“Praying and thinking on all the blessings of last year and [I] want you to know that Straight 2 the Heart (S2H) was/is the greatest, positive life influence I experienced.” – Julie expressed this to us as 2020 was coming to an end.
She was one of the participants from our first ever “Straight 2 the Heart - Level 1” Online Training and I had the privilege of assisting her in the process of learning how to pray Jesus’ story into people’s stories. Why? Because she is currently an undergrad teacher at a university from Tennessee and her greatest desire is to be able to minister to the hearts of the students she shares life with every semester—the same ones who, according to her, seem to be facing continual struggles with the unspoken, chaotic realities stored inside them.
In addition to that, Wing, a friend of mine from Hong Kong, told me something similar—“I have to say that getting trained in this Boot Camp is one of the best things in my life! The Lord helped me to identify negative thoughts that I once was not aware of and He is starting to heal my emotional wounds that may have been there for years that lead to years of overeating and using television shows to numb my feelings, pain, guilt and shame. And because God has brought healing in my life, I am so excited to share this prayer with others.
As God would have it, and despite all the hysteria going on in the world during the year 2020, Wing started going through our one-on-one prayer sessions due to her addiction problems. After that, she transitioned into our online training and she is presently translating the S2H manuals into Cantonese (one of Mainland China’s traditional dialects) as well as acting as one of the S2H mentors assisting in training more prayer warriors in a region of Asia that is not friendly towards Christians.
It’s probably worth mentioning that these two ladies together with the S2H online training also individually helped me. How? Because I not only had the chance to meet other wonderful new friends and now ministry partners like Julie and Wing, but I also was personally ministered too.
Coming in contact with the Straight 2 the Heart materials myself simply started to reveal the half-healed deeper wounds I was coping with. On top of that, helping train others in the same areas Jesus started to repair in me really made a difference in my overall healing process.
As a result of all this, the Lord is not only revealing-releasing-and-replacing wounded areas in my life, but He is also helping me to continue multiplying disciples despite any of the restrictions we have as a consequence of the new Covid-19 realities we are all living in.
Finally, I invite you to watch Roderick’s testimony. After getting involved in the “Straight 2 the Heart Prayer & Discipleship” training, he not only became the prayer facilitator he now is, but it also helped him meet a few specific people where they were; and how from there, God’ Spirit has helped him to continue the ripple effect in the Houston, TX area.
Here is a sample prayer that you can rewrite in your own words, to participate in God using you as He is working through you – as He is growing you in His grace:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for being so faithful to us. Thank You for not giving up on me when I am struggling with brokenness or addiction in my own life, and wondering if I can talk with others about Your love. Thank You for giving me the chance to start the healing process and for allowing me to share it with others at the same time that I am receiving my truest, deepest identity in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.