Join the VictoryEmbraced Ministries Movement—Receive the Healing Journey Tract Today! Are you looking for a simple, meaningful way to share the Good News of Jesus Christ? Like many believers, I’ve felt the weight of wanting to evangelize but not feeling gifted in that area. I wrote Healing Journey — a powerful, compassionate Christian tract designed to help people like me (and maybe you, too!) confidently share Christ’s love and salvation.
One way Healing Journey has blessed me is through something as simple as leaving a generous tip at a restaurant. It’s a tangible, heartfelt way to plant seeds of faith in everyday moments, and I want to share it with you.
Inspiring new VictoryInspired Gifts designs and products.
Special VictoryInspired sales that help fund the ministry’s mission.
The VictoryEmbraced Newsletter will only appear a few times a year—just enough to inspire and uplift you without overwhelming your inbox. This ministry is about walking alongside others on their healing journey through Christ, and your support helps make that possible. Whether you’re passionate about evangelism or just looking for a quiet way to share your faith, Healing Journey is a beautiful place to start.
Sign up today and become part of something meaningful. Receive your free Healing Journey tract and help us shine the light of Jesus, one heart at a time.
Can you share about your childhood, the progression of the addiction, going to prison, and how you came to Christ?
I grew up in a home, living with my mom and dad, back and forth. My childhood wasn’t the best. My parents physically, mentally, and emotionally abused me. I remember times when my mom would grab me by my hair and drag me across the floor in our house, and my dad would beat us with extension cords and coaxial cables—he would use anything he could get his hands on. My childhood was not as good as it could have been, and it was very traumatic. Despite this, I’m grateful to God for my upbringing, as my parents always supported my regular church attendance. Still, the main reason I was going to church as a kid was to escape the abuse that was going on at home—it was a relief for me to get out of a demonic atmosphere.
I always enjoyed worshiping God, being in the presence of church people, and being away from the house and the environment where I lived. I would attend church for this reason, but deep down, I sensed the Lord’s calling. When I went to church, I would look at the preachers who were preaching—I wanted to be like them—preach like them, talk like them, and dress like them, so I always knew in my heart that I was called to do something greater, but I didn’t know if I would ever make it to that point because of the abuse that I would suffer at my home. One thing, too, is when I was living with my mom, and when she would get tired of dealing with me, she would send me to my dad’s. And then, when my mom decided she would snatch me back out from my dad’s, and I would have to go back and live with her. I hated it. I didn’t want to go live with my mom. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents because they, too, were another escape for me when I was living at my dad’s house. Five different times while living there, someone molested me, so to escape, I either went to church or spent a lot of time at my grandma’s house—a way to get away and cope with what I was dealing with at home.
When Did You Start Using Drugs?
As life went on, I slowly got into using drugs, and eventually, I started selling them too. I used to sell drugs all across the United States. We would load up U-Haul trucks with cocaine and marijuana and drive all over, distributing them. I became a full-blown alcoholic, drinking a fifth and a half of Jack Daniel’s daily. Back then, I didn’t realize it, but I now know I was trying to numb my pain and cope with the suffering I’d endured throughout my life.
It took me years to understand why I was deeply involved in that lifestyle. Even while I was using and selling drugs and drinking heavily, I still felt drawn to church. I would go to church even when I was high and had drugs in my pocket. There was something about being in that place—it felt good. It was a feeling I never experienced at home.
In February 1998, I got busted with seven pounds of marijuana and two eight balls of cocaine. They sent me to Harris County Jail in Texas and sentenced me to five years in prison. The judge’s sentence devastated me. I returned to my cell and called family members to tell them what happened. I told them I was going to prison for five years.
In county jail, you typically wait about 45 days before being transferred to a state prison. While waiting, I unexpectedly received a letter saying the parole board wanted to see me. It was strange being called before the parole board before even setting foot in prison—but they granted me parole. I was so excited. I thought I was getting out and could start putting my life back together.
I called my family—my mom, dad, aunts, and uncles—to let them know I’d made parole and ask if I could stay with them. One by one, they all hung up the phone. Nobody wanted me in their home. My family rejected me again. I was the black sheep of the family. Because I didn’t have a place to parole, I ended up serving the full five-year sentence.
The prison was no cakewalk. There’s a lot that goes on in there. While inside, I spent a lot of time thinking about my life. I knew I could’ve been out if I had just had an address. I started calling friends and acquaintances—anyone—and asked if I could use their addresses just to get released. I told them I didn’t need to stay with them to use the address. Every single person rejected me.
One night, I was sitting on my bunk, devastated. I was 18 years old and scared. I began to pray and cry out to God. I poured out my pain and sorrow, and I repented. Then I heard God speak to me in a still, small voice:
“If you are going to be healed, if you’re going to be set free and delivered, and if I’m going to use you, I need you to forgive the people in your life who have ever hurt you.”
God told me to call out the name of every single person who had hurt me, abused me, misused me, or wounded me in any way. He gave me clear instructions:
“Call them out by name. Say that you forgive them. Say that you love them. And release them into My hands.”
