From Religion to Relationship
Testimony from Salvation to Inner Healing
I, Lisa, accepted Jesus into my heart when I was 25 years old. I thought that was the only thing I needed to do to get to heaven, and I was good with that. The years that followed were difficult, and I had no idea what a personal relationship with God was. To me, God was in a distant place in heaven, perhaps sitting on a throne not accessible, and certainly not relational. In those early years of being a Christian, I went to church, attended a few Bible studies, but nothing was compelling enough to capture my heart and my mind. Still looking for something more, I turned to the world and all it had to offer.
Years would pass, and I found myself disheartened with empty relationships and deep struggles with depression. I did not have a remedy for those struggles and often wondered what life was about. I decided to enroll in college and take psychology classes — maybe that would help me to understand human behavior and to identify what was going on in my life.
Those classes were so helpful, I fell in love with the field of psychology. But I was struggling living in California on my own, so I moved back to Arizona to be closer to my mom and my best friend. I decided to change my major in school and pursued a degree in landscape architecture and completed my studies in 2004. I accepted a position at a design firm in California and moved back. While the psychology classes had been helpful in helping me to understand more about human behavior, I still struggled with depression and had not yet discovered what a real relationship with God was.
In 2006, I had a spiritual encounter that would forever change me. A well-known pastor by the name of Jack Hayford prayed for me to receive the Holy Spirit. I was like, “The holy what?” I had been a Christian for 15 years, and the only spiritual encounters I had were disturbing ones of darkness trying to take my life and keep me locked in the chains of depression.
Guess what happened? I met the Holy Spirit.
I also met two women who told me I needed to find a church, so I could grow in my relationship with God. They found a church in my area and gave me the address. A few days later, I went to that church, and I began my process of inner healing and learning about the love of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Let me tell you, that inner healing journey was not easy — I had issues! Being raised by a single mom, I never knew my father. My environment was riddled with fear and anxiety as I wrestled with rejection. On top of that, I was on the receiving end of an abusive older sister, which produced a lot of anger within me. I carried a lot of residue from past relationships that had left scars on my heart and in my mind, just to name a few things.
In the midst of the chaos, I encountered the incredible love of God, the healing power of Jesus, and the tenderness of the Holy Spirit. The inner landscape of my life began to change, as the darkness within was overcome by the presence and love of God.
Does any of this resonate with you?
Are you wanting more connection with the One who made you? Are there painful things or perhaps trauma that you want to be free from? Continue reading, precious one…
God is in the healing business! Just look at the times we are living in. The global elevation of wars, the natural disasters, the breakdown of humanity is all around. There are days I must stay off of social media because of the overwhelming amount of headlines that produce nothing that is life-giving, peaceful, or loving.
You see, God wants us to live from the inside out, rather than from the outside in. Our identity, peace, and fortitude come from the inside when we cultivate a life with God. The remedy for the chaos, for the hatred — especially in America right now — is the presence of Jesus living inside of those who invite Him in. I have said this for years, “When you remove God from society, all hell breaks loose.” Is this what we are seeing in our current day? How in the world do we navigate in such turbulent times?
GPS — Godly Positioning System
Welcome to the world of spiritual direction, inner healing prayer, and most recently, the addition of trauma-informed care!
THIS is how we navigate, my dear friend, and this is what I’ve been helping hundreds and hundreds of people to do over the last 15 years.
Imagine this: You are in a relationship with someone that you never talk to, never hear from, and you feel like you’re never seen or heard, yet you live in the same house. Many times, this is how we may feel in our relationship with God. God is distant, He is too busy, He’s disappointed, He’s not available. Sadly, parts of the church do not teach that God speaks today, and there is full access to Him as a good Father. There is full access to Jesus, who heals, and there is full access to the Holy Spirit, who is tender and kind.
I have some awesome news for you: God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are relational and communicative and desire to help you navigate life — not just during the hard times, but in all times!
God wants to heal you, give you identity, purpose, value, and His fathering heart. Our true GPS is not found in a digital product; it is found in Him.
Faith and Emotional Regulation
We are thinking, feeling beings, and our emotions also need GPS alignment. Our healing and wholeness include our entire person — body, spirit, and soul (mind, will, and emotions) — and what we do at Integrate You is help you get to that place of connection with the One who loves you the most, so you can love others and yourself from that pure love. Connection for wholeness — to be made whole in body, spirit, and soul.
Recently, as I was thinking about what to include in this blog, I heard the word “fortify.” The first thing I did was an online search for the word fortify in the Bible, and here’s what the website BibleHub.com has to say:
Spiritual Fortification: Beyond physical defenses, the Bible emphasizes the need for spiritual fortification. In Ephesians 6:10–11, believers are encouraged to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” This metaphorical armor represents spiritual fortification through faith, righteousness, and the Word of God. I would also add here that relational connection with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is a huge part of fortification.
Divine Fortification: The Bible assures believers of God’s role as a divine fortress. Psalm 18:2 declares, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.” This imagery portrays God as the ultimate source of protection and strength, offering spiritual fortification that surpasses any human-made defenses.
Theological Implications: The concept of fortification in the Bible reminds us of the need for both physical and spiritual preparedness. It calls believers to rely on God’s strength and protection while also taking active steps to fortify their faith and moral character.
Practical Application: For contemporary believers, the biblical theme of fortification encourages a balanced approach to life. It involves building strong spiritual foundations through prayer, study of Scripture, and community fellowship, while also cultivating personal virtues, such as self-control and integrity. I would add here that the power of inner healing prayer and spiritual direction, combined with trauma-informed care, gives us the essential relational component needed for breakthrough and lasting transformation.
We invite you to keep coming back to our website and share it on your social media with your friends and family.
Our hearts are to minister, counsel, coach, and train. If you would like to contact us for any of the above options, feel free to reach out for more information. We are here for you!
