Neal’s Story

I have always struggled with sharing personal testimonies because I feel like they aren’t necessarily worth sharing – I have a long history of experiencing God’s faithfulness but I always feel like my testimony isn’t exciting or groundbreaking. I also struggle with faith – I am very technical and analytical, and a lot of times I discount the amazing things God does, writing it off as coincidence.

I am in the Army and back in March I was in Louisiana for a month of training. I got incredibly sick, unable to put on my body armor or walk anywhere without getting light-headed, nauseous, and needing to lay down. I couldn’t hold most food down; even looking at food would make me nauseous. I was evacuated from the training site and the doctors thought maybe I had a stomach ulcer. I was given medication to treat stomach ulcers and it helped for a couple weeks – until it didn’t. The medication made me lose my appetite and I became very weak and the nausea started to come back. I stopped using the medication and things started to get better. I got tested for everything – they took blood, urine, and stool samples to try and figure out what was wrong with me. All the tests came back negative. I was referred to a gastroenterologist and they did an upper endoscopy where they stuck a camera down my throat. They found that my GI tract was inflamed which is gastroenteritis, but that nothing else was abnormal. They took a couple biopsies – again, normal. No stomach ulcer. No infection. No explanation. I just… got better over time. I convinced myself it was probably something my body fought off somewhere over the months of testing, but in the back of my mind a glimmer of faith said that it wasn’t a coincidence.

More recently, a couple of weeks ago I hurt my back working out and it just kept getting worse. I am a helicopter pilot and the vibrations tend to cause back problems over long periods of time. The pain got to the point that I was dreading going to work out in the mornings. On the morning of last Sunday, August 8th, I decided I was going to go to the doctor because I just couldn’t keep pushing through the pain. It just so happened that the message that morning was on healing, and I decided to come forward to ask God to heal my back. While I was standing in line waiting for someone to come pray over me, I started praying over myself. I heard a voice in my head say that “This pain is not from God. Rebuke the pain in Jesus’ name.” And I did. Over and over again I cried out in silence, rebuking the pain in Jesus’ name. By the time Gunter and Alex came to pray for me, the pain had gone but I still doubted. Maybe it was the excitement, maybe it was adrenaline, maybe it was just temporary. But Gunter and Alex came over and prayed for my back and told me to try to do something I couldn’t do before. I squatted down (which had been almost impossible before) and I just started ugly crying in front of everyone, I couldn’t believe it. I was healed.

A couple days later the pain started creeping back in and I was tempted to think “I knew it! It wasn’t real! It was just a trick!” But I knew that voice was not God’s. So I decided to try again, in my car, on the way to work – “God I know this pain isn’t from you. I rebuke the pain in Jesus’ name.” Over and over. And the pain went away and stayed gone! God cares about the small things. He cares about the aches and pains, and He cares about the “big ones.” My testimony is not too small, and my experiences are not insignificant. Whoever is reading this – yes it is weird. No I can’t explain it. And yet here I am without pain – I truly believe it was Him all along.

Lesley’s Story

There is nothing more powerful than to see Jesus work . Today we honored Adam during serve team circle up, and the Lord kept highlighting to me how Adam has the power to heal those who have been hurt by religion. During worship, in the conversation I was carrying with Jesus, I was thanking Him for fulfilling all the things I asked for in His name, and how lucky I am that He knows my heart, and that even though I am not perfect and jacked up, he still loves me. At that moment the front of me got warm and I literally felt embraced in a hug, hearing Him say, “I do love you. All I want is for you to find me after each fall and for you to know I am always here.” He kept telling me to get up and share. I kept saying, “I can't. I am frozen.” He said, “Just move your feet and the rest will follow.” I watched others go and testify even though they were scared, even though their words were not steady or rehearsed. It's funny how He proves over and over again how right He is! Adam said in service that Jesus is here because He trusts us. And I'm here to say, Jesus told me that it's because we have an extreme hunger to know him.

Holly’s Story

Jesus healed me of chronic pain and removed an evil spirit of fear from my body.