It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. With every name I spoke, I cried like a baby. It got harder and harder, but I kept going. That night, I forgave everyone and truly surrendered my life to the Lord.
And this time, it was real.
Before, I had gone through the motions and did the “church” things, such as when the pastor said come to the altar, I went to the altar; when he said say a prayer, I said a prayer; and when he said get baptized, I got baptized, but nothing changed. There was no deliverance, no healing, no freedom. It wasn’t until I was completely alone, rejected by everyone else, that I realized I needed a Savior. That’s when everything started to change.
Did you get involved in prison ministry or Bible studies while you were in prison, and when did you get out?
I did a lot of Bible studies through the mail, I signed up for a mentorship, and they assigned me a mentor, who paid for my Bible college. I went to a college in Louisiana and became a pastor and became what God called me to be, so I spent a lot of time studying God’s word, being involved in chaplaincy, and praying with other ministers and prison inmates. I’ve seen a lot of people give their lives to the Lord, and God used me in the prisons, and then I got out on May 9th, 2003. Upon release, I immediately visited my son; I had impregnated a woman before my imprisonment, and she gave birth while I was incarcerated. So when I got out, I traveled by bus from Houston to Oklahoma City to see him. When I arrived in downtown Oklahoma City near the Greyhound bus station, there was a ministry called Celebration of Life Church. They were having a men’s prayer gathering, and the leader of the men’s group had a short Bible study, so I went in and sat there and listened. On my bus ride back to Houston, I heard the Lord speak to me again… “I want you to sell everything you have, and I want you to move to Oklahoma.” So, when I got back, I put up a sign at my apartment to sell everything and quit my job. I was trying to sell everything at my apartment so I would have the money to get on a bus, go to Oklahoma, and have some extra cash to help me get through some things, find a place to live, and get settled. I gave myself a week, and in that entire week, nobody came by the house and bought anything. Well, the night before I was to leave to get on a bus, this little old lady who lived in a tiny traveling trailer came to my apartment and she bought everything and said, “I don’t know why I’m buying all this stuff.” And I don’t know where I’m going to put it.” She even bought my curtains!
So I got on the bus and went to Oklahoma. I started attending the church where that Bible study was, and I was there for 4-5 years. I ended up becoming the associate pastor. It was a good time of training and discipleship for me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity because it allowed me to get into ministry, see the ins and outs of running a church, and be part of praying for people, preaching, and ministering.
Did you go back to Texas after having some ministry training?
Yes, I ended up going back to Texas and got a job. I wasn’t involved in a lot of ministries for the first year. Then I felt I’ve always had a burden for homeless people, drug addicts, prostitutes, inmates, and ex-inmates because I understand them—I understand the addiction and struggle and know how it feels to be in their shoes. My wife and I started doing homeless ministry by making 40-60 plates of food, loading them up in our car with our two children, and going downtown, pulling up under a bridge, handing out food, praying for people, giving them clothes, and making up bags of personal care products—it was a blessing to be able to serve and be a light for Christ. We didn’t have much money but did what we could, and God always provided. God also used this time as ministry training.
Through all that I went through in my past, I never quit dreaming. I never quit hoping. I never quit having faith in God. As I was healing, I continued to struggle and fall, but I continued to get back up, and I always held on to God.
Maybe you too are in between, and you know what you should be doing—you know your purpose as I did, but you may not see it in the natural realm right now, but if you keep praying and believing, keep fasting, and keep seeking the Lord for whatever it is that He’s called and predestined and ordained for you to do—don’t ever give up because I know that what God has started in you, He is faithful and will complete it. He will be with you as you complete your mission and what God has called you to do.
My heart is beyond the church walls because everything that we do is supposed to be—we’re to be servants for the people. Being in church and being behind the scenes and involved in it, I saw that there wasn’t a lot of outreaches or discipleship, and I didn’t want to stay cooped up in a building with the same 20, 30, 40, or 50 people for the next 20, 30, 40, or 50 years. I don’t believe that God designed the church to be there doing the same thing repeatedly. We’re supposed to go out into the highways and byways to compel the people to enter the church. That’s why I believe God gave me the name Beyond Walls.
We would have worship at park events, pray for people, and baptize them in the parks; focus on community outreach; and follow up on evangelism. I would invite several churches to partner with us and help us put on the event so that when we go out into the community, there will be different churches, ministers, and people giving people options. We’re not there to get you to come to our church—they have options where they may like to attend and grow in their relationship with Jesus. Jesus himself was an evangelist and didn’t stay within the church walls, and I believe we are to follow in his footsteps and do the same.
Lisa, you have been on an incredible health journey because you lost 118 pounds—I can’t even imagine each step you took. But I know God was with you. What was your turning point? Because I know, from your bio you shared, that you had a lot of inflammation, thyroid disease, and fibromyalgia. What happened?
