Join us for Part II of Brandie Reader’s interview. Brandie is a 22-year-old with a powerful story of a broken life, shattered into a million pieces. The incredible work God is doing to restore her with His healing love will bring unspeakable joy to your soul. You’ll hear the battle of lies Brandie has dealt with and overcome because of God’s unfailing promises of Truth. Brandie shares that this transparent story isn’t just for her but hopes to encourage others with the hope and miracle of God which He brought to her precisely when she needed it. Brandie titled this 2-part podcast: “Hope Is Colorful, Overcoming Darkness With Light” *****
Kimberly Hobbs Welcome to Empowering Lives With Purpose. And I’m your host, Kimberly Hobbs. I’m the founder of Women World Leaders. And ladies, we are so grateful that you’ve joined us today. And I’d like to welcome back for part two, our guest, Miss brandy reader, welcome, Brandie.
Brandie Reader Hey, ladies, I’m so excited to be back again,
Kimberly Hobbs We are so excited to have you. And, ladies, if you were listening in to last week, you will know that this young lady has a powerful, powerful testimony of what God has healed her from. And you are now going to hear the way that God had healed her through what she went through. And ladies, we’re here and hopes that we can strengthen you, encourage you and empower you to walk in your beautiful purpose just as Brandie is. And despite all the past and trials and tribulations that a lot of us have endured through our lives. God gives us a solution and he has a plan for each of our lives. He says in Ephesians 210 that we are His masterpiece created a new in Christ Jesus to do the very good things that he planned for us long ago. And I know that he had a plan for brandies life long ago. And she is walking that out right now. And it is amazing to hear her testify and share openly and transparently of her past and now what God’s doing in her future. And we pray that this can be you as well, that we all have stories. And those stories belong to God when we are believers, because it’s God that brings us through those trials and tribulations in our life and allow us to live so that we can testify of the amazing things that he has done in our lives. So we are hoping today that in part two of this amazing story and testimony that you are going to see the power of God come alive in brandies life, I want to share a little bit about brandy for those of you that have missed last week and may only be tuning into part two and that’s okay. We’ll just fill you in on what this is about. So brandy reader is 22 years old. She is from West Palm Beach, Florida. She’s active in her church, which is bound church in South Florida. And Brandi did a program through her church called 516, where she learned how to truly be a disciple of Christ and how the Lord changed her life through this. Brandi is passionate about God, healing, deliverance, and also prayer. I love to hear that especially from a young lady like yourself 22 years old and you have passions about the things of the Lord. She aspires to bring people closer to God and healing through sharing her story. And I asked brandy of what did you want to title this brandy? Like what do you think is a good title for sharing your story? And she said how about hope is colorful, overcoming darkness with light. And I said I love that. And that’s what she used to wear dark clothes when she was walking in that darkness. And now she likes to wear brighter things and colorful things. She has a rainbow earrings on and she is just so happy to be able to walk in the freedom because she has battled those lies that the enemy threw at her. And now she walks in this newness of life. And just to recap a little bit and Brandy is going to tell you a little bit more but God has brought her through. She overcame rejection in her life when she was little paranoia, abuse, painful abuse from a stepdad. And now she’s had to go through a lot of things to get to where she is now. But a lot of lies that the enemy fed over these years of brandies life so Brandi Do you want to recap about your life before we go into what now God is miraculously doing through you because it is powerful. Ladies get ready and just take down maybe a pen and paper and jot some of the things down but Brandy is going to share with you because it really truly as inspiring. So go ahead brandy talk about how you’re you are broken in a million pieces. And how God webbed into your pain The whole Christ that needed to be found and how he wants the whole Brandie.