For a couple of years I have dealt with chronic pain conditions as well as anxiety and panic attacks as a result of chronic pain. I have come a long way from where I was in the beginning. When the pain first started I spiraled into the worst panic I’ve ever had in my life. Over several months I made several calls to 911 and multiple trips to the hospital terrified that I was dying only to be told there was nothing wrong with me. At that point in my life my relationship with Jesus was something that I wasn’t investing any of my time into.

One night after a horrible panic attack I fell asleep and had a dream... I was standing in front of a dark forest where it was storming and debris was flying everywhere and I heard a gentle voice talking to me from the other side of it. I started screaming that I couldn’t hear them and then his voice got louder and said, “Come to me. I will guide you through it”. I started to walk into the forest and then I woke up. That dream, my sister fervently praying over me, and my supportive husband, was what started me on my journey back towards Jesus. He started changing so many things for me, and although I still struggled, I could feel Him holding me and guiding me through it. He also started placing people in my life so that I could physically see His comfort through friends. Even during the pandemic He secured my husband a new work-from-home job and brought me to live near my sister.

I had prayed for healing numerous times but still hadn’t received it. Two years later I was still in so much pain on a regular basis and dealing with so many physical symptoms of anxiety. In prayer one day I heard God tell me that I would be healed. Despite all that I know about Him I doubted this inside. I constantly looked for reasons or solutions to my pain.

On Sunday as Alex started praying before the message I heard God say, “Today is your day.” I’m ashamed to admit that I doubted him even in that moment. As Gunter started the message I started to feel warmth going through my feet and my legs. When I realized the message was on healing I started to get really excited and full of hope.

I got up at the end of service to go be prayed for and I could feel half my body burning at that point. I remember Gunter asking if anybody else had arthritis. I said yes, and then everything went black. I couldn’t see or hear the person who came to pray for me. I just knew that I was standing in front of Jesus. My entire body was burning at that point, and I felt myself fall to my knees in His arms. I could feel that He was pulling something out of my body.

After this moment I could see blurry figures around me and I went to get a bottle of water. When I got into the lobby of the church my vision cleared and I could see again. Hope Myers came over and asked to pray over me. I accepted, and while she prayed I heard the voice of Jesus confirming to me that I was on the other side of the forest and He had healed me.

I had no pain in my body. I had no clenching in my neck or chest from anxiety. This week I have been able to do exercises that I could never have done before. There was a weight of fear from the enemy inside me that I lived with for years that I didn’t even see the magnitude of until Jesus took it out of me. Jesus, I can never thank you enough. I am healed.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. - Lamentations 3:22-23

Jannet’s Story

This past Sunday I had been praying during worship service, asking God for boldness to be able to speak in public and to minister to other women who have gone though similar issues I have experienced in the past such as loss of identity or self-esteem, which I strongly feel is my purpose. This is a prayer request I've been focused on for a couple of months now. Right before ending service, Pastor Gunter asked for those who needed prayer for healing to stay behind. I stayed behind as I suffer from knee joints inflammation. Pastor prayed for me then led me to pray over another women which God worked through me to deliver her from years of torment. To say I was in shock is an understatement. I was deeply moved. God revealed himself to me this Sunday! Not that I ever doubted Him. He has been there with me through it all, but Sunday's experience was an eye opener. I am so grateful to be loved by You! I give You the highest praise the honor and the glory you, Father!

