Valerie Anne Todd's Story
A Story Changing StoryI met Valerie Todd at a Jesus Block Party Street Meeting in Philly. She was ministering in spoken word. Following, she shared briefly, to the urban gathering, some of her life encounters. Like so many others, I’ve interviewed in the past, her story unfolded into pages of miracles, hope, faith, and triumph. With a mixture of personality and transparency, she expressed not only God’s past presence, but continual triumph in her life.
This is her story. Born Addicted in a House of Horrors “I am so grateful. It's a great day to be alive. It's a great day to be saved and born again. I'm just thankful for Jesus saving me. I was born addicted to heroin. My mother tried to sell me on the Black Market. Fortunately, her sisters, my aunts, came and got me. I was raised by my grandma, which was the same mother that raised my mother. ‘So, the cycle just continued with the abuse. My stepfather molested me and then he shot my sister four times in front of me Then, he hung himself. All this happened by the time I was ten. Inside this house, it wasn't a safe place. My mom was a drug dealer. There were guns. There were rifle racks in the living room. Violence Was Normal
“I’ve seen so much gun violence. I’ve seen just so much violence every single day. I thought it was happening in everybody's house---chaos, insanity, verbal abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse, and of course, spiritual abuse. I'd never heard about Jesus or God or the Holy Spirit. There was fornication. So much was going on before the age of ten for me. By the time, I hit ten years old, I was doing drugs, being promiscuous, and committing crimes. It wasn't something that was ever corrected at my house. “The only good thing, I can say about my childhood is that my mom made us go to school every day. In school, we had to do well. So, I always excelled in school. It was the only good time in my life. I would get praised anytime I brought a report card home. I never got a B in my life. I always would get A's.
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"The tears just started coming down my eyes. She said, ‘Jesus said, drink from my well. It will never run dry."
“I got pregnant at 16. During that time I stayed contained. I was just on drugs. I did not have a single drop of guidance. I didn't know better. I continued with the crime, with the drugs, with the promiscuity, with the reckless, roofless, living and it would end me again in an adult jail cell. There, I was still being reckless, roofless, on a unit.
Church in Jail
“I was on a block with about 150 women. A church service was called. I was 20 years old. I had been through so much on the streets of Philadelphia. I had been homeless, lost all my toenails, seen people die while walking over bodies. I was out there in the blizzard. This stuff was so natural to me.
“They called it a church service. Only the first ten people who run-up to the console get to go. I just went booking up to that console so I could get off the block. I did not know that God was drawing me. I don't have credit for my salvation. It was God drawing me. I just ran up to that console.
“I got to the church service. I'll never forget, a heavyset black woman was playing the piano. She said to me, ‘You can have all the sex, all the crime, all the money, all the drugs, but It'll never satisfy it.’ The tears just started coming down my eyes. She said, ‘Jesus said, drink from my well. It will never run dry.’
Church in Jail
“I was on a block with about 150 women. A church service was called. I was 20 years old. I had been through so much on the streets of Philadelphia. I had been homeless, lost all my toenails, seen people die while walking over bodies. I was out there in the blizzard. This stuff was so natural to me.
“They called it a church service. Only the first ten people who run-up to the console get to go. I just went booking up to that console so I could get off the block. I did not know that God was drawing me. I don't have credit for my salvation. It was God drawing me. I just ran up to that console.
“I got to the church service. I'll never forget, a heavyset black woman was playing the piano. She said to me, ‘You can have all the sex, all the crime, all the money, all the drugs, but It'll never satisfy it.’ The tears just started coming down my eyes. She said, ‘Jesus said, drink from my well. It will never run dry.’
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I Went Running
“I went running to the front as if my life depended on it because it did. And when I went there, I said, how do I get to know Jesus? And this woman led me in prayer and gave me a Bible. And within a week, I was baptized. She baptized me. She told me to read that Bible and that's what I did. I got a state sentence. I went upstate and for the first six months, you're locked down 23 hours. I lie to you not, 17 to 18 hours a day, I read the Bible. I just kept reading that Bible. It was leaking on me.
“I ended up getting my GED when I was in the county jail. I got sent to Penn State College in the penitentiary. Yes, I went to Penn State in the state pen. I got 4.0 and Political Science 3.67 in Physics. I couldn't tell you a thing about it then, because I was on a crusade at that time to please others. I was on a crusade thinking that my accomplishes made me special.