Brandie Reader Yeah. So during capital a little bit, you know, I grew up in abuse of all forms that you can imagine just feeling abandoned and neglected and not wanted from a young age, getting put in. My mom losing her rights, my stepdad giving us our toys, being put in a home with someone I didn’t really know who didn’t love me who didn’t want me. And then growing up from that abusive home, to finally meeting God, and still battling hopelessness to overdosing, when I was $15, saving me from that. But still walking around with this feeling of no loss of home, like loss of family, from the Lord putting me in different homes and then battling rejection when I was moved. believing the lie, you know, God’s word says he puts a lonely in families, and then being put in families in that being taken away. So they’re not believing God’s truth. His Word says, For I know, the plans I have you declares the LORD Plans to prosper, not to harm plan to give you hope in the future, not believing that truth. So feeling as if my life was the exact opposite of what God’s word said, and how can I believe His truth when my life is saying something different. And so, battling that, but then finally going to college, getting introduced to my church and experiencing a lot of healing. And so through being introduced to my church, I began a program through my church called Project 516. And I remember, you know, I said, and I mentioned this in our other video, that I told people, I was this broken vase that had been shattered, and those pieces had been stepped on. And there was no way that anyone could put me back together. I don’t know if God can even put me back together. And so it’s interesting, because one of the first things the Lord said to me, when I started this program was brandy, or not remodeling your foundation. I’m demolishing it. And it’s crazy. Because if anyone would have asked me, I would have said that God was my foundation, you know, but the Lord revealed that he wasn’t. And so that really started to happen. With unforgiveness, I realize his word says, if, for if, For if you forgive others, their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you. I wasn’t forgiving others their trespasses against me, I was actually holding them in contempt, thinking that me holding on to it was getting justice. In reality, I was just putting myself in a prison. And so the Lord started to avail and forgiveness, but that unforgiveness revealed trauma and brokenness. And His Word says, He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. And so as this unforgiveness as trauma started to come up, though, or was healing me, but I know because Thor was setting me free, the enemy was trying everything he can to take me out. And so I’m getting set free. But then this darkness is just overtaking me. And I was learning how to replace lies with truth. But in the beginning of learning that, you know, a fear would come and I’d like, His Word says that he’s not giving me a sound mind. And then I still feel afraid. And so I was like, this isn’t working for me. And I wasn’t, I didn’t really know how to contend in that space. I was just like, this doesn’t work. And so the enemy was just having a playground with my mind. And as I’m an inner healing, and as I’m in counseling, and these things are getting brought up, it’s kind of retriggering me and the enemy is using those things to keep me in bondage. And so I remember how I was, as I was going through the program, and I was being healed. My depression was getting worse, like, and I don’t even think I would have called myself depressed, but I didn’t want to get out of bed, and I didn’t want to live. And I remember, one time, I stopped by the inner healing office, and I was talking to the person who does some inner healing. And I said, Katie, I don’t want to live today. And she’s like, I want you to renounce death and hopelessness off of your life. And I renounce it and then she tells me to renounce control. And as I go to renounce control, I feel someone choking my throat, like, I cannot get the words out of my mouth. And finally, I’m able to like say, I renounce control. And through her discernment, she’s like, there’s something more going on. So we go into the inner healing room, bring a second person in, and through a lot of prayer. I start I’m out of my chair on the ground, screaming I mean, there’s these animal like noises coming on my mouth. And I realized I was experiencing a manifestation. And this brought so much fear, so much fear to me, and so much shame. I couldn’t even rejoice that I was being set free and I was being delivered. Because I was so afraid, because I’ve never experienced that before. And I was, the enemy made me believe that he was more powerful than God. And he used that to, like, create just this fear. And so this fear started to overtake me. And Katie kept saying to me, Brandy, Greater is He that is the new then he that is in the world. But it was so cool because that fear led me to God. And His Word says, There is no fear in love. but perfect love casts out fear, for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. And so this year, drew me closer to the Lord and helped me