I love our church and our passion for ministry inside and outside the walls of the church. I love that we support so many local and global ministries. I am blessed to be the CEO at House of Healing, one of the local ministries our church supports through monthly giving. Financial support like this makes it possible for us to serve our community the way we do. Support through prayer keeps us aligned to the Gospel mission. Volunteers that come alongside us weekly to mentor and share the gospel with our young people help make a lasting impact in their lives.
If you aren’t familiar with House of Healing, let me briefly share a bit about what we do and then I’ll share a few words from some of our amazing volunteers.
Our mission at House of Healing is to create a safe Christ-centered environment for young people to experience social intelligence lessons through equine assisted learning. Each week we focus on a Biblical foundational truth tied to a social skill. We play games with our horses and relate those games back to real world life experiences. Every lesson ends as we bring it all back around to Jesus and his life-changing presence in our lives. It is powerful and so impactful. We have 8 classes each week, serving almost 80 students weekly, most of whom have experienced trauma in some form or display some at-risk behaviors. We also have opportunities to host groups for 1-2 day leadership training, team building, or spiritual development events. We are always looking for men and women who love Jesus and want to volunteer in the mornings, afternoons, or evenings.
So, what do some of our volunteers think about ministry at HOH? Here are just a few of their responses:
“When my daughter and I started volunteering at HOH, I thought it would be a worthwhile cause with the benefit of spending time with her. Being a part of the HOH family has made me so humble and grateful for what God sacrificed for all his children. Now, two and a half years later, I have come to find:
1. I am beyond blessed to have God in my life.
2. I am beyond blessed for my wonderful daughter, my family, and that the Hester family was brought into our lives.
3. I am beyond blessed that God placed me in a position with HOH to share his word and presence with groups of youth that so desperately need him in their lives.” - Michelle G.
“I love volunteering at House of Healing. It’s a place filled with love and compassion for others. I look forward to each lesson, especially since they incorporate scripture. Also, having the opportunity to spread the love of God with young people is beyond exciting!” - Brooke G.
“God commissioned us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15). At House of Healing we get to guide young people into knowing God and the principles of a Christ-centered life. I get to be, for these girls, what I needed when I was their age. Being able to do that makes every hurdle in my life worth it. We can’t grow the body of Christ if we only serve the people who already know him.”
- Kandis D.
“Serving at HOH is a blessing to pour into our youth and show them the love of Christ. It takes a village to raise and support children. I am thankful I have the opportunity to walk out what the Bible asks of me with the teens we serve. My hope is that we give guidance, support, and a sense of purpose in their lives, encouraging them to grow in their faith and understanding of God's plan for them. “
- Stephanee M.
I am so thankful to be able to pour into these adults regularly as they pour into our young people. Hank and I love getting to minister in this place in such a unique way. If you are interested in learning more, please check out our website at www.house-of-healing.org or find us on Facebook or Instagram. You can also email me at twylla@house-of-healing.org to schedule a tour or to ask questions.
Meet the authors!
Twylla Hester and her husband, Hank, love Jesus, CRBC, their connections class, motorcycle ministry, and House of Healing. They have two adult children, a son-in-law, one son in high school, and around 40 animals. She enjoys working with teens and adults through their ministry opportunities at this stage of life. While she has her Ed.D. in education, she now utilizes her experiences to connect others to Christ and served as the CEO at House of Healing.