Lakisha, the Author

{New Release Spotlight} The Family That Lies: Merci Restored (Special Edition) by Lakisha Johnson

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Good afternoon! Have you checked out the special edition to Lakisha Johnson‘s, The Family That Lies? The Family That Lies: Merci Restored is Merci’s story. Check it out below but also, if you haven’t read book 1, make sure that you do.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In The Family that Lies: Merci Restored, we revisit the Alexanders to see how life has treated them. Three years ago, Merci realized she’d been a part of something much bigger than she ever could have imagined. Sure, every family has their secrets, hidden truths and ties but Merci had no idea she’d been born into the family that lies … without caring who it hurts!

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Daily Devotional – 4/11/19 “This is your pardon!”

I’m working on a new book and when I tell you, it has pulled from places within me… whew! On last night, while trying to finish it (I’ve changed the ending 5 times), God gave me this word. When you’ve been in prison for a while, after being found guilty, the governor has the ability to grant you a pardon. Now, the pardon doesn’t remove the offense from your record but you can no longer be held to the restrictions of your previous charge. In other words, a pardon forgives you for the crime you committed, either because you were wrongly convicted or the punishment you’ve received was too harsh for the crime. As people of God, we will make mistakes, we will go through some things and we will have things happen to us that we can’t control. When things happen, as they will; we tend to carry the weight with us, from place to place and relationship to relationship. A person who has been abused, carries that abuse. A person who has been broken, will carry the brokenness. A person who has been hurt will carry the hurt. Sad reality, it’ll show up every time you think you’re doing okay.

Why? Because you’ve sentenced yourself to a lifetime of recycling instead of destroying. Beloved, it’s time you go free. You’ve spent too much time making yourself pay for a mistake you made. You’ve spent too much time in darkness, ashamed of what you’ve done. You’ve allowed people the power to continually make you pay for something they claimed to have forgiven you for. Today, this is your pardon. You shall no longer be ashamed, hold your head up. You shall no longer sit in the dark, replaying what happened to you, come out and be free. Romans 8:1-3 says, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”

Baby, consider this your pardon. You are free and the chains are no longer holding you. Take up your mat and walk. Go, your faith has made you whole. This is your pardon. Oh, if you find yourself still stuck, it’s because the only person that can hold you back, once God releases you, is you.

Daily Devotional – 4/9/19 “Prepare for the storm!”

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve shared a devotional and this is because, I don’t share just anything. I wait for God to release a word and this morning, while I have so many things going through my head, God told me to stop and tell somebody … prepare for the storm. Yes, I know you don’t see the clouds but there’s a storm brewing. The sun is shining but the clouds are still forming. The weather is nice but a storm is on the way. What kind of storm? The storm of circumstance that’s going to attempt to cease your prayers. The storm of tragedy that will try to break your trust in man and God. The storm of weeping and suffering that’s trying to make you believe God has forsaken you. Beloved, prepare for the storm because here’s the reality, everybody with you in the sun, won’t be there in the storm. In fact, there’s someone already in your camp who’s waiting on the right time to betray you (hello Judas). Truth is, the one who is going to deny you, you invited them to your table (hello Peter). The one who will break a promise may be the one who vowed to love, honor and cherish you, forsaking all others until death do you part. What I’m saying is, if you aren’t prepared, the storm may just push you over the edge because it’s going to hurt like you wouldn’t believe and those you thought would be there won’t but you’ll survive, if you prepare for the storm.

Experts gives you a list of things to do in preparation for a hurricane or tropical storm. Experts say, know your evacuation route but God says, know you have a way out and be prepared to take it, even if it don’t make sense. Experts say, create a safety kit of water, nonperishable food, first aid kit and etc.. God says, trust Him enough to know, if He’s provided the way out then He’ll provide while you’re moving. Experts say, set up a safety room but God says, set up your prayer room and use it. Experts say, know where you are but God says know whose you are. Beloved, prepare for your storm. I don’t know when it’ll come but be prepared. I don’t know how harsh it’s going to be but be prepared. I will not lie, this storm is going to shake you to your core but I come today already decreeing that you shall not die! I don’t care what the enemy says, lay on your face in prayer and don’t forsake worship. Even when the storm starts to shake your dwelling, stand steadfast and know that you will come out and rebuild! I don’t care that it looks like the odds are against you, you will be victorious! It’s about to get crazy but it won’t last. The sound in your ears is about to be loud but keep praying. The shaking in your spirit is about to be something you’ve never experienced, brace for the impact! For the bible tells me in Revelation 2:10, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Daily Devotional – 3/28/19 “You’ve come too far!”