I want to hit two separate sides here—one side is health, and the other side is spiritual. And then, of course, you have a mind that connects your body with the spirit, right? And sometimes, that can be a battle. We’re brought up one way: we hear certain things and come from different spiritual backgrounds and denominations. We have all of this pre-imprinting going on between birth and 18. During that timeframe, we also can have a lot of baggage, which I embrace—my baggage—and I’m thankful for it because I think it’s crucial to acknowledge God through it. For instance, I have molestation on my belt, failing and accelerating grades, being a tomboy and outgoing, then teachers and people in our lives who speak negative things to us. I even had a fifth-grade teacher tell me, “The way you smile and laugh all the time, you’re never going to amount to anything but a high school cheerleader.” So these voices go on; that’s just the external, but we have what was going on internally. Parents try their best. There are a lot of dysfunctional homes, and even functional homes can be dysfunctional.
So, I did a lot of yo-yo dieting and had a mom who also did the same. My mom was from the era of Joan Crawford and Elizabeth Taylor and raised me with an extravagant approach to fashion, hair, and makeup. I was the youngest of three girls. And so, having two older brothers, I became pretty athletic, definitely more of a tomboy. There were a lot of words from my father, whom I adore, who will now be 93 next month and is my strength internally. I wouldn’t have had my current strength without my father raising me, but his approach could have been better.
Jumping into my 30s and 40s, signs of menopause started. At 36, I was told that I should have a hysterectomy because cancer cells were present with a Pap smear. Having a hysterectomy didn’t seem right to me. Why would we lose our uteruses and ovaries? Thankfully, I didn’t listen to the doctor’s recommendation because, at 46, I had a child—I did lose six children before her in miscarriages. Still, I didn’t know at 46, when I gave birth, that 12 years later, we would be faced with losing her father. The next day after Eliya was born, I got sick every day for months. I thought I had food poisoning because everything I ate made me ill. It escalated to where I was afraid to eat anything. Well, now we know that it was liver disease and gallbladder disease, which were feeding hyperthyroidism. I ended up with thyroid eye disease, in which my eyes popped out of my head.
The underlying cause was a lot of stress, having a child later in life, being on the road, traveling worldwide, and blowing up buildings for our business. The stress kept building inside me, but God always told me it was okay and that He would go before me. We had a child on the road and were living in a vehicle 12-14 hours a day—driving 4,000 miles in four days is pretty intense, and then stopping to breastfeed—it was a lot. I felt like I was Wonder Woman, but I was getting sicker, and the inflammation was getting worse, to the point where my blood circulation was horrible. I started getting blood clots and neuropathy in my feet, and my health was snowballing. The bigger picture wasn’t about me but God's plan. When Eliya was shy of 12, she woke up one day and told me she didn’t want to travel anymore. I responded to her by saying, “Well, you know what? You were born into this life, and God has given it to you.” She is the youngest of the first six, and the others already left the house. Also, we did ministry on the road—we spoke at churches, went to many places, and wore three crosses on our construction hard hats, sharing God’s Word with everyone. Eliya begged me and shared her heart that she wanted to be a normal child and be home on the ranch with her horses.
So I went to my husband, Eric, before he passed away; he wasn’t even sick that we knew of. And I told him, “This is going to be difficult, but you’ll need to take the guys on the road. Then, I will fly in for the day of the blast and do the implosions. He was surprised, but I explained her importance: she’s deeply knowledgeable in Scripture, loves the Lord, has been baptized, and has baptized other children. I said, “She wants to be home for a reason.” I ended up taking on three grandchildren in full custody and raising them. Eliya and one of them are the same age, so we call them Irish twins because they were born six weeks apart, and then there’s one 18 months older and one 18 months younger. So, I was raising four, and we were on the road, just living life. There were a lot of undercurrents, like a riptide in the ocean, but the boat was still floating on top. Amid everything, I was still yo-yo dieting and would gorge and get sicker every day. When I started getting deeper into reading the Bible, the Lord showed me that gluttony and worry are sins. At this time, I was 57 and nearing 58, and we needed to go to two overbooked jobs, so Eric went to Atlanta and called me. He was coughing badly, and I said, “You don’t sound good. You need to go to an urgent care.” Urgent care told him he had walking pneumonia. We have our family Christmas time in Idaho, and nobody knows that Eric is dying of cancer—even Eric. This persistent cough wasn’t going away, so he went to the emergency room with some prompting. I noticed that he was getting weaker.
When they diagnosed Eric, I wasn’t with him, as I was in Washington with the girls, and he was in Idaho when he called me after he collapsed in the driveway. I told him to call 911, so he called them, and then they called me to tell me they had a man in my driveway. I told them, “Yes, that’s my husband… please get him to the emergency room.” They life-flighted him to the hospital and took out four gallons of fluid from his lungs. And he called me and said, “Yeah, I’m sick, but it’s a blessing and proceeded to tell me that he has cancer. I dropped to the ground and was crying and didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. He then told me that if he had come in six months earlier, he probably could have fought it, but there wouldn’t be a fight because he was surrendering. Eric gets restored either way, and he believes that God will heal him on this planet or in heaven. I was bawling, and it was hard talking without getting emotional. It was a blessing for Eric because he loved the Lord so much, but the news was excruciating for me. I told the kids to start packing up so we could head back home to Idaho and told Eric that I needed to be with him, but Eric interjected and said, “No, no, no… You don’t need to be with me. Jesus is with me. I’ve already been through the garden… It’s going to be fine. Please take care of the girls, enjoy the weekend, and then when you come back, stop by the hospital.”