On Father’s Day Sunday my husband and I were visiting The Dwelling with our son, Nate, and his family. The Saturday before we had gone swimming in a friend’s pool. As I was stepping onto the steps down into the pool my foot slipped and I slid all the way down the steps into the water. I’m 69 years old and everyone was afraid I had hurt myself. I seemed ok I thought, only slight pain on my backside.
That evening my left arm began to bother me, then during the night it got worse and interrupted my sleeping. But I didn’t say anything about it to the family. I thought I must have tried to catch myself as I slipped down the steps.
During the service at The Dwelling that Sunday, Pastor Gunter shared that a member had come to him earlier and said he felt the Lord told him that morning that He wanted to heal peoples’ shoulders. When ask if anyone had pain in their left shoulder I raised my hand. Even though my upper left arm was mostly in pain, my shoulder was aching and I knew the pain was connected. He asked for the people around those who raised their hand to gather around them and pray for healing. Several people prayed for me.  
Afterward he asked if anyone felt better or healed but no one raised their hand, neither did I because my pain was still there. I knew sometimes healing is a process not an instant miracle. Then he asked for people to lay hands again and pray for those needing healing in their shoulder. This time more people prayed for me and more intentional. My arm stopped hurting as bad, it was only a very slight ache now. When Pastor Gunter again asked if anyone felt better, I immediately raised my hand. Before I had been distracted by the pain which kept me from being fully engaged in the service, but now I could totally concentrate on what God was doing and the Word being taught. I was elated! The ache gradually left as the day went on and my shoulder started feeling better also soon. I knew God healed it quicker than normal because of His word released to heal that day and people’s prayers of faith. - Aleta

Rachel’s Story

For years, we were unable to successfully conceive. For years, I thought maybe it wasn’t God’s plan for us to have more children. For a time, I even became a little bitter. I numbed the part of me that longed for another child because I was convinced it would not happen for us. We had tried and prayed for so long. Then, I felt guilty for feeling so heartbroken about it because we already had a child. Some people long for children and have none at all. Still, I wondered why God would put such a strong desire in my heart and not fulfill it.

We had several “chemical pregnancies” over the years- pregnancies that began and ended within the same couple of weeks. That was the worst part. Getting excited just to be heartbroken again. I wondered what was wrong with me. I wondered if something had happened during the emergency C-section with Brenley that made me unable to be pregnant now.

I gave up hope. I was sick of hoping for something that seemed impossible. I convinced myself that maybe it wasn’t God who put the desire in our hearts for more children. It must have been God who caused us to stop having children for whatever reason He saw fit, and I had to learn to be okay with that. I thought I was good. Thought I was past it. Until our last community group service at the Prathers’.

I had just decided to stop hormone treatments that weren’t working. We needed to stop “trying” for a child because of the strain and stress it was causing. I was very emotional about it all. I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to share and ask for prayer. But I was on the verge of tears and didn’t want to draw attention to myself. I told God, “No. I can’t do this. Tell someone else to do it.” Wouldn’t you know that just as I said that in my heart, Alex spoke up and said something along the lines of, “This might sound awkward, but the Lord wants me to pray over the wombs in the room. Infertility is not from Him.”

I broke down. I mean, I ugly cried. I told them. I was still embarrassed crying like that. I knew there were others in the room who also had been praying for their first child, so again, I felt a little guilty since I already had one. But in that moment, I felt heard. I felt like my heartache really mattered to God, and He reminded me that I wasn’t alone. From that day forward, He began to restore my hope.

Another night at the Warehouse during a Prayer Night, God told me to give it all to Him. All of the hurt and anger and questions. He could handle it. He wanted me to be honest with Him. He wanted to heal me. I did. And I cried a lot. I felt so many emotions again that I had numbed over the years. He made me feel things I didn’t want to feel, but it was freeing.

My intimacy with God deepened immensely after that. I decided even if I never had another child, He was enough. What He had blessed me with was enough. Brenley is an amazing child, a blessing from Him. Mathew is the husband I couldn’t have even asked for. He’s more than everything I ever needed and wanted in a husband. I would be thankful for what God had already given.

But then, He started to tell me to get my hopes up. Specifically, I woke up with a song playing in my head I hadn’t heard in a while- Get Your Hopes Up by Josh Baldwin. He told me to keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. He started highlighting promises in His word that spoke directly to my heart.

A close friend of mine (who also struggled with infertility for years and had recently become pregnant) gave me a book called The Hannah Anointing. I didn’t read all of it, but it turned my attention to Hannah’s story. I kept reading 1 Samuel 1 over and over. How God heard Hannah and granted the desires of her heart as she cried out to Him. I clung to that passage.

For weeks, every verse I opened to in my Bible pertained to the womb and putting hope in the Lord. May 1st, the Holy Spirit told me to write 1 Samuel 1:17 and put it on my mirror. So I did. Shortly after, I dreamt I was pregnant. The same week, I dreamt I was holding a son who looked just like Mathew with curly hair. A few times, wondered if I was making this all up.

