There may finally be hope for those who have worked tirelessly for years to challenge Roe v. Wade, a law legalizing abortion and infamously implemented in the United States in 1973.

The U.S. Supreme Court released a statement recently saying that it will hear arguments Dec. 1 in a landmark case from Mississippi that could overturn the decades-old law. The case tests whether all state laws that ban pre-viability abortions are unconstitutional.

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health centers on a Mississippi law banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Fox News reported that the “law in question challenges the court’s previous ruling in Roe v. Wade and subsequent cases by imposing a restriction on abortion earlier than the recognized point of fetal viability—when a baby would be able to survive outside the womb—at approximately 24 weeks into pregnancy.”

In 1981, Doug Stringer surrendered to the call of Christ and began a life of ministry, teaching a message of consecration, commitment and action. From humble beginnings on the streets of Houston, Texas, he went on to found Turning Point Ministries International, which later birthed Somebody Cares America, a global network of chapters and relationships transforming their communities with the tangible expression of Christ.

Stringer now travels the globe facilitating corporate prayer gatherings, encouraging churches to unify and engage their communities, ministering to leaders and the body of Christ, and mobilizing disaster response efforts. In honor of his 40th anniversary in ministry, friends and leaders from around the world have sent greetings and congratulations.

“Your Christian witness has inspired my life,” said Bishop Dale Bronner from Word of Faith in the Atlanta area, adding, “You are a difference maker.”

Spirit-filled Pastor R. Loren Sandford, lead pastor at the nondenominational New Song Church and Ministries in Denver, Colorado, died Sept. 17 due to complications from COVID-19. He was 70.

According to the church’s Facebook page, Sandford spent the past few weeks in the hospital with COVID:

“To all of you who have been praying for Pastor R. Loren Sandford, we wanted to let you know that our dear pastor decided to go home to be with the Father this past Friday. There are no words to express how all of us here on staff and our church body are grieving right now. We all know he is worshipping with the Father. Thank you for all your prayers, love and support.”

Since receiving his Master of Divinity Degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1976, Sandford served four churches.

In a memorandum from Oct. 2, 2021, Pennsylvania state Rep. Christopher M. Rabb—D, Philadelphia County—is pushing for legislation that will require all “inseminators” to undergo vasectomies within six weeks from having their third child or 40th birthday, whichever comes first.

He wants to enforce this new law by offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who reports a man who has not had a vasectomy—therefore in noncompliance of the statute—within the time frame so the state can take civil action for unwanted pregnancies against the men who have “wrongfully” conceived a child.

The memorandum states: “The rights of cisgender men have always been paramount in our society with little focus on their responsibility as inseminators to change their behaviors for the good of their partners, families and society at large.”

“I was groaning, and I realized I was groaning for America,” Baker said. “I started seeing it, and it was showing me His glory. But He was also showing me suffering like you’ve never seen. I said to the Lord, ‘They don’t want to hear it; they don’t want to see it.’

This past September at the Supernatural Life Conference in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, apostle Heidi Baker said that while she was in Tennessee recently, the Lord gave her a two-part prophetic word for the body of Christ.

“And He said to me, ‘Are you going to tell them? Who are you? You said you would go anywhere and say anything.’

“I said, ‘Lord, I’m so, so sorry. I will go if You ask me. I lay my life before You.’

“I was seeing shaking, but I saw His glory. All I can say is that you had better fix your eyes on Jesus. This is not a time to play games. There is darkness covering the earth, huge darkness, but the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” {eoa}

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied” (Ps. 37:19, KJV).

This psalm is very close to my heart. God will satisfy you. “Fret not thyself because of evildoers … For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land. … the meek shall inherit the earth” (Ps. 37:1-3, 11).

Regardless of what’s going on—whether it’s viruses, violence or death—the earth is the Lord’s. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” It all belongs to God. The cattle on a thousand hills belong to Him. God is committed to this planet. He is committed to preserving it, keeping it, guarding and protecting it. We will not be destroyed.