learn how to fight against the enemy. And so this starts to happen, I go to another inner healing session. And I, this a manifestation starts to happen. And she Kay looks me in the eye. And she says, In the name of Jesus, you will not throw her out of that chair. And I was stuck to my chair. And it was in that moment that I realized, but graders, he that is in me than he that is in the world, because he cannot hear me. And so that was the moment that I began to walk in my authority. So fast forward, I’m still on this program and getting set free. I’m starting to walk in my authority. But the enemy comes even stronger, just with darkness with depression. And I’m like, I’m fighting like, why am Why is this still happening. And this led to one day, I locked myself in the bathroom with pills, my community had a beat on the door. And finally, get me out of there and lay on the floor till three or 4am with me while I’m crying. And I’m like, I don’t want to live and I’m just I feel so defeated, because I’m fighting so hard. But the enemy is fighting so much stronger to take my life. And so about a week later, as I went through some really intense healing, the enemy came in when it became silent. And he started to whisper the lies to me that you’re going to be like this forever. You know, God’s word says he’s able to complete what he starts, he started saying he’s not going to complete what he started a new UN. So I was ready to work one day, and I heard the light, you know, you’re going to be like this forever. He’s never going to heal you. And I’m like, No, in the name of Jesus. God is faithful to complete what he starts. And it didn’t work. And then I played worship music. And the sorrow just gripped me, because I’m like, I partnered with the enemy by saying, Yeah, you’re right. And that was the most dangerous thing that I did. And that’s the most dangerous thing we can do is when we partner with the enemy, and say that what he’s saying is true. So I partnered with that lie, that I was going to be like this forever. And I pulled into a parking lot in a Walgreens, and I got the biggest bottle of aspirin. And I pulled into a park parking lot. And I started taking a handful of pills. And I had Christian radio playing on my car. I had scriptures all over my car. But because I had partnered with the enemy, there was no like, no receiving, because I’m like, Yeah, this is true. And when I said that was true, it’s like I just allowed him into my mind. And I allowed the darkness to take over. And so I take 200 and over 250 pills. And I call a couple of people and they didn’t answer. And finally my pastor’s wife picks up and she’s like, Brandy, I see I was to call. And I’m weeping. And I said, Colleen, I took pills. And she was like, Brandy, what did you do? And I’m like, I took pills. And she’s like, You need to make yourself throw up right now. And I know that this was the award, because I think if anyone would else would have picked up the phone, they would have just called the ambulance. But she for some reason, she told me to make myself throw up and she’s like, you stay on the phone while you throw up. And so I’m throwing up, you have this white powder, liquid powder, just all over me all over my car. And she runs to come her and my pastor get in the car to run, run and get me I start to feel better. But then by the time they arrive, I’m like out of it. You know, I’m like, I’m dying. And so they pick me up. And they literally have to like get me out of the car and get me to the hospital. And by the time I get to the hospital, I’m like going downhill. And I remember so distinctly when I got there and I got in the wheelchair, my pastor kiss my head and he said I love you. And I know that Ozora because that’s what I needed to hear. I needed to hear that I was Love in that I was accepted. And I was in the hospital for days. And I was left alone with myself. And it was in this moment that I realized, people were fighting for me. But I had to fight for myself. Yes. And I think sometimes we want people to be able to fix us. But God is the only one who can. But God doesn’t just want to fix us, he wants to heal us. And so it was in at the end of myself that I say, I found God. It was when I was laying in the hospital bed. And I was like, I have nothing. I’m I have nothing left. But God, God was the only one there. You know, of course, my community was definitely but when I’m all alone, I was left with God. And so I went to a behavioral health hospital, I got stabilized. And I came out. And I remember there was just one day, I was in the prayer room at my church. And I asked the Lord, Lord, why did you save me? And he said to me, bring it because I’m faithful to complete what I start, and I keep my promises. And that moment, changed me. It changed my life, because I realized that God saved me for a purpose. I have this vision of the Lord coming into the car and breathing life into me. And that’s what he did. When I couldn’t breathe for myself. God came into that car, and he breathed for me. And so, through that, you know, I remember there was this one day that I was driving past the hospital. And I felt shame, because I thought back to the