worth it. But there is a God that doesn't put a label. He loves you just right where you're at, and he meets you right in that place. And we shared this conversation earlier today. We think that we have to get clean, or we have to leave our addiction, or we have to leave that relationship, or we have to drop off certain things. No, that's not correct. God is the only one that changes. He says, Come as you are. So if there's anything that I could say is come as you are, because the word says that he is close to the brokenhearted, and we are all brokenhearted in one way or another. So if there's anything that I can say to somebody, is come as you are, because he will meet you in that secret place right where you are at, and he will restore you and he will give you a new name.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

Absolutely, because any man that's in Christ is a new creature, old things have passed away. And the thing about that, what you said, is really important because people may feel as if no, I've done too much. No, I can't come and be a part of who Jesus is. You know, he's perfect, but he sees us differently than anybody else. No one else will see you the way that Jesus Christ sees you. Everyone wants to criticize you, everyone want to pull you down, everyone wants to tell you you're not fit for anything. We just want to just tear you down for wherever you are. But Jesus Christ honestly will hold you, wrap you in your arms if you accept him. Because another thing that folks don't know or may forget is that in Jesus Christ, he will meet you at your needs and he doesn't force his love on you. It's not, he doesn't demand that you have to follow him, it's a free will that when you're ready to move on and closer to him, then yes, he will meet you where you is. He's never left you and he'll never forsake you, but it's it's hard to tell folks that don't know about where Jesus is, and and it's not a scary thing, he is as gentle as a lamb. So exactly. Everything that you said that is so true that he's he's just waiting for you, arms open, wide. I'm so additional exactly. So at this time, did you realize how deeply addiction was attracting your life?

SPEAKER_00 25:14

Well, Miss B, let me take it a little bit further. Okay, I became I became a drug addict at a very young age, and I'm gonna put a parenthesis here. Many people judge what they don't know, right? No one decides today I'm gonna go do drugs, correct. No one decides today I'm gonna go stick a needle in my arm. Right, nobody decides today I'm gonna go and try a drug or alcohol or I'm gonna be a prostitute or whatever your sin may be. And I want to be exclusive and say this to whoever's listening. People judge what they don't understand, and God's love is not like that.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

None.

SPEAKER_00 25:57

I became a drug addict because I was abused as a young child. I lived in a home that was not welcoming, I had a very, very chaotic situation as a young child. I became a mother at turning 12 to 13. I had an abusive father in every aspect that you can imagine. So that opened a doorway to my drug addiction. Okay, because I became pregnant at such a young age, I was then put into the foster care system. That was a whole nother trauma, right? So when we look at people, we should not look at their sin. We should pray for whatever situation has taken someone to their current situation, okay? Because when I started to do drugs, it was in the foster care system, but it hadn't been because I hadn't tried them before, it was just more exclusive to me in the foster care system, so it was meant to help me hurt me more, right? So as time went on, you know, it was a feel-good, I don't have to hurt anymore. I had this thing that wore diapers and it cried and it made noise, and I, because of my mistake, I made a decision that took a portion of my childhood. But please be mindful that I did not have the proper childhood as a child. So this opened the door, so I didn't even realize that at such a young age, Miss B, I was already addicted because that addiction started to just I don't want to feel this pain anymore.

SPEAKER_01 27:37

Right.

SPEAKER_00 27:38

So as time went on, I didn't even realize I was a drug addict because I thought, oh, I got this under the control. But as I got older and I had money, then the devil used that pain and it increased my drug addiction. So if you like you asked, um, was I aware of my addiction? No, I I wasn't because that was something that was for pleasure. So that is one of the ways that the enemy blinds us.

SPEAKER_01 28:09

Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 28:11

I wasn't aware that I was a drug addict, but I was a full-blown drug addict, right?

