Last week we began a series on healing of a broken heart. And for most of you who are readers here at Thrive Ministries with Lynn Donovan have submitted yourself to the hard work of prayer and study to find healing.

I’m so proud of you. Healing takes effort, time and persistence. For more on the spiritual principle of persistence, I’m writing about that at SpirituallyUnequalMarriage.com. Click here for the first in that series.

However, how do you know if the healing efforts have been enough? Let’s look at our lives and consider seven aspects of our behavior that indicated we might have some more work to do.

1. Anger: Is there a slow burning resident of anger under the surface? If you are set off by triggering events and people, and rage manifests, there is some more spiritual work to be accomplished. And there can be a demonic oppressor that is contributing to your torment.
2. Are you overly insecure? Shame, blame and guilt seem to be your constant companions and you never feel good enough or worthy of love or acceptance? You feel the constant need for affirmation and encouragement. You are uncertain of your decisions.
3. Pride: This is the other side of insecurity. You may have thoughts such as: Because of my pain I’m going to show the world I’m better. I’ll take care of me. No one will hurt me again.
4. Are you overly independent? Do you refuse to accept help? This often manifest in inner statements such as: Because of my wounding, I can’t trust anyone. I don’t need anybody. I don’t trust God. Side note: Ahem, yep, this was me. Praise God He was so patient to help me unwind all this pain and wounding. Hallelujah!
5. Overly Sensitive: This is where we are offended easily. No one can say anything to me because I’m sensitive. Our culture today is in a constant state of offense. I’ll share this with you. A few years ago, the Lord said to me, “Lynn, the second you are in offense. You are in sin.” Ouch!
6. Excessively shy: This will manifest in avoidance. Because of the emotional bruises and feeling beat up, you won’t risk relationships.
7. Excessive need to control: Controlling of relationships, time, emotions and others. This is born from living and/or a childhood where there was no control. This is where we manipulate our circumstances to our optimal best because we cannot face uncertainty. I’ll admit, this one I still battle with. Lord help me!

My friend, if you just read through all of this, then you are a prime candidate for healing. And God is filled with love, mercy and forgiveness. And if you are breathing, there is always hope for healing and a better tomorrow.

Take the time to do the hard work of healing. I promise, as a child of God, who has done so much work in prayer and practice myself, it’s worth it. The peace, the truth and the reality of our loving God and Kingdom family is worth all your efforts.

To schedule a Healing Prayer session with me, Lynn Donovan, visit: HEALING PRAYER

Have a blessed day. Lynn

On Sunday my pastor took on a very difficult topic that is rarely addressed to a congregation on a Sunday morning. Pastor Hector provided specifics and talked about the reality of why people are broken, how they find healing and how the determine if they need more healing.

It was so good.

I thought I would share some of my notes with all of you.

First the most important truth every person needs to know is this: Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted. 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19

So let's first discuss what is broken? Well the Hebrew word broken is Shabar. It means to shatter. Like a glass dropped upon a tile floor. A heart can be shattered in so many ways. But what is crucial is knowing what happens is that we actually have a breaking of our soul. The soul realm of an individual is their emotions, their will, their mind and this is the realm that the demonic can occupy. 

This is why I preach so much about taking thoughts captive. It's our thought-life that the demonic works to influence. It's int he soul that the enemy preaches lies that corrupt our identity and God's identity. The lies keep us in bondage and in broken pain. 

The demonic gains legal rights and will continually reenforce the core lies and erroneous belief systems we hold. The keeps us in pain and unhealed. These wounds can then carry forward to the next generation. Eventually becoming generational curses.

BUT, Jesu came to see the captives free. He came to heal the Shabar and to set us from the pain of our past. However, we also have a significant part to play in this process. And in future posts we will talk about some of the steps of healing.

Today, let's look at three signs we are moving toward healing. 

1. Awareness
2. Prayer
3. Wise counsel

If you have become aware of brokenness, issues and have prayed and asked for healing, that's the first steps of healing. And for some, this is all a person may require. But if you are like 99% of the human race, you need more. And we will discuss this in future posts.

Next week we will look at seven signs you need more healing. 

So, where do you see yourself in your healing journey? How can I pray for you? See you in the comments. 

You are deeply loved, Lynn Donovan

*Pastor Hector Gutierrez

Healing, it’s what we’re called to do.

Hi, I'm Destiny Parten and Lynn has asked me to share what I'm learning about faith, prayer, and healing.

