Being a woman with a heart of gold has become more and more difficult. Many of us have been through so many obstacles that we don't even realize that we are now injuring ourselves.

Hard times have a tendency to make us tough. We've got to be hard, take care of things ourselves. Who is there to cry on anyways? We become so used to things not going our way, to being lied to, disrespected, cheated on, let down, etc. that we don't even stay open to help any more.

When a good person comes along, we resist them because if we were honest with ourselves we know that we don't trust people after all we have been through. Helping us, getting close to us, becomes a nearly impossible task. It's like when a lifeguard is trying to save a drowning person but they are so concerned with drowning that they end up fighting the lifeguard who is trying to help.

These women are survivors and have learned to operate with armor on at all times. No one ever sees them break. They don't see the small, few tears that fall in the middle of the night when we are all alone; because heaven forbid anyone find out that there is a crack in our defenses. We have to look strong, like we take everything in stride.

And no one can deal with us, can reach us...except Jesus himself.

So how do we break through this stronghold to receive all that He has for us? The relationships we crave, the security we have always longed for but seem to never have...

First, you must recognize you're worth, your power. You are a King pen. You have been pre-destined by God to do great things that will influences so many lives....

That's why the enemy attacks you the way that he does. He knows you're strong. He knows you're mighty. He wants to mess you up early enough in life that you never recognize these things about yourself. He wants you to never feel secure, never trust, to allow others to treat you however they want because they can.

He wants you to learn to settle for sex even though you deserve love. He wants to tarnish your reputation so badly that no one will believe in you. He wants to make other women hate you, gossip about you. He wants to shine a spotlight on all your flaws, all your failures, all of your mistakes; because if you see yourself the way the spiritual world sees you...the enemy is in trouble.

He wants to keep you desperate because desperate people do desperate things. He wants to to accept crumbs and never expect anything more. You're not good enough to be a leader, you're not smart enough to run the company, you're not "wife material" like these other women are...these are a few of the lies we allow him to feed us.

But enough is enough. It's time to realize that you have an alternative.

You are worth so much more. It's time to let Jesus in and allow him to heal you. You are not alone and there is nothing we face that He has not faced himself. All of these things we long for...love, respect, intimacy, relationships, growth...are all in Jesus. You are somebody special. There is nothing wrong with you, you are meant to do great things. Why would all these troubles be thrown at you if you weren't someone worth being intimated by?

You're testimony, the things you have been through, can be used to reach more people than you know. You can now reach people that others could not. You can relate to people others wouldn't be able to relate to because they don't know what it's like to go through those trials.

Get your heart right, get your mind right, and your life will follow. You are better than being simply a survivor. Are you really satisfied with just that? What's the point in surviving then? It's time to thrive.