I’ve been writing or I’ve been published now for over seven years yet, would you believe, it wasn’t until 2018 that I saw a return on my investment. I haven’t met my goal of one million pages read on Kindle Unlimited, yet. I haven’t doubled my income, yet, I haven’t been able to pay off all our debt, yet. I haven’t won any book awards, yet but here’s the thing though … I will. You want to know how? I will not stop. Not as long as God keeps waking me, using me and gracing me for this … I will not stop. Why am I sharing this? For somebody who is thinking about giving up because things haven’t been what you were expecting. For somebody who is looking at their vision board and nothing has manifested, no matter what you do. For somebody who is feeling discouraged with everybody and everything. I get it. You have a gift but it hasn’t made room for you. You’ve been called to preach but nobody is calling you to preach. You have talents, pouring from your belly but they will not feed your family. You’ve gone when you didn’t feel like it, supported folk with your last who didn’t return the favor and been faithful yet every time you turn it feels like you’ve got to fight to keep from drowning. Well beloved, don’t stop. Yeah, yeah; I know you’re probably asking … how can I keep going when I’m doggone tired, why would I keep going when I doggone tired and what sense does it make to keep going when I’m doggone tired? Here’s the short answer. BECAUSE YOU HAVE COME TO FAR TO QUIT!

Let’s say you’re on a roller coaster, call life. It’s one of the big, scary ones that has dips and turns that will snatch your wig. However, you’re strapped in and the only way you can potentially fall, to your death, is by unfastening your safety equipment (God). The ride begins and although you’ve seen the roller coaster from the ground, it means nothing once it starts to move because everything you thought you knew, left your mind. Now, you’re being tossed and shaken, turned upside down and zipped through dark tunnels but here’s the blessing. There’s an end, although you can’t see it. Would you rather the ride stop in the middle and take you back to the beginning, through all the stuff you’ve already made it pass or get you to the end? What I’m saying is, you’ve come too far to quit. Beloved, I don’t know what you’re waiting on, what basket you’ve put all your eggs in, what you’re praying will pay off or what you’ve been praying for but don’t quit. We serve a God who is able to do all we need, when we trust Him. Don’t give up because bible shares in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up,” or 2 Chronicles 15:7, “But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

Daily Devotional – 3/26/19 “It may be the weight!”

For the past few months, I’ve been dealing with pain in my thighs and legs. Unexplained pain so, I’ve been going back and forth to my primary doctor who tries this medicine and that medicine while doing blood work. Afterwards, the results showed inflammation but couldn’t determine where it was coming from. He refers me to a rheumatologist to rule out arthritis, lupus and etc. (I’m sighing writing this because more doctors.) However, this doctor was really cool and he did what was within his specialized field of study and nothing. All of my tests came back normal. Read this carefully because it’ll make sense in a minute. ALL OF MY TESTS ARE NORMAL and he checked everything. He said, maybe you need to have a nerve study of your legs. Did that a year or so ago and it was normal. Anyway, I go back to my primary doctor who says … Lakisha, all of your tests are normal and there’s nothing we can find. I can do so more tests but I really believe you’ll see some benefit if you lose weight. Sitting in that cold room, looking in the face of a doctor I’ve seen more than I like, I was incline to agree because I’d also come to the same conclusion, it’s the weight.

Why am I sharing this? For somebody who, like me, is facing some unexplained pain whether in your physical or spiritual. For somebody who can’t understand why your life is seemingly unstable and for somebody who is feeling the pressure. Beloved, it may be the weight. The weight of being immobile and unhealthy eating habits. The weight of him or her who you’ve been dragging around too long. The weight of burdens you’ve been carrying on your own. The weight of being the only provider. The weight of caring for a sick love one. The weight of a job that keeps ignoring your potential. The weight of the mantle God called you to carry. The weight of being for everybody, what nobody can be for you. Beloved, it may be time to lose the unnecessary weight. For the bible shares in Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Here’s how you do it. Get up, get active, get vocal and get to cutting. A dietitian will tell you to cut out bad carbs, sweets and fats and Lakisha is advising you to lose bad carbs, fats, sweets along with bad choices, settling for anything and fickle folk. When you do that, you’ll start to see the benefit of losing the weight.