overdose. And I heard in my brain, I heard the Lord say, shame is not your inheritance, it’s the enemies. And I have coined that phrase, every time I’ve done so with shame, I’m like that, and shame, was despised on the cross in the Lord showed me. He told me like, His scripture says on Isaiah, instead of your shame, there will be double portion, instead of dishonor, they shall rejoice, and their lot, therefore in their land, they shall possess a double portion, they shall have everlasting joy. And I held on to that, I hold on to that promise. And then finally, I was faced with like, Hey, I just stopped this depression diagnosis, like, what do I do with that, like, I’m supposed to be joyful and happy, and have this depression, diagnosis, but in his word, and Philippians, and 14, it says, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just whatever is pure, lovely, whatever is commendable. The if there’s any excellence, if there’s anything worthy of praise, think about these things. And I realized, sometimes, we may see something may not be gone. But I thanked God for what he had not done, because I know that it was going to be done. So I was thanking God, for freedom from depression, even though I hadn’t seen it. And so I was holding on I talk about often, we have a reality in this natural world, but there’s a reality in the heavenly realm. And the reality in the heavenly realm is that I don’t have depression. And so I decided to partner with the reality of heaven, instead of this world to reality, and declare over myself freedom even before I had received it yet. And so it was cool, because as I slowly started to break these things down, you know, he started to heal me from rejection and abandonment, which His Word says, Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb, even these may forget, but I may not forget you. And so as a word, and the beginning said, you know, he had to, he wasn’t remodeling, he was demolishing. And all these things started to tear down, it came to the root of i like i There is $1 tree, you know, like, I have put other gods before him and those gods honestly, it was wanting a family more than I wanted him. You know, because of that rejection, abandonment, I saw a family was going to heal me. And the reality is this. It wasn’t the only one who could heal me was God. And I had to realize that God was not for me, you know. And so as we dealt with the idolatry, I started to realize I had control. And I had to give up that control to trust God. And it was so cool, because as I realized this, the Lord revealed to me that the foundation that I had created was founded on me, you know, and that is an idol to. And His Word says, If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. And it also says in Galatians, I have been crucified with Christ. It’s no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me and the life I now live in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son of God. God, who loved me and gave himself for me. So I realized that I had in that hospital room, I thought I was dying. But there was something dying, I was dying spiritually, so Christ could live with me. And I, like I said, I had to come to the end of myself, to realize God, you know, and once I was able to rise that I was like, God, I don’t want to be my foundation, I want you to be my foundation. And so, through that, God, I truly began living my life for God. You know, I love to Lord before this, but I love the Lord, way more than I ever could through this because I started to realize once that I brought these things to the Lord, he started to heal me and replace those things with the truth. You know, and I, I became big, became, I become to fall in love with the Lord and in love with his word. And as I become begin to fall in love with him in his word, he brought home to me. And His Word says that we don’t we not only rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. It’s cool also, because, you know, His Word says, He gives us a sound mind, you know, he says, he’s going to keep us in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on him. He gave me identity, like, I learned and knowing who God was, I learned who I was, and I am a daughter of the king. And there’s purpose in my life, when I didn’t believe that his word that says, I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper, not to harm plans to give you hope, in future, I believe that, because when I look back at that car, and I see him breathing life in me, I know that I’m alive today, because there’s so purpose in me, you know, two times, you know, I should be dead, the amount of pills that I took, even the doctor was like, It’s a miracle that she’s not paralyzed, or that she doesn’t have liver damage. I’m a miracle. And I’m a testament of God’s faithfulness, because he had a purpose and a plan for my life, when the enemy was trying to take me out. And so what’s really cool is, a couple months later, I began to walk in freedom. And I begin to walk and healing which I never thought was possible, which the enemy told me wasn’t possible. And what’s so crazy as on the other side of the enemy’s lies, is God’s true. The enemy was saying