I was feeling overwhelmed, and everything in my life started getting a hundred times worse, including my weight. I asked Eric why he felt like having cancer was good news, and he replied, “Because it’s mesothelioma. We need to tell the family immediately because both of my grandparents died from mesothelioma, and the odds are that because I was by them, I got it off of their clothes.” Mesothelioma is a tiny spur that gets in your lungs. I said, “Are you sure it’s not from work?” He says, “No, I’m positive I got it from my grandparents because it takes 40 years to rear its ugly head." So I was like, okay, “I’m going to try to find the blessing in this.”
Upon our arrival at the hospital, he was in a jolly mood and felt great, in contrast to my frazzled and absolute basket-case state. I was the woman; when we weren't near each other, I almost thought I couldn’t breathe—our lives were so intertwined and meshed. I knew I needed to trust the Lord wherever He took this. I needed to be strong and believe we’re going to make it, so every day, I would say to God, “God, your will over mine, your will over mine, your will over mine, whatever that looks like, Lord, but I’m going to ask you that you hold me and direct me because you know what it will take for me to process this because I’m a person who is a long thinker, I don’t make rash decisions, and I like to plan.” The oldest was 14, then there were double 12s and a 10, and they asked, “Mom, why do you feel like crying when Dad’s dying? And I said, Well, that’s an excellent question.” At that moment, God reminded me how we raise our children to trust the Lord. Suddenly, I doubted if I was fully trusting God, and I started to question my faith because I was asking myself, do I trust? One day, one of my daughters said, Mom, put your arms out. I’m going to jump to you," and at that moment, I knew the Lord was saying… “My arms are up… Jump.”
On March 19th, the hospital said, “Go home and get your affairs in order. And my husband goes, “You don’t know my God; you don’t know what He has in store. Don’t tell me I’m dying,” but we all knew that the tumor had moved over on top of his aorta, and he could no longer breathe. His breath was getting shorter and shorter. And from that day, March 19th, to April 1st, it was the time that it took for his body to shut down and pass away.
I was very ill during this time, but I had to put my health aside because caring for Eric and our children was the priority. It wasn’t about Mom; the children were quickly learning this new way of life. We had 200 acres to take care of, running the dozer and tractor, changing the oil, cutting wood, and taking care of the horses and cows, and the girls stepped in and took care of things. We all laugh about it because they learned so much in a short time that maybe they would have never learned had we not gone through this challenge.
It was about three days before Eric passed that our youngest asked me while breaking down in tears, “I don’t understand why God is so mean.” I said, “He’s not, but one by one, He calls us home, and this is your goal to get yourself there one day too… It takes a lot of courage to have that faith, just like you do with me. You trust me every day, but I don’t want you to trust me—I want you to trust that God knows what’s best for our family.”
We turned our family room into an area for everybody to sleep, hang out, and spend those last hours together. We had a lot of visitors that week who came and prayed over him and said their goodbyes. Eric had been incoherent those previous days because of the morphine. The pain had gotten to where it was excruciating. You know that marriage isn’t always perfect—it doesn’t matter who you are because we’re all broken people. Eric looked at me and said, “I’m sorry for everything.” And I said, “Oh, we’re good. You are so forgiven. Don’t worry about it. It’s all good." And then, he told me, “I love you,” and his eyes never opened again or spoke another word. After he passed, I got the girls, and there was a lot of crying and hugs.
The next night after Eric’s passing, we remained very quiet—we spoke few words but shared a few jokes and memories. When I woke up, four girls were in bed with me, which they never did before. I said good morning to them, and everyone said, “Are you ready? What are we going to do now?” In my head, I was wondering that I had no clue because I needed to shut my business down; I was facing losing the property and finding a new place to live, and suddenly, I replied in faith to the girls, “We’re going to live and love life and celebrate.” My favorite Scripture that came to mind about our day of death is more significant than our day of birth is Ecclesiastes 7:1. So I said, "You know what, we’re going to live, and we’re going to love life." I embraced all four of them and said, “All I can tell you is that when I had you guys and looked at you, that was the greatest moment of my life. Dad is in heaven in the arms of the Lord, and that is a time to rejoice. Now, it’s our books and chapters that we need to live for God.” To this day, they all serve God, and their goal is to get home to heaven, and we’ll all be reunited.
A couple of days went by, and I realized that I was getting sicker. And it scared me because I was the only surviving parent. It was a significant burden, and the stress was pretty high financially. Eight months went by without health insurance, and finally, I got some coverage through the state for myself and the girls for dental and essential health. I made a doctor’s appointment for myself and was informed that my liver wasn’t good, my thyroid had Graves disease, and my body was acting like an 88-year-old woman and getting closer to shutting down. Then, the sheriff notified me that they would be taking the property, and we didn’t have a place to live. In between everything, I had people stopping by to ask if they could start helping us pack or move the animals. The children became agitated, saying, “Do not touch my dad’s clothes. We’re not leaving this property. God’s going to save our house.” A lot of hope was going on amid everything else. I told the girls, “Maybe God has a bigger plan, and because we’re stuck in our chapter, we can’t even see the great gifts coming to us.” I noticed that as soon as I started seeing the picture in a different light, they, too, increased in hope and faith for our future. It was also at this time that I could hardly walk.
