c9aabfc0-ba69-47d1-93dc-106b08832c5cOur approach to inner healing  provides ministry opportunities for individuals, couples and families facing a variety of emotional struggles in life. Experiencing the Lord’s presence in your heart is the start of a healing process which can lead to peace and freedom.

Journey of the heart and The Immanuel Approach are two inner healing prayer approaches utilized here at Beatitude House.

 

The Journey of the Heart

We are eternal beings experiencing a human journey. The course we choose to take can be driven by our minds based on our life experiences, or it can be one that unfolds from our hearts as we walk closely with the Creator, the One who is Love. We were created to know and experience this Love in relationship with Him, with each other, and within our own hearts.

Our hearts are the centerpieces of leading a life filled with love, joy, and meaning – they are the place where Jesus chooses to live in us. Unlike our minds, our hearts contain the essence of who we are. The Creator has deposited His DNA – Love – within each of us, and our connection with Him affirms our value and worth and enables us to love ourselves and others. His diverse nature is revealed in that no two people are alike, yet we often settle for becoming false images of our fellow man’s handiwork rather than discovering and embracing who He really made us to be.

Often we struggle to embrace and love our own hearts because of our painful experiences. Although our hearts were created for love, it is no secret that they are often left with indelible marks because of how they are wounded in this life. Many times our harm is experienced at the hands of others, and this can lead us to despise ourselves and distrust others, including the One who made us. We may find ourselves building an “I’m fine” façade, or we may quietly believe that no one could understand or accept us, leaving us to suffer alone. Sadly, these things only move us away from the healing we need and away from the One who brings our healing.

canstockphoto4549413Every one of us have wounded and broken parts of our hearts…and I mean everyone. It doesn’t matter how good our childhood was because no parent is perfect and often   unintentionally wounded us with their words or actions. Even if our childhood years were somewhat safe and loving, the adult years often can be a whole different story.   Our hearts can potentially be wounded every day by those around us or by ourselves. That’s why we call it a journey. It is all about loving ourselves in the midst of      painful  experiences in life, past or present.

Those of us who have been traumatized, particularly as children, have had the most stolen from our hearts and identities.

Pain and suffering led us to believe and contain hundreds of false ideas about who we are. Self-hatred is something we’ve grown accustomed to carrying. Our minds couldn’t comprehend what was experienced in the midst of the abuse; we did the best we could to survive, but it didn’t prevent the heart from being shattered and even hidden away. When our hearts experience such trauma or abuse, parts of our core – parts of our heart – are broken off, often hiding the experiences and all the pain associated with them. This pain may manifest in more subtle ways, yet like the one who says, “I’m fine,” it is very possible to spend much of life covering the pain and ignoring our heart’s cry – coping rather than truly living.

Where many therapeutic models may try to “fix” us or adjust our behavior or thinking after we have experienced hurt, the journey of the heart is a way of life rooted in the power of Love. Seeing the parts of our hearts come back together as we learn to love ourselves and discover who He made us to be is the joy of our Creator. To put it simply, love heals!

As we have journeyed with our own hearts and with the hearts of others, we have seen this love bring wholeness as broken off parts – each containing a beautiful piece of the heart – are brought back together again. Though many of us try to forget our painful life experiences, these shattered parts of our hearts often begin making themselves known through flashbacks, body memories, and physical and emotional pains. When the adult is willing to listen to and embrace each part of the heart that desires love and acceptance, true transformation begins to take place inside. Whether we have experienced trauma or not, this journey of loving our hearts with the love given to us by God is what life is all about !

Our desire is to see hearts restored and come alive. There are many thoughtful questions birthed out of the journey of the heart. With that in mind, we want to encourage one another to think outside of our societal and cultural perceptions and current understandings. Is there a different way to live and think? We believe so. We invite you to a new journey…a journey with your own heart.

[button link=”http://www.journeys-of-the-heart.com” bg_color=”#f3ba97″ window=”yes”]Journeys of the Heart[/button]

Karl and Charlotte  Lehman’s Immanuel Approach is being promoted in part through the work of:

[button link=”http://kclehman.com” bg_color=”#f8c5a0″]Immanuel Website[/button]

Chris Coursey’s Thrive movement and

[button link=”http://www.thrivetoday.org/” bg_color=”#f8c5a0″]Thrive Today’s Website[/button]

Jim Wilder’s  Joy Starts Here community building.

[button link=”https://joystartshere.com/” bg_color=”#f8c5a0″]Jim Wilder’s Site[/button]