Despite the sicknesses and diseases, economic collapse, and social and political unrest that came, because of God’s people and because of prayer and the spiritual power and authority that has been given to us in the name of Jesus, we were not consumed. You are still standing. You are still here.

The Bible says, “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.” In other words, God has given us the responsibility to govern, to dominate, to have dominion and to exercise authority over the earth. We are the ones who exercise dominion and ruling power on the earth. And that’s what many of us did. At the height of the pandemic and the season of social and political unrest, we took authority over every demon of fear, death, premature death, destruction, sickness, disease, murder, hatred, violence, indifference, prejudice and racism, and we bound them. Every demonic spirit operating behind the scenes, every demon causing people to be afraid to panic, hide and run, we bound and rebuked them in the name of Jesus.

In the heat of the struggle, it’s hard to believe what the Scripture says about what God will do for us during these dark times—that He will satisfy us in famine. But I’m going to keep challenging you to grab this word and make it your confession. As a matter of fact, we’re going to take it even further. You are going to be so faith-filled and strong that you will laugh at the famine. That’s right. Job 5:22a says, “At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh.”

Instead of famine being something so dreadful and fearsome causing you to fall, faint, bend or bow before it in defeat, you will laugh. Instead of being afraid of famine, you will laugh at it. Famine will not be something that will take you out of here. It will not be the thing to cause you to die before your time. Despite the famine, you will live and not die.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:21a). So, if the Scripture says, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord” (Ps. 118:17), this is what will come out of my mouth. There was a point near the beginning of the pandemic that it looked like the enemy was trying to attack my body. I said, “I will not die. I will live.” This is the confession that came out of my mouth, and I encourage you to declare it now too.

Draw From the Strength of God

There are many ways we can die, just as there are many types of famine. God will sustain and satisfy you through them all. “I once was young, but now am old,” the psalmist said, “yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

Yes, you may have to nurse yourself back to full health after whatever blow you’ve sustained, but God will give you wisdom on how to make a full recovery just as He gave my wife and me. I’ve never been close to dying, and I wasn’t at that point when I got ill. Still during that time, I took care of myself, and my wife nursed me back to health. I stood in faith. I believed God. I came back feeling stronger than ever. God will renew you—whatever type of famine you are facing—physical, mental, spiritual, financial or relational. He will cause you to come back stronger than ever.

The Scripture says, “Bless the Lord …Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:1a, 5, NKJV). Then Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Believe the Lord is the strength of your life, that He is going to renew your strength. Believe for more strength than you’ve ever had before in spite of anything that has come against you. Believe that the Lord will give you the strength you had as a youth.

Building faith and expectancy for God’s promises to manifest in your life begins with your mouth. It begins with the words. It begins with the weak saying, “I am strong.” (See Joel 3:10.) If you feel weak, say, “I’m strong.” Declare, “The Lord is the strength of my life. The Lord is my light and my salvation. The Lord gives me strength. My strength is from God. The Lord gives me power. The spirit of might, power and strength is my portion.”

I want you to speak and believe that during the days of famine, you will be satisfied. You will not lack during this season, and you will not be ashamed. God is not going to allow you to be put to shame. He will provide for you and take care of you.

Just as the height of the pandemic came and went in the United States, this season you are in will pass too. What you are going through will come to an end. New glory, power and strength is “going to come upon you. Things cannot remain the same, but God will sustain you and give you strength.

The Scripture says, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small” (Prov. 24:10, KJV). You cannot faint during the time of adversity. You need to draw from the strength of God. By the power of the Holy Ghost and the anointing of God, I speak life to you. I speak healing. I speak restoration. I speak strength. I speak favor. I speak grace. I speak divine protection over your life in this season.

Apostle John Eckhardt is overseer of Crusaders Ministries in Chicago, Illinois. Gifted with a strong apostolic anointing, he has ministered throughout the United States and overseas in over 80 nations. He is a sought‐after international conference speaker and has authored more than 40 books, including Prayers That Rout Demons and Deliverance and Spiritual Warfare Manual. Eckhardt resides in the Chicago area with his wife, Wanda.