The children were grocery shopping for me, which was usually my responsibility. I gave them the money and told them what to get on the cell phone, so we were a wreck. However, their willingness to take on this responsibility showed their maturity and understanding of our situation, which was a source of pride and inspiration for me. We had a feast on Thanksgiving Day, and on December 4th, we needed to surrender our home. Out of nowhere, this lady I don’t know told me they had some cabins—they didn’t have running water or a toilet. Still, if we wanted to put our horses on the back property and bring the girls, she would give them to me. Four minutes before the bank took the property, someone purchased it, which helped me pay off my debt to Medicare. One business debt was handled, and I was given a check for $25,000. So we had a little breathing room and had two weeks off the property, but we were packed up in four days. God closed the door; we were blessed to live there but needed to leave.
On Christmas Eve, we celebrated Christ, and New Year’s came; on January 7th, I received a call that my mother had only hours to live, and she passed on January 9th. It was overwhelming because I had one support system gone, and now another was, too. My thyroid had a considerable flare-up, and my eyes were now wholly extended from my head. It was a lot to deal with at one time with all the underlying pressure, but I heard God speak and say to me, “Are you trusting me?” All things are possible with God, according to Philippians 4:13. I needed to focus on the Lord and forget all things going on in my world—the stress, people, and anyone judging me—and it didn’t matter.
When my mom passed away, she left me $40,000, and another friend carried a mortgage on a house, so we lived there to help. It was a double-wide house, and it was me and the girls. The move-in day was April 1st, the first anniversary of Eric’s passing. I felt like the Book of Job, losing everything and then everything being restored. When we were moving into that house on Facebook, our reunion group from high school was praying for Eric and me, the girls, and the family. My high school sweetheart, who went to the Air Force, asked if that was Lisa because he didn’t recognize the married last name. A good friend of ours said yes and told him that her husband was sick and passed. Kenneth gave me a call but hit the camera by accident. He had never used the camera for a video call before, but he was shocked and said, “Oh, my gosh, there you are!” And on my side of the phone, before I answered, I said, “Oh my gosh, this guy I know is calling on video chat—I can’t talk; I’m broken, and my life is a wreck.” I got the courage to answer, and he asked if I was OK. I told him, “No, I’m so broken and don’t know how the future looks, and I can’t even comprehend anything that’s happened over the last three years.” He told me he would come to see me and would like to help us in any way possible. Here, we lived in a 1,100-square-foot double-wide, and we used to have a 5,000-square-foot home. COVID was going around, and we just got over COVID ourselves. I knew, though, to take one step at a time—put one foot in front of the other, and soon you’ll be walking out the door.
Kenneth and I started a relationship about a year later, and then we made plans to get married. He said, “If you’re not busy in four years, will you marry me? I’ve waited 45 years to marry you. Would you please marry me?” And I was like, “No, I’m a broken mess; I’ve got kids and all this other stuff.” Well, we finally decided to get married on July 3rd of 2021, and on July 1st, he had three grand mal seizures and was in the hospital. I dropped to my knees for the second time and said to God, “Lord, I can’t do this again. There’s just no way. I don’t understand. We’re going to be a family. We’re moving.” Clearly, in a vision, God showed me a drawn line in the sand, speaking to my heart, saying, “Lisa, everything on this side of the earth means the world to you, but on this side, it doesn’t mean anything to me—not the house, not the car, not the job, not the money. I need you. I need your thoughts, your faith, and your eyes. It will be OK if you trust me.”
While Kenneth was in the hospital, I told him that I didn’t think we should get married, and he responded, “If it’s the last thing I do before I take my last breath, we’re getting married.” So, the next day, we got married, and we watched him for three months for seizures.
Meanwhile, I made a phone call, and this phone call didn’t go to the person I called. The person who answered told me how he helps people heal their livers, and one of the root causes of seizures is liver dysfunction. One of the significant symptoms is if you had hepatitis C and now have liver cirrhosis, which was where Kenneth was. So we started changing our diets and a program immediately. That was in July, and by September, he needed to go in for blood work at the Mayo Clinic to see if he could be a candidate for a liver transplant. The answer was no because, after the age of 60, it gets less likely because the average age for a man to pass away is 74, so they would rather give that healthy liver to a healthy person than to an older one.
With this news, we quickly removed all chemicals from our house and stopped consuming carbohydrates and sugar—everything was gone—it was a struggle because you don’t realize how addicted to sugar you are. As a nutritionist, I went back, and I looked at every single scientific study and documentation from the beginning of time, moving all the way forward and searching for when fatty liver disease became the death of humans versus liver cirrhosis by alcohol. Like, when did that happen? So here I was, looking all this up. Big Pharma has been in bed with the FDA and the Food Administration. All the chemicals and stuff we’re getting in our system are the culprits of what’s destroying our liver.