Then, one evening walking to my mailbox (I had been expecting a package any day now), the Holy Spirit told me that I should be checking for the fulfillment of His promises as confidently as I checked the mailbox, knowing that it was surely coming. I froze in my yard and smiled. “Okay, Lord!”

A day or two later, He told me to praise Him as if I was already pregnant. So I did, not knowing if that meant it would be soon or in five years.

The following Sunday, which I believe was Mother’s Day, I was dancing with flags during worship. Ashley spontaneously started singing, “You’re in the middle of a testimony.” And I fell to my knees as the Spirit of God came over me. He was speaking directly to my heart. He was pulling together all of the verses, all of the promises. I wept. That was when I knew.

The next night I went home and a series of events caused me to take a pregnancy test. They all showed positives. No chemical pregnancy this time. We’re past that point. Now, I’m 6 weeks pregnant. I almost waited to post my testimony until later, “just in case,” but I can’t wait to give God glory for this. I refuse to live in fear of the “what ifs” when God so clearly gave us this child with His own hand. This is a promise He fulfilled. He took my hope which was dead, restored it, and fulfilled it. It’s a miracle that it is even happening, so I will praise Him and lift Him up.

I pray my testimony gives hope to others struggling to keep their hope alive. I just know in my spirit that there are so many others that He cannot wait bless with children, too. I believe He is more excited than we are to breathe new life into His children. Don’t lose hope. He is faithful. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking.


“With your mouth You have promised and with Your hand You have fulfilled it—as it is today.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭6:15‬b

“Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.””
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request.”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37:4‬ ‭

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5

- Rachel

This Sunday during service I had a much needed encounter with God. Lately I’ve been struggling with my relationship with the Lord because I just couldn’t understand how or why He loves me. I have wrestled a lot of doubt and had a lot of questions for the last several weeks. How could God love me when I don’t even like myself sometimes? I really was just having a hard time believing I was worth it to Him, and feeling that I have made too many mistakes to be His child.

Well, this Sunday, as soon as the sermon began it was as if God was talking directly to me. God just began to reassure me of His love, that I was the one He left the 99 for. His presence began to crash over me like a wave. And I had never done this before but I just felt led to ask God to look at me like we were having a conversation and I was trying to get His attention, and all of a sudden I 100% heard the Lord in my spirit say, “You always have my attention.” The presence of the Lord just overwhelmed me as we sat together in that moment.

Since yesterday I have experienced a new confidence and reassurance in my relationship with Jesus because as we learned His grace is a gift, it can’t be earned or maintained by us. It’s available to us only because The Lord is good, and He is who He says He is! Come on Jesus! - Aaron

Recently, in a Sunday service, someone on the platform received a word of knowledge for healing over knees. My left knee is not in good shape due to working on my feet for forty five years. After receiving prayer I felt better immediately, and for some after time after that it felt better. I actually waited to see what would happen before sharing my testimony. Since then, to be honest, I’ve experienced that old familiar twinge of pain occasionally. But I’m staying firm in my faith in Him as my healer. - Geory

Thirty four years ago when my husband and I were having difficulty trying to have a baby, I went to a doctor who told us to just relax go on a trip together. Around that time I attended a prayer meeting in a home with others from our church family. We were all kneeling together and praying. (I bet you can guess what I was praying for!) At that moment, it was like a charge of energy came through the group and back to me! Even though it was such a powerful experience I chose to keep to myself and not tell anyone. My husband was not a believer then so I felt that he wouldn’t understand what had happened to me. 

