We all got some “issues” I got issues…you got issues…even the preacher has issues.  Jesus said “In this world you will have trouble.”  Not “if” you have trouble…he said ” you will have trouble.”  Being enclosed in this one room 24 hours a day with other women has taught me a lot about “issues.”  Mine and everybody elses.

I am usually good about recognizing mine-facing them and giving them to God.  But sometimes it is easier for me to notice someone elses issues and put mine toward the back of my mind…and theirs to the tip of my tongue…”Ouch!”  (Sometimes it’s easier to say ouch than Amen.)

We’ve all done it.  At first it starts off as concern.  And we quote scripture:  “Whoever turns a sinner from error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins.”  (James 5:20)  Sometimes the problem with this is that some people won’t face their “issues.”  There is no way to turn them from their error if they don’t think they are living in sin.

So the next thing that happens is that somehow they become the topic of conversation.  We want to help…but we don’t know what to do..we pray about it…but for some reason we still discuss it among ourselves.  But then God taps us on the shoulder with:  “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  (Eph 4:29)  Then he says ” Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it become more and more ungodly.”  (2 Tim 2:16)     Isn’t that the truth!

The more we talk about it…the more we notice it.  The more we notice it…the more it bothers us.  The more it bothers us… the harder it becomes for us to give it to God.  And until we give it to God…we can’t expect Jesus to bring deliverance.  We have to surrender all our issues at the foot of the cross and know that Jesus will deliver us.  He said, “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

Lord, help us to give our issues to you, and to pray for our sisters issues instead of discuss them among ourselves.  Amen.

Isaiah 49:4  “I have labored to no purpose, I have spent my strength in vain and for no other.  Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

I figured it out last night…I have not doubted God at all since I got sentenced.  I know God can do anything.  If He wanted to release me He would have.  I think it mostly makes me doubt myself.  What I did I do wrong?  What didn’t I do?  What issues do I have that God is still working on?  I guess He has 7 years to reveal them to me.

The scripture above is definitely what I have been feeling.  I thought I had this huge blessing coming (release), but 71/2 years is no blessing to me.  But I heard a song today that said “Sometimes our heartaches are blessings in disguise.”  Yes, I know that some how this is a huge blessing.  I don’t know what the end of the matter is…But God said:  “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”  Ecc 7:8

Patience is one of my greatest virtues these days.  So I will just wait and see.

A Strong Woman works out everyday to keep her body in shape…But a Woman of Strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.

A Strong Woman isn’t afraid of anything…But a Woman of Strength shows courage in the midst of her fears.

A Strong Woman won’t let anyone get the best of her…But a Woman of Strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

A Strong Woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future…But a Woman of Strength realizes life’s mistakes can also be God’s Blessings and capitalizes on them.

A Strong Woman walks sure footedly….But a Woman of Strength knows God will catch her when she falls.

A Strong Woman wears a look of confidence on her face…But a Woman of Strength wears grace.

A Strong Woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…But a Woman of Strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

Author Unknown

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I received the letters of recommendation that my family wrote for my judge.  They made me cry…something I have been doing a lot of lately.  And of course… how appropriate that the song that just came on the radio is:  ”I’ve never been more home sick now… So hold on to Jesus with all that I am so I will see you again…Lord give me the strength to make it through somehow…I’ve never been more homesick than now.”

I almost forgot who I used to be…Who I really am.  As my Aunt Cheryl put it, “The meth monster took the twinkle out of my eye.”  But my God is mighty to save!!  I don’t know how I got so messed up, I have the best family ever!  And they love me so much!  But my addiction took over my whole life… my thoughts – my feelings and everything I did.  If I was going somewhere I would take into consideration where I was going to get high, where I was going to hide my dope until I got high.  I would avoid certain people or circumstances because I knew I wouldn’t be able to get high.  I didn’t date because I didn’t want anyone to find out about my addiction.  I had only a few friends.  I sometimes avoided phone calls from my family because I was so high and did not want them to suspect anything.  I was miserable!  I was depressed and had no meaning to my life… no purpose.  I can’t say that I ever wanted to take my life but I do remember being curled up in my bed on more that one occasion crying so heavily, wishing I would just die.