I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve fallen asleep wondering if I was on my way to stepping into everything Jesus has for me. Read the following scripture, does it tug at your heart and leave you wanting more?

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
John 14:12-14 NLT

Doing the SAME works Jesus did would be more than enough, but even GREATER works!!!

After finishing a 4-week teaching series on Marching Around Jericho, Lynn prayed and blessed us to be ready for those God was going to place on our path to pray for. I’m no stranger to prayer, but to seek out those who need it… that always challenges my comfort level a bit.

That same afternoon I received a call back from a local counselor. I was searching for a safe male Christian counselor for my son and armoring myself up in the meantime because parenting a pre-adolescent is truly uncharted territory for me!

The scheduling secretary happened to be the counselor’s wife and her texts were a bit sporadic and confusing. Then it happened… I received a text apologizing for the confusion. She was currently scheduling from the car and on her way to attend to her daughter, who was currently miscarrying for the 2nd time. My antenna went up, this was a prompting, time to partner with Holy Spirit and pray!

I quickly text back yes to the upcoming appointment time and a side note, “I will be praying.”

This is where I want to camp for a quick second because I’ve seen a theme emerge in my prayer life since the beginning of 2020. During this time, I began fielding prayer requests by email and text. Many requests were similar, “The doctor says we should prepare for the worst…” This is where, we as believers, be prepared to enter the room ready and willing to accomplish what must be done for the Kingdom! I’ve found that even through the isolation and mandates that have made it nearly impossible to physically access the sick, the Holy Spirit is still willing and able to go and do!

So even though this baby was a few states away, I immediately began rebuking the words of death spoken over this baby by those in places of authority, especially the physicians. I similarly spoke the same over my son when he was in the NICU. Also, over a friend in the Navy who was placed on a ventilator, and for those seeking prayer during the pandemic. I had their testimonies to stand upon. Which has led me to intentionally partner with the Holy Spirit and breathe life into this baby!

As believers we are to speak Life!

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit.” This is so powerful friends!

This is why I chose to add two small, but powerful words above my old sunflower tattoo on the top of my right foot. So, whenever I am feeling weary and find myself looking down, I am reminded of what I get to choose…

Speak Life!

BIO: After meeting Lynn and hearing her testimony, I became determined to step into the fullness of daughtership! I am married to my best friend and high school sweetheart Jason. We have three awesome, wild boys together Jaxon 11, James 7 and Joshua 3. I'm currently a graduate student in the Counseling Psychology program at California Baptist University. I enjoy serving on the prayer team, writing, creating, bodyboarding and building sandcastles! Pretty much everything beach-related makes me smile. It refreshes my soul and helps realign my spirit to everything I’m pursuing in Christ.

Hello Everyone,

This is a Donovan Clan update. Well, MOVING!!! Ack! It's been a month and there remains a number of boxes to unpack. But, Mike and I a plowing through. Our new home is a dream home. However, there is a ton to still do on the property. I've build planter boxes, a new kitchen table, a garden work bench. And all by myself, I might add. 

Mike had to help put together the wheelbarrow! Yep! That was a doosey.

Living on the edge of the oak woods is a steep learning curve. Just this morning, a gopher invasion. But the deer resting outside of our bedroom window is sheer bliss. 

The abundance of this season is due to the truth that we have a good Father. And after years of my faithfulness in the thin years and better years, the Lord has given me the house of my dreams as Mike and I enter senior years.

Say what??? When did we grow older? I know this, I am wiser.

Because I am obsessed with Jesus Christ. And HE is all that matters in this life!

Anyhoo, with all that remains to be completed and all the company that is headed here in the next two months, all the writers here at Lynn Donovan Ministries will take a sabbatical through the end of July. 

But, come August, I'll be fired up and ready. I plan to offer live teaching regarding physical healing. I've truly had a breakthrough in this area. I hope you watched my video of my healing from arthritis. This healing is for everyone. And I think I've uncovered why we don't possess supernatural power more often.

I KNOW this is what all of God's people want to understand. So watch for class sign ups.

I want to thank Martha for her tremendous writing. Faithful every Monday. And such powerful teaching. And thank you to Jeanne, who always speaks from her heart. She's working on a book that I can't wait to read.

Okay, have a blessed summer and in the heat of August we will be back with a ton more. And I may still post randomly as the Lord leads. 

I love you all. Hugs, Lynn

Deer looking into our front door at me!

Dog walkin' at one of the community lakes.