When I surrendered everything to God, including my success, it was like a burden was lifted off of me. I no longer had to drain myself because God, through Christ, would give me strength to be successful in what He wanted me to do. I only have to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
~ Austin
June 2008 Guys Journey
I was taken sick in December 2006 and could eat nothing but bread and crackers. After several weeks I began to eat more but then my health crashed again. That cycle went on for over a year. I had no energy and I couldn’t do anything active outside.
Then, on the Journey to the Heart, my team studied what God’s Word says about a fearful heart. I realized that my inability to eat was predominately caused by a deep-rooted fear that my stomach would be in intense pain as a result of eating.
I wrote out a list of about eight benefits that God intended for me by allowing this illness. For example, I realized that my sickness had allowed me to spend more time with certain people and get to know them better, whereas when I was well I would be outside by myself and not spending time with others. Another blessing was that I had learned to better communicate my thoughts and feelings. As I wrote out this list of benefits, I was able to fully surrender my health to the Lord and I experienced a tremendous joy!
When God took away my fear, I was able to eat a wider variety of food and I discovered that nothing bad happened! Now I can eat almost anything without pain and run and play games that I couldn’t for over a year. My family and I have seen an amazing jump in my health. I had prayed many times, and tried to surrender myself to God, but I had no results until I wrote out the benefits for my illness. Then I had true joy!!
~ Elizabeth
April 2008 Girls Journey
8/24 UPDATE: I have steadily improved and have seen the Lord’s hand providing healing. May Jesus Christ be praised!
The trip truly was a journey deep into my heart, exposing all of the dark closets to the Light of Christ. As a result, I have never had more joy and passion for serving Christ—with my whole heart. When I cleared my heart of every affection that was competing with Christ and fully surrendered everything to Him, I was overwhelmed with a sense of peace and love as nothing stood in between our relationship.
So many exciting, incredible things happened on the Journey, but the three most important to me were the hours of close fellowship with like-minded believers, the close fellowship I experienced with our awesome God, and the extra power I received through the anointing and laying on of hands.
The anointing for greater works and the laying on of hands has given me an amazing boldness and power to share God’s love with others. Before, I would have been so intimidated to approach strangers and share the love of Jesus, but now I am excited to talk with others.
God is bringing into my life so many to whom I can witness and disciple. I have set my goal of disciples to two million, and I am sure through God’s grace I can reach it! Thank you Mr. Gothard for giving of yourself for me and so many others. You have had a tremendous impact on my life and I pray that God would allow me to do the same!
~ Timothy
June 2008 Guys Journey
When I first arrived at the Journey, I felt pretty out of touch with God. I wasn’t spending time in His Word and I thought God would never speak to me. I also was listening to rock music and watching a lot of worldly movies as well as struggling with impure thoughts. I was walking with the world and not like a Christian. I tried reading the Bible more but the cares of the world were always choking it out.
I had to surrender the desire for the approval of the world as well as the pleasures of sin. I have to chose the narrow way. God doesn’t want me to look like the world. I decided to give up movies and music of the world and all competing affections that came between between me and God.
I heard from God on this Journey. God revealed to me that I needed to be spending significantly more time in His Word. How can I witness to other people if I don’t even have my own salvation nailed down and confirmed with scripture? God can’t speak to me unless I am listening.
Overall, I had a great Journey and God blessed our time. Thank you!
~ Ryan
June 2008 Guys’ Journey
Before the Journey, I was an average American Christian. I had prayed and even had some good fruit, but I wasn’t growing. I wanted to do great things spiritually, but I did not know how.
I tried having consistent quiet times with the Lord, although I never really made God my first priority. I also tried starting a Bible study, which helped a little. Then I learned that in order to “love God with all my heart” I must remove all competing affections.
Throughout the week, God would reveal competing affections to me. As He brought each one to my mind I would confess them and give them to God. After I confessed all of my competing affections and hidden sins to my father and repented, I began to experience a new life in my walk with God. As I continue to grow, I find a new interest in reading His word, a desire to let nothing come between God and a dedication to live out God’s best rather than my best.
~ Steven
June 2008 Guys’ Journey
As a child, I felt a lot of rejection from my family. Though they showed me lots of affection, they were very busy with many other things. I sought for that affection in other ways, lost my trust in my Dad, and became very independent and rebellious. I told myself that I was tough enough to make my way in the world and refused to ever cry or talk about my problems. Pain built up because I had no way to let it out in a controlled fashion. I became bitter, felt rejection easily, and reacted to my sister and my parents.
I came on the Journey and promised myself I would not change. When I arrived I looked for people like me, but God gave me a team with strong godly girls who pulled me up. One night we watched the Father’s Love Letter. I was trying not to cry when my friend encouraged me to be open with God. I prayed with her and then felt the Lord prompting me to go talk to my sister, who is younger then I. We were able to resolve deep-rooted conflicts and I was free to surrender to the Lord the biggest thing that was competing with my love for Him. I now have a new freedom and sense of fearlessness!
~ Hannah
June 2008 Girls Journey
I was one of about 45 ATI dads who met in Oak Brook, Illinois at the IBLP campus and then drove in four vans to the Northwoods Conference Center on the upper peninsula of Michigan. 
Are you looking for something that will change your life forever? Do you desire to love Jesus Christ with all of your heart, and to know that He is truly your best friend?©2008 Robert Staddon. Design by Abundant Designs
