Riane actually did not want to come on this Journey because she knew there were things in her life that were blocking her relationship with the Lord. On this Journey, God showed her a truth that brought her to the point of complete surrender.

Download audio file (Testimony_201005_Riane.mp3)
Download MP3 (3 min)

~ Riane
May 2010 Journey

When I was younger, there had also been a struggle between my parents in their marriage, which had caused me to cut off my spirit from them, to build up walls of defense, and to suffer asthma and nightmares from my fears. I had sought acceptance in other people and possessions, which had caused me to not only lack the trust I needed for my parents, but to hold back from fully trusting God.

The Breaking Point

As this realization dawned upon me, I broke down and wept on the floor where we had all knelt to pray in groups of 3 or 4. My team leader, sensing that God was doing a work in my heart, led me away to talk in private. Over the course of the next 2 hours, she helped me identify 30 lies I believed, 20 painful memories I was suffering from, and 5 different fears that were affecting my health.

That day my eyes were opened to the bondage that I had been in for so many years. I experienced a new freedom as I prayed asking God to take back the ground I had surrendered. I was able to fully forgive my offenders and to develop a new love for them, and a desire to serve and bless them!

Dying Leaves are More Beautiful

This amazing event set the stage for the rest of my Journey! I found that my heart was open to examination as I studied the different heart conditions. I was able to pray for others with a whole new love for them! I saw God use me to encourage and disciple many other girls throughout the time there, and to cry out to Him without fear of what others would think. There was a whole new awareness of His promptings, and the ability to hear His voice like never before! Most of all, I learned to understand the pain of others who were in similar bondage to what I had been in.

God showed me how to understand the hurts of another and to care for them! He broke me one night as I was spending time alone with Him under the stars. I wept for a girl I had known who was experiencing much more than I had ever experienced, but was held by the chains I had been in.

Throughout the week, as I observed the beauty of the colorful leaves on the trees, I was reminded continually by our team leader that the leaves were beautiful, yet they were dying! I saw that just as dying leaves are more beautiful than those that are alive, so we as believers are required to die to self and to be on fire for the Lord, in order to achieve the greatest beauty.

Just Three Days

As we prepared to leave journey and come back home, I was encouraged to go back and make disciples, to grow in the Lord, and to do great works for His kingdom. I could never have imagined just what awesome things God would do in so short a time!

The first full day back home, God brought a young lady across our path to meet with us regularly for discipleship. That same day, my sister and I decided that God would have us bring a team of girls we were discipling back to a journey next year. He has already provided several who are interested!

The second day proved to be a little more challenging. Mr. Garvin had taught us a valuable lesson on sharing the gospel with lost souls, shortly before the journey ended. We were at the park with some friends, when I decided to put to practice a little of what he had placed before us. In the past, I had always handed out tracts, and had actually shared the gospel with four little children and an older woman. Yet each time my conversation had never been more than just a few minutes long and I had always been so fearful during the whole presentation.

This time, however, I felt led to give a tract I had with me to a young man who was up on the hill smoking and texting on his cell phone. I was a little nervous, but I felt very strongly that God wanted me to do this. To my surprise, he was friendly and after handing him the tract and asking a few questions, we started a rather lengthy conversation. About 20 minutes later he started opening up and sharing about his life. He professed to be saved, but didn’t know much about the Bible at all, even to know if he was saved by works or by faith. I was able to share with him a lot about the Word, and to present 49 Commands of Christ to him. He became so interested that He wrote down the IBLP website so that he could check out some of the materials and learn more about the commands of Christ. He also showed much interest in attending our church!

I keep wondering what would have happened if I had disobeyed God’s voice and had failed to be a vessel through which His love could shine to someone so spiritually hungry.

The third day God impressed upon me this question: “If I don’t know the 49 commands of Christ and if I am not living them all out in obedience to Him, then how can I effectively teach them to those whom I am discipling?” That night I began to work on the first command and to apply it to my life.