Intuitively, we all know the most effective dietary plan. It’s not a diet trend. It’s not a flashy new product. Whether it is low-carbohydrate, high-fat, high-protein, low-calorie or otherwise, the most effective diet is full of healthy, real foods and perhaps most importantly, one that you’ll stick with.

One big challenge with almost every diet is the difficulty of sustaining it as a lifestyle. This is especially true if the diet requires foods that are not readily available or make eating with others more difficult.

For years, I have been at the forefront of healthy diets. I have worked one-on-one with patients, looked at decades of research and promoted healthy eating as a primary preventive health tool. I have pioneered a revolutionary plan recommending the highest-quality, healthiest keto diet available. My patients and readers have had great weight loss and health success with it.

In fact, the keto diet has been a lifesaver for many who have absolutely needed to lose weight, drastically improve blood sugars or want to live long, healthy lives. However, I unexpectedly discovered a problem. The keto diet has proven to be a tough diet to follow throughout life.

What’s more, I found that many keto dieters revert back to old eating habits while continuing with some keto dietary strategies. This has become an issue and a hugely damaging combination. Ketogenic diets must be followed closely to stay healthy and maintain good results. When they are combined with the standard American diet, they create a hybrid diet far too high in refined carbohydrates, sugars, saturated fats and processed foods.

The Keto Hybrid Diet Downfall

The best ketogenic diets stay strictly low-carbohydrate. They become even better when the fats used are healthy ones such as omega-3 fats from fish, monounsaturated fats from olive oil and avocados, medium-chain triglycerides from MCT oils and more.

However, some ketogenic dieters include large amounts of saturated fats from animal sources while following the diet. Often, saturated fats from red meats, butters, creams, bacon and more become the default fat and foundation of their diets. Amazingly, this can still work in terms of weight loss. However, for health’s sake, a high saturated fat diet can lead to inflammation and numerous diseases, especially cardiovascular disease.

If a keto dieter begins to fall back into old habits, including consuming more sugar, refined carbs and processed foods while continuing with a high saturated-fat diet, the results can be devastating. This is an extreme standard American diet, and it’s become too common with those previously on a ketogenic diet.

What’s the specific harm? A high saturated-fat, high-sugar diet leads to inflammation. This type of diet is often described as a Western diet. Inflammation lies at the heart of almost all modern chronic diseases.

Dieters who fall into this combination can also experience high cholesterol, need for and/or use of statin medications, insulin resistance and altered blood sugars, joint pain, muscle aches, nasal congestion, sinus issues, fatigue, brain fog, memory problems, dementia, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, food sensitivities, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer and weight gain.

While ketogenic eating can be extremely effective for weight loss, improved blood sugars and healthy cholesterol levels, it is simply difficult for many to follow as a long-term diet lifestyle.

Although I still believe in the benefits of healthy ketogenic diets, I have always been more interested in providing real solutions for my patients than hypothetical improvements. Once I realized keto may not be the answer for everyone in the long term, I put all of my research, experience and time spent with patients together to form a new solution.

A New Approach: Beyond Keto

For me, it’s never been about a trendy diet or new health craze. It’s always been about people. It’s about results and great health. I am interested in healthy lifestyles—in all aspects—and long-term diet solutions a person can stick with for life. Furthermore, it’s about meeting people where they are and helping them achieve their health goals within their own schedules, constraints, budgets and families.

What’s more, I wanted a dietary program that would enable patients to prevent most diseases from the start and throughout their lives.

Now, I am introducing a new approach to diet—one that will enable you to prevent most diseases starting today and continuing throughout your life. It’s a lifestyle program with the goal of great health outcomes and effective disease prevention.

It’s the best of the keto diet combined with the best of the Mediterranean diet.

While I have seen great success with both the ketogenic diet and the Mediterranean diet separately, I’ve found that a combination approach is the healthiest and most effective.

First, the keto diet offers initial, efficient benefits with weight loss and improved blood sugars.

Then, the Mediterranean diet allows for continual healthy-eating success, whole body health, better digestion and a lifestyle of great health outcomes while enabling people to live long, healthy lives.