“I went running to the front as if my life depended on it because it did. And when I went there, I said, how do I get to know Jesus? And this woman led me in prayer and gave me a Bible. And within a week, I was baptized. She baptized me. She told me to read that Bible and that's what I did. I got a state sentence. I went upstate and for the first six months, you're locked down 23 hours. I lie to you not, 17 to 18 hours a day, I read the Bible. I just kept reading that Bible. It was leaking on me.
“I ended up getting my GED when I was in the county jail. I got sent to Penn State College in the penitentiary. Yes, I went to Penn State in the state pen. I got 4.0 and Political Science 3.67 in Physics. I couldn't tell you a thing about it then, because I was on a crusade at that time to please others. I was on a crusade thinking that my accomplishes made me special.
Jesus Visits
“Jesus was visiting me every single day in a jail cell, a dirty, filthy cell. Jesus was visiting me. He was lifting my head. He was whispering in my ear. He was just everything. I was clinging to Jesus. I met an older woman while I was there. she taught me how to prayer walk. She taught me how to say it. She told me how to get into my spiritual language before God. She taught me how to yield to the Holy Spirit language along with other groanings that I couldn't even understand. This woman and I prayer walked for a year. We prayed for over 900 women in that facility.
“We fasted every single day, 12 hours a day. I just kept reading the Bible. I still read the Bible to this day. 26 years later, I can't leave my house without reading the Bible. Before I face the day, I face the Father. That's my adventure. It's not an obligation. It's not something I'm stipulated to. It is something that I can't live without. I can't do without and I don't want to be without it.
“Jesus was visiting me every single day in a jail cell, a dirty, filthy cell. Jesus was visiting me. He was lifting my head. He was whispering in my ear. He was just everything. I was clinging to Jesus. I met an older woman while I was there. she taught me how to prayer walk. She taught me how to say it. She told me how to get into my spiritual language before God. She taught me how to yield to the Holy Spirit language along with other groanings that I couldn't even understand. This woman and I prayer walked for a year. We prayed for over 900 women in that facility.
“We fasted every single day, 12 hours a day. I just kept reading the Bible. I still read the Bible to this day. 26 years later, I can't leave my house without reading the Bible. Before I face the day, I face the Father. That's my adventure. It's not an obligation. It's not something I'm stipulated to. It is something that I can't live without. I can't do without and I don't want to be without it.
“Every time I go to sleep at night, I can't wait to talk to God in the morning. he's my best friend. He's the lover of my soul. I mean, since then, he has opened doors that no man can shut. He has paved paths of gold right before my eyes, before my feet. For that, I have no credit. I can't boast in anything. If I'm going to boast in anything, it's going to be in Jesus Christ, all day long. he has done everything.
My Relationship with the Holy Spirit
“I have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. I sing that song, by Blake Sheldon. ‘God gave me you for the ups and downs.’ I sing that to the Holy Spirit. God gave me you for my days of doubt. God, I mean the Holy Spirit, one second without him, I would just be dead. I'm grateful for the Holy Spirit. He's empowers me. He sees, he counsels me, he comforts me, and he teaches me. He opens my eyes; he lets me see God's fingerprint on everything. Jesus is just like the lover of my soul, my darling from heaven, my constant companion, my best friend. God is my dad, which was hard for me to come to terms with that for years.
My Relationship with the Holy Spirit
“I have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. I sing that song, by Blake Sheldon. ‘God gave me you for the ups and downs.’ I sing that to the Holy Spirit. God gave me you for my days of doubt. God, I mean the Holy Spirit, one second without him, I would just be dead. I'm grateful for the Holy Spirit. He's empowers me. He sees, he counsels me, he comforts me, and he teaches me. He opens my eyes; he lets me see God's fingerprint on everything. Jesus is just like the lover of my soul, my darling from heaven, my constant companion, my best friend. God is my dad, which was hard for me to come to terms with that for years.
My Relationship with the Father
“I was cool with the Holy Spirit and Jesus, but a dad, I wasn't. I didn't understand a dad because I come from a fatherless home. The father I did know, abused me. So, I had warped thinking. I can't say even now I'm totally together. I'm tearing up now because it's such a touchy subject for me. But, God’s healing my untreated places in my heart right now. He’s still treating my unhealed places and my warped thinking when it comes to a father. I'm grateful for his patience with me, because I've noticed he waited, waited, and waited on me. He waited while I struggled with my pride. I’ve struggled with misconceptions.
“I'll tell you, he provides for me. He protects me at home. I'm so grateful. I'll tell you gratitude is something. If I could describe myself, in maybe two words, it would be---gratitude and joy.
They're close. I stay grateful. I say, Lord helped me laugh again, but don't let me forget. I cried. I just continue to just be grateful every day.
