God Is Enough!: Keep God First!

By Dr. Veronica Outlaw

A life of abundance can be yours - just keep God first! God Is Enough is a true story of trauma to triumph! As you read the author's unfiltered testimony, you will be able to relate to various forms of trauma and be encouraged to press past life's issues and go after everything God promised you. Veronica was married at 24, spousal abused and divorced by 25,

a single parent by 26, married again by 31, divorced by 34, financially bankrupt by 35, and an empty nester by 45. The first half of her life was filled with various types of trauma and she struggled with a lack of confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem. She spent her whole life caring for others and upon reaching her mid-forties, she didn't know life aside from motherhood, work, and education. She realized that she needed deliverance from a sea of trauma and to discover who she really was if she wanted to be happy and at peace. She made the decision to surrender her life to Christ in 2015. Now, in her 50's, she has discovered that God is enough through any situation, including insecurity, heartbreaks, shame, rejection, unforgiveness, loneliness, abstinence, and lack of identity, confidence, and purpose. With God, the power of her choice, led to the power of her voice, which led to her life's transformation.

Veronica Outlaw, PhD is a forgiveness life-transformation coach, educator, survivor and advocate for domestic abuse, and advocate for caregivers. She is also the founder of God Is Enough Apparel LLC, which strives to spread the word and love of God through fashion. Her life's mission is to empower and educate women to develop self-worth, learn to forgive, and be unapologetically independent. Visit www.drveronicaoutlaw.com for more information about the author.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639614639

Book preview

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God Is Enough!

Keep God First!

Dr. Veronica Outlaw

ISBN 978-1-63961-462-2 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63961-463-9 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Dr. Veronica Outlaw

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

Inception

Discovery

Destruction

Love and Hate

Responsibility

Control

Struggle

Despair

Recovery

Submission

Breakthrough

God Is Enough!

Dedication: Remembering Sister Jo

Remembering Sister Jo: A Woman with No Excuses by Dr. Veronica Outlaw, Author

A Woman with No Excuses

Remembering Sister Jo: Epitome of Perseverance by Earline Frazier

Epitome of Perseverance

Remembering Sister Jo: Woman of Compassion by Bishop Gerald Haynes

Woman of Compassion

Remembering Sister Jo: A Woman of Valor by Minister Jackie Battle

A Woman of Valor

Remembering Sister Jo: Undaunted Woman of God by Pastor Angela McGhee

Undaunted Woman of God

Remembering Sister Jo: A Sister and Friend by Minister Anna Cummings

A Sister and Friend

Acknowledgments

Stay Connected

About the Author

Alife of abundance can be yours! Choose today to stop making excuses, end the blame game, and take control of your life. Tributed to the memory of Josephine Prescott, a woman who didn't allow her condition to halt her legacy. God Is Enough! is a story of triumph and an example of what it looks like to trust God enough to keep Him first. As you read the author's unfiltered testimony, you will be encouraged to heal, press past life's issues, conquer your dreams, and become everything God has destined you to become. The life you desire is on the other side of your decision to forgive, learn from your mistakes, and move forward on purpose and with purpose.

Veronica Outlaw, PhD, is an author, speaker, educator, domestic abuse survivor and advocate, and Founder of God Is Enough Apparel, LLC. Her life's mission is to empower and educate women to develop self-worth, learn to forgive, and be unapologetically independent in order to live the life God designed for them.

Visit www.drveronicaoutlaw.com for more information about the author.

In loving memory of Sis Josephine Prescott.

Your legacy will live forever through the

individuals who watched you walk with

endurance, perseverance, and forgiveness.

Thank you.

Introduction

What does God is enough mean to you? Are you intrigued to know how I can boldly declare that the life you desire starts with the decisions you make about who you are and whose you are? In order to design the life I desired, I had to stop making excuses and start giving total trust to God in every aspect of my life. Sit still for a moment and allow me to tell you the story of a woman with whom you may relate. Professionally, it appeared she had it all together, but inwardly, she was a broken mess. Though her exterior was polished, vibrant, and radiant, inwardly, she was dark with depression, emotionally and spiritually unhealthy, and barely functioning. Though the most challenging and detrimental part of her story stems from the domestic abuse she experienced at the hands of her estranged husband, her issues didn't start or end there. In time, she embarked upon a journey of self-discovery that changed the trajectory of her life. While I'm not a professional storyteller, I'm most fit to share her story because that woman was me.

For over thirty years, I tangoed with shame, brokenness, insecurity, rejection, and depression. I could not pinpoint how and why trials and tribulations regularly found my location. Despite where I moved, the two eventually arrived at my doorstep. When I grew tired of myself and realized there was nothing I could do in my own strength, I decided to surrender my entire life to God and allow Him to use me for His Kingdom. God is enough! Upon this decision, I began to experience God's favor in ways unimaginable. God showed me that He allowed everything I endured so that He could use me to give Him all the glory. It was a part of His plan to mold and shape me into a vessel that would serve the purpose of inspiring, motivating, educating, and empowering those like yourself. It was only through faith that I overcame life's challenges. Though I experienced many amazing ups and several heart-stopping downs, I can witness to you that there is light at the end of the tunnel. However, it started with me. I had to make a decision to move past where I was and walk boldly into where God planned me to be.