Here’s how to use both diets for your best health.

Beyond Keto Part One: The Best of Keto: Beyond Keto starts with all the best, healthiest aspects of the keto diet. This phase will produce great results for weight loss, optimal blood sugars, less hunger and a “reset” for eating. For anyone who’s struggled with eating the same unhealthy foods for years, a dramatic change is often the shake-up they need to see results. This is part one.

While in the keto phase, dieters will experience all the amazing benefits of ketosis. They will produce ketones that will reduce hunger, provide amazing natural energy, support mental focus and encourage healthy weight loss and maintenance.

However, this keto diet is not your typical keto diet. Part one’s emphasis is on healthy monounsaturated fats and medium chain triglycerides with less saturated fats. It also contains fewer processed meats, fried foods and red meat than what’s typical on keto.

Why?

Inflammation. Despite keto’s success, diets that are high in saturated fats and processed meats can lead to an increase in inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation is at the heart of most chronic diseases, and any healthy diet should aim to reduce it while achieving long-term health goals.

Beyond Keto Part Two: The Best of the Mediterranean Diet: Once weight-loss goals are achieved on the keto diet, part two of Beyond Keto transitions you to the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet has been proven over centuries to support full body health. It’s especially beneficial for heart health, reduced inflammation, reduced risk of cancer, optimal blood sugars, gut microbiota and metabolism.

The Mediterranean diet is based on healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil and seafood. In addition, it’s full of colorful plant foods like vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, salads and healthy, low-sugared fruits.

Unlike keto, the Mediterranean diet also allows for some whole grains and does not include many saturated fats. With Beyond Keto, you’ll also make a few alterations to a classic Mediterranean diet.

Beyond Keto emphasizes the amazing foods in the Mediterranean diet while limiting any refined carbohydrates and sugars. Again, refined foods and sugars can increase inflammation in the body.

I have championed the Mediterranean diet throughout my career and know my patients can follow it as a healthy lifestyle for their entire lives. Now, when combined with keto in the Beyond Keto Plan, I believe it will allow you to efficiently meet weight goals and improve blood sugars, then establish a healthy diet for life that continues to prevent disease.

It’s All About Health: Beyond Keto Results

Scientific study, experience and decades of research all point to key approaches for a healthy lifestyle: achieve a healthy weight, maintain a healthy weight and fight inflammation.

My novel new diet approach focuses on all of these. The results are clear.

A combination of the best of the keto diet followed by the best of the Mediterranean diet will simply support great outcomes. Here’s what you can achieve with Beyond Keto.

A healthy weight for your entire life. The obesity epidemic is plaguing our communities, our country and our world. Almost every disease—and even short-term illness—can be contributed to, linked to or exacerbated by obesity.

A healthy keto diet is an amazing tool for efficient weight loss. In fact, many keto dieters experience weight loss within the first two weeks of dieting and continue to see it for months to come.

Then, a healthy Mediterranean diet continues to support weight loss, belly fat loss and maintenance. Its focus on lean proteins, seafood, healthy oils, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables provides a wonderful well-balanced, satisfying dietary lifestyle to maintain a healthy weight.

Great energy, vitality and mental focus. One of the wonderful things about ketones is the energy and mental focus they provide. As you use the keto diet in part one, you will experience these wonderful compounds made naturally by the body on a low-carbohydrate diet.

Then, as you transition to a Mediterranean diet lifestyle in part two, you can maintain great energy and vitality with the abundant variety of healthy foods it includes. Rather than experiencing the ups and downs of a high-sugar diet, you will enjoy steady, youthful energy from delicious, colorful whole foods.

Optimal blood sugars, reduced risk of pre-diabetes and less metabolic syndrome. An amazing aspect of both the keto diet and the Mediterranean diet is the improvement of blood sugars.

Both diets, in Beyond Keto, remove harmful refined starches while focusing on healthy fats, high-fiber beans, peas, lentils, vegetables, lean protein and low-glycemic fruits such as berries.