SPEAKER_01 28:16

I I like the point that you mentioned about people looking at, you know, your situation, your sin, and judging you because that. And I like the fact that you know what, God doesn't do that. And correct, you know, and then because of the fact that you're in that situation, it's an easy access to get to. You know, there wasn't any struggle that I need to hide or sneak. Like, for example, for me, you know, I can't relate to that because I haven't been there, but then that doesn't give me any right to look upon what you are going through or what anyone else is going through because God is love. You know, and He doesn't want us, He wants to take everyone in and as they are and accept them. And you can pray for the illness or the sickness or the disease or whatever the situation is to get that person to know confident, like I want Jesus to love me when no one else can love me any other way. I don't want no one to judge me, I don't want anyone to look upon me, I don't want anyone to see me like I'm unclean and I'm nasty, and that's where the disconnect comes from. Folks, making you feel as if I'm not important, I'm not nothing, but because of Jesus' love, all of that can be washed away completely. So I I love that. You're right, it is a powerful story, and I pray that someone hears your heart and where you're coming from and sees God's grace and love in the midst of that. So, my next question to you, Rita, looking back now, where would you see God protecting or pursuing you even when you didn't recognize it then?

SPEAKER_00 30:15

I I can't say that there was a specific time. God has always been watching over me, even in the mess, even in the childhood trauma, even in the um childhood abuse, God was always with me because if I if he wouldn't have been, I wouldn't be here testifying about his mercy and his grace. God has always kept me. Now, did I keep him? No, because I didn't know. Right, but there's a difference when you come to God and you're broken because I was at the bottom of the barrel. When I finally decided to know the Lord, um, it wasn't that I became perfect, I struggled with that addiction. I was a functioning addict, just like we here are functioning alcoholic, um, and the world says, Oh, you do 12 steps and you're always some alcoholic. No, when Jesus changes your life, you don't go back. Right. But I can truly say that I am thankful for those experiences. Had I not gone through those experiences, I would not be the mighty woman of God that I am. And today the devil can't shame me. And I want to say that no matter where you're at today, no matter where you're at, where you find yourself, there's no reason to be ashamed because the Bible is a big soap opera. Nobody was perfect but even. That's true. That is true. The disciples have faults, yeah. The people that were that walked with Christ had faults. But the amazing thing is that that God sees us again right where we're at, and I thank God for every single experience. Looking back, I used to be like, Man, why did I have to go through that? Now I say, God, I thank you that I went through that. God, I thank you that you saw me when nobody else saw me, because the world will say, Well, she ain't worth it.

SPEAKER_01 32:01

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 32:01

Again, they'll give you a label. Oh, she'll always be a drug addict. I had family members that tell me you'll never amount to anything. Yes, you're gonna have baby daddies here and baby daddies there, and you'll never have anything. But see, when the world says no, Jesus says yes. Yeah, that's tricks the enemy. I'm thankful for every experience. Were they hurtful? Have I gone through experiences even as an adult, Miss Barbara? Absolutely. Have I made mistakes after knowing the Lord? Absolutely. Do I fall every day? Absolutely. That's right, because I'm not perfect, but he is.

SPEAKER_01 32:37

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 32:37

But in my weakness, he is made strong. For a long time, I carried the guilt. Oh, I did this and I did that, and I you know what? I don't carry that shame. I don't have to carry that shame.

SPEAKER_01 32:49

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 32:49

And I don't. I thank God for every experience, I thank God for every tear. I thank God for all the times that I said, you know, I hate life because that was a common um statement for me. Because I did hate life, right? But you know what? Now I look at it and I'm like, God, I thank you for every moment and every experience, because now God is opening the doors from that mess. God is making it into a message where I have the opportunity to sit here with you, sit here with my sisters and brothers in Christ, and share my story and say, you know what? If he did it for me, he'll do it for you.

SPEAKER_01 33:29

Absolutely, absolutely. That is so true. Psalms 40 and 2 says, He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the Mari clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my going. So that's the testimony that Psalms 40 and 2 is talking about with you. He took you out of that Mori clay and placed you on a rock to stay. Now everything else is sinking sand. And without standing on something that's sturdy, it it will fall. And again, you know, we you can't even keep reiterating how much that people look down on you or frown upon you. But the love of Christ, and yes, we are all for short to the glory of God, because we're not, but even though He makes us a new creature, we still have to take up our cross daily. And we spoke about that. That you can't just say, okay, today, because you know I love the Lord and I have I'm His cheerleader, that troubles was not gonna come. Psalms 23 talks about it, yea, do I walk through the valley of the shadow of death? I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff that comfort me. So, with that said, we are going to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. But we have to know that his rod and staff would comfort us and keep us and protect us and shield us, but only if we want to do that and allow God to do that. So, thank you for that answer and your honesty. It is it is just so awesome. So, I my question next for you is how did you begin your journey towards recovering and healing?