Well, it was only a month later that I found out I was pregnant! I was thirty six and the pregnancy was considered “at risk.” So, I went and had the normal tests done only to discover four months into the pregnancy that my baby could have problems. I was constantly crying out to God to intervene in this situation. And God was faithful and gave us a healthy child! What a blessing our daughter has been to us! As she grew up, my husband began attending church with us as family. Our daughter has grown up to be great believer, mother, wife and artist God is a good Father. - Geory

My walk with Abba Father started long ago. I have had visions from Him that come to me, usually to show me where something that I’ve lost is hiding. It’s happened many times when l will clearly see the object I’ve lost in my mind and where it is. And I will and find it! - Geory

I’ve been free from my addiction to pornography for many years but I recently had failed to stay strong to the enemy’s attack on me. I have been going through a tough season of new professional, personal and physical struggles. I didn’t recognize the attack that was happening and I let my guard down. The message last week about being joyful in spite of the struggles is so encouraging because I realized that a hard trial means the Lord is elevating me to a new blessing. 

I thought I was free of it all but the Lord had other plans. The speaker this Sunday felt like the Lord was highlighting freedom from pornography and pills. Of course my spirit was turning the whole service because even though I had prayed for forgiveness myself the Lord wanted to free me completely as well as others. In that moment I was set free and so much joy came over me. It was being hugged by the Lord Himself. 

I’ve been learning what the Word says about obedience and why it is so important. So, I knew my next step was obedience. The Spirit wouldn’t let me go until I had confessed to my wife about my past struggles. Telling her was a hard mountain to climb. When I started to confess to her it was like the flow of God’s love came over me. 

If we didn’t have a church that allows the Lord’s presence to flow freely and lets the Spirit move as He wants I wouldn’t have this testimony to share. - Nate K

On September 28, 2019, I left on a nine month long deployment to Afghanistan. Leaving behind my family and my church family, I embarked on a journey that would surely test my strength, my will and my faith. Out here there is little in regard to church, so most of my walk with God has been left to podcasts and videos from various pastors, but most importantly from Pastor Gunter each week. I so look forward each week to the family atmosphere and love through attending worship with my beautiful bride, something I miss very deeply. 

A blessing in complete disguise came when the lockdowns and COVID-19 began to devastate the norms of daily life in the U.S. I have been truly blessed each week to have church online and have the opportunity to actually attend church with my wife every Sunday, even if it is from a distance. I would like to say to the church family and the team of volunteers who have made this happen, thank you! And I pray blessings upon you all. You are truly appreciated from Afghanistan and I look so forward to getting home and telling you all personally. - Shane

Right before I deployed to Romania about 8 months ago, I attended the More Conference. It was so powerful and impacted me so much, and it really hit me how much I was going to miss this family. After deploying, I messaged back and forth with a couple guys from the Dwelling and listened to the Dwelling podcasts, but I really missed the connection and relationships that I built every Sunday worshiping and talking and just hanging out. It's not that I was in a dark place spiritually, but I had a piece of me that ached every Sunday to be home, walking through those AMC theater doors with my wife, connecting with friends and strangers and being ushered into the throne room of God. Man I missed it.

And then COVID hit. Now I'm not going to say I'm so thankful and that the coronavirus doesn't suck - my brother's father-in-law passed away from it and that's a whole different story - but I will say that I am thankful for the connection that the coronavirus brought. I am thankful for the Dwelling online every Sunday. If you play a part in the production of the Dwelling online, I am so thankful for you. I am thankful for the worship team and for Pastor Gunter and for everyone who tunes in each week, because for me that is connection. When I am struggling to keep going (and there are those days), I always know that I have Sunday to look forward to. Special shoutout to Micah Mills who is always on the live stream throwing out encouragement and "Likes" to everyone who will take them. I love you guys, and I love that I can be a part of the Dwelling and worship at the exact same time as people on the other side of the world.

All that being said - I can't wait to be home. I can't wait to worship in person with my Dwelling fam, a sentiment I'm sure anyone reading this who attends the Dwelling shares. But I am so thankful for the Dwelling online. I know right now, with all the dark stuff happening around the world it's easy to get lost in the darkness. But the darkness makes it that much easier to see the light. So to those who are being light but not sure if anyone sees (I am now preaching to myself) - keep being the light. We see. The world sees. It's hard when you don't get recognition but know this - you will receive all the recognition you need when you hear the words "Well done, good and faithful servant." 

