The Bride of Judah: Driven by Desire

By Dr. Mariea Calhoun Smith

On this Christian journey, we must be driven by God and his desire for our lives. To successfully drive and fulfill your purpose, you must have a personal relationship with God, driven to die to self and allow Gods glory to radiate in your life and to continue after you are gone.

Your legacy will remain. Continue to abide in truth, and let the Word of God work in you, through you, and for you.

No one can drive you unless you are willing to let them take over the reins of your life. Allow Jesus to take over the reins of your life so that you can successfully complete the mission that you were sent here in the earth to doto stand on the promises of God even in the midst of opposition, affliction, betrayal, lies, and deceit.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984527851

Dr. Mariea Calhoun Smith

Mariea is a single mother with 4 children. She was born and raised in Ozark Alabama. Her parents are Joyce Calhoun and Will Dawkins Jr. She was raised by her grandmother (Ora Dean Rivers). She has seven grandchildren. She has a BA in Christian Studies; a MA in Christian Studies with an Emphasis in Pastoral and Youth Ministry. She obtained her degrees at GCU (Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona). Mariea has 2 sisters and 4 brothers. Marieas desire is to work in ministry to help those that are broken or have been broken by life. Mariea wants to be the light that shines and declares that you can make it regardless of where you been or what life has given you. With Gods help and guidance, Mariea want the people to know that there is hope and they do have a future. Her heart goes out to the single parents and young teenage girls that are having children out of wedlock with no place to go. Working in ministry really help brings forth not only the word of God, but showing his love to others that are in need of a savior. Mariea count it a privilege and honor to be able to get an education for the furthering of ministry and the kingdom.

Book preview

The Bride of Judah

Driven by Desire

Written by:

Dr. Mariea Calhoun Smith

Copyright © 2017 by Dr. Mariea Calhoun Smith.

Library of Congress Control Number:     2018905716

         ISBN:               Hardcover                 978-1-9845-2787-5

                                  Softcover                    978-1-9845-2786-8

                                  eBook                         978-1-9845-2785-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 05/09/2018

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

772967

Contents

Dedication

Prelude

Introduction of Prayer and Understanding

Chapter 1     Prepared Promise

Chapter 2     Waiting for the Promise

Chapter 3     Driven to Serve

Chapter 4     Driven to Wait

Chapter 5     Driven by Circumstances

Chapter 6     Left to Tend the Sheep

Chapter 7     Crawling in the Dark

Chapter 8     Hands Stained by Grief

Chapter 9     Tainted by Desire

Chapter 10   Forged to Give Up

Chapter 11   Trapped Within the Thoughts of Others

Chapter 12   Broken Beyond Repair

Chapter 13   Rejected by Those You Love

Chapter 14   Crowned with Defeat

Chapter 15   Here He Comes

Chapter 16   Grace and Mercy

Chapter 17   Freedom from Self-Defeat

Chapter 18   Chosen to Endure

Chapter 19   Released from Reproach

Chapter 20   Born-Again

Chapter 21   Still Falling

Chapter 22   Still being Rejected

Chapter 23   Still Searching

Chapter 24   Diamonds Preserved

Chapter 25   A Precious Jewel in His Eyes

Chapter 26   Denied by Them

Chapter 27   Adored by HIM

Chapter 28   Renewed in All Things

Chapter 29   Saturated with His Love

Chapter 30   Ready to be Released

Chapter 31   Prayers of Preparation

Chapter 32   Identified Dignity

Chapter 33   Welcome Home

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who has given me the ability to write for without him I can do nothing, but with him I can do all things.

I would like to dedicate this book to all the Brides of Judah. Who has willingly sold out for the kingdom of God.

I would like to dedicate this book to a special sister in the gospel who has prayed for me without hesitation through the birth of this book (Min. Sandra Jackson Young). God bless you and keep you is my prayer for you.

A special I love you to Liberty Christian Church for all your prayers and support for the gift that God has blessed me with.

To all my children you know who you are (the ones I had and the ones I did not have). I love you and God bless you all the days of your life.

I big I love you to my classmates from GCU (you know who you are).

To all my church family (you know who you are) I love you and I thank God for you.

To all my enemies (you know who you are) I love you and I thank God for you too.

To my family (too many to name, you know who you are) I love you and I thank God for you.

Prelude……

As Deborah find herself in a place of wanting, desiring, and a willingness to let it all go. Follow her story as she becomes the Bride of Judah.

Psalm 45:13-15

The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace.

Introduction of Prayer and Understanding

Even though I don’t understand the process of waiting, give me the strength to wait on you because I know what is best for me. I often try to do it my way but to no avail; I always come up empty. I know you are working in my favor. I just need the strength to keep moving forward. I know you have not given me the spirit of fear but power love and a sound mind.

Help me to stand even when the enemy has come in like a flood in every area of my life. My life is in you for I am holding on to the promise of being a Bride of Judah who is at this moment being driven with desire. A desire to live. A desire to succeed. A desire to have more of you and less of me. A desire to stand when others are giving in and throwing away the towel. A desire to look like you. A desire to talk like you. A desire to do all that is pleasing in your sight. A desire to be filled with your love and hate sin.

Life teaches some valuable lessons I we are willing to learn them. Several lessons that life has taught me and still teaching me and that is time. According to Ecclesiastes 3 it is all about the season you are in. you know when to make a move…when to speak…. when to be quiet and when to stand still. For some you are in the be quiet and stand still season of your life; embrace it. There are some of you in the not now season of your life but embrace it. And we all are in the waiting season embrace it. We all are waiting for his return as the Bride of Judah.

While on this Christian journey…many paths you will cross…some are smooth, and some are rough…but to get to the promise you must endure the smoothness of the path as well as the rough…. we don’t have a problem with the smooth path…. we have problem with the rough paths…. those rough paths show who we are and where we are…. the very intents of our heart are revealed. This process is necessary so that we can get any wrong that is in us right. Lord, thank you for the rough paths of life so that I can get it right with you. additionally, this journey can bear many enemies also, and like the rough paths are necessary, so are the enemies. It all help us to grow in Christ.

The rough paths of life consist of many things and everyone has a different path to go down, but it all is to help us become