Monthly Archives: April 2012

GENTLE GIANTS

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Giants are known for their size. They are many times portrayed as fierce and dangerous to encounter. Many child hood fairy-tales when I was a child would equate giants with monsters who hid out in secluded areas away from society. Most people were afraid of them and did not want to be around them. They were generally displayed as having super-human strength and great power, which rarely lose battles. However I would like to talk to you today about a different kind of giant.

Giant defined:

• Somebody whose talents or achievements are particularly outstanding.

1Peter 5:5-6

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

Humility gives birth to gentle giants. These giants are taller and bigger on the inside than the outside. Their strength flows out of their submission to God. Their courage is a product of the Mighty hand of their Lord. They are not insecure in their submission to others but readily welcome every opportunity to put others needs before their own. They use their strength and power to help not to tear down and hurt. They are gentle giants and they live among us every day. They are committed to kindness and are a dangerous enemy to fear. They stand far above others in their loyalty and work. They are gentle giants whose height in life is a result of their submission to God and His word. They are lifted up by God Himself for all to see a display of His power resulting from humility.

So be diligent to resist that pride and keep it defeated way under your feet. True giants are the creation of supernatural humility.

NURTURING NUGGETS IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

THE WELL

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John 4: 4-6

And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

(READ THE ENTIRE CHAPTER OF JOHN 4)

Many times during the day and throughout our busy work week, God is trying to get our attention. God is trying to lead us to the well. Yes, the well.

The well is a place where sinners meet forgiveness. The well is a place where broken hearts surrender to the voice of healing. The well is a place where secret issues of the heart are uncovered and new life discovered. The well is a place where man encounters God. The well is a place where lonely hearts gather and find a friend that sticks closer than a brother. The well is a place where the lost are found. The well is a place where miracles happen. The well is a place where spiritual thirst is quenched with living water. The well is a place where chains of bondage are broken and every captive set free. The well is a place. The well is a place where eternal life flows. The well is a place where destiny is unveiled and our true God given purpose prevails. The well is a place where questions of the spirit and soul are answered. The well is a place of Divine appointments. The well is a place where the rejected and outcast encounters open arms of divine acceptance. The well is a place where fears are conquered. The well is a place where grace abounds. The well is a place where the anointing of God flows; lifting every burden, destroying every yoke. The well is a place where dreams meet reality. The well is a place of freedom.

Jesus traveled many miles one day to get to a well. His steps of obedience brought deliverance and life to a woman who was in desperate need of freedom. His steps of obedience changed a whole city.

Can God lead you to a well today? Maybe the well God wants to lead you to is a grocery store where a new widow needs words of encouragement. Maybe the well God wants to lead you to is a family member, a beautician, a bus stop, a hospital, a boss’s office, a neighbor, a frightened child, an abused wife, a lonely single woman, etc. No matter the place there is grace to meet ever need. Open your mouth and let words of life and healing virtue flow and bring salvation to many.

NURTURING NUGGETS BLOG IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

 

HEAVEN IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE

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Revelations 21:21-27

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

God has prepared for us a new heaven and a new earth. It will be a wonderful place to spend eternity with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we can become so earthly focused that we forget to take time to just sit and meditate on the things God has prepared for those who love Him. Yes, God has supplied us with every spiritual and earthly blessing here on the earth but that’s only a mere fraction of the whole in which God has in store for us. I know that we must stay focused on the assignment and mission that God has called us to here on the earth but there is a part of me that just can’t wait to go home and be with the Lord. Heaven is a wonderful place. A place where there is no evil, no darkness at all. Heaven is a place where sorrow is forever washed from our memories. Heaven is a joyful place, no tears or envious peers. Heaven is a place where every race shall dwell together in the glory and love of God. Heaven is a place where there is no night only the splendor of day. Heaven is a place of eternal reward for those who love God and endure to the end in Him. Heaven is a place worth waiting for.

It is not morbid to think about heaven because heaven is my home.

NURTURING NUGGETS IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

PROTECTION FROM THE STRIFE OF TONGUES

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Psalms 31:20

Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Today let us dive into the revealed word the Holy Spirit has for us concerning the protection God gives us from the strife of tongues.