I love you guys and can't wait to see you soon. Until then - see you online! - Neal

Sunday, I was serving in the hall alone during service. To be honest, I wasn't super excited, but knew I would still be able to hear the service. I was able to listen, with so few distractions!
At the end of service, Gunter said God was pointing out knee pain, specifically on the side of the knee. And I was like, “Huh. How about that,” because my knee had been hurting with every step for a day or so. All I could say was, “Wow, God. That’s interesting.”
After marveling at God and something so specific that could relate to me, praising God and thanking Him for who He is, I realized my steps were pain free. The pain was gone!

Y'all, God saw me. Serving in the hallway. He saw me. What a loving, caring Father we have! I am still in awe of how much I am loved and seen. - Amanda

“I knew God. At least I thought I did. I accepted Christ as my Savior in 1979. I was 13. I know he saved my soul that night. It was real. I heard Jesus call to me as clear as if He was standing beside me. He said "Come to me and I will save you? I will, but you must accept me and trust me."  And I did. That night God gave me a new heart and a Love for others I had never known before. 

But Satan decided I would not be a would not be a warrior for God if he could stop it. He knew I was already a child of God just like Adam and Eve but he was determined that I would not be in fellowship with my Father and he used others abusive ways to deceive me. And like Eve, I believed him. He told me that God was pure and righteous (all true) and how God wouldn't want someone like me for His daughter who was tainted and damaged. (Not true, but I believed Satan.) How could God accept me after the things I had allowed others to do to me? I didn't fight against them I accepted it, so I must be bad, right? I desperately needed to make up for my impurity. God would try to draw me to Him, and I would only think of how unworthy I was, how ashamed I was, and how I could never be clean. I searched for someone who could love me even though I was damaged. Maybe if I was a good enough person, and strong enough for long enough, I could convince God to accept me as a servant in His kingdom. 

Just like the prodigal son I would be happy to be a servant. That was the best I could hope for right? Thank God that He wasn't content to let me be just a servant. He protected like He protected Job, even though Satan accused me before God, He said, "No. You may not have her soul. My son Jesus had paid for her and she is my righteous and pure child whom I love. I WILL restore her.”

Just like Job, I lost a lot but God HAS restored my soul to Him. And the love and atmosphere of worship at The Dwelling is one of the best gifts God has given to me.. I am thankful for the past hurts in my life for they are my compassion to others now. As God forgave me I have, through His love and strength alone, forgiven those who have hurt me. He tenderly restores my soul. Part of this restoration process is that God is allowing me to be a part of a family that knows God and makes room for Him so that lives can be restored and His glory can shine into the darkness. I can only praise Him and give Him all glory!” - Nita

“I am currently deployed to Romania and have been struggling with feelings of loneliness, separation, and distance from God. A couple weeks ago I decided to start listening to the Dwelling podcasts in addition to attending the chapel services on base. This decision came as I was doing my taxes and God hit me with some truth bombs out of nowhere. For some reason Identity popped into my head and I started really thinking about what it was that I identified myself as - an athlete? A Soldier? A leader? I realized that I have been putting my identity and value in the wrong things and that I need to put my value in how Christ sees me. I put my thoughts on paper - about 2 pages worth - not even sure what I was doing that for at the time. Later that weekend I listened to Pastor Gunter's sermon on Identity and loving your neighbor. That same morning the chapel sermon was on the loveless church in Ephesus from Revelation. It was almost as if God reaffirmed that it was him who was speaking to me. 

Then, yesterday, I saw a post on Facebook from a friend who is on the Serve Team at The Dwelling. He asked for prayer for the friends and family of a Soldier at Fort Stewart who had died in a motorcycle accident. I wanted to encourage him, being a fellow Army officer, but I didn't really know what to say. After writing and rewriting the thought that I couldn't quite put into words, the comment that finally came to mind was this: "So sorry to hear about this tragedy. I will say, you are in a very unique position to be a light in an incredibly dark time. Praying that God would somehow use this for his glory and that he would use you as his voice." I really hoped that it was God's encouragement through me and not just words coming from me, but I wasn't sure. Today I listened to last week's podcast where Adam brought the message. He talked about how we are the light in a dark world and that as soon as we accept Jesus, we begin to light up the dark places. Adam also mentioned how cool it is that God uses us to be his voice and gives us the opportunity to be a part of what he is doing. It blew me away when I heard that. 