“I was cool with the Holy Spirit and Jesus, but a dad, I wasn't. I didn't understand a dad because I come from a fatherless home. The father I did know, abused me. So, I had warped thinking. I can't say even now I'm totally together. I'm tearing up now because it's such a touchy subject for me. But, God’s healing my untreated places in my heart right now. He’s still treating my unhealed places and my warped thinking when it comes to a father. I'm grateful for his patience with me, because I've noticed he waited, waited, and waited on me. He waited while I struggled with my pride. I’ve struggled with misconceptions.
“I'll tell you, he provides for me. He protects me at home. I'm so grateful. I'll tell you gratitude is something. If I could describe myself, in maybe two words, it would be---gratitude and joy.
They're close. I stay grateful. I say, Lord helped me laugh again, but don't let me forget. I cried. I just continue to just be grateful every day.
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Back to prison
“The Lord has done the unthinkable, the unstoppable, by getting me into the prison. I'd been working in the prison for the last seven years. For six years, I taught a secular program ‘Thinking For A Change'. Of course, I would always incorporate the scriptures ‘as a man thinketh, so is he’ and ‘be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ ---- in terms that they could understand.
Face it, Erase it, and Replace it.
“I would let them know, if you changed the man's thinking, you will change the man. if you changed the woman's thinking, you will change the woman. God has used me in that way to help people---Face it, Erase it, and Replace it. Face their issues, Erasing---getting past your past and Replacing it with the Word of God. Instead of being world minded being word minded.
So, for six years, I taught ‘Thinking For A Change' in every prison in Philadelphia, as well as presentations at Muncy State Prison---where I spent seven years of my life.
“The Lord has done the unthinkable, the unstoppable, by getting me into the prison. I'd been working in the prison for the last seven years. For six years, I taught a secular program ‘Thinking For A Change'. Of course, I would always incorporate the scriptures ‘as a man thinketh, so is he’ and ‘be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ ---- in terms that they could understand.
Face it, Erase it, and Replace it.
“I would let them know, if you changed the man's thinking, you will change the man. if you changed the woman's thinking, you will change the woman. God has used me in that way to help people---Face it, Erase it, and Replace it. Face their issues, Erasing---getting past your past and Replacing it with the Word of God. Instead of being world minded being word minded.
So, for six years, I taught ‘Thinking For A Change' in every prison in Philadelphia, as well as presentations at Muncy State Prison---where I spent seven years of my life.
“They got the books that I wrote. I wrote two books, one in the County and one upstate. They keep my books on the shelves and in the chapel. I know the chaplain there. God has opened the door that no man can shut. I'll be starting my second class on Monday. The second cohort of Inviting and Exciting. It’s a book that the Lord would not let me sleep on.
Writing Books
“Literally, there was so much that happened. I had written the book 'As Thy Days So Shall Thy Strength Be' before that. But they took that book from me when I was going upstate from the county. It was in a composition book---handwritten. They took that book from me because you're only allowed to take ten pictures and a Bible. I was so devastated, but the Lord would keep waking me up when I went to Muncy. He would keep waking me up.
Writing Books
“Literally, there was so much that happened. I had written the book 'As Thy Days So Shall Thy Strength Be' before that. But they took that book from me when I was going upstate from the county. It was in a composition book---handwritten. They took that book from me because you're only allowed to take ten pictures and a Bible. I was so devastated, but the Lord would keep waking me up when I went to Muncy. He would keep waking me up.
“I've wrestled with it because it was the first book I ever finished. For years, I've been starting things and never finishing it. I finally finish and it got taken from me. I was so devastated that I made up mind that I'm never writing another book. I've written several since then. God kept waking me up and saying, ‘Inviting and Exciting’.
“I almost wrote the words down just so he would stop waking me up. So, I wrote it down. it was so intriguing to me because I was just so sick and tired of God getting a bad rap. I was tired of God being just looked at in the wrong way. I wanted everyone to know that God is inviting and God is exciting. And from where my second book comes. That's where my organization comes from.
“I've wrestled with it because it was the first book I ever finished. For years, I've been starting things and never finishing it. I finally finish and it got taken from me. I was so devastated that I made up mind that I'm never writing another book. I've written several since then. God kept waking me up and saying, ‘Inviting and Exciting’.
“I almost wrote the words down just so he would stop waking me up. So, I wrote it down. it was so intriguing to me because I was just so sick and tired of God getting a bad rap. I was tired of God being just looked at in the wrong way. I wanted everyone to know that God is inviting and God is exciting. And from where my second book comes. That's where my organization comes from.
