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August 2020 Prayer Letter
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![Healing Hearts Ministries Internaional [LOGO]](https://www.healinghearts.org/nimages/HHLetterhead_Web700.png) Dear Friend,  Part of our series of leadership testimonies  As a child, I was brought up in the church and came to know Jesus at a young age. However, being a Christian was a Sunday-only thing; the rest of the week was a free-for-all. I was a rebellious and promiscuous teenager, so it should come as no surprise that I became pregnant at 19. My boyfriend Chad, who was also brought up in the church but with a very dysfunctional family, was only 18. We immediately got married. By the time we had been married for two years, we had two children, our daughters Tara and Robyn. We were fighting terribly, mostly about Chad’s partying and drinking. During our fourth year of marriage, it seemed as though he’d had enough of responsibility and being tied-down, so he left us. I tried to come back to the Lord by returning to church, but there was so much anger, bitterness, and unrepented sin that there was a huge wall between us. Eventually, Chad and I divorced. After the divorce I continued with my promiscuous behavior, trying to find love in all the wrong places while at the same time attending church-evidence of my divided heart and fence-sitting in my faith. Again I became pregnant. Fear overtook me, and I refused to get counsel or listen to the Holy Spirit. I couldn’t imagine being a single mom to three children, so even though I knew it was wrong, I had an abortion. Afterward, I felt numb inside. I refused to process it for many years, but it manifested itself in my life in a myriad of ways-depression, anger, bitterness, and fear, to name a few. I was unable to form meaningful relationships with anyone because I assumed that everyone was out to get me or that they were going to hurt me. I was still attending church during at this time, but I didn’t believe the Lord could ever really love me or forgive me for my many sins, so I didn’t even ask Him. Amazingly, the Lord chose to bless me in spite of my mess. After six years of being apart, Chad and I reconciled and remarried. Then we had another child, our son Ryan. While we became very involved in our church, our life behind the scenes was another story. The fighting between us, my post-partum depression, and Chad’s pornography use, alcohol abuse, and adultery almost destroyed us. But God... A friend, Leanne Garner, gave her testimony about her abortion and about Healing Hearts at a women’s conference at our church. In utter desperation at this point, I talked to her afterward and she pointed me towards the online Binding Up the Brokenhearted study to deal with my abortion. I started the study that same night. Going through that Bible study was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, but it was also one of the best! Growing up in the church, I had a lot of head knowledge, but now God’s Word was penetrating my heart. I learned so much about God’s character-His love, His grace, His mercy, His desire to forgive. I couldn’t believe that He could forgive me, or that He loved me! I realized that my worth is found in Him, not in myself or in others. My wonderful Healing Hearts mentor also suggested that I do the Hem of His Garment study to address other aspects of my life-the promiscuity, abuse, divorce, my husband’s pornography, and his adultery. The freedom and healing that came through the Word of God completely revolutionized my life. Chad saw the changes in me, so he went through Restoring a Father’s Heart (formerly the Wounded Warrior study). There he found the forgiveness he needed, for while we were divorced, he and his girlfriend at the time had an abortion. The Lord used Healing Hearts to heal two broken people and restore our broken marriage. You can listen to our testimony at healinghearts.org/congos-testimony. I’m so blessed and honored to now be able to bring the study to other women who need the hope and healing that only Jesus can bring.
 These are two of my favorite passages of scripture because they speak of God’s great redemption and restoration - a redemption I’m so very thankful for!That was 20 years ago, and since then, He continues to sanctify this life He has given me for the purpose of glorifying Him and building up the body of Christ. It is an incredible honor to walk with women as they open up the pages of His Word and are forever changed by His gospel of grace and forgiveness, never to be the same. - Heather Congo, Healing Hearts Certified Counselor (Calgary, Alberta) Do you know someone who needs freedom from spiritual or emotional bondage? No matter the hurt or pain, there is always hope and healing in God’s Word - and these can never be found apart from Him. Please share Heather’s testimony with them today! Local Healing Hearts groups and online counselors are ready to help at healinghearts.org/get-help-now. Believe in what we’re doing? Please consider donating today at healinghearts.org/donate or by mailing a check in the enclosed envelope. We rely on donations to help us continue to supply materials, training and support to biblical counselors just like Heather. Thank you for your prayers and financial partnership! |
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To Make a DonationYou may use the donation form on our website to make a donation, or you may also submit your check to the address provided below. Healing Hearts Ministries is a federally registered non-profit corporation, all contributions are tax deductible. One hundred percent of all contributions made to Healing Hearts go directly toward supporting the various aspects of our ministry no "administrative fee" is collected by a fund-raising service. All donations and expenditures are internally and independently monitored and audited. Annual financial statements are available upon request. We thank you for considering contributing to our ministry. Your contribution will enable us to reach out and touch individuals who need the hope and healing message that only Jesus has to offer. To donate online click this link: https://www.healinghearts.org/donate Send checks to: Healing Hearts Ministries PO Box 44670 Rio Rancho, NM 87174 phone (505) 355-6922 |