As I went to bed, I prepared a passage of Scripture from Philippians 2 to quote and meditate upon. God gave me so many significant insights even as I was falling asleep that I could write down the next morning. He also showed me two books He wanted me to write concerning two areas of bondage that I have found freedom in.

As I went to sleep, I dreamed about a man of God who was competing in a race. And as he sought to do his best, God faithfully rewarded him by allowing him to win! When I woke up, there was a post on the Living the Journey website, about running our race successfully as a champion runner. It was like God reaffirmed to me that He has set the narrow way before me, and that now there is nothing holding me back from trusting Him fully and from running with all my strength to win!

When I was in bondage to bitterness, and when I chose to believe Satan’s lies, the chains kept me from running to win. But now I have been offered another chance to run without anything holding me back. God is so gracious and merciful! Even now He has already given me such a new heart for Him, so that when temptation comes (and it has been so less frequent) I can easily and victoriously overcome it by the strength of Jesus Christ!

Each person must come to a place where Jesus is everything to them. For me, this is just beginning!

~ Sarah
September 2009 Girls Journey

Download audio file (Testimony_200908_Crystal.mp3)
Download MP3 (5 min)

I came to the Journey knowing that there were struggles in my life that needed to be resolved. At the top of the list was my bitterness towards my father.

Before we left Headquarters for the Northwoods, I was challenged to give the expectations I had of my father to the Lord. I was also encouraged to find ten benefits from my situation . . . then a few more . . . and I needed to ask the Lord to bless my father with the character qualities he was lacking.

I wasn’t too sure I could think of that many benefits, but as I went outside to spend some time alone, one benefit in particular kept taking over my thoughts. The Lord God Almighty—the Creator of heaven and earth and my Heavenly Father—was teaching me to fully rely on Him for the security, comfort, acceptance, love, and everything else that my heart desired so greatly. He was the only one who could fulfill those roles completely. As I began to ask the Lord to bless my father, a huge weight left me.

On Tuesday, our team spent the morning outside enjoying the beauty of God’s creation and studying about the murmuring heart. I was very convicted and later called home to ask my father’s forgiveness.

For many years I had experienced doubts about my salvation, which were probably a result of the bitterness I had been harboring. Now that this bitterness was resolved, I had a renewed impression upon my heart to get rebaptized.

I understood that baptism is not necessary for salvation. However, I realized that if I humbled myself through this baptism and openly acknowledged that Jesus Christ was the Lord of my life (no matter what others might think), then my doubts would leave.

I talked over the phone with my parents and they both said it would be fine, although my mom strongly urged me to pray for a rhema. During our day of delighting in the Lord I was seeking a really special verse, but the only verse that I felt impressed to meditate on was Proverbs 30:5. To be honest, I didn’t exactly see the relevance of this particular verse. However, my team listened to Jim Sammons share about meditating on one verse each week, so this became my verse.

When Saturday morning came and still I didn’t seem to have a rhema, or so I thought, I prayed and gave the whole request to God, since it seemed that I had run out of time. Right before the meeting that night, my team leader asked if I was getting baptized. I said that I didn’t think so . . . but God does amazing things!

During the meeting, Bob Norvell shared how to continue living what we had learned during the journey. Close to the end, he started quoting a verse. It was Proverbs 30:5: “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” It seemed Mr. Norvell was looking straight at me during the whole verse. Then the Lord said to me, “There you go. This is your answer. Trust me and be baptized.” Wow! I was very nervous, but He kept assuring me, “I am a shield to those who trust in Me.’”

So that night I was baptized at the lake, under the stars, and as I came up and walked out of the water the Lord took away all of those doubts and fears! Hallelujah, praise His name!!

~ Crystal
July 2009 Girls’ Journey

When Nicole heard about the Journey to the Heart, she wanted to go. However, she purposed that she would not get rid of her eating disorder, nor would she forgive the trusted family friend who had deeply offended her a year earlier and triggered her food addiction.