Part of the improvement comes from weight loss. Then, the foods themselves support better blood sugars. As you consume proteins, healthy fats, high-fiber beans, peas, lentils, vegetables and low-glycemic fruits rather than processed, refined foods, the body responds with less insulin resistance, better blood sugars and improved health.

In fact, the Mediterranean diet has been shown in study after study to improve blood sugars while reducing the risk of pre-diabetes, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Optimal cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and heart health. First, if you are overweight or obese, weight loss is the best path you have for supporting your heart health. You can achieve this with both parts of Beyond Keto.

Then, you can continue to encourage great heart health as you learn to eat foods that reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol levels, support healthy cholesterol, reduce triglycerides, and optimize blood pressure. The foods in the Mediterranean diet work to support heart health and achieve great health in all these aspects.

A healthy diet loaded with antioxidants and void of ultra-processed foods. One of the worst dietary habits plaguing humans worldwide is the consumption of ultraprocessed foods. Ultraprocessed foods are high in processed sugars, high in processed fats and loaded with processed chemical ingredients.

In fact, experts agree that ultraprocessed foods are killing us. In a recent study of more than 100,000 participants, researchers found that consumption of ultraprocessed foods is significantly linked to an increase in the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes. Previous studies have found that ultraprocessed foods increase the overall risk of death.

There is no room for ultraprocessed foods in Beyond Keto. In fact, it focuses on fresh, real foods that are vibrant in color and full of nutrients. Rather than processed food in a wrapper, you can look forward to a lifetime of lean proteins, colorful vegetables, fresh herbs, seafoods, healthy extra-virgin oils and more. These foods deliver healthful antioxidants to your body that fight oxidative stress and inflammation.

Improved gut microbiota. Amazingly, Beyond Keto will also combine the keto and Mediterranean diets to improve gut health. This is great news for the millions of people who suffer from less-than-optimal gut function.

New studies and research have found the Mediterranean diet specifically improves gut microbiota and its associated metabolism functions. The diet’s prebiotics from healthy fibers along with healthy fats and polyphenols support gut health, hormone balance and metabolism.

Less systemic inflammation. Did you know it’s not just high cholesterol that causes failing heart health and blocked arteries?

It’s the wrong kind of cholesterol, and the harmful inflammatory response of the body that harms the heart and arteries and allows plaques to form.

At the center of most heart health issues—and almost all modern diseases—is inflammation. When the body responds with strong inflammatory reactions, it harms every cell, organ and system.

The Mediterranean-keto combination in Beyond Keto specifically fights inflammation.

In fact, the weight loss achieved and omission of refined sugars and starches in part one is the first defense. Then, the lifestyle of a healthy weight combined with a diet full of anti-inflammatory foods will continue to fight inflammation in the body in part two with the Mediterranean diet.

Reduced systemic inflammation can change your health outcomes. You can prevent disease by fighting inflammation with great nutrition and a healthy lifestyle with Beyond Keto.

You can go beyond a quick-fix of temporary weight loss. You can achieve efficient weight results and then transition to a healthy way of eating for your entire life.

With Beyond Keto, you can stave off disease, maintain a healthy weight and combat inflammation. You can improve health from your cells to your organs to your entire body. Take the best of these two great dietary approaches and live a healthy lifestyle, for your whole life, with Beyond Keto!

READ MORE: Interested in learning more about optimal health? Find the most current health articles at .

Don Colbert, M.D., was a board-certified family practice doctor for more than 25 years in Orlando, Florida, and most recently in Dallas, Texas. He is also board certified in antiaging medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and has received extensive training in nutritional and preventive medicine. He has sold more than 10 million books and is the author of three New York Times bestsellers, having treated more than 50,000 patients in his years of practicing medicine.

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.

Charisma Magazine

Charisma magazine has gotten their “groove” back and is being a blessing again.

J.L. Horton, via Facebook

The Season of Breakthrough

Thank you for your timely article by Kevin Wallace (“God Has a New Season for You,” Charisma, November 2021). It was a terrific affirmation of several things I have been lifting up in intercessory prayer for many months. I am looking forward to breakthroughs in areas that Pastor Wallace described.