SPEAKER_00 35:11

When I was most active in my addiction, I lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Okay, and it was a hard time in my life. Sometimes we go through experiences and we don't know why, but I want to say that I loved my addiction, and that is the mindset of a person that's addicted. I wanted to change, I didn't know how to change, right? Okay, but I did go to rehabs and I did make an attempt. But the minute I would get money, I would just go out and do my thing again. So I had a friend that moved from Pennsylvania to Florida, and she invited me to move out here. And when I came, it was a different uh area. I didn't have the same friends, I didn't keep the same company. Now, one thing that I do want to say is did I stop doing drugs when I moved to Florida? I did not. Okay, because when you're an addict, you you can make where you live, you can live in the center of the ghetto, and if you're gonna be clean, you're gonna be clean. But the devil's always knocking on that door because believe me, the enemy knows what you like too. So I I did fall in into that that that background of company again, but somehow I ended up in the church, and we'll take it from there on your next question.

SPEAKER_01 36:38

So exactly, because that leads into my next question. What was the hardest part of leaving your old life? So you were running into that, so you may proceed with your answer.

SPEAKER_00 36:49

So my daughter Akeisha um saw this church and she said, Mom, I want you to take me to this church. Um, and for many of you know um what step is, they would do this with the youth in this church, and she wanted to go to this church. So the beginning of my walk in in Florida started because of my daughter Akeisha. Even though I had heard about the Lord, I had gone to churches um when I lived in Lancaster, I wasn't fully committed. Remember, reminder to everybody that's listening. I was a young child that was put in the faucet system, and after I came in, and then I started going to church. So I didn't really grow up in church because um we grew up Catholics. So when I moved to Florida, my daughter wants to go to this church, and that's where my encounter and the beginning of everything started. I still had the desires to get high because I liked getting high. I was still carrying that pain. So that's where that process is beginning. Was it hard? Absolutely, because the only one that can take those desires and clean and remove and break you and make you brand new is Christ. It's not a doctor. I thank God for doctors. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. I thank God for God, um, doctors and nurses, and and that is all good. But the only one that can mend a broken heart is Christ because we are created in his image. So who knows the deepest parts of our pain? That's right, it's only our our heavenly father. So was it hard? It was difficult because I went through the withdrawals, but when I gave my life to Christ, those desires diminished. Now, have I fallen? Yes, and I want to reiterate that does not make you perfect. That's right, it does not serving God, doesn't mean that you're not gonna struggle, even as a mighty woman of God now. There's certain sense that I can't be around because they trigger those moments in my life, and this is where your walk with Christ, you gotta be rooted in the word, you've got to stay connected, you can't keep those same old friends, you cannot keep that same old company, you can't visit those same places, you gotta do a delete of your inner person. You that just like going in your phone and delete, delete, delete, delete, and that's what I had to do. I had to delete those things again. It doesn't mean that I don't struggle with those desires. But do I feel the pain that I used to feel? Absolutely not. Can I talk freely about my struggle? Absolutely, because I'm not what people said, I am what God says that I am. That's right, and when God does it, he just does it perfectly again. You just can't say I love God and I want to serve God and I want to live for God and be bleeding all over the place. You know, you gotta know that you're healed before you can come and bring your mess as a message, and that only comes through Jesus Christ because we can't do it on our own. You have to surrender to Christ, and that's the only way.