So, now I’m on fire—I have a spark of light and am on a new adventure—and God is showing me so much, and it was Holy Spirit-led on how to heal the liver. So we pursued what we have been applying to our lives, and in January, we both went in for blood work, and for me, it was the first time in 5 years since I had blood work. I am on the back burner again because I went from caring for myself to caring for someone else. And my words of wisdom for anybody are that taking care of yourself is not selfish. It’s selfish not to because people need you. They ran the blood work, called us back a week later, and said, “There’s something wrong here.” And I said, “What do you mean?” And they said, “The blood work of the man we have from July is a man with one leg in the grave, and this blood work is like a 32-year-old man’s blood work.” I then asked the doctor what my thyroid looked like, and he told me that I didn’t have a thyroid issue. I told him, “No, I do; check my records. I have hyperthyroidism, Graves disease, thyroid eye disease, and a list of 12 autoimmune diseases. And he said, “Well, you don’t have them now. And I was like, “What!” And he said, “You don’t have anything. You have somehow or another had bad blood work, or something happened, but this is all gone.” So Kenneth and I were on to something and continued to follow a carnivore diet because everything else was spiking insulin and causing liver issues and brain fog. Then, a friend of ours heard that Kenneth had liver cirrhosis. He asked how he was doing and told him, “You’re not going to believe this, but we are one month from celebrating one year of life after he was told 30 to 90 days to live—they didn’t even want to do treatment or to have any hope for him because he was under 10% functioning of his liver. So obviously, God has bigger plans, and it has been an absolute miracle moving forward to today, the LifeBack name came because we all want our lives back—everyone wants to go to heaven, but we don’t want to go today—we want to get to the Lord and go to heaven, but if you’re called home today, are you ready to surrender everything and go?
When you are going through tough times, it seems you are stuck somewhere in the hallway, be steadfast about His business. Be faithful and immovable. 1 Corinthians 15:58. Even though he may not have opened the door or a window, and you don’t know where you’re going, you still need to be busy with His work. What does it mean to be about His business or work? Being a good disciple, having a sound mind, and following His lead. This is surrendering—literally every day, it was all about sweet surrender and trusting Him in the storm. He gives me an understanding that surpasses our own because He knows what’s best. We think that we know it all—that we’re brilliant—that we’ve got an education and degrees and experience and all this stuff, but He told me, “You’re just my child; you’re my child, and I’m your Father, and you need to listen to me.”
Through all this, and coming to today, the LifeBack System was birthed by a high school guy who introduced me to another guy, who became my business partner. He said, “Your story is incredible, and the information on the liver is so powerful to help people get their life back.” This is where the name was born because when God takes us through the journey or the wilderness, it’s not to have us have pain and sorrow—it’s having us draw closer to Him, so when the time comes, we are ready to go home. God is so faithful. God gave me His peace, not my own, and He was so profound in helping me understand that I’m just dust to dust; it’s just a blink or moment in time, and the future of me is in His hands, and how I was going to show my children to have the strength and courage and have blind faith and put everything in His hands.
LifeBack System
Coach Lisa shared her story on Truth, Talk & Testimonies.
Coach Lisa's story can be found on the VictoryEmbraced: Truth, Talk & Testimonies podcast platforms.
Jesus never forced people to accept, believe in, or stay with Him. He let His hometown reject Him, allowed His disciples to walk away, and didn’t stop people from misunderstanding Him—He even let Judas betray Him, and Peter deny Him.
Through each moment, Jesus showed us the power of surrendering to God’s will. He trusted the Father’s plan, even when it meant being falsely accused, abandoned, or betrayed.
Let’s explore how Jesus responded to rejection, misunderstanding, and betrayal—and how we can follow His example by trusting God, letting go, and moving forward in faith.
They had heard His words—words of truth, of life, of the Kingdom of God—but doubt clouded their hearts. Wasn’t this the carpenter’s son? The boy who had grown up among them? How could He claim such authority?
Yet, Jesus did not argue or demand their belief. Instead, He met their gazes with compassion, knowing their rejection was not the end of the story. As the fading sunlight cast long shadows across the village, He turned to walk away, His heart heavy but steadfast. Though they could not yet see it, the very One they doubted was their long-awaited Messiah.
Jesus didn’t try to prove Himself or force His hometown to accept Him. He let them reject Him and moved on to those who were ready to receive His message.
Jesus stood on the dusty path. Before Him, a group of people walked away—some lowered their heads, burdened with disappointment, while others simply faded into the golden glow of the setting sun. Jesus didn’t call after them or try to hold them back. Instead, His face remained calm, full of understanding, love, and unshaken patience. Yet, there was a solemn sorrow in His eyes—not for Himself, but for those who turned away from the truth He had offered. Jesus didn’t beg people to stay. He let them leave if they chose to. We should do the same—trust God’s plan even when people walk out of our lives.