Mike Branson, Peoria, IL

Revival Sparked and Spreading

I have been praying and believing for revival, especially during this pandemic season. The article on Mario Murillo’s events was exciting and encouraging (“Signs of Awakening,” Charisma, November 2021). It is fascinating to see how the Holy Spirit is moving right now.

Anthony Jayford, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Depression in Church

I know a little about suicide, depression and alcoholism (“What If a Christian Commits Suicide,” Charisma, October 2021). I was depressed most of my life, felt worthless and guilty, planned suicide several times and thought about it often. I was also a modestly successful small business owner for 22 years. If people really knew how much God loves them it would change their lives. His unfailing love cannot be shaken (Isa. 54:10).

Ron Ziegler, vie email

Verbal Prayers In Our Own Voices

Kim Daniels’ article (“Can You Hear Me Now?” Charisma, November 2021) answered a question we’ve had for a long time. I have felt led to pray out loud, verbally, but I was never confident about it, even when praying by myself. This article showed me that is it good to pray out loud, and that it is also biblical in how we are supposed to pray boldly and confidently.

Ellen Magee, Canton, OH

There are some people in this world who are extremely reliable. You can count on them for just about anything, and somehow they’ll always come through. However, I’ve found that many people are not very reliable.

Maybe you know someone who is a nice person, but if you ask them to do something, you’re just not sure if they’re going to follow through. In other words, they’re unreliable.

I’ve discovered that feelings are a lot like unreliable people—we can’t depend on them to be what we want or need them to be all the time. Not only that, but they aren’t necessarily interested in what’s best for us. And they always want to have their way.

Feelings get us excited about going shopping when we really don’t have any money to spend. They entice us to eat cheesecake when we’re trying to avoid extra calories and lead us to stay up late working or watching TV when we need to get up early the next day. Then after the damage is done, we have to deal with the consequences.

Our feelings are fickle—they change like the wind. Yet it’s amazing how much we let them have their way in our lives. But as believers in Christ, we have something much better and more dependable to follow than our feelings and that’s the Word of God.

When we feel strongly about something in our heart, it’s not always easy for us to determine whether or not we’re really in agreement with God (see Jer. 17:9). Thankfully, God’s Word doesn’t leave us lost in confusion.

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) says that the Word of God is “sharper than any double-edged sword … it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

So if we really want to rise above our feelings, we must let the Word of God be the final deciding factor in our decisions. There will be times when we can’t find a verse for the specific issue we’re dealing with. But we can always pray and ask God for wisdom (see James 1:5).

In the meantime, we need to trust Him, be patient and keep on praying.

Remember that God is always available to help us live beyond our feelings and do what pleases first step toward managing our emotions is found in Colossians 3:2. It says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

There are many things in this world that could easily affect our minds and emotions and we need to learn how to rise above them all. When negative thoughts are building up and trying to take control of your emotions, take a few minutes to set your mind on God and His Word.

It also helps to speak positively about whatever is bothering you. For example, you may need to say something like this: “My family may not be everything I’d like them to be, but I am thankful I have a family. My house is not as nice as I would like it to be, but it’s still a nice place to live. I don’t see how I’m going to get through this painful situation, but Jesus is with me, and He will help me overcome it!”

Jeremiah 17:10 says, “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

There are a few different “buttons” the devil knows he can push to get an emotional reaction out of me, so I make a point to prepare myself before that happens with the Word. I love Psalm 94:12-13a (AMP). It says, “Blessed [with wisdom and prosperity] is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and whom You teach from Your law, that You may grant him [power to calm himself and find] peace in the days of adversity.”

You see, the more we discipline ourselves to say no to our feelings and yes to the wisdom of God, the easier it becomes to defeat them in a spiritual tug-of-war.

I want to encourage you to consistently take time to focus on what the Bible says. It will empower you to control those unreliable emotions and do what is best for you!

There is little doubt that Kristal Klear possesses the credentials to coach and advise people through traumatic events in their lives. She was ordained as a pastor by the ever-popular Kimberly Jones—aka Real Talk Kim—and is certified by Learning Journeys, the International Center of Coaching, which has produced a great number of leaders both in the spiritual and secular world.