We know and are confident that God is our strength, a very present help in times of trouble. God is our protector no matter what the attack but we must endeavor to remain in our place of safety.

Protector defined:

• Somebody who protects or defends somebody or something.

God is not just another form of protection for the Christian who; trusts, relies on and depends on Him. He is our only source of protection. Many times people like to have a little something on the side just in case God doesn’t follow through on His promise to protect them. Well, that’s unbelief. God will always come through for us, He is not a man that He should lie.

The word of God speaks loudly to us from Psalms 31:20 that God will keep us or protect us from the strife of tongues. Now, that doesn’t mean you will never hear anyone talk bad about you or lie on you or gossip about you or think and speak evil of you. Yes, these forms of persecution will come, but God is saying, “I won’t let those words harm you.” Words are carriers; they can contain life or death, blessing or cursing. The scriptures tell us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. God speaks words of life, Jesus said his words are spirit and they are life. The devil on the other hand speaks words of death and destruction.

Strife defined:

• Bitter and sometimes violent conflict, struggle, or rivalry.

The devil lives to release words of strife. Strife robs and steals the joys of each new day.

Hebrews 12:15 declares, “Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it–.”

The enemy sends words of strife or bitterness to defile you. He wants to corrupt your pure minds. Seeds of bitterness that are planted in the soil of a person’s heart will wage war on their soul. These words will seek to shut down the progress of the word of God in their lives. Words of bitterness will cause conflict in your mind, will and emotions, seeking to abort the process of transformation. It will soon permeate through you to others causing arguments, discord and all kinds of trouble. It will seek to thwart every relationship in your life; your marriage, children, employer, neighbors, extended family.

But God has promised to hide us from the effects and poison of the strife of tongues. The devil will release this weapon against you but it won’t prosper. The words will fall to the ground ineffective and powerless against you. These words of strife can never penetrate God’s shield of protection. You will be inaccessible to their bite. However, in order to benefit from God’s protection we must do our part and stay in the secret of His presence. We cannot try to venture out on our own and seek to correct the situation. We must stay hidden in Christ. It doesn’t matter what people are saying about you, don’t let it get to you. Just stay in your protection. The enemy will try to lure you out through your five physical senses or your untrained emotions. You may say, “But they hurt my feelings,” that’s because you was peeking out and you let that evil dart scratch your skin and some poison slipped in. You need to get back into the secret place of God’s presences, letting Him heal and conceal you. Don’t yield to the temptation to be nosey, “Wonder what they are saying about me.” This will only draw you out of your secret place of protection.

Just sit down in God’s presence and rest. He will protect and shelter you through the test.

NURTURING NUGGETS IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

PURSUING YOUR HEAVENLY CALLING

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Hebrews 3:1-3 (AMP)

SO THEN, brethren, consecrated and set apart for God, who share in the heavenly calling, [thoughtfully and attentively] consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest Whom we confessed [as ours when we embraced the Christian faith]. [See how] faithful He was to Him Who appointed Him [Apostle and High Priest], as Moses was also faithful in the whole house [of God]. Yet Jesus has been considered worthy of much greater honor and glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house [itself].

We, Christians, are possessors of the nature of Almighty God. We are heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We believe that God has a plan and purpose for our lives but yet many die without fulfilling even a fraction of that plan.

The scripture text for our blog today says we have a Heavenly calling. The plans and purposes God has for each life may not be popular, it may not even seem logical in the natural because it’s, heavenly. Jesus would have never fulfilled His earthly course if He was trying to make it fit in with natural human reasoning. Man had a different plan and course for Jesus life but He refused to veer from the Father’s plan. Natural man did not understand nor favor the course God had for Jesus, His own Son. Many people tried to stop Him and talk Him out of it but He stayed loyal to His Fathers will. Be cautious about trying to redirect other people’s lives just because it doesn’t make sense to you. If God is not directing you to tell them to go another way don’t be an accomplice to the devils plan to shipwreck or confuse someone else’s course just because it doesn’t appear right to you. After Jesus revealed to His disciplines the course the Father had given Him to fulfill, Peter piped up and rebuked Jesus.