The air inside the temple was thick with tension; Jesus stood at the center, His robe flowing gently as He faced the seething crowd before Him. His eyes, full of conviction and unwavering truth, met the hardened gazes of the Pharisees. Their hands gripped stones, their faces contorted with anger and misunderstanding. He had spoken words that pierced their hearts—words that challenged their pride, their traditions, their very sense of control. Instead of seeing the light, they clung to their darkness. Murmurs of outrage echoed against the temple walls as they prepared to strike.
But Jesus did not flinch. Without fear, without retaliation, He turned away. His figure faded into the shadows as He left, walking in perfect peace. Though rejected, though threatened, He knew His time had not yet come. The truth would remain, and so would He—until the appointed hour when His sacrifice would speak louder than any words.
Jesus didn’t stop people from misunderstanding or misinterpreting Him. Instead of forcing them to believe the truth, He let them think what they wanted and continued His mission.
In a small, dusty village bathed in the warm glow of sunlight, Jesus stood before the rich young ruler. Dressed in a simple yet radiant robe, His eyes were filled with deep love and compassion as He looked upon the young man. He saw the struggle in his heart, the battle between the life of comfort he had known and the call to follow a different path—a path of humility, sacrifice, and trust in God.
“Go, sell all your possessions,” Jesus said gently, His voice full of grace. “Give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”
The young man, adorned in an ornate, luxurious robe, stood frozen, torn between two worlds. Behind Him, the humble, dusty village stretched out, where the poor and broken walked with empty hands, their eyes longing for the hope He offered. Ahead of Him lay the grand, wealth-filled city—a life of comfort and status that he had worked so hard to attain.
The sunlight cast long shadows across the scene, intensifying the weight of the moment. Jesus, fully aware of the cost, did not rush the young man but simply waited in love, His heart aching for the decision the young ruler had to make.
Jesus didn’t chase after the rich young ruler when he walked away. He let him make his choice. We, too, must release control and let people follow their own path.
As the warm flickering light from the oil lamps cast soft shadows across the room, Jesus reached across the table and handed a piece of bread to Judas. In this intimate moment at the Last Supper, the weight of what was about to unfold hung heavily in the air. Judas' face was partially shadowed, his expression torn—conflicted yet determined, as if he had already made his choice, even though his heart struggled with the decision.
Jesus' eyes met his with a depth of understanding and sorrow. He knew what was coming, yet He still extended the bread, offering love and grace even in the face of betrayal. The room was filled with tension, but in that moment, Jesus did not turn away. His gaze remained on Judas, filled with both sadness and compassion, knowing that the path Judas had chosen would lead to darkness, but still offering him the light.
In the background, the other disciples watched, unaware of the betrayal that was about to unfold, their faces a mixture of confusion and concern. The scene was quiet, but the moment was heavy—this was the beginning of the story that would change everything.
Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, yet He didn’t stop him. Some betrayals are part of God’s plan, and we must trust He will use even the painful moments for our good.
Under the moonlight, the Garden of Gethsemane was still and a gentle breeze rustled the olive tree leaves. The stars shone brightly above, casting a serene light over the scene, but the peace of the night only deepened the weight of the moment.
Jesus knelt near a large rock, His hands clasped tightly in prayer, His robe slightly damp with the sweat of His anguish. His face was sorrowful, a tear slipping down His cheek as He poured out His heart to the Father. Yet, despite the deep sorrow He felt, His focus remained unwavering. He knew the path ahead, and the burden of the world was pressing upon Him.
His disciples lay asleep under the shelter of an olive tree, unaware of the intense battle taking place in the darkness. The peacefulness of their slumber stood in stark contrast to the turmoil in Jesus’ heart. This was the quiet before the storm, a moment of deep prayer and surrender, as He prepared to face the unimaginable.
Even when Jesus needed support, He let His disciples sleep. He didn’t wake them up forcefully but acknowledged their human weakness and entrusted Himself to God.
The scene unfolded in the tense, crowded courtroom of ancient Jerusalem, where Jesus stood calmly before Pilate. His hands were bound, yet His posture remained dignified, His gaze unwavering and peaceful. Dressed in a simple white robe, He appeared out of place amidst the chaos, a figure of quiet strength in the midst of mounting hostility.
Pilate, his face conflicted, watched Jesus with a mixture of amazement and confusion. He could not fully comprehend this man who stood before him, so composed and serene despite the accusations being hurled at Him. The weight of the moment hung in the air, and even Pilate could sense the gravity of what was unfolding.
Behind them, the Pharisees—clad in their elaborate robes—shouted and pointed, their voices full of anger and disdain. They threw accusations at Jesus, demanding His condemnation, but Jesus stood silently, not defending Himself, not retaliating. In this courtroom of fury and noise, He remained a calm presence, embodying a dignity that seemed out of place in such a moment of injustice. The contrast between His peaceful demeanor and the fervent crowd spoke volumes about the path He had chosen to walk.
Jesus didn’t waste energy defending Himself against false accusations. He let them talk because He knew the truth and trusted God's will.