to me, he wasn’t going to complete me because God was going to bring complete what he started, because God was going to complete what he started. And so few months later, I’m in my room. And I remember seeing when the depression was happening. I’m like, I just want to laugh. I just want joy. I just want to see light one day. And a few months later, I had this realization, I was laying in bed, I’m like, wow, life feels so light. And it feels like so joyful, and it’s brighter. And I heard the word say, to me, hope is colorful. And I’ve held on to that ever since then. Because, like, Kimberly shared, you know, I was wearing dark colors and wanting to hide, and now I’m like, I wear Ray, I love the rainbow. Because it’s hooked. For me, it tells me that there’s purpose, and there’s joy, you know, there’s freedom. And I never thought that I was going to walk in freedom. And so it’s just been so amazing, you know, to see the Lord what he can do when we truly surrendered to Him. And what’s so cool is that, you know, I look back to, you know, the deliverance I experiencing, I know that the enemy was wanting to take me out, and he wanted to take me out, because my healing is a weapon. And it’s, and the word is going to use my healing, not It’s not only for me, I’m going to help other woman heal, and our healing is going to be a weapon. And I want to be end because I know our time is coming up with Isaiah 61. Because this is something that the Lord has spoken over me and it says, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring the news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison door to those who are bound to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of the minions of our God to come for all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of badness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit, that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the painting of the Lord that He may be horrified. They shall burn up ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations, they shall repair the ruin cities, the devastation of many generations. And I love this. And I know that this is what the Lord has called me to do. But because he’s done it inside of me, the only way I can do it for others is because he’s done it inside of me. The reality is, I haven’t hit complete healing. I’m not fully healed. But I know now how to fight for it. I know how to contend in it. And my response to life is so much different than what it used to be when I thought no one wanted me, because I know who God is, I know what he can do. And I know that he loves me. And when you’re so sure of that, it doesn’t matter what the enemy says to you, because you know, who’s who’s your, and the enemy still, whispers lies to me, he still comes in. But now I don’t just repeat it once. I don’t just say, he’s able to complete what it starts, I say it over and over and over and over and over again, until it becomes true. And so…
Kimberly Hobbs Yes… Brandie, he gave you your identity. And you know what truth is now and you walk in that you are chosen. And obviously you you walk it out in your life and he has created you and knew that verse that scripture I shared in the beginning that For we are His masterpiece created anew in Christ Jesus to do the very good things he planned for us long ago that identity in Christ has come alive. And like you said, you don’t just speak at once you speak it again and again and again. Because until you believe it, okay? Those lies that just come at us, ladies, constantly, every day. There’s our lies coming in coming and coming. And we have to combat those lies with truth, just as brandy shared her testimony over and over, he gave brandy authority. And she talks about this. And the scripture says, Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents, and the power of the enemy shall not hurt you like, ladies, you realize the authority that God gives you in the name of Jesus Christ, in the name of Jesus, you have that authority to stomp on the heads of serpents. And just like brandy stomped on the heads of that serpent, you know, God showed up. God is showing up for you to ladies, and he is going to do that he has predestined us to himself, right? We belong to Him. Do you think he’s going to leave you alone? No, he is going to send help for you when you need it. He gave brandy that joy, the joy of the Lord is her strength. Now, ladies, please understand that you don’t walk around in a depressed state. God, you belong to the God of the galaxies. And he is going to give you strength through the joy that you carry in the name of Jesus. So brandy, one more thing I’m going to ask you to share is to look into that camera. And that hurting broken crying sobbing woman on the other end, that totally knows where you have been. All the pills. I think you said 280 pills you swallowed. Do you realize that was the power of God that showed up? It was truly a miracle that saved you. Look into the lady’s eyes that need that miracle today. And just pour your heart into her for the next minute of whatever God puts on your, on your heart, even pray with her whatever you feel led to do, but talk to her right now.
