Elder Debra Denise Arnold, founder of Women at War Against the Enemy, created the ministry to support women who suffered through alcohol abuse, drug addiction, or mental, emotional or physical abuse.
Arnold started the ministry in July of 2013 out of her own home. She later organized and held support meetings at the homes of members, delivering women from their pain and helping them onto the road of recovery. The meetings are ongoing, free and open to the public.
Women from shelters and rehabilitation centers attend these support meetings. Arnold started out reaching out to the shelters by mailing letters to the directors of the rehabilitation centers informing them of her ministry. Arnold reached out to women’s prisons regarding her ministry as well. The meetings consist of teaching the word of God, testimonies and time for worship.
“We are women at war against the enemy, but ladies, don’t get it twisted,” Arnold said regarding her motto. “We aren’t at war with each other.”
The enemy is anyone not doing the will of God. We are at war protecting our families, our finances, children and our marriages. Arnold focuses on teaching women how to fight using the word of God.
She can recall that at one meeting about 85 women showed up for prayer. The ministry is currently working on establishing a building of their own. For now they’ve utilized the University City and St. Ann community centers.
In June and July of last year, Arnold went out in the streets of North St. Louis in O’Fallon Place apartments, sharing her testimony with the people of the community. Born and raised in the city of St. Louis, Arnold can relate to the people in the community who haven’t yet accepted Christ into their lives.
Mother of three children with eight grandchildren, Arnold recently celebrated five years of marriage with her husband, Jessie Lee Arnold. She considers him her partner in life and ministry. But before receiving God’s vision of starting her own ministry, Arnold suffered through her own journey of emotional and physical abuse.
After becoming pregnant while attending high school, Arnold decided to drop out. She started smoking marijuana at the age of 16. At the age of 22 she was introduced to snorting cocaine by a male friend. Later she married her first husband and endured a 14-year abusive marriage.
Her life continued to take a turn for the worse, and she ended up homeless with two kids. Going back to her start in life being the product of a rape, Arnold encountered a journey filled with trials and tribulations.
Being faced with the possibility of losing her children and facing seven years jail time for selling drugs to an undercover cop, Arnold decided it was time to get her life on track. She graduated from New Beginnings rehabilitation center in 1995. Arnold didn’t have a relationship with her mother. After meeting her biological father at the age of 45, she admitted that she was finally able to know who and where she comes from.
After getting sober, she got saved. She received family support from her grandmother, Carrie Allen, but after her passing she again was without a strong family support system. She was forced to lean on her relationship with the Lord. “He heard my cry,” she said.
Women at War Against the Enemy Ministry offers a prayer line Monday- Tuesday 8 p.m. and on Friday 6:30 a.m. Call 712-432-1500 after when prompted enter in 957301.
There will be a prayer breakfast set for October 18. The guest speaker will be First Lady Madelyn Mickles of Blow Your Trumpet Church. For more information, contact Elder Debra Denise Arnold at 314-324-4397 or womenatwar@gmail.com