SPEAKER_01 40:07

Knowing that your old man can be put under because that's that's the old man because we walk in our flesh. We were born in our flesh, and flesh can't get saved. That's the thing about it. Our flesh is ready to party, and our flesh is ready to enjoy life, and our flesh is ready to say, I want this, when we know deep down in our soul, with the word rooted in us, that no, we're not doing that today, flesh. I'm gonna put you under how you go on the next day. That's when you would tell your flesh, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. But you're talking to yourself, you're not talking to anyone else because we know you know that was the fall of Adam and Eve. It was a flesh thing, you know, when the enemy came and enticed her with the fruit, that the forbidden fruit, you know, is like, okay, that looks appealing, you know, and you get that twinkle in your eye, but never mind.

SPEAKER_00 41:05

But sin is appealing, but only you can overcome that sin with Jesus Christ. That's the only way, because that's the trick of the enemy. The Bible tells us that he comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And how does he do that? By making that sin look appealing. He won't tell you, um, here, do this cocaine, here, shoot up this this drug, do this. No, he's gonna say, Oh, you're gonna feel so good. Oh, yeah, oh, you you're gonna you're not gonna feel that pain. He's not gonna show you what's gonna happen. No, he's gonna make it appealing because the word is clear and it tells us he comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But when you're rooted in the word, it's not that easy. He could come and say, Hey, Rita, and I'm like, in the name of Jesus, I'll pass you down. Not today, Satan. You know, it's constant cliche, but when you I had a pastor many years ago that said to me these words, and they have been engraved in the tablet of my heart. He said to me, You know what, Rita? The enemy comes with a different mask, but with the same story, and that has been engraved in my heart because it's true, the enemy won't come with the same pattern, he'll send something something or someone with a different weight, but it's the same, same type of sin, and it'll be that one thing that you're attracted to.

SPEAKER_01 42:21

For sure, for sure, absolutely. So, let me ask you this because that was beautiful. Uh, I'm not even gonna add or subtract from it. You did a wonderful job. Thank you for that. What was there a scripture that became your anchor?

SPEAKER_00 42:37

Absolutely. Jeremiah 29, 11, and it says, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, and plans to give you a hope and a future, and still today, that is my anchor. Because no matter where I've been, he still is my hope and my future. Yes, he is, yes, he is, and I hold on to that. That is my scripture.

SPEAKER_01 43:05

That's beautiful. There's so much nuggets in the the scripture to get you through from day to day, and then if there's one particular one that stands out and keeps you going, then that is your your turn to scripture that will not fail because you know what it means for you. So today, what does your relationship with God looks like? Do we have all night?

SPEAKER_00 43:42

Give me one highlight. I can't live without Jesus. Amen. Amen. I can't He's my enough, He's my everything, He's my fulfillment, He's my grace, He's my life. Because without Him, I'm nothing. Without Him, I am a He is my everything.

SPEAKER_01 44:04

Absolutely. And you don't even have to ask the answer the next question because you just said how your life has changed since surrendering everything to Jesus. He is your everything. He is your rock. You know, he is your strength. He is your joy for tomorrow. He is your hope. He's everything that you need. And you wouldn't have it any other way. So you answered that question already. If no one else knew that was going to be our question. So with your you being passionate about helping women who struggle, why are you so passionate about that?

SPEAKER_00 44:43

I'm very passionate about it because I want to be the anchor that leads women that are broken, that have been thrown away, that have felt like they don't have no value, that feel that they don't have a voice. I want to let them know that they are important to Jesus Christ. And I want to be a vehicle, if anything else, to tell them that there is hope. That hope is not lost in your sin. There is a savior. And a lot of times we feel, like you had said, Barbara, that we've we've done too much. No one's done too much. No one's done too much. And my prayer every day is God use me as a vehicle so that I can preach your word. And my hope is that my testimony, my mess, will be a message of hope for women. It's never too late. I can dare tell you, Barbara, that at my age right now, and I shared this with a lot of the women that are online today. I am I am at the peak of my life right now. I have never known peace like I know it now. I have never known joy like I know it now. Because there's something you can have the whole world. The Bible tells us you can have the whole world, you can have everything money, men, women, sex, whatever you want to call your sin. But what does it value you to gain the whole world? That's right. But to use your soul. Absolutely. And I want to tell us women, and I want to tell people that are listening, it doesn't matter where they're at. I want God to use me just so I can say, you know what? I love you. I've been there. I know what you're going through. I know how you feel. I know what it is not to be loved. I know what it is to be abused. I know what it is to be homeless. I know what it is to be hungry. I know what it is to be a teenage mom. I know what it is to be addicted. I know what it is to be uh sexually abused. I know what it is to be in domestic violence. I want to be that vessel to tell them you're not the label of your sin.

