You can maintain your faith even through adversity and begin to live a life of purpose. In Life Goes On, author Allison Gregory Daniels shares how she did just that. She chronicles her life experiences and her refusal to let events destroy God's calling for her. She offers testimony to the trust that she placed in God and the knowledge that her past experiences did not have to destroy her future dreams. She knew that she would dream again, love again, and laugh again once she changed how she dealt with her past disappointments and found her true path. The Word of God warns us that the enemy wants to steal, kill, and destroy; even so, if you let Jesus into your life, you can live life more abundantly with His love and guidance. Life Goes On challenges and encourages each of us to look inside ourselves for the changes we want to see and make a difference. The answer lies within each of us, and the time has come to take back our lives and change how we think about ourselves and how God fits into our everyday lives. Life Goes On is a dynamic, step-by-step guide offering powerful tips, strategies, and tools for overcoming your past hurts, surviving emotional setbacks, and handling your emotions. Take back your life, and learn to live again.

Life Goes On

How To Maintain your faith through adversityBy Allison Gregory Daniels

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2013 Allison Gregory Daniels
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4759-6719-7

Contents

Acknowledgments..........................................................viiIntroduction.............................................................ixChapter 1: Life Goes on..................................................3Chapter 2: Restoring Order...............................................10Chapter 3: I shall Live..................................................17Chapter 4: The Purpose of My Trials......................................21Chapter 5: Consider the Source...........................................26Chapter 6: Release Me....................................................33Chapter 7: Revealing Time................................................39Chapter 8: Defining Moments..............................................45Chapter 9: Overcoming Hurt and Grief.....................................50Chapter 10: Embracing Change and Personal Transition.....................57

Chapter One

Life Goes on

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee: Yea, I will help thee. (Is 41:10 KJV)

On January 3, 2003, I heard God speak to my spirit. He told me that I was going to go through some things in the next few years of my life that would shake the very foundation on which I stood. He told me that I was going to be attacked in several areas of my life, especially in the area of my faith. He said, I have called you to come out from among them. You must be able to stand in order for me to take you to your next level. You must trust me like never before because I have placed a calling on your life and I have anointed you and appointed you for this season in your life. He told me that this book was going to be the testament of my faith and trust in Him, for faith cometh by hearing and hearing cometh by the Word of God. As He continued to speak to me, He said, You're going to face some heartache and pain, but life goes on. Know that you're going to face some disappointments and rejections, but life goes on. Yes, you're going to face loss and lack, but life goes on. So, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee: Yea, I will help thee" (Is. 41:10 KJV).

I remembered saying to myself that God was preparing me for something I couldn't handle right then so I needed to continue to build up my spirit in order to face these future attacks. God's Word says, "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:14–17 King James Version, or KJV). I knew at that very moment that I needed to stop thinking about what I had lost in life and thank God for my next level. For the Word of God says, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2 KJV). I had to change my way of thinking. I had to start speaking life to myself. I meditated on God's Word day in and day out. I thirsted and hungered for the Word of God to continually dwell inside me and strengthen me. I knew that I had to fall at His feet and lift up my hands and praise Him. The Bible says, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence cometh my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth" (Ps. 121:1–2 KJV). I knew that praising Him was going to be my way out and that I had to release those negative strongholds that had been placed over my life. I knew that God had placed something deep down inside of me, and I was ready to receive it. But, I heard God say to me, Redirect your focus because life goes on. I'm getting ready to take you through some difficult experiences to strengthen your character, build your faith and your integrity, and to show you that I am able. Early one morning, at around three thirty, as I was meditating on the Word of God, I had an out-of-body experience. My body changed from one place or state of being into another. I saw my spirit, all dressed in white, remove itself from my body, turn around, and look at me, and then it walked up a hill. My body was being transformed right before my very eyes. I was passing from one stage of my life into the next. But God needed to work some things out in me before He could position me. For the Word of God says, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up" (Ecc. 3:1–3 KJV). I prayed that God would speak a word over my life and change it for its duration. I knew that the time had come for me to take my place in the Lord, that God had finally separated me from among my family, friends and co-workers. I had to answer the call that God had already placed on my life. Eternity had been placed in my heart to live out the will of and the call that God had over my life.

As I started walking into the calling that God had placed on me, I could hear God speaking to me about how to handle things and how to resist the cares and concerns of this world. Yet, some people started judging me. They wondered whether God had let me down or I had done something wrong. It seemed like the whole world had turned its back on me and walked away.

A friend of mine came to visit me, and I sat in my living room listening to her. She was like a sister to me and could see the tears flowing down my face. Without saying a word, she reached over me, grabbed my Bible, and started reading several Scriptures to me. Then, she said in her sweet, still voice, "It's going to be all right. You're going to be all right. God has you covered. God is watching over you, my sister, and God is going to bring you peace in the midst of your storms." And she sang a song with the line, "No weapon formed against me will prosper." Then, as she was leaving, she said, "Remember, `The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters'"

(Ps. 23:1–2 KJV). When she left, I meditated on that Scripture over and over until it became a part of me and my transitional ministry. I started fixing my thoughts on Him and His power. It was very challenging for me because the devil had to now pull out his best efforts to try and trap me by setting a snare for my life. The word of God revealed that the devil was after my mind, my peace, and my life. The devil tried to destroy my life, but God was with me. My life was on its way to being turned upside down in a matter of months. "I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken" (Ps. 16:8 KJV).

It was then time for me to stop pampering the things of the flesh and focus on feeding the fruits of the spirit of God. The Word of God says, "Behold now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:2 KJV). I knew that God was going to finish what He had started in my life. So, I started getting up at five o'clock in the morning and meditating on His Word so that I could gain a closer walk with Him because the Word of God says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and...