Following and Trusting : Encountering God Out of the Box

Recently, I signed up for a trauma healing course with a friend and fellow coach. Our aim was to challenge ourselves, grow, and learn new ways to walk alongside others through their deepest pains—addiction, mental health struggles, and the complexities of trauma, including dissociation.

What happened during this course was something neither of us expected—a profound confirmation.

Becoming the Guinea Pigs

During the training, we were divided into small groups and unknowingly both placed on the “loveseat”—the hot seat for live sessions. Each of us became guinea pigs for the trained facilitators, allowing them to guide us through mock sessions as a learning experience for the group.

The outcomes of our individual sessions were fascinating.

For my friend, the session was marked by a profound moment where the Holy Spirit’s presence became evident. The facilitator guiding her couldn’t help but notice the beautiful flow of the Spirit emanating from her, and it impacted everyone in the zoom breakout room. She was even invited to pray a blessing over the facilitator and the observing students—a powerful testimony to God’s presence in her life.

My session, however, took a different turn.

A Curious Discovery

As my facilitator guided me through the process, she seemed a bit stumped. She couldn’t find any emotional pain or heart wound blocking my healing or progress.

Curious, I asked my trauma care facilitator, “Could we have missed something? Is there pain hidden so deep that even I’m unaware of it?”

She asked me to share a recent story of conflict in my life and how I responded.

I told her the amazing thing God did last month when I was locked in a room for 5 hours and interrogated in another country as they mistook me for either a drug dealer or an illegal worker.

(This is a crazy amazing story where the interrogator asked me to give him an example of my coaching. During this, I saw his eyes fill with emotion and watery tears. Quietly in prayer, I also had asked: “God, Show Me What You See” and He showed me how to respond to their questions. I was set free and honoured in the end.)

She was amazed. Yet, her response took me by surprise:
“I think you’ve experienced supernatural healing. This is extremely rare.”

She encouraged me to speak with her supervisor for further insight. Little did I know, this conversation would lead to a remarkable discovery.

An Encounter with the Founder

I had the privilege of meeting not just the supervisor but the founder of this counseling method—a seasoned expert who has been using this approach since the 1980s. He shared something extraordinary:

In all his decades of counseling, he had encountered only ten individuals in whom he couldn’t identify deep emotional pain or unresolved wounds. And all ten of those individuals had one practice in common: listening prayer.

A Key to Transformation

This revelation hit me like a wave. Later, my facilitator and my friend each separately asked me, “What do you think about that?”

As I reflected, it became clear—Jesus had been confirming something profound to us. The reason the women we coach experience such life-changing transformation is rooted in this lifestyle of intimate relationship with Jesus through listening prayer.

In our private sessions and group Zooms, we guide women to encounter Jesus in every corner of their hearts. We teach them to ask Him questions, pause, and listen to His voice speaking to their innermost being.

Listening prayer with Jesus has been a game changer.

Why Listening Prayer Matters

When we intentionally seek God’s voice, we allow Him to heal us in ways no human method can achieve. His truth replaces the lies we’ve believed, His love mends the broken places, and His presence brings a peace that surpasses understanding.

Colossians 2:7 reminds us:
“Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him.”

When our lives are rooted in Christ, He does the deep work of healing and transformation.

The Takeaway

This experience confirmed for me and my friend why listening prayer is a cornerstone of the work we do. It’s not just a tool—it’s the key to unlocking freedom, peace, and restoration in the lives of those we lead.

If you’ve never engaged in listening prayer, I encourage you to explore this beautiful gift. Ask Jesus the hard questions, invite Him to speak to and heal every part of your heart, and pause to hear His voice. You could be amazed at the healing and transformation He brings.

(If you’re from a religious upbringing that doesn’t believe God speaks today, or you’ve been hurt by someone who says they follow God, this of course would be a huge block. I talk about this in my book mentioned below.)

Please NOTE: This does NOT mean that clinical counselling is unnecessary. Please do NOT stop your counselling journey. Instead, simply also engage in conversations with Jesus. He literally is THE Way, Truth, and Life.

Let Him meet you where you are. His voice holds the power to heal every wound and rewrite every story. The beauty is that He loves speaking to our hearts in EVERY season and situation we find ourselves in.

He is with us no matter if we recognize Him or not.

Merri Ellen 😀

💛 To learn more about hearing God’s voice and walking in freedom, visit:

www.MerriEllen.com
www.CoachingInFreedom.com

Dig Deeper:

Freedom Coaching Circle – movement of women who are iron sharpening iron…

Coaching in Freedom – Private Sessions for your own heart and journey!

Book: God, Show Me More of You: Encountering God Out of the Box