During the Journey orientation, she learned how to have a whole new response to the one who had offended her. This included asking God to bless that person with the qualities that he was obviously missing, such as repentance, truthfulness, self-control, genuine love, etc.

While on the July 2009 Girls’ Journey, Nicole was impacted as she learned about a fearful heart. She learned that the power of sin is in its secrecy, and she had to call home and confess to her parents what she was doing and why she was doing it.

She was fearful because she did not think that her parents would understand. However, the very next day the one who had offended her called up and confessed what he had done—a year earlier. This was an amazing evidence of God’s response to the verbal blessing of Nicole.

Since the Journey, Nicole has not only experienced great freedom in being open with her parents, but she no longer has the urge to continue her eating disorder.

A doctor interviewed Nicole and exclaimed, “To the medical world, it would be a miracle to instantly stop the kind of eating disorder that Nicole had.”

I had the realization in church tonight that all I really do is live for me. I live for the ‘Brooke’ on the outside, not for the Brooke God desires me to be. Tonight instead of just bringing about conviction in my spirit, God gave me a picture. I’m not sure yet that I totally like it, but it’s a reality check, a spiritual reality check and as hard as it is, it’s good for me. I know I need it.

I’ve known the meaning of my name forever, the name Brooke means ‘to go forth in a small way across the face of the earth.’ I know that a brook is something full of gentleness, nothing to be afraid of, a refreshment that brings joy, good memories, and a sense of contentment. What I have found recently though, is that I am doing just that—for myself!

There are a couple of commandments that most of us are familiar with, and would most likely say that we never break—you know, like ‘thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ Well, surprise, surprise, I have committed idolatry; sometimes even almost blatantly. I don’t really know why I do it. I desire to serve God, but sometimes my desire to please myself is so much greater!

I have taken no time for God lately while I spend hours on myself. I spend at least 30 minutes a day grooming myself (most days longer), countless hours working or in school and a few pleasurable hours reading books. Is anything wrong with these activities? No, I really don’t think so, but the thing that is wrong is that I am totally leaving God out of my life. Sure, I still pray, I read the Bible, but I have not been putting God first. I have failed in my commitment to God and I am miserable. I am worn out. I am tired. And my family would attest that I am a little more than grumpy. A pretty far cry from what I am called and desire to be.

I want to do great things with my life. I want to be a Gladys Alward, a D.L. Moody, a Fanny Crosby, an Amy Carmichael, a person who does great things and make great sacrifices for God. I want to be a place of refreshment and joy for those around me, but I am not doing that.

A couple of years ago, I was in New Zealand and witnessed a huge flood that washed through the town of Marton. The stream that flowed through the property was full of trash, mud and impurities. It was an incredible thing to see. This is how I feel I have allowed my life to become. I cannot be refreshing to anyone because I am not pure, I am not clean. My life is cluttered. There’s trash and contaminants in my soul.

Tonight God has given me this picture of a contaminated brook but he also gave me a solution. How is that stream to ever become clean once again? How will that water ever become drinkable and refreshing again? There is only one way, to let the spring, the pure, filtered clean water feeding the stream bubble up out of the earth come through and wash out all the filth. The wonderful simple thing I have to do is let the Holy Spirit do this work in me. I need only to follow his prompting, to fill my life with Holy Scripture, which is pure to become clean. I need to repent and to think on all that is pure, holy, just and of good report.

When this happens I can once again become a clean, refreshing ‘Brooke’—a thing of tranquility and joy. In this way I will find refreshment and be able to give to those I come into contact with. Now that I have this written out and have spent time in prayer, I think I will be able to sleep. I am exhausted and need rest. Thankfully we have a loving Father in heaven that promises His beloved sleep. I know in human eyes I may not be totally beloved, but confession and repentance is a beautiful thing that reaps great benefit.