I have never had a "big voice" God moment. I have struggled with feelings that my testimony doesn't matter that much because I don't have one of those big inspiring testimonies that brings people to their knees in awe. I just wanted to share this in the hope that it would encourage someone that no matter how small the circumstance, God is a good dad and he reassures us when we need it. Sometimes it's something huge and powerful, but sometimes it's in the subtle messages that seem like they could be coincidence but by faith I know that it is so much more. I'm still learning to discern God's voice, but it's comforting to know that I have a dad who is actively working to help me get there.” - Neal

At the end of service, in our final worship and prayer time, Gunter called for anyone experiencing back pain to come down for prayer. Since the third week of January, I have had a pain and stiffness down my spine, from the top of my neck to the middle of my shoulder blades. I’ve been so restless. I’ve tossed and turned every night, and no amount of stretching has helped. This pain wasn’t caused by anything physical that I’ve done; there hasn’t been any heavy lifting, or anything to justify why my body has been so tense.

This morning I was feeling the same as every other morning for the last two weeks. I went down to Donna and quickly told her what’s been happening. She asked me what I’ve been feeling the weight of and carrying spiritually. The words, “Unworthy. That I’m not good enough,” came to me. There were others but I couldn’t touch on all of them whooshing around. Those words seemed to be the heaviest. She prayed aloud with me while she and Andrea placed their hands along my spine and back.

 
Afterwards, I walked to my seat a little lighter. He was showing me what I hadn’t surrendered to Him. My ego, pride, control, my husband, my health, my future, my family near and far. Jesus was rebuilding and restructuring this place in my body, and my confidence in Him. All this annoying pain, all the time, I just needed to trust He could heal it. I never even tried to give it to him, y’all! But, Hallelujah! I could feel the pain and stiffness melting off of me before we left the theater, during the drive home, and even as I sit here to write this! Praise Jesus!! He just wants us to fully trust Him, to stop saying, “I got this! I can handle it!”

I’m still learning what that looks like in the moments I begin leaning on my own knowledge, my own independent abilities of strength, but He’s always there for me, “Why are you carrying this? Can I have it, please? It’s not too heavy for me.” 
In reflection, I do try to carry so much in life. It’s an old habit! And those die really hard! But, Jesus is calling me to surrender all these heavy things to Him, (such as, “I have to find a way to...,” or “I could do this if only...,” or “Who am I kidding, I’m not as good at XYZ so why try?” etc.) and to stop picking up the lie that I’m unworthy or incapable. He wants to be our confidence. He wants to move those mountains before us, but we have to meet him in that sacred place and surrender it all. 

Pastor Bill Johnson from Bethel Church said, “Bold faith stands on the shoulders of quiet trust.” That has been with me for years, and I get it now. Y’all, I can turn my head from side to side, pain free, for the first time in two weeks. Whoa. Thank you, Jesus! Here, take all this mess and fill these voids with You.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NLT) - Brittany

I was so uncomfortable. The worship happening in the room was WILD. It was noisy and chaotic. I was there as an observer. There were lots of things going on that I had never seen before and I didn’t understand. Quite frankly, I was offended... 

I remember a conversation I had with a friend once. After reading a book about getting to know the Holy Spirit, she was offended because the book made her feel like she had not experienced everything about God there was to experience. She was offended at the thought of somehow missing out on something, yet not hungry enough to find out what was available on the other side of offense.

An offense, in this respect, is something that challenges our pre-conceived notions, traditions, and sensibilities. We are offended when we are confronted with more, mostly because we would never admit that we actually need more. Hunger exposes us to offense. Humility enables us to receive what we currently do not possess. 

The only way to get around offense is to go to low. Don't try to go around it. Don't try to destroy it. Don't try to lift yourself over it. That’s all pride. Humility is the only response to offense that will enable us to overcome it and move from glory to glory. 