But throughout her entire life, Klear has spent a great deal of her own time in the proverbial school of hard knocks. Her own life experiences and the difficult lessons she has learned from them qualify her to coach others to not only endure these pockets of trauma but to come out clean on the other side, washed by the precious blood of Jesus.

A pastor’s kid, Klear suffered sexual and emotional abuse at a very young age, enduring it multiple times at the hands of family members, teachers and family members of friends. That led to many trust issues throughout her childhood, teen and young adult years.

She has withstood other forms of physical abuse along the way, depression and suicidal thoughts, PTSD and domestic violence. She’s been through a painful divorce, and she recently faced the deaths of her father and her aunt in the same week.

Through it all, and with the help of many loving, caring women along the way, Klear has found the deep-rooted healing power of Jesus that miraculously rescued her from a potential struggle with drugs, prison, domestic violence and perhaps premature death.

Considering the impact she’s making on others now, Satan missed a golden opportunity to take Klear out of the picture early. But now it’s “crystal-clear” that God had other plans for her.

Early Pain

She says she’s always known Jesus, but her situation was far from ideal. “Jesus has always been with me, and it’s not like I didn’t have parents who didn’t introduce me to Him,” she says. “Unfortunately, they were pastors, and a lot of this happened on their watch. I didn’t have parents who let me run the streets or didn’t watch after me. They were very, very strict. That’s why I think it’s so strange that sometimes this stuff happens in our lives. It was hard for me because I felt like I had to be perfect. Like with my parents, sometimes you have religion and not relationship.”

Klear’s issues began at the tender age of 4. “At that age, my grandmother’s stepdaughter put hands on me in a way no one ever should with a girl that young,” she says. “A lot of my issues and the sexual violations I went through were with women as well as men.

“When I was about 11 years old, I had a teacher who molested me, and I had to go to court,” she says. “I knew exactly what was happening, and I wanted to get that case out in the open. People came forward from 20 years prior and said he did the same thing to them.

“And then I found myself in my teenage years beaten and bruised and raped on the bathroom floor by the cousin of a girlfriend,” she says. “It was sad because my friend didn’t do anything to help me. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable, and it obviously made it hard for me to trust people.

“From that point on, I started dealing with a lot of PTSD, depression and mental health issues,” Klear explains. “It was then I felt myself becoming suicidal. I’ve always had to fight really, really hard to just allow Jesus in the cracks of those spaces. I understand that Jesus is our therapy, and I understand He can and will deliver us from deep-seated issues like I had. But He also has practical tools for some of us, and people are put in our lives to help us partner with Him to make sure that we’re taking care of our minds and that we rewire our thought process.”

One of the people who has helped Klear do just that is Real Talk Kim, who now serves as Klear’s spiritual adviser.

A True Mentor

Klear has known Real Talk Kim for several years, and Jones has coached and encouraged her through some very tough times in her life.

“The cool thing is that she’s been a part of my journey every step of the way,” Klear says of Jones. “She’s been with me through some heartache, some hurt, some hang-ups. Fortunately, she helped me through my divorce.

“Pastor Kim licensed and ordained me for ministry,” Klear adds. “I’ve had the privilege of serving under her before as a volunteer and serving alongside of her as well. Now she’s like the mama eagle, and she’s given me my wings and just let me fly and soar into all the things that not only the Lord has for me, but the things that she’s imparted into me too.”

A traveling evangelist and bestselling author who has gained mass popularity through social media,

Jones’ determination to defeat the devil at any cost is only one of the qualities that drew Klear to her when they met several years ago. “Pastor Kim, or ‘Mom’ as I call her, does not quit no matter what comes her way,” Klear says. “I’m a lot like her in that: No matter what the enemy throws at her, she figures out how to get to the other side of it. She just doesn’t stop.