SPEAKER_01 46:43

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 46:45

And if I can bring just one person to Christ, then the glory belongs to him. Because that means that today, when I say God, I thank you for those experiences, it was worth me going through that process so that somebody else does it.

SPEAKER_01 47:02

That is so true. Your latter days would be your greatest.

SPEAKER_00 47:06

Amen. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 47:07

You know, uh, we always be looking for you know the shiny object, but your salvation is so much richness in that. Amen. You don't have to worry about anything because you don't have to be concerned, like, oh, I may lose my job tomorrow because you know the economy is is going up and down. Oh, I don't have enough money to put gas in my car. You're not even gonna worry about it. Oh, my car just broke down. We don't worry about those things, is because our security in Christ Jesus is more greater than any of this stuff that's not even anything that has anyone to do with it. It's just it's gonna pass away. We're talking about our souls, we're talking about our salvation, we're talking about, you know, where we're gonna spend eternity because no one else would die on the cross for us so that we would have eternal life. I don't even like getting sticked with a needle, more or less, you know, being whipped and crucified anything. You know, I'm a big baby when it comes to being cut, like, oh, I you know, it's like the end, but he did the ultimate sacrifice for us that we may be free. And who the sun set free is free indeed. Hallelujah. Thank you. Really got me over being ready to preach. Let's do it, let's do it. So you already, you've already gave how you encourage women through what you just said, so you don't have to say that anymore. Um, before I say, let's pray. Does anyone have any questions um for Rita right now? You can uh put it in the chat if you have any questions for her. They all cheering you on. It's like, amen, let's get it, let's go. Which is awesome, which is awesome. This this is such a powerful message, and I wouldn't want anyone else to deliver that message other than rather than uh Rita, who I know she loves the Lord, you know, being able to minister not only just to me but to others, and it doesn't you don't even have to have an addiction, you just have to know who you are in Christ Jesus, and you have to know that every day is not promised to you, but the day that you are blessed with the breath of life is another day that you get to say, Thank you, Heavenly Father, for waking me up this morning and giving me the opportunity to give you the glory and honor, because there is a saying that I always heard people in our church say the Lord didn't have to do it, but he did. And that's just how it is. How many folks, you know, can you get up, you know, 7 o'clock, 6 o'clock, 4 o'clock, 3 o'clock in the morning and say, hey, I need you. And they sleeping, they may not want to run turn over, they may want to do it grudgingly, but Jesus Christ will never turn you away, he will always be there to listen to you, to hold you, and give you what you need. And that's what's so great about knowing who Jesus Christ is. He meets all of us differently at our need, and no one else in this world can do those things like Christ Jesus can. So it's just awesome. So it doesn't look like anyone have any questions at this present moment. So what I'm asking for you to do right now, Rita, is pray for that woman or that man. It doesn't have to be a woman, but pray for them today who feels like she's lost or he's lost, battling addictions or that with the family, um, battling with them who feels hopeless and who's seeking freedom for healing.

SPEAKER_00 51:22

And I just want to say something that I feel in my spirit. Sure. Addiction can be anything, exactly. It can be it can be anything, it doesn't have to be um an addiction like minds. Anything can be an addiction. Um, and I really feel that that there's things that we become so accustomed to. Um complaining can become an addiction, exactly, and it separates us from God because we lose focus of how good He has been with us. How good, like you said, Barbara, just to wake up in the morning, you know. As Christians, yeah, we're gonna go through things, but we need to watch what we speak, what comes out of our lips because our spirit receives it right back. So I just want to, before I pray, just say, let it be an alert to us to be more thankful because we have so many reasons to be thankful, and we complain so much. We complain so much, instead of looking at what we do have, we complain about what we don't have, right? But ultimately, there is a Christ that paid the ultimate price, so you have it all, right? If you have a question when you finish that, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:44

Someone asks, what's your biggest reminder daily to keep faith? I think it's Austin.

