I want to start off by saying, Happy Anniversary to you and First Lady. I wish you many many more years of strength, blessings, and happiness. 

 I was talking to Mama (Bridgette) and realized that I should probably share directly with you exactly how you have changed my life. I have attended exactly one church service with you. It was May 12, 2019. That was Mother’s Day and Mama’s birthday. The service was, “Women, know your worth.” 

 Bishop, at that time I was in the worst shape emotionally and spiritually I had ever been. I was on a precipice, and I was afraid that there wasn’t any direction for me but further down the depression and self-loathing spiral I was in. I tried hard to put on a good face, but my light had been all but snuffed out inside. That sermon, that encouragement, that love, it stuck with me. All the way back to Minnesota. It wouldn’t leave my mind. A few days later, I was driving home from work, and I started praying. 

You see, I hadn’t prayed in a long time. I fell out with conventional churches because of the experiences I had growing up. I saw people saying one thing and doing another. I know from Mama and Daddy both that you are a man of your word. So, to hear the message from you, it stuck. Back to that day, I started praying and I prayed, and I cried myself all the way home. I cried out, “Lord send me someone to love me for me. Someone who will give me what I need.” 

Two days after that, I started chatting with Steven. Steven has been the man that everyone prayed into my life. He is home for me. He allows me the comfort, care, courtesy, and safety to have a relationship with God and to heal. 

Speaking of healing. I mentioned that you had changed my life. While Steven is amazing and my life has changed for the better, you started well before that. When God gave my Mama to you to guide, he helped you give me the greatest gift of all. You gave me a relationship with her. Before she became a member of your church, she was not a person I could tolerate. We were like oil and water. 

 From a distance, I can see the guidance that First Lady and you have given to her. I also believe wholeheartedly that your prayers touched her and every generation of her line. It is in thanks to you Bishop that I not only got my mama back, and my wonderful husband, but that I found my worth. 

 Since that day, I have healed so much emotionally that I have peace for the first time. Please know that you are a blessing. You are full of the light of the Lord, and it has such a far-reaching effect that you’re not even aware of it. Thank you, a thousand times, over, thank you. 

A note for First Lady as well. 

First Lady, 

You are the epitome of grace and class. Thank you for showing Mama that she can be a woman. That she doesn’t have to be tough all the time. She’s still coming into it, but I’ll work on her from this end as well. 

 I apologize for this being so long. I just feel like you absolutely needed to know exactly how much of an impact you’ve had on one life. You saved me. I was ready to be done with this world and God used you to save me. You can feel free to share this with whomever. 

  Thank you, 

Brandi