“Then Peter took Him aside to speak to Him privately and began to reprove and charge Him sharply, saying, God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to You!  Matthew 16:22 AMP

Peter was very sincere in his human efforts to try to help Jesus fulfill his destiny but he was sincerely wrong. Every person’s destiny is very precious and vital; we should always seek God through prayer and His word before we begin counseling people about their destinies. You never want to be held accountable for someone getting off course because of what you thought their course should look like.

God has different paths and administrations of the Spirit for different people. We must let God be God. A Heavenly calling is just that Heavenly, it comes from God not man. The scripture says we are all partakers.

Once we seek God and find out what our part is in the body of Christ, we must go forward with fervor and passion not allowing other people’s opinions to stop our progress. God loves you and has a specific plan for your life but you must diligently seek Him with a pure heart. He will reveal to you what you need to know, where you need to go and any other specifics you may need to know. Just go and flow with the Holy Ghost, He is your guide! Be faithful to God and do all that He entrust to you to do, with a joyful heart. Stay excited about the things God has given you to do, so that He can fulfill His plans through your life and be glorified.

Press in to fulfill the heavenly calling in your life, today!

NURTURING NUGGETS IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

AVOIDABLE ALLIANCES

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Why would someone want to be around people they have nothing in common with? Most people even if they are not born-again don’t enjoy being around people who are always negative and complaining. No one generally enjoys being around people who are irritable and grouchy. Unless you have a similar attitude or display like behavior, these are not personality traits that people beat the door down or wait in long lines to fellowship with.

Alliance is defined as a close relationship, based on similar objectives or characteristics.

Why would you want to associate with drug addicts if you don’t do drugs? What would be the draw or the common bond that encourages union? One might say well, “I’ve known old so and so for years he’s like a brother/sister to me.” So are you saying you like being around Ted the wine-o just because he reminds you of your past? Or is it a deeper bond for mere selfish purposes? You are now the CEO of a bank but you like hanging around drunks because you guys knew each other when you were children. What kind of mind set is that and how could that be productive for you? If you are trying to help Ted come up to where you are that’s different and generally does not take a close relationship to do that, you can help someone without forming an alliance with them. The truth of the matter is that it’s not really about Ted at all; it’s about you and your refusal to grow-up. The bible says, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” Your lack of spiritual discipline to cut off potentially harmful and dangerous relationships is a sign of immaturity and selfishness. You really don’t want Ted to change because if he did you wouldn’t have anywhere to go or hang-out to complain or flesh out. Ted provides you with the ungodly environment and friendship that you seek to selfishly gratify your flesh. When Ted curses and tells dirty jokes, it doesn’t bother you, because your unbridled flesh wants him too. You like being around Ted because he watches porn on TV and if anyone ever saw you looking at this with Ted, you can just simply blame it on Ted. You quickly explain, “Boy that Ted is a mess, always complaining and watching all that filth on TV, that’s why nobody likes to be around him.” But yet you are always around him, why? What does Ted do to help promote character in you? What is Ted saying that is helping you to prosper and increase in your life? What kind of mentor is Ted; would you let him mentor your children? Whose being deceived here, you, Ted or both?

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15:32

We all from time to time have to be around people with unpleasant attitudes and undesirable behaviors not necessarily because we wanted to but because we have to.

Could it be that you are not advancing and making progress in your life toward your God given destiny because the evil root of Ted’s words have corrupted or choked the Word of God that was sown in your heart. You and Ted serve and live in two totally different kingdoms, how can you have such a close union? You are not an exception to the rules. Wake up, before you end up, in a place called nowhere!

Many Christian’s today are unequally yoked in ungodly alliances. They fellowship with people daily who consistently live lifestyles that are opposed to God’s kingdom, yet they say that they love God. Ephesians 5:11 declares, “Take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead [let your lives be so in contrast as to] expose and reprove and convict them.” If you live like this around people like Ted you will either draw them to a close relationship with Christ or repel them to where they don’t want you around. If Ted likes being around you and is not being draw by the light that should be bright in you could it be that you are luke warm. Are you being a stumbling block to Ted just to fulfill your uncontrolled fleshly desires?