SPEAKER_00 52:55

What that is my my grandson Austin. Okay, Austin, if there's something that if there's something that I could say is you've got to stay in your word. You're we none of us are gonna change on our own, but there is power in the word, the power of the word transforms and heals that broken hearted. The word tells us that God is close to the brokenhearted, whatever that brokenness will be maybe, that's what keeps me plugged in. Getting up in the morning and spending time with him and spend spending time in my word.

SPEAKER_01 53:30

Okay. Well, Lily wants to know what you can say to those that struggle on a daily basis getting closer to God. Like you said, it doesn't have to be an addiction, it could be something else. What would you say to them?

SPEAKER_00 53:43

Time with God, that intimate time with God. Don't start your day without God because He's the one that sets your day, He's the one that just gives it all to you. If you are connected, listen, I I I want to express so much and I become so overwhelmed with my emotion, but it's just that connection, staying connected to God, being connected to Him. That word, you've got to be in your word because the minute that you step away five minutes, that five minutes, the enemy takes it and turns it into habit.

SPEAKER_02 54:16

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 54:17

Staying connected, you gotta stay connected, you gotta feed your spirit. Exactly. It's like trying to run a car without no fuel. It's not gonna happen. If you're not connected to the source, you're gonna open doors, you're you're gonna disconnect one way or the other. So, my sister Lily, that's what I would say. Getting up, making that effort because we all like to sleep. It's hard to get out of the bed sometimes and and and just start out the day early. But when you do it, something happened. Something in the name of Jesus, just like, ah, I'm tired, but it's so refreshing to be in his presence. And the only way you can be in his presence is in his word and spending that intimate time with him.

SPEAKER_01 55:02

Actually, there's a song that I I listened to says something about the name of Jesus. It is the sweetest name I know. So, whatever is the power of the name of Jesus, everything that Jesus represents is that and above all things. And if you realize that he is your source of your strength, you can't even neglect, like, say, I'm gonna take a break right now. There's no breaks in loving the Lord because He doesn't stop loving you from day to day. So your commitment to Him is like, Lord, I'm gonna give you my time because you've gave me your time of giving me breath today. You gave me your time of letting me know that I have another opportunity to live. And each day that you walk with Christ and you do the things of Christ, it gets sweeter and sweeter. And then everything else is just doesn't matter any longer. And you don't walk around as if you're better than anybody, it just shows that his grace is mercy. Because I guarantee you, the way that you looked 10 years ago before having Christ, you don't look like that anymore. He changes your whole mindset, he changes the way that you see folks, so you're looking differently. He he shows you if you're gonna be in danger because you have the word in you, and with those equipment, like I mentioned earlier, the full armor of God gets you from day to day so that you don't have to worry about if I'm gonna fall in a ditch. No, because you're gonna already be warned about it, like not to go there, and he guides your next footsteps every day, and you're right, every day you wake up is a brand new morning. Say, Thank you, Jesus, for this day. Let me put some word in me because I don't know what is coming my way, but I want to be prepared, amen.

SPEAKER_00 57:01

Be covered, yeah, and many times God will separate you, and and I've been in a season in my life where God separated me, and a lot of things were out of place, you know, and and God said, Rita, you're here, but I need you here, and and I had to shut down the noise. You gotta shut down the noise to get connected with God. You have to turn off the cell phone, you have to say no to a lot of things because in that separation there's healing.

