It’s Time in 2026 to Be Transfixed in Him!

 

It’s Time in 2026 to Be Transfixed in Him!
Word for 2026

By Mari Anne Andersen

My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me.
John 10:27 (TPT)

This verse is not merely a promise of recognition, but it is a declaration of a deeper and greater relationship.  Jesus is revealing that His people—meaning me and you—are not led by confusion, fear, or noise, but by true intimacy.  2026 is to be transfixed with His intimacy, His affection, and with His voice of truth. His sheep are no strangers to His voice; they are trained by love to recognize it, to hear it, and to know it is He who is calling YOU.  Jesus does not shout over the chaos, but He speaks with familiarity, authority, and peace.

As we step into 2026, this is a year to be transfixed—not distracted, not divided—but firmly fixed into His places of peace, promise, and presence.  To be transfixed means our attention is held captive by Him.  Our ears are tuned toward heaven.  Our hearts are settled enough to listen for The Shepherd who is calling His people again.  This is not because He has been silent, but because the world has been loud. He is calling us to slow down, to draw near, and to pick up the phone to speak to answer when He calls, to listen with intention and to respond with obedience.

In 2026, the invitation is clear: to hear His voice, above every other voice, to trust that He knows you and your name personally, and that He is directing your season and timing to see promises fulfilled. 

Through my years of walking with the Lord, which was just 51 years on New Year’s Eve, I have seen patterns whether in my own life or throughout scripture how God works in the tension between promise and delay and between visibility and hiddenness.  God gives promises, but those promises are often delayed or there are feelings of being “stuck.”  This delay or this waiting can come in many forms like betrayal, false accusations, emotional struggles, mental testing, or even physical hardship.  Yet these periods of hiddenness, waiting, or delays are not meaningless. They are actually formative.  The hidden or stuck seasons, therefore, are not a sign of God’s absence but of His intentional work.  He is molding us in ways we cannot see, positioning us for a future moment of fruitfulness, influence, or victory that could not be achieved without such processes.

In short, Scripture shows a divine pattern: delay is not denial; hiddenness is not insignificance; rather preparation is the gateway to suddenness. 

I know all about the marvelous destiny I have in store for you,” a future planned out in detail.  My intention is not to harm you but to surround you with peace and prosperity and to give you a beautiful future, glistening with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 (TPT)
We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we ae joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. 
Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny
and the good works we would do to fulfill it.
Ephesians 2:10 (TPT)

Let’s take a nice stroll down biblical memory lane to see similar patterns to recognize the places of delayed promises or dreams, or feelings of being stuck or waiting and waiting with no movement that can be seen.  These include situations or circumstances that seemed impossible, or the hidden places of preparation that seemed endless until THE “Call” or “Summons” came from God.  That “sudden summons,” that seemingly random moment, finally came.