Fire In My Bones
“As I said, I go to bed like a little kid. I can't wait to wake up in the morning just to be back in his presence and be on a new adventure every single day. And that's because he's just there. There's a fire inside me. There's not a spark. There's not a flame. There is a fire in my bones every single day. It’s for those who have traumatic stuff in their life. It’s for those who suffered from childhood abuse and need freedom.
“I know the only freedom is Jesus Christ. He was my counselor. He healed me of things. So much healing I've experienced just by sitting alone in my secret place in my private enclosed garden with God. So much healing happened. I want everybody to be healed and be made gloriously complete by the blood of Jesus Christ---exchanging their garbage for his righteousness. That's my passion.
“So, I'm in the program. I'm in prison now. I’m in the same person that I wrote my first book, I'm in their teaching, my second book and my workbook, to thirty women every single Monday. Sometimes, I say, pinch me, is this even real? Now, I have a front-row seat and a life of miracles. The Lord is my everything.
“As I said, I go to bed like a little kid. I can't wait to wake up in the morning just to be back in his presence and be on a new adventure every single day. And that's because he's just there. There's a fire inside me. There's not a spark. There's not a flame. There is a fire in my bones every single day. It’s for those who have traumatic stuff in their life. It’s for those who suffered from childhood abuse and need freedom.
“I know the only freedom is Jesus Christ. He was my counselor. He healed me of things. So much healing I've experienced just by sitting alone in my secret place in my private enclosed garden with God. So much healing happened. I want everybody to be healed and be made gloriously complete by the blood of Jesus Christ---exchanging their garbage for his righteousness. That's my passion.
“So, I'm in the program. I'm in prison now. I’m in the same person that I wrote my first book, I'm in their teaching, my second book and my workbook, to thirty women every single Monday. Sometimes, I say, pinch me, is this even real? Now, I have a front-row seat and a life of miracles. The Lord is my everything.
Story Changing Story
“I have shared with so many people in the prisons---Muslim, Christian, broken people. I spoke at a funeral the other day. I wasn't the appointed speaker. I was leaving my house and the Lord told me to grab my 'Grace For The Moment' book.
“And he had me wanting me to read. there were so many obstacles. I had to take my daughter to the LaSalle. I ran into the prison and hugged everybody. I didn't think I was going to make it back in time. Besides, if I didn't make it back in time, I knew that they already had somebody---a preacher to say words there. After I took my daughter to college, God just rode me right back there. He wouldn't let me get out of the car without the book.
“I go in there. They didn't have the service yet. I couldn’t believe it because the service was only until 12. I'm sitting in the back and somebody goes up and they read Psalm 23. After they sing Amazing Grace, they say, is there anybody who wants to say anything?
“I just went up there and recited a poem. It's called the 'Dash Poem'. I was letting people know, there’s the day you're born and then the day you die because a hundred out of a hundred people will die. I said, there’s a dash in between those years.
“I have shared with so many people in the prisons---Muslim, Christian, broken people. I spoke at a funeral the other day. I wasn't the appointed speaker. I was leaving my house and the Lord told me to grab my 'Grace For The Moment' book.
“And he had me wanting me to read. there were so many obstacles. I had to take my daughter to the LaSalle. I ran into the prison and hugged everybody. I didn't think I was going to make it back in time. Besides, if I didn't make it back in time, I knew that they already had somebody---a preacher to say words there. After I took my daughter to college, God just rode me right back there. He wouldn't let me get out of the car without the book.
“I go in there. They didn't have the service yet. I couldn’t believe it because the service was only until 12. I'm sitting in the back and somebody goes up and they read Psalm 23. After they sing Amazing Grace, they say, is there anybody who wants to say anything?
“I just went up there and recited a poem. It's called the 'Dash Poem'. I was letting people know, there’s the day you're born and then the day you die because a hundred out of a hundred people will die. I said, there’s a dash in between those years.
The Dash Poem
It doesn't matter the houses, The cars or the cash, It matters how you live and love And how you spend your dash. So, when you know, be less quick to anger, Show appreciation more, And love the people in your life, Like you never loved before. And when your eulogy is being read, For your life's legacy to be rehashed, Would you be proud of the things they said, About how you spent your dash? |
“I recited that at the funeral and that was it. You would not believe how many inboxes I been getting from people. One lady said, ‘my kids were fleeting before you read that for so long? They stopped. You are such a superwoman.’
“Of course, we know it's God. I opened my Facebook, today. The brother, of the person’s funeral that I went to, said, ‘I want to thank everybody who came to my sister's funeral. I want to thank Valerie Todd for her special speech. It changed my life.’
