This Journey was such a blessing to me personally. It just opened my eyes to all the things I was missing by doing my own thing. Also, it gave me a clear perspective of the importance and power to be had in mediation yet at the same time increasing my awareness of the destructive influences of pride, lust and fear.
It was a great encouragement and I strongly suggest that this be a part of every Christian young person’s life!
~ Sam
July 2008 Guys Journey
The trip truly was a journey deep into my heart, exposing all of the dark closets to the Light of Christ. As a result, I have never had more joy and passion for serving Christ—with my whole heart. When I cleared my heart of every affection that was competing with Christ and fully surrendered everything to Him, I was overwhelmed with a sense of peace and love as nothing stood in between our relationship.
So many exciting, incredible things happened on the Journey, but the three most important to me were the hours of close fellowship with like-minded believers, the close fellowship I experienced with our awesome God, and the extra power I received through the anointing and laying on of hands.
The anointing for greater works and the laying on of hands has given me an amazing boldness and power to share God’s love with others. Before, I would have been so intimidated to approach strangers and share the love of Jesus, but now I am excited to talk with others.
God is bringing into my life so many to whom I can witness and disciple. I have set my goal of disciples to two million, and I am sure through God’s grace I can reach it! Thank you Mr. Gothard for giving of yourself for me and so many others. You have had a tremendous impact on my life and I pray that God would allow me to do the same!
~ Timothy
June 2008 Guys Journey
“O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.”
~ A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.“
~ Matthew 5:6
When I came on the Journey to the Heart my goal was to draw closer to God. I thought I was a pretty good person and didn’t really need to study the wrong heart attitudes. But God knew differently, and He really convicted me of my pride towards my siblings. I had thought I was so much better then them 
and made them respect me by my unkind words. I would pray asking God to change my siblings. I asked God to humble them and take their pride away, but wasn’t willing myself to ask forgiveness and make things right.
I was on my face before God with my team and we were all confessing sins. God just totally convicted me and opened my eyes to how by my pride I had caused deep wounds. I cried out to God to forgive me and asked Him to keep my intellect from ruling my life and instead allow Him to be on the throne. It was very humbling to tell the other girls on my team how prideful I had been. God then was able to show me why I had the fear of rejection in my life and I was able through Scripture to conquer that fear. He also gave me a new freedom in Him I had never had before. My devotions before I came had been dry and like a routine, but now I am excited to talk with Him every morning and receive many new insights from His Word.
~ Kaye
June 2008 Girls’ Journey
When I first arrived at the Journey, I felt pretty out of touch with God. I wasn’t spending time in His Word and I thought God would never speak to me. I also was listening to rock music and watching a lot of worldly movies as well as struggling with impure thoughts. I was walking with the world and not like a Christian. I tried reading the Bible more but the cares of the world were always choking it out.
I had to surrender the desire for the approval of the world as well as the pleasures of sin. I have to chose the narrow way. God doesn’t want me to look like the world. I decided to give up movies and music of the world and all competing affections that came between between me and God.
I heard from God on this Journey. God revealed to me that I needed to be spending significantly more time in His Word. How can I witness to other people if I don’t even have my own salvation nailed down and confirmed with scripture? God can’t speak to me unless I am listening.
Overall, I had a great Journey and God blessed our time. Thank you!
~ Ryan
June 2008 Guys’ Journey
As I came away from this Journey to the Heart, I was a little worried. I didn’t feel a whole lot different than when I had gone. Had I just wasted a week and a half of my life? Was I really too far gone to be responsive to the Lord? Sure, I had asked for anointing, but was that because everyone else was doing it? But now, two days after coming home, I do indeed see what God has done in me.
First, God healed my thought life. I hadn’t noticed the change, because I simply wasn’t thinking the thoughts I had been struggling with. They had disappeared so completely that I forgot that they even existed in the first place.
Second, a desire to meditate and study came over me, and a sense of the futility of the pleasures of this world. The company I work for hosts a picnic with all sorts of games every July. But this year, as I wandered around, I felt the emptiness of it all. I felt extremely bored and wished I had brought my Bible so I could study it.
Third, I am really excited about the work of God and His people. I want to get involved in an even deeper way than before. I want to have good Christian fellowship every day. I enjoy discussing God’s Word and His Work with fellow believers.
I wish that all of my friends would go on a Journey. I am eager to go again and see how much deeper I can dive into God’s Word. But in the mean while, I will keep meditating. This Journey was a springboard for me, and I intend to keep growing.
~ Allen
July 2008 Guys’ Journey
