Dreams really do come true according to Debbie Brooks, the Education Coordinator with Adult Teen Challenge Freedom House, who had always wanted to meet Lisa Harper, a Christian, Bible educator and speaker and she finally got the opportunity this month.
Brooks has always admired Harper and fell in love with Harper while watching her on DVD in discipleship classes. However, when she recently got to see her in person at Victory Christian Center in Tulsa she was at a loss for words.
Brooks has been on both sides of the classroom and stated that listening to speakers like Harper was how she overcame a lot of chaos and conflict that kept her bound before turning everything over to God and finding true deliverance.
In 2012 Brooks had remarried her husband and the couple seemed to be getting their lives back on track. However, when he suffered a stroke in 2019 and had to go into a nursing home, Brooks lost her way, relapsed and started drinking again.
“After I relapsed I knew I needed to come back to a program where I had success before, “ Brooks said. “This brought me to Freedom House for a full recovery and healing from past hurts that kept me bound.
After completing the year-long program Brooks was offered the kitchen manager position in 2020.
“Pastor Kathy Love said to me one day, ‘There is more to me than just this kitchen.’ and later on I became the educator coordinator which is exactly where God wants me to be. I feel like I can share my experiences and my testimony with these young women who are just coming into the program and they realize even if we fall and fail, we can get up again. I’ve learned to be patient with the new ones coming in. Afterall, we are the Church and we are here to help people change their lives for the good. Then we teach them to go out and minister to others by showing kindness to everyone.”
Brooks knows how life can throw a wrench in your happily ever after plans but building yourself up in the Lord is the key to all of life’s challenges. This is why the ladies at Freedom House are always watching DVDs of inspirational speakers like Harper to plant the seed of God’s Word in their heart and to study to show themselves approved unto God.
“I had seen Lisa for the first time in Paris, Texas with our program manager Cynthia Medina. We sat outside for three hours to get in and be on baptism row. Because there were so many people that night we didn’t make it into that section but there really wasn’t a bad seat in the house. However, when Crystle Moore, our thrift store manager got these tickets for all of us, I was ecstatic and really wanted to meet Lisa Harper in person.”
So when Harper during the service cupped her hands and shouted “I love teen challenge” the entire group got rowdy.
“That’s when Lisa came over to us and I was thinking ‘Lord you have just blessed me because I have dressed to meet Lisa’ and I finally did! It was unbelievable! She came over and hugged me and with my face in her hand she said, ‘You’re kind of like the Mama of this group, aren’t you?’ But really I’m more like a grandma to them because of my age. Yet they know they can come to me with their problems and I won’t judge them. Just love them through it all. My heart is for these ladies because I’ve been exactly where they are. I’ve seen them broken and watched God turn their lives around. We know Who has us in His hands. Just like when Lisa cupped my face in her hands. God sees us and He will even give us the desires of our hearts. It was my desire to meet Lisa and I was so blessed to finally do so. Don’t give up on your dreams! God may honor your heart’s desire by giving you a personal meet and greet. We like to call it divine favor.”
About Freedom House Freedom House Adult & Teen Challenge is a structured 12+ month program that has an 87% success rate. It is a Christian faith-based Discipleship Program custom designed for ladies 18 and up who do not want to continue living with their addictions. Their oldest graduate is 67 years old.
They are not state funded and they do not take insurance. However, they will not turn anyone away for lack of funds. If a lady wanting recovery is pregnant, the program becomes a 15-month program. They can work with DHS to get kids back with their moms as well.
Even if court stipulated, court ordered, and drug court ordered, Freedom House can help get lives out of the rut of addiction. Just take the first step and call 918-473-3462.
“If any lady out there is really ready to change her life for good, I know Freedom House is the place to start. And God will give you the desires of your heart so you can dream again.”