Remember, the Apostle Peter was warming himself by the fire of the world when he denied Christ.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

Ask the Holy Spirit today, to lead and guide you into Godly relationships and divine fellowships to help you grow and fulfill your destiny. Inspire to be around people who love being around God, people who have a heavenly purpose and vision.

NURTURING NUGGETS IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

WHAT ARE YOU PACKIN ??

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2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (AMP)

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

 

The above scriptures are speaking to born-again believers in Christ. Paul was giving us spiritual insight into the realm of spiritual conflict that we as believers face on a daily basis. We must not live our lives ignorant of the truth that we do have an invisible, spirit being for an enemy.

Now on a natural level if someone was planning an attack against you and you could not physically see, hear, touch, smell or taste them you would be at a great disadvantage. Image, someone sitting in their car driving to the grocery store and BAM, something that they never saw coming hit them right upside the head and knocks them unconscious. Their car no longer has anyone to direct it so guess what; they end up on the side of the road seriously hurt. Even if this person was not knocked unconscious, what could they do to protect themselves from something they cannot perceive with the five physical senses?

Now, you can see if Christian’s were just mere men/women without supernatural help and ability from God we would be at a great disadvantage against our naturally unseen enemy. But thank God we don’t have to be at a disadvantage when facing our enemies. God has supplied us with spiritual weapons that win. But wait, these weapons are not automatic; you must engage them in the war. They are not on timers or sensors waiting to go off while you are on a spiritual hiatus or faith break. You must actively handle and use your weapon if you desire success and victory in this life.

Sometimes people keep spiritual weapons and natural weapons in the same holster, so to speak. They reach in sometimes and they pull out the mighty weapons of God, love, joy, peace, Isaiah 54:17 (NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME…), Psalms 91( A THOUSAND MY FALL AT MY SIDE…) etc. and then at other times they reach in and pull out fear, doubt, unbelief, “he said ,she said you didn’t like me, ” manipulation, self pity etc. Sometimes when the pressures of life come against people they reach for food (ice cream and cookies) instead of faith.

However, if we want consistent victory we must be consistent in our weaponry. We must clean house and rid our holsters of every weapon that is of the flesh; retaliation, jealousy, envy, low self-esteem etc. These are all weapons that come from the enemies arsenal shed. The enemy has rigged all those flesh and blood weapons to help him win, not you.

So the next time the unseen enemy knocks at your door, have your spiritual weapons loaded and ready, aim and hold steady, as you destroy every trace of their desired place in your life! WE WIN!

 

NURTURING NUGGETS IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

THE SERPENT’S BITE

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Ecclesiastes 10:8

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 

Hedge defined:

• a close-set row of bushes, usually with their branches intermingled, forming a barrier or boundary in a garden, lawn, or field

• a means of protection against something

The scripture declares that when a hedge is broken a serpent will bite. This implies that the only way the serpent can bite is that the hedge or our means of protection is broken. The serpent in scripture most often speaks of things belonging to the kingdom of darkness, a.k.a. Satan and his demonic host.

As Christians we must stay alert if we don’t want to be bitten by the serpent. The bite itself will initially cause localized swelling and pain but this does not compare to the poison that was injected underneath the skin. This poison is deadly if left untreated without an antidote.

When we leave a breech in our spiritual hedge through offenses, neglect of personal time with God: not reading and meditating on His Word, through unforgiveness and carnal attitudes and thoughts, etc., etc. etc., we become vulnerable and easy prey for the enemy.

Let us keep our hedges solid and well maintained so we can live a life free of poison from the serpents bite.

NURTURING NUGGETS IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

TODAY

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Psalms 118:24

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Today is a special day. Why? Because God created it. God created today with a unique purpose. This day was made so that you could express joy and be glad. God did not create this day so that bad things could happen to you. He did not create this day so that you could experience hardships and be tormented with fear. God did not create this day for accidents and tragedy to destroy families and friends. God is love. There is no darkness or evil in love. God is merciful and kind. God is always seeking to bring good to all.

