Guard Your Heart with All Diligence, for out of the Heart Flows the Issues of Life

By Henrietta Freeman

Have you ever found yourself dealing with issues of today that may have started as far back as your childhood? Have you ever wondered why certain things trigger your emotions that cause you to react to things in a certain way?

The title of this book, Guard Your Heart with All Diligence, for Out of the Heart Flows the Issues of Life comes from the scripture of Proverbs 4:23. The Author of the book shares with us in her memoir about the revelation she received from this scripture and how she overcame hardships and past hurts that took root in her heart, thus creating the issues of her life. She encourages others to be aware of what enters your heart due to unfortunate circumstances and how others may have mistreated you in the past.

She felt that growing up without a father’s love and influence in her life; self-esteem issues; abuse; and harboring un-forgiveness all played a role in her looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places. She tried to fill a void in her heart that she later learned that people and things could never fill.

Through a relationship with her (Third Father) which she explains in the book, she found acceptance, forgiveness, and healing, which led her to release her heart’s issues and to find her life purpose.

She gives all credit to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for helping her overcome her hardest battles and for making all things possible in her life. Today, she guards her heart a little more closely. She says “one of the best ways to get the last laugh in the face of the enemy is to allow God to take what the enemy meant for evil in your life, and turn it around to work for the good, and What you survive should give hope to others.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546253525

Henrietta Freeman

Henrietta Freeman, a native of Greenville, South Carolina, grew up in downtown Greenville with five siblings. She attended and graduated from Berea High School. She earned an A.A.S degree in medical administration at ECPI College of Technology. She is now a minister called to do the work of the Lord. She is the founder of Healing Waters (Center for Abused Women). Henrietta is a survivor and a speaker of domestic violence. She is a mother of two, wonderful children, a workshop facilitator, and an entrepreneur. She is passionate about helping and encouraging others through her ministry, writing and speaking events. Feel free to reach out to Henrietta via email at [e-mail].

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© 2018 Henrietta Freeman. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/19/2018

ISBN: 978-1-5462-5353-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-5352-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018909123

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.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

For my son, Jalen. I appreciate all you do but mainly for who you are. I am proud of the wonderful young man of God you’re becoming.

For my daughter Cierra. I’m proud of the growth I see in you; so much more greatness in you is yet to be revealed through the Lord.

I love you both dearly. The Lord has great plans for your lives. Life isn’t easy, but God is faithful, and with Him, all things are possible. I pray that you will keep Him foremost in your lives.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1    My First Father

Chapter 2    My Biological Father

Chapter 3    Men Issues

Chapter 4    Self-Esteem Issues

Chapter 5    Holes in My Heart

Chapter 6    Domestic Violence

Chapter 7    Light at the End of the Tunnel

Chapter 8    Finding Closure

Chapter 9    My Third Father

Chapter 10  Being Made Whole and Complete

About the Author

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

F IRST AND FOREMOST, I give thanks, honor, praise, and glory to God, because without Him, there would be no Henrietta or her story of overcoming life.

Lord, I am truly grateful for your everlasting love, grace, and mercy. Throughout my life and every trial, you never gave up on me. You made a way out of no way for me. You protected, healed, saved, and set me free in every way a person can be set free. You are my fortress, refuge, and strength. Apart from you, O Lord, I can do nothing, but with you, all things are possible.

This book is proof and I am a witness to what God can do.

I thank my family, friends and loved ones for their prayers and always being supportive of the work God has called me to do. To my mom and dad I give my love. To my dad Henry, I love you and Aunt Sharon. To my spiritual dad Pastor James Boyd, I love you dearly. Thanks so much for your encouragement, prayers, and wisdom. God bless you. To my sisters Mary, Bobbie, and Sharon my brother, Jimmy, my niece, Katrina, and a host of other loved ones, I love you all dearly.

To my uncle Willie Booker, author of Women at the Crossroads, thank you for inspiring and encouraging me and giving me a chance to witness you becoming a great author and seeing in me early on in life what I am becoming today. I love you and Aunt Betty.

To my pastors Apostle Michael and Prophetess Jenny Lock of We Are One in the Spirit Outreach Ministries, I am grateful for your support and teaching and for allowing the Holy Spirit to use you mightily to minister to me and the great congregation of We Are One in the Spirit. I love you both.

To Essie Sullivan, my sister in Christ and my dearest friend, thank you for all the encouragement and help you have given me; I am truly grateful for that. I thank God for blessing us to be on this journey together and to be able to witness the amazing work God is doing in each of our lives.

Keep moving forward in the work God has for you. I am proud of you. Love you. God bless.

INTRODUCTION

I WAS INSPIRED and encouraged by the scripture of Proverbs 4:23 so much that I decided to use it for the name of this book. For many years, my heart was left unguarded and unprotected from the turmoil that was caused by many issues in my life. Years later, I found myself dealing with the issues that had tainted me in my early years.

Oftentimes, when someone abandons, betrays, rejects, or