SPEAKER_02 57:36

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 57:37

So many times God works, and and the Bible tells us that He works in mysterious ways. Sometimes you just need to shut out the noise, you need to turn off the TV, you need to turn off the cell phone and get in your word and say, Father, and and I just recently shared with Barbara where there was a moment um a few days ago that I got up to pray at 4 a.m. and I honestly I got out of the bed and I was like, speak, Father God, because your servant listens, and God prepared me for something that I'm encountering right now, and I have the full peace of God when that was coming, God had already prepared me. But had I not taken that time of separation to seek his presence and to be connected, I would have missed it. But because I've taken that time, I've committed myself to being in that intimacy with the Lord and being rooted in his word and being planted in his word, when that storm came, I'm like, okay, God, all right. And God told me what was going to happen that very day. And I I wasn't shocked because my God speaks, my God speaks, but we have to listen, we have to position ourselves to be able to listen because if all that noise is running around in your head and the cell phone is ringing and the the kids are screaming, or whatever it may be, you're not gonna hear what God is trying to say. But I have positioned myself so as men and women of God, we have to position ourselves to be able to hear God because, like you said, he'll tell us, hey, there's a ditch right there, don't go through there. But if there's all that noise going on, you're gonna fall into that ditch because you weren't connected to the source, and we have to be connected to the source because he speaks. So the true question is here are we ready to listen? Are we ready for the disposition that God has for us? We've received the word of God today, we've heard my testimony, but we're all living testimonies here. But this is not about my testimony, this is about every listener that's listening now and is gonna see this afterwards. Are you willing to pay the price? Are you willing to be in a disposition to hear God? That's the true question today. Why are you in the predicament that you are in? Are you ready to submit to God? Are you ready to say, God, whatever this issue is? It may not be drugs, and I it may not be crack cocaine, it may not be heroin, it may not be alcohol, it may not be pornography, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But are you going to position yourself? Because we can pray here, but are you willing to encounter the Holy Spirit? Are you willing to say, God, I submitted all to you? I'm ready to surrender. Because Barbara is being used as a vehicle of Christ today to open this platform to all those that are going to see it during and after. But the question here is, are you willing to surrender whatever that may be to God? Are you willing to say, Father God, I need you? I've tried it all, I've done it on my own. I've seeked and searched, but I can't find. Because we all have a thirst in our hearts. We all want to be loved. We all want to feel special. And we are all special. But with being special, there's an attachment. There was a man named Jesus that paid a price that we could never pay. He gave his life, he gave his only son. So all those that are gonna listen to this podcast, if you have a son or a daughter, would you be willing to lay down the life of your child for someone's sin? Would you be willing to give up your granddaughter or your grandson? If God asked you today, I love you, but I want you to do this, would you do it? Would you disposition yourself to say, God, I trust you in my pain, in my addiction? But God doesn't ask that of us. He gave his son, he paid the price. It's paid, he paid it in full. It's like going out and saying, Hey, I'm gonna go in, and they come and bring you back the receipt, and they say, Here it is. When you look at it, look, it's blank. Because Jesus paid a price that we paid it all. He paid it all. There's no more debt. All I'm going to say before I pray and before we close, is if you take anything from this, Jesus paid it all. He paid the price. But would you be willing to give up your son or your daughter for somebody else's sin? He loved us each and every one of us so much that he did that for us.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:05

Yes, he did.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:06

It is paid in full. All we have to do is ask him. The Bible says, seek and you shall find. And with that, Miss Barbara, if you allow me, I you know, I'd like to pray and thank you to everyone that tuned in. Barbara, thank you for the privilege. It's definitely been a privilege. Father, we just come before your presence this evening, Father God. To everyone that will listen to this podcast during and after, Father God. I pray that they will encounter you, my Lord God. I pray, Father God, before anything, that they would surrender, Father God, that they will receive you today as their Lord and Savior, Lord Jesus. Father, I ask you to speak and minister to those that are broken, to those that are seeking, Father God, to those that are in need, Father God, of restoration. Father, for those that are defected, Father God, for those that are Father God, for those that are seeking appointment, Father God. Father, I ask you that heaven, and Father, I ask you in Jesus' name to make a way where there is no way. In Jesus' name, amen.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:20

Amen. We thank everybody for coming out today. I'm gonna play my theme song. I'm planted by the word of God, and then I want everyone to have a blessed evening.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:35

Don't make shit, y'all.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:51

Okay, God bless everyone tonight. I pray that you got something out of here, and may God just keep you in his will and in his way. Amen, everybody. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:03

Thank you, everyone.