From Susana Rodrigues, 22, Brazil.
Second generation member of the Family International.

Hi! My name is Susana, I’m 22 years old, I was born in the Family and I left when I was 5 years old, with my mother and my three younger brothers. We kept serving the Lord with a lot of fight, victories and challenges: they were very special moments! Thank you Jesus! God bless my mother – ha! She was the big fighter and soul winner, and still is! She was always giving us the sample and teaching us to live by faith!

So it wasn’t till I was 14 years and a half that I rejoined the Family full time with my mother’s incentive and consent, and later my three brothers did the same!

We felt so happy and fulfilled serving the Lord 100%! Sure enough the Enemy [Devil] was very furious and didn’t stop there! Do you think so? When we are serving the Lord the whole hell falls on our heads, doing whatever it can to make us give up — he uses that which hurts you more, he is so clever that he used some situations, like my mom feeling really lonely, to the point she even called us back to live with her! I had to fight for my place in the Family and for my 3 brother’s place too. At the time I was 17/18 years old and really had to hold to my “crown”! I was very serious and rebuked the Devil in prayer saying, “you old crap are not gonna use my mom, because it was her sample and her permission and the Lord’s that I am here today! I order you in Jesus’ name to go away with all your bad intentions!”

I was furious and spoke with a lot of conviction! My love for the Lord and the Family is so big that I am here till today and my mom is well and still is serving the Lord. And nothing, nor nobody can steal my crown, unless I allow it! I decided to serve Jesus and I won’t look back!

Today, my younger brother (17 years old) and I are both in the Family International. I have a sister who left the Family, but that was her decision, later on! She is now married and mother of one, and still is a super friend of the Family International and even follows the childcare standard and nutrition for her little son — super CUTE!!! Ha! Proud auntie! My 21 years old brother doesn’t stop writing me because he wants to come back to the Family, because he feels in his heart that this is his place, TYJ!!

I am very happy and fulfilled because the Lord chose me to serve Him in this wonderful army, where I can really give everything I’ve got and, by the grace of God, I will die giving my life for the Lord and others!

Nowadays I am a Christian outreacher, I live with people that love and respect me. We have a little bit of Heaven on Earth!! I have friends that I can trust.

So what? I ask YOU: Why should I trade all this? God damn all those lies and crap they’re saying. They are the ones that are not happy and don’t have anything else to do! Say all you want, man! You can kill my body, but you’ll never kill my soul! For this is my place and I won’t regret it, I’ve gone through a lot, many changes, and I will tell you, all for the better! Some personal forsakings, but all worked together for good!

What good will it do if you save your life and lose your own soul? Nothing and nobody will pay the price that Jesus paid for you and me!

I feel so sorry for you, that you are talking bad about us and that you want to “destroy” us, and that you’re being lured and cheated by the enemy, because I will tell you that it will come to naught, for in this army we just have very highly qualified personnel, the kind that gives their lives for Christ’ sake, whatever the cost! And what about you? Are you gonna waste your time, not only fighting men and women, just like you, but against the Lord, for this Family is in the hands of the Chief Commander!

Just some advice, get freed from the clutches that oppress you, so you won’t damage yourself. Invest your time in something worth living for!

I love you, after all, don’t we have to love our enemies and pray for the ones that hurt us and persecute us? It is better to live for something, than to die for NOTHING!

Susana Rodrigues, Brasil