S.P.I.R.I.T.: Seeking Personal, Intimate Relationships in Truth

By Helen Smith

As a very young child, I was raised in a household filled with doom, gloom, poverty, and shame

And when I married at the age of sixteen, I was already steeped in a way of life as a female; whom were looked upon as less than a man. Only now, despair was added to my host of painful, negative emotions

Nobody but God freed me from the house of bondage

Now, here in my ladder years, I live in the house, my house of love, peace, joy, wholeness and prosperity; nothing broken and nothing missing in my spirit

Thanks be unto Father God, Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

As far as Im concerned, what Satan purposed for my destruction, the Lord purposed for my destiny! Glory!

With the leadership of the Holy Spirit in my life, and many of Gods blessings, my struggling opened the door for my writing, and my writing opened the door to my prayer life

Now I had someone to talk with, I could express in my writing what I was truly feeling on the inside, when peoples words, mistreatments, and disappointments had hurt me

No matter how insignificant their words were, or what they did or didnt do, I could always tell God the truth about my hurt feelings. And He always allowed me to cry for as long as I needed to

My tears were Gods way of washing away the hurt and replacing it with tenderness and love, putting me back together

This was and is how I cope with life even todayMy prayer life goes beyond pen and paper; Im constantly talking to God in my mind throughout my day and night. This is who I am.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 28, 2011
• ISBN: 9781468508697

Helen Smith

Helen Smith is a novelist and play-wright and the recipient of an Arts Council of England Award. In addition to Alison Wonderland, she is the author of Being Light, The Miracle Inspector, and two children’s books. Her plays have been produced to critical acclaim in the United Kingdom. She has traveled all over the world, and currently lives in London.

Book preview

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

S.P.I.R.I.T.

About the Author’s

Spiritual Background

S.P.I.R.I.T.

Staying Focused

Selfish, Lazy Love for

Father God: Fake Love

Steps to Seeking Personal, Intimate Relationships

in Truth

Heart-shaped Charm

Called Mom

God’s Covenant and Promise With His People

Beaten and Lonely Heart

Hope

Preparation for Building Your Faith

How Can I Find Guidance and Peace?

Heart to Heart

God Opens Doors

Thorn in the Flesh

Path to Spiritual

Enrichment

Man’s Reality and Stepping into Faith in God

Strength and Power from the Fruit of the Spirit

The Spirit of Joy’s Foundation

Fully Dressed in

God’s Armor

What is All This Talk about Peace in the Lord?

The Light of God’s Love

When I Look at Myself in the Mirror, I See

Mirror Page

S.P.I.R.I.T.

The Word Spirit Stands for:

Seeking Personal, Intimate,

Relationships in Truth!

HELEN SMITH

Beloved Reader,

I intentionally left out Bible quotations because at the end of each chapter I present all the Bible verses that support and help to build my story.

Acknowledgments

Father God, thank you for allowing me to be Your vessel to show forth Your Love, Power, and Grace toward all mankind. Amen!

Daughter Kim, thank you for lovingly helping to make my dream a reality. Your faith in me is what helped to make S.P.I.R.I.T. available to the public.

Pauline Brown, Lady Pauline, I want to thank you for willingly offering to proofread my baby, S.P.I.R.I.T. Also, I want to thank you for your suggestion for the book jacket.

Beloved readers, when you read this material, read it not just with your mind; but with your heart and soul. Get to the depths of your inner feelings with each chapter, for these are not mere words. This was and is a life that was raised from the ashes to glory.

Our life experiences may differ, but we do have at least two things in common: a heart and the ability to feel pain. Pain of any kind hurts.

Introduction

Beloved Readers and my Sisters and

Brothers in Christ

Here is a collection of my spiritual writings. I’ve been appointed by Father God as one of His personal evangelists, to empower His people. To teach people how to begin Seeking Personal, Intimate Relationships in Truth with Father God, Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit…

Some of what you’ll read below are personal testimonies. My purpose is to share some of my hardships, struggles, and ultimate victories. My hope is that you may gain insight, power, and victory in your life. The message I want to communicate to you is that you are not alone in your pain, disappointment, and suffering. Furthermore, your trials did not come to stay, and this too shall pass.