“She’s determined to win, and she’s determined to make Jesus famous,” Klear says. “She’s determined to be Jesus with skin on, and she’s determined to forgive quick, love hard and create memories. She’s determined to take someone who doesn’t feel like anything and make them feel special. That is exactly the way I want to be for Jesus. It’s an infectious attitude, so you just can’t help but be drawn to her in a big way.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Jones is also a partner in Klear’s nonprofit Rock, Paper, Scissors Foundation, which Klear initiated in 2021 to help give a voice to those who have been silenced from all forms of abuse, low self-esteem and human trafficking.

“Our purpose is to heal,” is the RPS vision. So why did Klear come up with the unique name? She explains it in a single sentence:

“Rock is for no matter what you throw at me, paper is for no matter how you try to crumple me and scissors is for no matter how you cut me, I am an overcomer,” Klear says. “With Jesus’ help, we fight any form of sexual, emotional or physical abuse and human trafficking, and of course, the fear and insecurity come along with that, with awareness and prevention.

“With Rock, Paper, Scissors, we are in seven states right now and active in four, hoping to become active soon in all of those states. We have our Lily program, which goes into the schools. The cool thing about our Lily program is that it gives us an opportunity for girls—anywhere from elementary to middle school to high school girls—to help them develop their self-esteem, their self-worth, their self-value.

“I love these experiences because I get to speak at something called ‘We Day,’ where, for the last three years or so, I spoke to about 4,000 seventh graders,” she says. “Each time I did that, anywhere between three and six people came out with a very compelling story.

“In one instance, we found ourselves backstage with a Child Protective Services counselor to help one young lady in a dire situation,” she says. “We were able to help pull her out of her house to put her in foster care and get her away from her stepfather, who was actively sleeping with this 12-year-old girl. So I feel like we’re anointed for that. This is not an avenue that we picked because it was popular. But it was something that we were graced for. So I feel like we’re change- makers, game-changers and cycle-breakers.”

At its annual Break Silence Conference, RPS helps adult women by creating a safe environment backed by community resources. The experience is a tremendous example of the Holy Spirit’s healing power,” Klear says.

“It’s a really good time of worship, impartation and love,” she says. “We bridge the gap, and we unify the community. You don’t have to be a believer to be there. We take women from all walks of life. We put a pastor and a prostitute at the same table. We address someone who’s strung out on drugs. There are no big guys and little youth, as my father used to say. Everyone is equal.

“Those are some of the things that we do; we create awareness prevention,” she says. “We have our annual domestic violence campaign that we do to create awareness and to get people to realize their worth and their value in Jesus’ eyes.”

Shattered Glass, Powerful Podcast

Helping people to realize how God values them is only one of the reasons God led Klear to write her book, Shattered Glass. In the book, she transparently pours out her heart about her painful past, which God has used mightily to help others who have suffered similar tragic circumstances.

The book is “a candid look at the healing power of Jesus Christ” and covers “restoration,” the result of giving God permission to heal every area of your life. For Klear—and for readers—it is a journey to wholeness and forgiveness.

“As I detail in the book, I had to learn to stop trying to get back at people who hurt me. That wasn’t my job,” Klear says. “My job was to walk in forgiveness and love and peace and let God be my vindicator. For me, it was causing me more harm than good to try to figure out how to be the vindicator of people who have hurt me.

“I think when women go through a divorce or emotional abuse or domestic violence, they’re looking for someone to get justice from. Sometimes we’ll take it back to the people who have hurt you. But when we take stuff out of God’s hands, we don’t give Him an opportunity to work with it, and it takes a lot longer to get the healing in your heart that you’re looking for.”

On her Charisma Podcast Network show, Kristal Klear Podcast, Klear deals with many of the same subjects, including grace, self-worth, stepping out of your past, victories in Christ and overcoming domestic violence.

She’s been through it all, so she knows what she’s talking about.

“I love to help people navigate with inner healing,” Klear says. “I also can help people get closure for a lot of situations, including what their next business move is. I can coach them after a divorce. I can also coach pastors through their issues. It’s so cool that God has allowed me the opportunity to do this, but I had to be put through a lot of pain and heartache to get this point. I’m just thankful for His grace and mercy.”

Shawn A. Akers is a content development editor for Charisma Media.