God is the author of the dawning of each new day. Today is a day neither you nor I have ever seen before. Although today may seem very similar to yesterday, it is not yesterday, it is a brand new day. You may think that there is nothing special or different about today but it is.

STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!

You are experiencing something you have never experienced before. You are experiencing, TODAY! Come on, think about it, and let it sink way down on the inside of you. You and I are so special and loved of God that He would create another day just for us. God brought forth another sun rise and another sunset just for you.

Today was not here yesterday, but it showed up right on time today. Rejoice and be glad!

Just think God creates everyday just for you so that you can rejoice and be glad in it. Joy needs a place of expression. Today you have 24hours to demonstrate and participate in the fullness of the joy of the Lord. This day was created for joy! Go ahead, rejoice and be glad in your today!

NURTURING NUGGETS BLOG IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com

ARE YOU OVER WEIGHT ?

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Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Overweight defined:

• To give too much emphasis or consideration to something.

• To weigh something down with an excessive load.

In today’s society many people are consumed with weight lost and/or weight gain. They are so focused on food that it has become an idol. People target food as the culprit for their lack of spiritual discipline and self-control. They reason, “Oh, those snickers keep putting all this weight on me, I tell you they are no good for you.” In all actuality is the snicker bar really the problem or is it your lack of restraint in eating them. I am not advocating snack foods by any means; my point is the problem is not the food.

However, as you can see from the definition of overweight above, my focus in this blog will not be physical weight gain or lost, we can discuss that another day.

To give too much emphasis or consideration to something is considered to be overweight. When I first read this definition the first thing I thought about was someone worrying about something. Many times if we are not spiritually awake and alert in our day to day lives we can place undue emphasis on things, giving place to anxiety, fear, doubt, unbelief and things of that nature. We can become so bogged down with the weight of a situations (person, place or thing) that it consumes are mind, will, emotions and our physical body. In some people’s lives physical weight gain is a result or outflow of unhealthy spiritual weight gain. Stagnate dreams and dwarfed destinies can rob people of vigor and zeal. The enemy begins to frustrate their purpose causing a back-up of spiritual progress which results in spiritual and physical sluggishness. When people become idle they lose focus and begin to drift in the wrong direction. They begin to let old mind-sets and carnal behaviors creep back into their lives. Ungoverned feelings and emotions begin to dominate their spoken words and manipulate their choices. They become so spiritually overweight they can barely make it up the stairway of prayer and it hurts (easily offended) when anyone attempts to offer or exercise spiritual discipline( Godly correction) in their lives. When they look in the mirror of their own mind and imagination, not the mirror of God’s Word, they see a distorted picture of spiritual progress that they don’t truly possess. They see themselves mature when they are still acting like a child. They see through defective lenses so what they perceive to be spiritual growth is really not spiritual growth at all. The excess they see is carnal not spiritual.

Just like in the natural many times people who are obese do not see themselves as being that large. They have an image in their minds of the way they use to look, they begin to mentally block out the truth of their condition and state of health. They have become so accustomed to seeing themselves overweight that they reason with themselves saying, “50 more pounds is no big difference,” even though they have gone up 4 dress/pant sizes. That is self-deception. I know many of you are probably saying, Cathy, that’s not nice of you to say things like that about people, you may hurt someone’s feelings. Waking someone up to see that they are destroying their own life through a life-style of selfishness and self-deception is not mean, it is love. Being mean is to continue to see someone destroying themselves through various dysfunctional behaviors and vices and not stopping by and sitting them down to be a Good Samaritan, helping to save their life and destiny. But because people are more ruled by carnal feelings they become cowards and accomplices to shipwrecked lives and unfulfilled callings.

Being spiritually and physically overweight can be a burden to your entire system causing undue stress on the natural/spiritual body. Chose today to rid yourself of all the excess weight and baggage that is trying to abort your destiny and live with new focus, clear direction and Godly purpose. Shed those unwanted pounds and run your race to win!

 

NURTURING NUGGETS BLOG IS AN EXTENSION OF CATHY HARRIS MINISTRIES. VISIT OUR WEBSITE @ www.detoxifyingthesoul.com