Back to that room with all the “crazy” stuff going on... I decided to go low and find Jesus on the other side of my offense. And I found Him. I had told Him, “I want all you have for me. Nothing more. Nothing less.” And I trusted Him to guide me past all the things I didn’t understand, wasn’t ready for, and straight to His heart. I was awakened that day to a whole new dimension of knowing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Years later, the fruit is still good. I love Him more than ever. And I’m so glad He was patient enough to lead me into deeper waters.

Are you longing for more? Do you wonder if you’re really living the life Jesus died (and raised) for you to live? Why not press through what you don’t understand and let your offense drive you to experience more of Jesus than you ever thought possible? He’s worth it. - Gunter

Rachel’s Story

My husband deployed back in September and although it isn't our first military separation, as his first combat tour since we have been married, it is still new territory to me. To add to the anxiety that comes along with combat tours, this assignment was a last minute detour from the operational deployment to Europe we had mentally prepared for in the months prior. This did not pair well with my control freak nature or anxiety. At the same time, I walked away from a job and a decent income to be able to be present for my children and focus on them throughout this deployment. I have always worked and made "my" own money so this was also very difficult for me.

I originally joined connect groups because I don't really know anyone here due to not living on base and working too much to really get out and meet people my first year living here. I made one good friend, and that family moved a month before my husband left. I was hoping to connect with others, but found so much more. 

I signed up for “Journey to Spice Mountain” and “Becoming A Kingdom Leader” groups without really knowing what they were all about. But hey, I like to cook and who wouldn't want to be a better, more Christ-driven leader? I accidentally ended up in “Freedom,” which I didn't sign up for because I honestly thought Freedom was reserved for people with addiction, marital problems, severe depression, financial issues and I certainly didn't have any of that. But I was invited by friends during lunch and thought, "I'll just go to a meeting or two. What do I have to lose?" It turns out, I had anxiety, and control issues, and unforgiveness to lose.

During “Journey to Spice Mountain,” we cooked and ate a lot of good food with good fellowship, but more importantly, I gained a clear understanding of who God actually is in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, more so than ever before in my life. Somehow, it just clicked how much He loves me and wants me to have abundant life, but I need to abide in him to truly see His goodness.

“Becoming A Kingdom Leader” taught me how to apply the knowledge I was gaining to my daily life and create a ripple affect to those around me, and I looked forward to that time on Wednesday nights. I once believed I could never be a leader for His kingdom because doesn't that require perfect people? Through my Wednesday night, online connect group, I learned that even a sinner like me could be used in His kingdom and that it is more than being a leader in church, but that I have an opportunity in every day leadership roles, from being a parent to a boss, of glorifying God and reaching others through Him and the responsibility that comes along with it.

Then, there was “Freedom” that literally is still changing my life every single day. Freedom made me see forgiveness I didn't even know I was denying. It exposed the control issue I didn't fully realize I had and WHY I couldn't relinquish that control...the events in my life that made it too hard for me to trust anything and anyone, even God. That very first meeting destroyed me and I cried the whole way home. As painful as some of the things revealed were, I wanted more. I wanted to continue to be shown everything that was separating me from God and watch him move in every single one of those areas of my life. In the beginning of Freedom, we were told that this group ends with the Freedom Conference, but it didn't for me. There are still days that anxiety creeps up on me, but thanks to Freedom, it doesn't cripple me anymore. There are days I still try to have a tight grip on things, but I can now quickly say "your way, not mine" and 100% trust that the outcome will be for my good. Satan can no longer scare me or devalue me with his lies or how he likes to bring up my past to remind me of how unworthy I am. There is no more defeat. I am FREE. 

In each of my groups, people would share things, and I would pray for each of them. I believe in the power of prayer and have found so much peace in knowing that all of these people have covered my little family in prayer as well. At The Dwelling, we are a wonderful family who prays for each other anyway, but these connect groups are on a more intimate level as you get to truly know others' stories. These groups have been life changing for me, truly. And I know this peace I have during this journey is because of my groups and my people. Connect groups have really helped me to build a better relationship with God, and therefore, a better me. - Amanda