“Now, that was just the other day. But I have over a thousand letters from people who say that I'm their angel on earth. I don't wait until tomorrow when I could do something today. So, there are so many people I could name.
“Of course, we know it's God. I opened my Facebook, today. The brother, of the person’s funeral that I went to, said, ‘I want to thank everybody who came to my sister's funeral. I want to thank Valerie Todd for her special speech. It changed my life.’
“Now, that was just the other day. But I have over a thousand letters from people who say that I'm their angel on earth. I don't wait until tomorrow when I could do something today. So, there are so many people I could name.
Mission of Intimacy
“I believe God’s mission for the church is right now, is to love that most excellent way. It is to use wisdom and let God guide. I feel like there's a lot of intimacy missing in the church along with a lot of unity. This is my big thing---unity and intimacy, that's who Jesus was. He was the servant leader. Loving-kindness is what's gonna make people repent. It's giving somebody a hug that doesn't have a smile. It's having someone believe what the Word says.
Believers Who Don’t Believe
“I was teaching an entrepreneurship class, and someone asked, who's your audience? I said, my audience is believers that don't believe. I find so many believers that don't believe the Word, meaning they don’t take it for what it says. The Word says, lay your hands on the sick and they shall recover, preach until all know, trample on the devil.
“It’s showing loving-kindness, peace, and unity. It's not trying to find everybody's resume you meet. It’s just loving people. I don't find people to be a source of stress. I find people to be a source of joy. I believe that makes me more effective in serving God. it's having people trust me and trust what I say about Jesus.
“I believe God’s mission for the church is right now, is to love that most excellent way. It is to use wisdom and let God guide. I feel like there's a lot of intimacy missing in the church along with a lot of unity. This is my big thing---unity and intimacy, that's who Jesus was. He was the servant leader. Loving-kindness is what's gonna make people repent. It's giving somebody a hug that doesn't have a smile. It's having someone believe what the Word says.
Believers Who Don’t Believe
“I was teaching an entrepreneurship class, and someone asked, who's your audience? I said, my audience is believers that don't believe. I find so many believers that don't believe the Word, meaning they don’t take it for what it says. The Word says, lay your hands on the sick and they shall recover, preach until all know, trample on the devil.
“It’s showing loving-kindness, peace, and unity. It's not trying to find everybody's resume you meet. It’s just loving people. I don't find people to be a source of stress. I find people to be a source of joy. I believe that makes me more effective in serving God. it's having people trust me and trust what I say about Jesus.
Ready For Jesus
“I believe Jesus is coming back soon. Although, I don't give it that much thought. I just stay ready for him. He's my darling from heaven. He's my Savior. He's my Redeemer. He's my best friend. He's my mentor. He's who I look up to. If I have to say, how can I live this day? I would go to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John to see how Jesus lived that day.
“He's my, all in all. I slow dance with Jesus. I kiss Jesus. I know he's holding my hand, even when I don't realize it. I lay on his bosom, like John did, at night. I tell him, I'm lying on your bosom right now. Jesus is my everything.
“I believe Jesus is coming back soon. Although, I don't give it that much thought. I just stay ready for him. He's my darling from heaven. He's my Savior. He's my Redeemer. He's my best friend. He's my mentor. He's who I look up to. If I have to say, how can I live this day? I would go to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John to see how Jesus lived that day.
“He's my, all in all. I slow dance with Jesus. I kiss Jesus. I know he's holding my hand, even when I don't realize it. I lay on his bosom, like John did, at night. I tell him, I'm lying on your bosom right now. Jesus is my everything.
Do What God’s Called You To Do
Somebody is reading this article that has a calling on their life. They don't know where to get started. The enemy has lied to them. He’s said, they have too many challenges. How do they breakthrough and do what God's called them to do?
Valerie concluded, “don't let people, even well-meaning preachers, and church leaders, who may have hurt you, stand between you and Jesus. Don't try to get right and go to Jesus, go to Jesus and he'll get you right.”
Somebody is reading this article that has a calling on their life. They don't know where to get started. The enemy has lied to them. He’s said, they have too many challenges. How do they breakthrough and do what God's called them to do?
Valerie concluded, “don't let people, even well-meaning preachers, and church leaders, who may have hurt you, stand between you and Jesus. Don't try to get right and go to Jesus, go to Jesus and he'll get you right.”
Click To connect with Valerie Todd for publications, classes, a or speaking engagements
Phone: 267. 357. 6241
Email: valonetim3@gmail.com. here to edit.
Phone: 267. 357. 6241
Email: valonetim3@gmail.com. here to edit.