Coming to jail has been the absolute best thing that has happened to me in 7 years!  Now I have been delivered of the meth monster and now I am a “beast” about my God!!  I have purpose – well, God’s purpose is now my purpose.  I want to bring souls to Christ.  I want Jesus to shine through me so that everyone wants the joy that God has given me!  I want everyone to experience eternal life!  Even right here in jail I have a glimpse of Eternal Life!   Jesus said, ” Your joy will be complete…I will give you rest…peace I give to you…I will never leave you…I love you. And that is just a bit of Eternal life living in me.  “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to the end.”  Ecclesiastes 3:11

Hello Readers,

I was released in January and a lothas happened to me.  I walked out of jail as a free woman.  When I opened the front door and took a good look the free world wasn’t the same.  Everything was different.  The sky was clear and I didn’t hear anything.  I felt scared and alone.  Then, I saw my father.  He hugged me and we walked to his truck.  On our way back to Lafayette he asked me if there was anything I wanted.  I couldn’t think of anything.  I didn’t want to eat or drink.  Everything I said, I wanted to do wasn’t important any more.  I closed my eyes and started to pray,  I asked the Lord why am I so scared.  Please take my fear away.  I wasn’t sure what I was scared of or why.  That night I had a wonderful time with my boys!  Sunday we went to church.  Everything was great!!  Until I ran into some old friends and started drinking again.  With the drinking I started taking pills again, stopped going to church, stopped praying.

Then one day I was driving and was lost and confused about my life.  I saw a church and something in my heart told me to stop.  So I did, I walked in and started praying for everything I had done.  This little elderly woman came up to me and  I told her my life story.  I started with me being incarcerated and meeting Randi, until now.  She told me the day I was released I was scared of myself having to fight the devil alone.  Without Randi to remind me and keep me on track.  It’s easy to stay focused when you are incarcerated.  The real test is in the free world.  Sin is everywhere!!

Now I pray every morning and every evening not to lose my focus.  This is the prayer that helps me:  Dear God,  Help me to remember that whenever I become careless about fellowship with other believers, I am moving away from you.  Forgive me for the times I have become detached from your body, the church.  Help me to stay connected and committed and love your church the way you do.

 Lisa Holliday

Hello All!

I am actually getting ready to fly out to Baton Rouge for Randi’s hearing but I decided to give Randi a makeover today!    Come by and visit if you are reading this in a feed or subscribe by email.  The site has a new look and some better functionality!  Now, it is easy to leave a comment – whether you have a blog or not.  And more great features will be coming soon!

• Please pray for Randi and our family this week.  Please pray for peace & confidence as she sits in the courtroom tomorrow.

• My parents will be driving from Florida and I will fly from DFW – pray for safe travels

• Pray that Randi does not doubt God no matter what happens

• Pray that God shows up in a big way in that court room.  She will be sharing a her testimony whether prompted to OR NOT.  She is excited to put it out there but a little nervous as well!

I will post on Friday with more details about the outcome of Randi’s sentencing.

Hey Everybody. Sorry I haven’t been writing much lately. My life is very boring. Everyday is the same routine with the same people. As a matter of fact right now I am sitting outside watching these ants. I never noticed that when they walk in a straight line, there are some ants coming and some going. And each ant runs into each ant along the way. It almost looks as if they are stopping to greet each other, but I don’t think that’s it. They are making sure they don’t get lost. Ants are so smart. That’s amazing! God’s Amazing!!

I tried to stretch my legs out in front of me – but I got in their path and the ants got real confused… First they tried to go around my legs, but then they started to climb on my pants so I moved and let them continue their work. Only in jail would I get so excited over watching ants at work. I can see it now….”What did you do for the 4th of July?” “Oh…just sat outside with a family of ants.”

I have a birthday coming up. A month from today I will be 27. My second birthday in jail. I never imagined spending my late 20′s in jail. But I keep reminding myself that sometimes we don’t have a say in God’s Plan for our lives. So I am Okay. I would love to be home to celebrate but we will have a party right here as well.

Keep me in your prayers the next few weeks. Things are happening. I should have more to write about after the first of the month.

The devil stopped by for a visit this morning. It was horrible! First, there is my bunkee…making fun of the new girl. She was saying how ugly she was-actually she was shouting across the dorm how ugly she was. Then she went on to say how her little 3 year old even knows how to say “She’s ugly mama.” Wow!! That’s bad when you teach your children how to call someone ugly!

Then at breakfast the same little girl went to sit down at the other table – but one of the girls jumped up from her seat and said, “Woah – That’s my seat… you can’t sit there.” And so the little girl came and sat at our table.

After breakfast I came back to my bed to pray and on both sides of me all I heard were inmates talking about other inmates. Then somehow the subject was changed to an argument about the Bible. Then others joined in, including my bunkee who doesn’t have any bit of knowledge about God. It was getting hot!! I just prayed. I knew better that to engage in any arguments about God. Titus 3:9 says “Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.” So that’s what I did.

It’s quiet now cause everyone is sleeping. But lunch is fixing to be served… we’ll find out if the devil left or if he’s just taking a nap, too.