Do not attempt to lean on your own understanding but rest in the arms of Father God. And know that the one set of footprints in the sand are those of Jesus Christ while He is carrying you to safer grounds. Always remember, Jesus Christ is still on the throne, and repeat to yourself throughout the day:

All is well with my soul because my Lord Jesus is in control.

I’m writing this on December 11, 2000, my sister Lillian’s Birthday. She has been in a coma for three years. Happy Birthday Sis, I love you!

Update! After seven years of being in a coma, Father God called my only sister home to be with Him…

I love you Lillian, and I’ll see you again in the Resurrection!

S.P.I.R.I.T.

Seeking Personal, Intimate, Relationships in Truth

Our New Year’s Determinations

Change of Heart

My beloved readers and friends, God has blessed you and me with our own special traits and gifts. And each of us has a unique character that’s meant to benefit others.

One of the things that we all have in common is a heart. God has placed in each one of us a heart full of compassion and love. For some people, life’s hardships have made their hearts bitter and cold. For others, disappointment, abuse, and failure have robbed their hearts of peace and joy. Thank God for divine love! If only those people would allow the love of Jesus to come into their hearts, He would heal and reconstruct their hearts with His love. There would be nothing broken and nothing missing; He stands knocking at the door of your heart. Will you open your heart and let Him come in?

Have you heard about the divine power of prayer and how it can change your mind, heart, and lifestyle? Also, it can give you a whole new lease on life. Well, get ready! You are in for a total makeover from the inside out starting today.

Out with the old and in with the new way of thinking, feeling, and living! This is a New Year and a new you! Be determined to make that change starting from within. So let’s get started!

God Bless!

About the Author’s

Spiritual Background

These are the people and circumstances that contributed to my spiritual development:

Pentecostal Church, Early 1950s: I was seven or eight, and my uncle Willie Smith was a deacon in the church. I was placed in his care for my spiritual upbringing. I can recall Sundays kneeling on red cushion pillows at the church altar. Praying with the grown-ups for what seemed like hours. Back then, people stayed at church all day; we even had meals there. This is how my prayer life got started at such a young age. I can also recall learning Bible verses, so I could recite them in Sunday school. I even remember a group outing to the movies. The movie was about Satan, Adam, and Eve in the garden. The part about Satan stayed fixed in my young mind. Even today, I can call forth that mental image of him in the form of a tree.

Catholic Church, Holy Cross, Early 1960s: I married into a Catholic family. This is how I learned and developed a spiritual dialogue, through rosary beads and reciting my Hail Marys. Some time later, I got baptized and became very devoted to my studies and the Mass. I even brought my children up in the faith.

Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, Pastor Cymbola, Mid-1970s: A non-denominational church; this is where I learned how to worship and praise in a church setting. From this type of atmosphere, I was able to develop a personal and intimate relationship with Father God and Lord Jesus. I also got very involved with the church and its youth. After a while I became one of the Youth leaders and we were called the Jet Cadets. We went on youth trips as well as weekend retreats. I was even one of the youth speakers at the retreats.

Hour of Power, Robert Schuller, Early 1980s: I started watching my very first TV televangelist program. It taught me how to empower my spiritual knowledge. I read my Bible daily, and I purchased his books and tapes, which took my spiritual growth to the next level and began to write. Robert Schuller also opened the door to other TV televangelist programs such as:

InTouch Ministries, Charles Stanley, Late 1980s: My spiritual writings became very much a part of my daily life. It was my way of communicating with the Lord Jesus and coping with the pain of divorce and raising two young children on my own. Disappointment and heartache turned my writings into my ministry.