God provides us with second chances and the blueprint for life; therefore, there are no excuses for us not to reap the benefits He promises. None! He promises us prosperity (Job 36:11 KJV) on earth and a seat in the kingdom (Matt. 13:24 KJV)—provided we obey His commandments. Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we may be born again…that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Acts 2:21 KJV). He gives us a second chance! He gives us free will to make our own choices. We don't have an excuse to be anything less than our best.

You picked up this book because, subconsciously, you know it's time to stop playing the blame game. Deep down inside, you know that even though you've been dealt an unfair hand, you possess the ability to still make it work. There's a warrior inside of you who continues to fight even when you want to give up. Something in your gut has led you to believe that you don't have to accept things as they are. In your mind, though the image may be faint, you can see the life you desire to live, the person you have the potential to be, and the change you can make in this world. My purpose for writing this book is to confirm that you are not crazy, equip you to change the course of your life, help you recover from situations you've endured, and be your guiding light of escape from the mental and physical bondage of unhealthy and abusive relationships. In this book, you can expect to gain the wisdom to recognize red flags in relationships, knowledge for dealing with rejection and other disappointments, the inspiration to overcome everything life has thrown your way, and so much more.

This book is a tribute to the life and legacy of one of God's sweet angels, Sister Josephine Prescott. It is because of her impact on my life that I even have the courage to tell my story.

In April 2014, I received a referral to visit New Life Ministries of Aiken in South Carolina where I met Bishop Gerald and First Lady Ida Haynes. They suggested I meet Sister Josephine Prescott (Sister Jo). They explained that over thirty years prior, Sister Jo was abused by her spouse. One day, he shot her several times in the upper body while she was pregnant with their third child. He left her for dead, but God spared her life and the life of her unborn son. This incident left her a quadriplegic for more than the remaining thirty years of her life. In spite of her condition, she became an advocate and speaker for domestic abuse, formed her own foundation, went to college and finished a degree, and was an absolute blessing to everyone she met. I agreed to meet her, and that encounter with Sis Jo changed the trajectory of my life.

Throughout this book, you will read tributes to Sister Josephine Prescott from myself and people who were blessed to meet her. She was a jewel who truly lived life by keeping God first in all things. Sister Jo didn't see herself has a victim, and she did not let her disability define her. She forgave and lived an unapologetic, God-fearing, faith-filled life until her transition in June 2014. As you read the testimonials of how this woman impacted so many lives, I pray you are encouraged to approach life where you can acknowledge that God is enough. I pray that you will be reminded that despite how rough your story may be, your obedience to your godly purpose will impact the lives of others.

Before we begin, I must be honest with you about the journey that lies ahead. There is light at the end of your tunnel as well, but how you get to it may not be what you envisioned. Some days, you will run toward it boldly, not looking to the left or right. There will be days when you will have to walk slowly and maybe even crawl toward it. However, whatever you do, don't stop moving toward that light. Don't stop believing that it's there. The life you desire can be yours; it all starts with you.

Season 1

Inception

For as long as I live, I will never forget my first address as a child, 4512 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois. While writing this book, I did a Google Map search of that old location. Ironically enough, the street view was exactly as I remembered it in the seventies. As the virtual camera allowed me to review parts of my old neighborhood, visions of years past began to flood my mind. The experience was bittersweet. Though the place that once shaped my mindset and decisions hadn't changed much, I had transformed tremendously.

This Must Be Love

Our apartment building was next door to a church and across the street from a hotel often used by prostitutes and pimps. It's pretty safe to say that regional development was not the top priority of our city officials in those days. At eight years old, I had no idea the individuals who went in and out of the hotel were prostitutes and pimps. I only knew that the wild-haired women who frequented the hotel were strangely (often barely) dressed, and the weird men who accompanied them were mean and fully-clothed. From my window, I often watched as the pimps manhandled the women. It was puzzling to watch the same women return night after night with the same pimp, even though he had beaten or threatened them with guns the day before. I often wondered, Why are the women okay with being beaten and threatened? Why do they keep coming back? Is this what love looks like? In my young mind, I imagined that after being mistreated so much, the women would eventually wake up, take a stand for themselves, and not return. To my dismay, they always came back to the hotel and the men. Though too young to have a say in the matter, it broke my heart that I could not do anything to help those ladies. I'm not sure if this is where my heart for serving women started or not, but there was always something in me to help other people even in spite of the needs I had to help myself first.

Over time, I subconsciously accepted that this must indeed be love. Additionally, I concluded that the women outside of the hotel were the type of women men wanted. At seven or eight years old, I would often stare at myself in the mirror and compare my body to the bodies of the prostitutes. I didn't have the breasts, curves, or even the hair those women had. In addition to a warped understanding of love, I also developed a deep insecurity about my image. After months of watching this behavior, I was deeply confused as to what appeared to be such horrible treatment yet accepted. My confusion and comparison in other women increased while my confidence and self-esteem took a deep dive. Simply watching others warped my identity, self-esteem, and confidence. I didn't feel like I was enough as I was, and that followed me well into my forties. It was only after I embraced how God saw me that I accepted that I was enough just as