  1. Abraham’s Promise:  God promised that he would be the father of many nations.
    • Delay: He waited decades for a son of promise.
    • Seemingly Random Moment:  The birth of Issac came, unexpectedly when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah 90 years old.
    • Sudden Summons:  God asked Abraham to sacrifice Issac.
    • God’s Strategy:  Test faith, solidly trust, and show God can bring life from out of the impossible.
    • God’ Truth:  God’s promises are true, even when timing seems impossible.  And Abraham was known in the hall of fame as “Father of Faith.”
  2. Joseph’s Promise:  God promised that he would rise to authority and save his family.  He gave Joseph dreams of leadership and authority as a teenager.
    • Delay: He was sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned for years.
    • Seemingly Random Moment:  A forgotten cupbearer suddenly remembered Joseph and his own promise that he had given to him.
    • Sudden Summons:  Pharaoh called Joseph to interpret his dreams and oversee Egypt.
    • God’s Strategy:  Using suffering and apparent setbacks to position Joseph for the greater good.  What looked like setbacks were rehearsals.
    • God’s Truth:  God’s providence turns hardships into preparation for His purpose.  Prison trained him in administration, humility, and discernment.
  3. Moses’s Promise:  God promised to deliver Israel from Egypt through a chosen leader.  He was the deliver of Israel.
    • Delay: Moses spent 40 years as a shepherd before God’s call.
    • Seemingly Random Moment: The burning bush appeared in the desert that was not consumed.
    • Sudden Summons:  God calls Moses by name and told Moses to confront Pharaoh and lead His people out of slavery.
    • God’s Strategy:  The wilderness removed pride and built dependence and, in this place, God equips his call.
    • God’s Truth:  The call often comes when ambition has died and raises leaders at the right moment in history.
  4. Ruth’s Promise:  God promised a restoration of lineage that would lead to King David and ultimately Christ.
    • Delay: Widowed, poverty, and displacement by working in obscurity.
    • Seemingly Random Moment:  She “happened” to glean in Boaz’s field.
      God’s Strategy:  Uses loyalty and faithfulness in small ordinary hidden acts through obedience that opened extraordinary doors.
      God’s Truth:  God rewards steadfast faith and orchestrated redemption through ordinary and faithful moments.  Faithfulness in obscurity invites divine favor.
  5. Esther’s Promise:  God promised that Israel would be preserved from annihilation.  Preservation of God’s covenant people.
    • Delay: Orphaned, hidden, placed in the palace without knowing why.
    • Seemingly Random Moment:  The king could not sleep and asks for the royal records to be read to him.
    • Sudden Summons:  She was positioned to intervene for “such a time as this.”  She was called to risk her life before the king to save her people.
    • God’s Strategy:  Years of quiet favor prepared her for one courageous act.  Placing her in a key position for “such a time as this.”
    • God’s Truth:  Courage and obedience in God’s timing can change the course of history.
  6. Mary’s Promise:  That she would bear the Messiah, the Savior of the world.
    • Delay: She was a young virgin, engaged to Joseph, with no sign of how it would happen, living in uncertainty.
    • Seemingly Random Moment:  The angel Gabriel appeared unexpectedly to deliver the message that she had been chosen and was with child.  Joseph, her fiancé, decided to quietly leave her because of the unexpected pregnancy.  This could have been a moment of fear, shame, and apparent abandonment.
    • Sudden Summons:  The angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, instructing him to take Mary as his wife and assuring them both that the child was from God.
    • God’s Strategy:  God works through human relationships and obedience, even amid fear, doubt, and potential social scandal to bring His plan to fulfillment.
    • God’s Truth:  Even when circumstances look like delay, rejection, or failure, God can intervene
  7. The Disciples Promise:  He promised them a life of purpose, to be fishers of men, and to participate in God’s kingdom work.
    • Delay: Their calling didn’t come with instant understanding, they spent time in ordinary, mundane work as fishermen, tax collectors, and laborers, unsure of the bigger plan.
    • Seemingly Random Moment:  Jesus walked by, called their names, Peter, Anderw, James, John and everything changed.  This seemingly ordinary encounter was divinely orchestrated.
    • Sudden Summons:  “Follow me.”  In an instant, they left their nets, their livelihoods, their familiar life.  The call was immediate, total, and transformative.
    • God’s Strategy:  God used ordinary life and ordinary moments to prepare them, to teach patience, dependence, and attentiveness so that when the “Call” came, they were ready.
    • God’s Truth:  Faithfulness in the everyday details primes us for extraordinary purposes; God’s timing is perfect even when unseen.

In each of these biblical stories and lives, a pattern emerges. God gives a promise, often followed by a long delay or period of seeming obscurity.In ordinary, mundane moments, faithfulness is cultivated.Then, in a “coincidental or seemingly random moment,” God’s call comes suddenly, summoning them to a divine purpose they could not have foreseen.

God loves to work through the ordinary moments and through the delay, preparing and cultivating our hearts.His timing is beyond our human understanding, orchestrating everything according to His divine providence.Behind the scenes, He is at work to bring about His purpose and ways, shaping our lives to grow in faith, obedience, and trust at the very foundation of who we are.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Chris Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

So dear friends, take heart, stand steadfast, and remain faithful for YOUR call is on the way.YOUR summons is at hand for God has been at work in your lives.You are not forgotten, you are not stuck, you are not cast aside, nor have you been left in idle waiting.God is at work. God is at hand.So, let this year—2026—be a year where YOU are transfixed with intimacy with Him.Eyes and hearts fixed on His presence, ready to receive His call, ready to hear His voice.

As we step into the 2026 New Year, we invite you to prayerfully consider how the Lord may be leading you to come alongside Freedom House.  If you feel God placing it on your heart to give whether through a one-time gift, monthly partnership, or faithful prayer, we welcome every offering with deep gratitude.  No gift is too small, and every prayer truly matters.

Thank you for standing with us as we continue this work together, trusting God for all that lies ahead as in 2026 we are transfixed with His intimacy, His affection, and with His voice of truth.

