TESTIMONIES

 Testimony from Destiny House: Healed of PTSD through Dance

On October 24, 2014, I walked into Friday morning worship at Destiny House, still battling anxiety and still having nightmares. I was still trying to pretend like I was okay and that I was strong even though I had no hope and was unsure if I would ever be “healed” and have my life back. That morning a woman I had only talked to a couple of times before came over and asked if she could put me in the middle of the crowd and dance over me. Having anxiety, depression, post-traumatic issues, and deep heartache, the thought of being the center of attention sounded miserable. Unsure of what was going to happen and way less than confident that this would help me at all, I reluctantly moved to the middle, mainly because I didn't want to be rude.

As she began to dance, I put my head down, shut my eyes, and pleaded with God for it to be over. Then I felt it. I felt something physical begin to fall off my shoulders; it felt as though heavy weights were being knocked off with a sledgehammer. Then I felt the "foggy" head I had for months clear up. I felt anxiety leave the pit of my stomach for the first time in months. I physically felt a release of pain and tension in my heart. As this happened, I crumpled into a heap in the floor and began to weep uncontrollably. When I did, I was soon surrounded by people praying and prophesying over me.

That day has forever changed my life. I have not battled that consistent anxiety one day since then, nor had another nightmare. My hope has been restored. My joy is overflowing. My complete healing has been a process, but that process began with this miracle. God used dance to break off what nothing else had managed to do. I'm still overwhelmed by His mercy, His creative healing, and His kindness. I found out later that I was the first person she had ever danced over. I am so thankful to Katharina Welt for being obedient to dance over me even when it seemed crazy. God is so good and there is always hope. Whatever your struggle has been, GOD will see you through it and He will use it not only for your good but to help others! Don't quit, there is HOPE!

by Jessika Tate, Destiny House alumni 2015-2016 (To learn more about Jessika's story and ministry, go HERE)

Testimony of a Deeper Experience in the Holy Spirit

What a week. I feel like I was thrust into this new world when Joan Hutter, the director of Women’s Abide conference looked at me and said, “You’ll be a catcher.” I thought, “how did she know I’m a great catcher? Wait, what am I catching?” It was a whirlwind of praying in tongues, people passing out, loud laughter and uncontrolled sobbing. How can so many things be happening all at once? I just knew I wanted to know more about this.

We’ve been studying Romans as a church and for months I’ve been anticipating Romans 8. I desperately want to know what it means to be walking in the Spirit. This conference came at a perfect time when my heart was already positioned to be looking for life in the Spirit...even though I was really only there because my boss asked me to help out at the conference with the logistics and such. I kept that as my excuse to not enter in. “I’m really just here for work.”

I mostly observed during the worship services; watching some women dance in one corner and others grab banners and twist them around like they were doing work. Women were face down on the ground while others kneeled at their chairs. This worship seemed intentional; like these women had praise and adoration to bring to the Lord and they were going to use their whole body to do it. How is there a whole community of believers coming together to worship and I feel like an outsider, like these were not my people?

I’m so thankful the Lord brought Jen to guide and help me through what was going on and to graciously answer my questions. There were a lot. To be clear, I have heard of the term “baptism in the Holy Spirit” but I had no concept of what it is in real life.

For a few days I asked questions, searched scriptures and read Jen’s book on Spirit baptism called Spirit Flood, and then Tuesday night things got weird. I had dinner at the house where Jen was staying with Nicole, and after asking a few rounds of questions from me along with some vulnerable moments exploring what was hindering me from moving forward, Jen asked if she and Nicole could pray over me. I’m not sure that I even know what happened. I am still praying about it and seeking understanding. But as they prayed over me and we took time to wait on the Lord there was something like a very heavy blanket that covered me. I looked at Jen so confused about why I was so heavy. She encouraged me to lay down and to take note of pictures and words that came to mind as this was an important time of hearing from the Lord. I laid down and almost immediately I heard the Lord say to me, “You’re clean, Emily. You’ve been washed clean.’”

This moment has changed me. Not because of some physical experience - while that is something to look into and explore with the Lord - it changed me because after years of knowing that I’m saved and that I’m covered by the blood, it was like I actually knew it and believed it for the first time. I’m actually clean!

For the past week now, I’ve been borderline obsessed with what it means to walk in the Spirit, to worship in the Spirit and to live in the Spirit. I want to spend time with the Lord, abiding in Him. What if He has more to say? What if He has more to make clear to me or has things that only He can help move from my head knowledge to my heart understanding? And more importantly, does everyone else know that they can be washed by His blood too and walk in the freedom He’s given us?

- Emily Coleman, Virginia

Gift of Tongues Released

Years ago when I became a Christian and was introduced to the "gifts" of the spirit; I wanted to understand what they were and go deeper in them with God. In the beginning of Bethel School we had many leaders speak in front of our first year class regarding speaking in tongues. They spoke about praying in tongues, they encouraged us to pray in tongues, and they prayed over us in tongues. I felt out of place because I had never received my prayer language and it seemed as if every other student around me had. I would ask my roommates about it and other people in my revival group. We had leaders pray for us to receive our prayer language many times in the beginning of the year and even though each time I stood to receive, I felt the fire of God and would shake; but I never received the gift of speaking in tongues. I prayed often to God about it and battled ideas that something was wrong with me. My friends shared their experiences of when they received their prayer language, and I'd hope their testimonies would help me receive breakthrough. 

It wasn't until Jen came and spoke to our first year class regarding Azusa history that I received my prayer language! She released the breakthrough that I needed and it was so easy for me. I remember feeling complete peace in my mind/body/soul/spirit as she prayed over us for Azusa. As she was praying and allowing the Holy Spirit to move, I started to hear a voice in my head. The voice was in another language and I knew it was speaking in tongues! At first I was confused because I was hearing it in my head and it wasn't coming out of my mouth. For some silly reason I thought when I received my prayer language my mouth would take over and start speaking it. As I listened to the voice in my head I felt the presence of God tell me to repeat what the voice was saying! I had received the gift of speaking in tongues!!!! It was exciting and fun repeating what I was hearing in my head and it lasted all night! Now I can say it naturally flows out of me!

I'm so thankful for God releasing breakthrough through Jen!

- Whitney Oehlerking, BSSM student