My Burning Bush Experience by Katherine Mattern

As I looked back at the different things God has spoken to me, I had one strong event come immediately into my mind. The leadership commissioning service at the City Church on November 11, 2007. At that time in my life I was just beginning to heal from a broken heart and a broken marriage. I hadn’t really realized what my past had really done to me spiritually, emotionally and even physically. I was broken…

In 2005 on Mother’s Day, I rededicated my life to Him and for the first time I experienced true repentance and true freedom. Freedom to let Him take full charge of all of me, including my broken heart. I guess growing up I thought I would have to fix the things that I broke and that included my heart. So imagine my frustration when I couldn’t think enough happy thoughts or say enough scriptures or declare enough for my heart to heal. I finally came to the point where I gave it to God to fix. That’s when I really got saved and the healing began!

Now to go back to the commissioning service. Though saved I was still dealing with a lot of shame and guilt over my past that didn’t seem so long ago. I had gone through the TRAKS at the City Church and now it was time for the commissioning. I thought what in the world would possibly be spoken over me? I was still dealing with shame and sadness over my past and I wasn’t sure what would happen. I was actually a little afraid of what they’d say. However when they started speaking over me it was an absolute burning bush experience. The words didn’t come from those that were speaking over me, but straight from God! They were words that healed me and also directed me.

One thing that was spoken over me was that I was to speak words of grace, acceptance and love to others, be a restorer of broken hearts, a refresher of others. One of the scriptures spoken over me was Isaiah 12:3 “With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!” The word that was spoken over me was that I was like a Rebekah in that I would draw water from that well and use it to refresh others in their journey of life, that I can give to them the waters of eternal life. That I was to be a dispenser of that refreshing, to be a healer of broken hearts, a restorer of those whose soul was bruised and scorched by the world. That my place of dwelling was to be one where others could come and be refreshed. Many encouraging things were spoken that night but the biggest message to me was that I was to be a Rebekah to others. To refresh them. To me that means encouragement and speaking life to others and just showing them acceptance and love.

The desire of my heart and I believe God’s heart is to show grace, love and acceptance through correspondence to other women at YWCA domestic violence shelters. The ministry is to be called Heart to Heart and it will be God-fearing, grace-filled, holy spirit-filled mighty women of God connecting with other women through correspondence. Currently the YWCA is no longer the Young Women’s Christian Association because there is no mention of Christ anywhere. I long to see it in the hands of those who speak God’s truth to these women. That they won’t be handed self-help books but they would be encouraged and refreshed and shown the love of God and be told of Him and that He has a future and a hope for them.

Some scriptures that reflect my mission statement:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” –Jer. 29:11

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” –Isaiah 12:3

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” -Acts 20:24

What is in my hand to do?

Next step for me is to connect and communicate with the YWCA and start this ministry of Heart to Heart and see about getting letters to these women. This is so that women who are truly heart broken and hurting can be encouraged by God’s word and would know His love through the love and acceptance and grace shown by others. I know there is only one way to mend a broken heart and that is to give it to God to fix. Trust me on that one.