 

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of

With My Heart of Love and Gratitude,

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


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Don’t Stop Short & Don’t Stop Believing

 

Christmas Greetings & A Word from the Father’s Heart to Your Heart

“Don’t Stop Short & Don’t Stop Believing”

 

By Mari Anne Andersen

December 2025

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As we come to the close of 2025 and prepare to cross over into 2026, I want to speak a word of encouragement, hope, and strength into your heart this Christmas.  This Christmas season carries a powerful reminder wrapped inside the message of 2 Kings 13:14-20 – “Don’t Stop Short & Don’t Stop Believing, Keep Aiming toward God’s Promises & Toward His Victory.”

 

2 Kings 13:14-20 records the final moments of the prophet Elisha’s life and his last prophetic interaction with King Joash of Israel. Joash, visits the dying prophet and weeps, recognizing Elisha as Israel’s true spiritual strength.  The King knows that Elisha is a true prophet of God and a man who carried an unusual measure (double portion) of God’s power and truth and was seeking strength, direction, and hope against the Syrian army.

 

Elisha instructs Joash to shoot an arrow eastward, symbolizing God’s promise of victory and deliverance over Syria.  Then Elisha tells him to strike the ground with the remaining arrows, but Joash stops after three strikes showing limited zeal and incomplete obedience.  Elisha becomes upset and tells him that because he didn’t obey or persist, Israel will win only three victories instead of total deliverance.  Soon after, Elisha dies, marking the end of an era of prophetic power in Israel.

 

How many times have we stopped short?  How many times have we struck the ground a few times but then let discouragement, delay, or doubt cause us to step back or even second guess ourselves in what the Lord spoke?  How often have we let passion fade, zeal diminish, or obedience become partial?  How often have we stopped holding onto to God’s promises because we didn’t see immediate results?

 

This passage calls us, especially in this Christmas season, to keep striking the ground, to keep standing on what God has spoken, and to keep believing even when circumstances feel unchanged.  My friends, press in with faith, expectancy, and obedience.

 

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of our hope. He is the assurance that God’s promises always find their “Yes and Amen.”

 

Just as Elisha told King Joash to open the east window, Christmas reminds us to open our hearts toward the Light of the World.  The east is where the sun rises, where light breaks into darkness and at Christmas, Jesus, the true Sunrise from on high, enters on the world with hope, mercy, and new beginnings.

 

Elisha then told the king to shoot the arrow, calling it “the arrow of the Lord’s salvation.”  Christmas is God’s declaration that salvation has already been released and not by human strength but by the coming of our Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace—Jesus.

 

But then came the moment of testing:  Joash struck the ground only three times, stopping short of the fullness God intended.  Christmas invites you to – “Don’t stop short, Don’t stop believing, and Don’t stop striking.” 

 

For our Savior has come, and He is calling you, encouraging you, and supporting YOU.

  1. Aim your focus toward Him, Christ the King.
  2. Partner with His plan rather than shrinking back.
  3. Keep striking the ground in faith meaning keep praying, keep hoping, keep pursuing and holding onto His promises—even when you don’t yet see the breakthrough—yet.

 

The message of Christmas from this passage is God has already released His victory over your life through Jesus.  He is inviting YOU to take your arrows and respond in faith boldly, consistently, without hesitation, or fear of disappointment.

 

God is not done as YOU are closer than you think.  Your Savior is already on the move on your behalf so don’t stop short and don’t stop believing for Jesus is the arrow of salvation for you, your family, and this world.

 

Christmas Proclamations Going Fourth as Arrows

  • I proclaim loudly and clearly that Jesus Christ is the Arrow of the Lord’s Victory shot from the heart of the Father straight into the darkness of this world to pierce sin, shatter bondage, and bring everlasting deliverance.
  • I proclaim that Jesus is the Savior sent for YOU, and to every nation for He is the one who rescues, redeems, and restores.
  • I proclaim that Jesus is the Light of the World, breaking through every shadow, every lie, and every place where hopelessness once lived. His light can never be extinguished.
  • I proclaim that Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us, God for us, God in us in every season, in every fear, in every battle. He is present and powerful.  Jesus is our Prince of Peace, establishing peace in your home, peace in your heart, peace in your mind, and peace in every storm you face.
  • I proclaim that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, the One who gives divine guidance, wisdom, clarity, and understanding in the moments you feel lost or overwhelmed.
  • I proclaim that Jesus is the Word made flesh and He came near, He dwelt among us, He revealed the Father’s heart, and He fulfilled every promise spoken through the prophets.
  • I proclaim that Jesus is the Gift of Heaven and the greatest gift ever given, the fulfillment of every longing and the answer to every cry of the human heart.
  • I proclaim that Jesus is the Miracle of Christmas – God’s love wrapped in flesh, set as the divine arrow that never misses its target and never fails to accomplish the Father’s purpose.
  • And I proclaim – A Very Merry, Blessed Christmas to you and yours!