Brandie Reader Yeah, what I would say is anyone listening to this, and you’re like, I am there right now I’d say you have purpose. I would say that the enemy wants to take you up because you have purpose. And if you’re struggling, and if you’re battling and if you’re in that pit, I say to you rise up, I say to your spirit rise up and I say right now in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, the enemy has no place in your life. I say enemy you have to go off her mind. I say enemy you have to go off of her body. And I speak right now a sound mind over her. I speak joy. I say right now that morning comes off and that garment of praise is being put on you right now. And I say right now that you have the Lord inside of you, who is life and because of that your life you are full of life and not death. And I see too, that he knows the plans he has for you and they’re good plans. And right now it may not seem like that. The His word says he works all things together for good. And I know we’re in that moment that it feels hopeless. But one day, you’re going to meet someone like me where I was at, and you’re going to be able to say, rise up and lift your head up. Because you may, it may look like darkness right now. But the but God is with you, he’s going to use your story. He is going to use your story. It is not hopeless. There is hope. And one day, you’re going to see the color. It may seem dark right now, but it’s going to you’re going to see the color. And my last encouragement to you is to declare color in your life, even when it seems dark, to declare light, and joy, even when it seems those things I promise you that as you start to declare the opposite of what’s being spoken over you right now, you’re going to start to walk in it. And you’re going to be like, when did this happen? And you’re going to be able to look back and say I declared it over myself when I didn’t believe it. And that’s where the healing took place. So that will be my encouragement, you know, keep fighting. He wants to take you out. But God has a plan. And if there’s anything that I’ve learned through my story is that the enemy wants to take me out, but it’s because he has a plan. Because God has a plan for my life.
Kimberly Hobbs Yes, yes. Oh, praise God, what a word, Brandy, you are precious, you are precious in his sight. God has His anointing over you. And you are sharing your story with the world in hopes that God will use your story to bring others closer to him. And that’s for you, ladies, he wants to bring you closer to him and your walk with Him. And ladies, we’re here as a ministry to help you to walk beside you to encourage you we remember we talked brandy talked about community how important that is to come around those of like faith that are going to point you toward Jesus that are going to be there for you. So ladies, we encourage you to join in with us at women world leaders reach out to us reach out to me at Kimberly at women world leaders.com. And I will just talk to you, I will put you in the right direction of who to talk to or how we can help you. Also, if you want to talk with brandy, I’ll be happy to give her the message. So just reach out to me again at Kimberly at women world leaders.com. And if you have anything that you identified with with brandy story, I’m sure she wants to hear from you. So please don’t be afraid to reach out to us. And we will put the connections together so that she can help you if she can and encourage you important to you. But that’s what we do as a ministry for women here is we just want to pour into you and love on you and let you know that there is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are not alone. We will pray with you. We have a team of over 50 prayer warriors that faithfully pray for the prayer requests that come in. So please let us know. Go to our website, go to the prayer, the prayer station. Again, reach out to us through women, world leaders, there’s devotions for you, there’s help for you. So as we have to close out, I just want to thank you Brandy from our hearts for just sharing with us and pouring in. And prayerfully this will not be the last that we hear from our sister brandy, because I believe God has big plans for her to do great and mighty things in the name of Jesus. So please pray for her. As you see there is a beautiful anointing over her. She carries this with the Lord Jesus Christ and just goes out into the world and shares the gospel message of Jesus. Thank you, Brandie.
Brandie Reader Thank you,
Kimberly Hobbs Ladies. God bless you and as we close remember, we have our podcasts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please share them. Women need to hear these podcasts lives need to be changed and impacted for Jesus. People need help. They’re broken. So we just asked you to just please be part of these podcasts, download them, pass them on to others in the name of Jesus. Remember all content is copyrighted and cannot be used without expressed written consent. We do want you to share, but please just remember contact us if you need further help. God bless you and have a beautiful day. Bye brandy. Thank you sweetheart.