As I flipped through the pages of the Journey manual, I didn’t think that I was guilty of any of the bad heart conditions that were explained in it. As the days went by, however, I became more and more convinced of just how sinful I had been. Not only did I have a prideful and murmuring heart towards God’s people, I also had an adulterous heart. Through salvation I had entered a covenant marriage relationship with Jesus Christ, but I had allowed other relationships to compete with my love for him. I had been expecting benefits from these relationships that only God could give, such as security, direction, and fulfillment in life. I had set this idol in my heart and depended more on it then I did on God.

I immediately asked God for forgiveness. I gave Him my competing affections so that nothing could take my attention from Him again. I confessed everything to my parents. The hardest thing was asking forgiveness of those whom I had been bitter toward and verbally blessing them. For the first time I felt a joy and love towards them. My relationship with God has been completely restored!

Now I have completely surrendered my heart, soul, mind and strength to God’s will. I will not let any competing affection come between me and Him. I will delight in Him and Him alone.

~ Natalie

I tried having consistent quiet times with the Lord, although I never really made God my first priority. I also tried starting a Bible study, which helped a little. Then I learned that in order to “love God with all my heart” I must remove all competing affections.

Throughout the week, God would reveal competing affections to me. As He brought each one to my mind I would confess them and give them to God. After I confessed all of my competing affections and hidden sins to my father and repented, I began to experience a new life in my walk with God. As I continue to grow, I find a new interest in reading His word, a desire to let nothing come between God and a dedication to live out God’s best rather than my best.

~ Steven
June 2008 Guys’ Journey

A Painful Memory

In December 1964, after completing nine and a half months of service in Vietnam, I arrived at Travis Air Force Base in Bolero, CA. It was Christmas Eve, and I was anxious see my wife and be home for Christmas.

As I left the base to catch a bus, a group of war protesters threw rotten fruit and eggs at us, calling us baby-killers. I wanted to break their heads but was restrained by the military police. I was deeply crushed because there seemed to be no appreciation back at home for the soldiers who were sacrificing their lives for their country. This caused me to become very bitter.

An Explosion of Anger

In 1971 in Globe, AZ, I was driving up a narrow street on a steep hill when I was met by someone in another vehicle on my side of the road. The road was too steep to back up so he began to curse me and give naughty waves.

In anger, I got out of my truck and walked up to his car. He quickly locked the doors and rolled up the windows. I grabbed the door handle and pulled it right off the car. My next thought was to smash the window with the handle, break his head with it, and then drag him out through the window. I could see the terror in his eyes.

But in that instant, God spoke to my heart and told me to stop. Somehow, I controlled my anger, apologized, and got back in my truck. After that incident, I realized I had a serious problem with anger. Yet instead of properly dealing with it, I only sank deeper into my bitterness, anger, and depression, fighting suicidal and violent thoughts.

Freedom from Bitterness

Early in 1975, I attended the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar in Fort Worth, TX after hearing the testimony of an alumnus. Mr. Bill Gothard talked about one area in which I knew I needed tremendous help—overcoming bitterness.

Through the teachings about Jesus Christ and His power to reconstruct lives, I was able to overcome bitterness and forgive the offensive war protesters, as well as a nation who I felt had betrayed all Vietnam War veterans. There is now healing instead of hurt.

~ Lance
March 2008 Guys’ Journey

When I signed up to go on the “Journey to the Heart”, I knew little of how God would use it in my life. Up until that point, I truly thought that I was a Christian, because I had grown up in a Christian family and I had said the sinners prayer when I was 3 years old. Despite that, I did not have a personal relationship with God. Everything I said and did was out of tradition and what was expected of me. It was during my “Journey to the Heart”, that God showed me who He was and little by little tore down the walls I had built up around my heart. Throughout my life, due to some difficult circumstances I had always thought that I wasn’t a sinner.