In the dim light of the fire, Peter sat nervously, his rugged robe draped around him as he tried to warm his hands. The cold night air contrasted with the heat of the flames, but the fire could not calm the storm within him. His eyes darted around the courtyard, avoiding the gaze of those around him, his heart heavy with fear and uncertainty.
Suddenly, a servant girl pointed at him, her finger accusing as she said, "You also were with Jesus of Galilee." Peter’s heart raced as he quickly denied it, his voice shaky and filled with panic. Just as the words escaped his lips, a rooster crowed in the distance, its sound echoing through the stillness of the night.
A few paces away, Jesus looked toward Peter, and their eyes met. In that fleeting moment, Peter’s heart broke, and the reality of his denial hit him with crushing force. His face, once filled with boldness and confidence, now showed only regret and sorrow. With tears streaming down his face, Peter wept bitterly, overwhelmed by the shame of what he had done. The fire’s warmth did little to ease the coldness that had settled in his soul.
Jesus knew Peter would deny Him, but He let him. He didn’t stop him, argue with him, or force loyalty—He allowed Peter to fail and then restored him later.
The trial in Jerusalem was charged with tension, the air thick with the cries of a furious crowd. Pilate stood before them, his hand raised in a gesture of uncertainty, directing their attention toward two figures: Jesus and Barabbas. The crowd roared in anger, their voices rising in a wild frenzy, demanding the release of Barabbas. They shouted, pointing at the prisoner who stood before them, a symbol of rebellion and violence.
Jesus, bound and wearing a torn white robe, stood still amidst the chaos. His face, calm yet full of sorrow, remained unmoved. There was no resistance in His eyes—only a quiet acceptance of the fate that awaited Him. As the crowd's voices grew louder, Jesus knew what was coming. He would be handed over, the innocent condemned, to fulfill the purpose for which He had come.
Meanwhile, Barabbas, rough and disheveled, stood apart from Jesus. A wicked grin spread across his face as the guards released him, his freedom bought with the blood of the One who stood silently before the crowd. He stepped forward, free to walk away, as the people cheered for the man who had led the rebellion, while the true King of peace was condemned. The contrast between the two men was stark: one was set free to continue his life of violence, while the other, the true Lamb of God, would take upon Himself the weight of the world’s sin.
Jesus could have defended Himself or called down angels, but He let the people choose. Sometimes, we have to allow people to make their own mistakes, knowing that God is still in control.
Inside the stone-walled room in Jerusalem, a sense of excitement filled the air as the disciples eagerly spoke of the miraculous news. "Jesus is alive!" they exclaimed, their voices trembling with joy. But Thomas, standing apart from them with his arms crossed, remained skeptical. He couldn’t believe it—not without seeing it for himself.
As the disciples continued to speak of the incredible event, suddenly, without warning, Jesus appeared in their midst. His presence filled the room, glowing softly with an unearthly light. The disciples fell silent in awe as Jesus stood before them, His eyes filled with love and understanding.
Without hesitation, Jesus looked directly at Thomas and spoke gently, "Put your finger here and see My hands. Reach out your hand and place it on my side. Stop doubting and believe."
Tears welled up in Thomas’ eyes as he slowly approached Jesus. His hands trembled as he reached out, touching the scars of the One he had doubted. In that moment, everything changed. The doubt in his heart melted away, replaced by a deep conviction and awe. He fell to his knees, his voice trembling as he whispered, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus smiled, His heart full of compassion, knowing that Thomas’ faith had been restored, and that he would now carry the truth of the resurrection to all who would listen.
Jesus didn’t force Thomas to believe right away. He let him wrestle with doubt and then provided the evidence Thomas needed at the right time.
In conclusion, Jesus teaches us that we don’t have to control people’s choices, force them to understand, or chase after those who leave. He let people walk away, misunderstand Him, and even betray Him—all while staying faithful to God’s plan.
Proverbs 3:5-6– "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
When we truly trust God, we can let people be who they are and focus on fulfilling our purpose—just like Jesus did. When we let the people in our lives do what they want to do, we are not giving up but surrendering control to God. Jesus trusted the Father's plan and didn't hold onto people who weren’t meant to stay. Let’s surrender, trust God completely, and let them go because God’s plan is greater.
Jesus Let His Hometown Reject Him
Mark 6:3-6– "Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching."
Jesus Let Them Walk Away
John 6:66-67 – "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’"
Jesus Let People Misunderstand Him
John 8:58-59– "Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by."
Jesus Let the Rich Young Ruler Choose
Mark 10:21-22– "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’ But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."
Jesus Let Judas Betray Him
John 13:27 – "Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly.’"
Jesus Let the Disciples Sleep in Gethsemane
Matthew 26:40-41– "Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’"
Jesus Let the Pharisees Accuse Him
Matthew 27:12-14 – "And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?’ But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly."
Jesus Let Peter Deny Him
Luke 22:61-62 – "And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ So Peter went out and wept bitterly."
Jesus Let the Crowd Choose Barabbas
Matthew 27:21-22 – "The governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas!’ Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’"
Jesus, Let Thomas Doubt
John 20:24-27– "Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ So he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’ And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’"
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)