Mount Sinai United Christian Church, Pastor Brown, 1997: Another non-denominational church. In 1997 I moved to Staten Island after ten years of membership and service at Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. God moved me to Staten Island right next-door to my daughter and her family. This was truly a blessing from God for the both of us. I continued to go back and forth to Brooklyn Tabernacle, but after a while, I became a member of this church. The praise and worship that I was taught at Brooklyn Tabernacle became my reputation at Mt. Sinai. I also became an active member in the Women’s Ministry and I joined the evangelist team for the nursing home. Plus, I got involved in teaching the youth ministry, Daughters of Ruth. And in 2000, I completed my book and I gave birth to it through the women’s ministry. I had it copyrighted through the Library of Congress. The title is S.P.I.R.I.T., which stands for Seek Personal, Intimate Relationships in Truth. I gave copies of it to some church members, and I sold copies to my coworkers, family, and friends. Mount Sinai Church provided confirmation of my entire spiritual knowledge and training.

Christ Abundant Life Ministry Church, Staten Island, Pastor Henry and Lara Emmanuel, August 18, 2004: Non-denominational. I’m just a follower of Jesus Christ. I’m at my new level of spiritual maturity. Also, the Holy Spirit prompted me to revise and recreate my book, S.P.I.R.I.T. I was obedient to the Holy Spirit’s instructions. I revised the title and most of the chapters from the 2000 version of the book that you are now reading. Christ Abundant Life Ministry is now my house of worship. I’m excited about what Father God, Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have in store for me. During my three years with Abundant Life Ministry, I was involved with the youth ministry. Even youths from outside our church participated in our youth ministry. Also, Pastor Henry Emmanuel taught us how to hear God’s voice, and our role as leaders in the Church. He gave us insight and helped us to understand the purpose of being a follower of Jesus Christ, doing His kingdom’s work. I was even among the few who were called out and anointed with oil during an honorary celebration.

Christian Pentecostal Church, 2007: I visited with my neighbor Agnes Waller and went with her to her house of worship. The Holy Spirit prompted me to move into another dimension in my walk with Jesus Christ. The Gospel Ministry at CPC took my spirit to an even higher realm, and after a few more visits, I joined the church. After one year, Jehovah God moved me into my promised land, filled with milk and honey. I had my own ranch-style home built from the ground up in South Carolina.

New Home A.M.E. ZION Church, 2008: I retired from the Board of Education after twenty-two years of teaching in elementary and middle Schools. By the grace of God, my daughter and her family and I made the move together to South Carolina. They, too, had their home built from the ground up, just around the corner from me. I love my new house of worship, Pastor Brown, Lady Pauline, and their family, as well as my loving Church family. I’m enjoining the good life here in my promised land. Praise be to Father God; this is a long way from Staten Island, New York. It just goes to show our Father in heaven is a big God, and He has good things in store for all His children who believe and trust His word and follow Jesus Christ, His beloved son and our Savior.

I’ve already got involved with the elderly through the nursing home, as well as the youth ministry, and the evangelical ministry. Father God has already deposited in my spirit a vision for the elderly and the youth. I’m even in the process of moving my mother from a Brooklyn nursing home to one here in South Carolina. I’m so excited about getting involved in His kingdom work and helping souls come into the house of the Lord, as well as them giving Jesus Christ their heart and life.

What a privilege and honor to serve and obey the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

S.P.I.R.I.T.

Seeking: I look for and I’m mindful of things that are pleasing unto the Lord. For, it is Him who I want to please. Also, I seek and desire to be more and more like Jesus: to have the mind of Jesus, the speech of Jesus, the heart of Jesus, and the character of Jesus.

Personal: I think of my dear friends, whom God has blessed me with and placed in my life. Their supportiveness gives me much joy and peace. Also, I feel secure when I share with them the secrets of my heart and my dreams for the future. Even though I’m blessed with beloved friends, they cannot share in the depths of my soul. For this is only reserved for my Lord and Savior. My Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who has the keys to unlock and reveal unto me the core and the seat of my existence. My