Instead, I would look at the crimes others had committed against me and say “those are the sinners… me?… are you kidding!” It wasn’t until I forgave the people who had hurt me that God showed me I was a sinner in need of His forgiveness. While on my Journey, I fully surrendered and dedicated my life to Christ. As a result, I now have a personal relationship with God and since then, He has shown me that my life purpose is to know Him and to make Him known!

It saddens me to think of all the years that I have wasted and all the
things God had to bring me through to reach this point. Despite that, I know that He has a plan and purpose for everything! “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

It is difficult for me to put in a few paragraphs all the things God has done in my heart and in my life since I was dropped off at the airport to return home. When I was dropped off at the airport I was very scared not knowing what to expect and not knowing what awaited me when I walked off the plane. To make me feel even more uncomfortable… the man sitting beside me on the plane was viewing pornography on his Blackberry. Despite that, God overflowed me with peace beyond understanding and I could literally feel a huge bubble of protection circle around me. God surrounded and spoke words of comfort, hope, peace and love to me. It was when I gave Him all my concerns, fears and worries that I realized without any doubt that He was sending me where I needed to be most of all!

The next morning after returning home… my dad woke everyone (even the baby) up at 5:30 am for a family Wisdom Search. This was the first time we had devotions in many, many years. Surprisingly, since that morning nine months ago, this has continued on, on a consistent basis. I am in awe! To God be the glory and praise! When I was younger and we did family devotions and went to church I would be very angry because of the level of hypocrisy and the thick masks that we would put on in front of ourselves and others. There was nothing real about us. We were one family at home and a completely different picture perfect family at church. It literally tore me to pieces and taught me to live a life of pretending.

At Headquarters God literally tore off every single mask I was wearing. He showed me that because He is REAL, I have the freedom to be real and allow others to see who I really am. Now as a person who is wholly and holy committed to God, I no longer need to hide and pretend. I am alive!

A few months ago I was asked to speak at a ladies outreach ministry. After much prayer, I felt God was calling me to share my testimony and some of the pain and struggles I have dealt with. While I was speaking not only did I see people sitting on the edge of their chairs, I saw wounded hearts needy of God’s healing and forgiveness. As a result of that opportunity, I have had the joy of seeing God touch and open the hearts of many woman.

Since then I have been asked to be the main speaker at a young girls camp this summer. I feel so inadequate… but in that inadequacy I believe God has called me to be “a prophet unto nations” (Jeremiah 1: 4-10)…“for such a time as this!” (Esther 4:14).
In the meantime, I have started training as a receptionist for my father’s
office. My father has previously hurt me in the past and this is the hardest
thing I have ever done! Yet despite that, I have never felt more strongly
that this is what I am supposed to be doing. God has clearly shown me that He wants me to dedicate this next year to serve and bless my father,
honoring him for who he is as a God given authority figure in my life. Since
I have started to work in his office, I have had this overwhelming burden to pray for my father as I work. Over the past month, as I have done this,
there have been several times my father has stopped in the middle of our
Wisdom Search’s to confess and to ask forgiveness for different things.
Although the emotional pain due to the things that have happened in the past is still very great, I know God has done a miracle in my heart and is
healing it. Right now I am learning to relate to my earthly dad through God, instead of relating to God through my earthly dad.
I am traveling on the road less traveled, which makes my journey long and
steep. Despite that, I can whole heartily say with the hymn writer “It will
be worth it all when we see Christ!” The Lord is my strength and my
sufficiency!

“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might
he increaseth strength. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the
young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew
their strength; they shall mount up on wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31)

It is my desire is to live a life that is so radically different from others, that I will be able to make an eternal difference in the lives of every single person I meet! This can only be done by living in the reality of my life purpose, to know Him and make Him known! I want to praise and thank the Lord for the work He is doing and has done in my life. He has rescued and redeemed me from a pit and has put my feet on a rock! “The Lord is good and only does good! Blessed be the name of the Lord!”

~Jessica
September 2007 Journey to the Heart