The Journey of Inner Healing
God’s heart breaks for the broken and hurting. He wants them to be set free - strongholds and addictions to be overcome, chains of shame and unforgiveness to fall off, lives transformed and God stories now to be lived out. This is God’s heart. And He uses people to emphasize that hope, as they come alongside those who are in pain and unable to see truth. There is always HOPE. This is a truth that I have always held strong to in my own struggles and when helping others.
Bumpy Journey
As I began to discover and understand my giftings, I realized God has gifted me higher in the Shepherding gifts of compassion, empathy, connectedness and harmony. I also found I could execute strategic justice and gifts within the prophetic. I learned from my Strength Finders Coach that this combination could be toxic (which is why I always seemed frustrated if I didn’t understand how to fully use them together.) Thank goodness for Brandon Jones. With his direction, I was able to understand my weaknesses and strengths and how my gifts can be awesome if I let them flow together. With this understanding, God has led me on a journey over my years of learning and developing skills and insights into helping others.
I have had many bumps in my journey. I discovered Fresh Start after joining All Nations in 2011. My husband was going through severe depression, and I honestly thought he was going to commit suicide. I felt a bit hopeless and so helpless. I saw these 6 steps to forgiveness as a way to understand and feel my emotions. This led to even understanding how to see the part I played and how I hurt my husband in many ways instead of building him up in our marriage. It helped me see how I needed to seek forgiveness from him and God. It’s usually not just about the person who hurt you, but what part did you play? This tool opened my eyes to inner healing and how the Holy Spirit can speak to you and help you through the impossible. And He did! After much healing in myself and with lots of prayer, Jason was restored!!
This was the beginning of understanding the importance and great need of inner healing in our lives. From small hurts to the most painful, we need to know how to take these to the throne and identify the feelings and emotions, and then most importantly, know how to deal with them. Now that we did, Jason and I were then able to heal from past wounds of getting hurt by church and ministry leaders as well as future hurts that were bound to come. And they did.
LIES
I was also discovering the devastation that lies can have on a life. If we believe what others or the devil himself tells us about ourselves that are false, we will never be free for the exciting things God has for us. I was very excited as I went through training on Transformational (Sozo) and Immanuel Prayer to learn techniques to walk people through the inner healing process of Jesus revealing Himself and showing them their identity in Him. The best feeling in the world is to see people breakthrough and to see the joy that they now experience. Lies are replaced with TRUTH.
The Journey Continues
My heart's passion is to care for people well and let the Holy Spirit work in ways that we can’t even imagine or do ourselves. I must constantly check my heart before the Lord so that I can be free of junk that would prevent me from helping others. Jesus is so faithful. At All Nations Kansas City, Randy and I have been so thrilled with our 20 member pastoral care team. They understand these concepts as they love and care for each one with whom they speak.
I, myself, continue to learn and be trained in trauma and crisis response techniques and methods. I have become certified as a mental health life coach, so I can now work with those in Kansas City that are wounded or in need of help. I believe this is Kingdom work where I can serve and use my gifts. Where are you serving and using your gifts?
Challenges
Are you in a place with yourself and with the Lord where you can take on any challenges that come your way? You can be if you are not allowing hurts, unforgiveness, and lies to control your emotions and actions. Instead, to overcome these challenges, bring it all to the Lord. Share your situation, your pain, because He wants to hear it. Allow Him to show you any wrongful actions you may have played and ask for forgiveness. Forgive those you need to. Ask Jesus to reveal lies which He will replace with truth and identity. Accept them and thank Him for how much He loves you. Then release all the negative emotions, situations, and people you have forgiven to God. They are not your burden any longer. He has you, and now you can continue using your gifts in whatever capacity he has given you in Kingdom work. Blessings in all that you do. And remember, you are not alone. There are many of us in All Nations that can come alongside and help in this process.
About the author: Val’s heart’s desire is to be with people & use her gifts to care for those that are broken or don't know where to turn. She’s been serving All Nations workers around the world for almost 10 years, caring for their hearts & needs. She also works in the community in Kansas City as a Life Coach/Counselor partnering with organizations that focus on helping those in need in the KC area. She loves to be hospitable, be in the great outdoors & spend quality time with her family & friends.
Get Connected & Let’s Grow Together!
We invite you! Here are some amazing resources you may find interesting including:
Lessons from the Least, the Last, and the Lost, All Nations Weekly Devotion by Blake Staton, M.Div.
All Nations Pocket Guide to Church Planting by Dr. Pam Arlund (in many languages)
All Nations Storytelling Resource
Mission’s Edge, a monthly roundtable learning opportunities with ministry and missions leaders! Sign-up for any of these today and participate! Let’s grow together!
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