 

As We Stand at the Close of Another Year…

Our hearts return again to the miracle of Christmas—the staggering truth that God stepped into our world as Emmanuel, God with us.

 

For unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given… And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

 

He is the One who guides us with wisdom, strengthens us with power, sustains us with unfailing love, and surrounds us with His peace.  And as His people, we respond to His goodness with lives marked by gratitude, generosity, and faith.

 

Every good and perfect gift is from above.

 James 1:17

&

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.

2 Corinthians 9:1

 

As we reflect on all God has done this past year—the lives touched, the hearts restored, the families reconciled—through our new Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201 and individual and family Prayer Counseling sessions—we recognize that none of it happens without the faithful partnership of people like you.  Your giving becomes part of God’s story, and your generosity becomes ministry, impact, and transformation.

 

We humbly invite you to prayerfully consider a yearend-offering that will help us to end this year well as we continue to proclaim hope, healing, freedom, and the love of Christ through Freedom House Ministry.  Thank you so much from my heart to yours for your generosity at this special time of year.

 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

 

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of

Blessings of love,

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


Thanksgiving 2025

Mari Anne Andersen

Thanksgiving 2025

 

Here we are, as the crisp autumn air sweeps through the trees and into our lives, carrying with it the energy of the approaching holiday season.  Before we dive too deeply into the rush of these days, I want to pause and share a few harvest blessings with you.  Remember Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday for it is a posture of our hearts, a spiritual practice, and a lens through which we can recognize God’s goodness in every situation.

So, what does a grateful heart full of thanksgiving look like?  First, a grateful heart is intentional—it notices the small and large ways of God works in our lives.  You hear a song on the radio that confirms what you just read in the Word or you see a breathtaking sunrise that reminds you that creation still bows to the Creator.
What about a sale when you need to buy something essential and it’s not just a sale but it’s 50% off the sale price.  Or a friend or even a stranger says exactly what you needed to hear?  What about a moment of inner peace and calm in a situation that once caused fear or anxiety?  Unexpected provision, miraculous healing or breakthrough, a divine appointment, dreams fulfilled in unexpected timing, guidance in confusing seasons, and a broken relationship healed causes us to automatically be thankful.

Thanksgiving is more than a seasonal practice; it is a daily journey of the heart.  It’s not just an event we do once a year nor when life circumstances make us happy, but a way of living life.  True Thanksgiving is a posture of the heart and turning our attention toward God, recognizing His guiding hand, and listening for His reassuring voice.  It is aligning our inner life with His unfailing love.  This means choosing, day by day, to step intentionally into His goodness and to notice His presence in the ordinary moments of life.

Psalm 34:8 – invites us to “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

This is not merely a call to know about God’s goodness, but to encounter it personally.  To “taste” is to engage our whole being—mind, heart, and spirit—in trusting Him, depending on Him and discovering for ourselves how truly good He is.

Remember “His mercies are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23), but we must choose to step into those mercies by receiving them each and every day with open hands and hearts.  It also means we get to release yesterday’s burdens, troubles, and disappointments and allow His grace to meet us at the first of each morning.

What a beautiful reason to be thankful and grateful to know that we don’t have to carry yesterday into today.  God gives us the gift of starting fresh, renewed by His mercy and strengthened by His love.  Each new morning is a reminder that His faithfulness never ends, and that alone is something truly awesome to give thanks for.

If I may share some beautiful reasons why we can be thankful throughout the year and not just on Thanksgiving Day:  My prayer is that our eyes, especially our spiritual eyes, would be opened and aligned with His love, so that we may see how much He gives us day in and day out. May our hearts stay fixed on His faithfulness not just for a moment and not just in a season.  Because when our eyes are set on Jesus, gratitude flows naturally.  We begin to see His hand in every moment, His mercy in every breath, His grace in every place and His love woven through every detail of our lives.  Thankfulness then becomes more than a response it becomes our way of living, our rhythm of worship, and our constant reminder that He is good, and His mercy endures forever.

  1. Because He is our Living Hope – Jesus gives us hope that cannot die.  Even in uncertain times, our hearts can rest knowing that He has conquered death and offers new life each day.  (1 Peter 1:3).
  2. Because He Knows the End from the Beginning – Nothing in our lives catches Him off guard.  He sees the full picture, and His plans are for good and His glory.  (Isaiah 46:10).  We can be thankful that our story is safely held in His hands.
  3. Because Victory is Already Won – The battles we face are not ours to carry alone; they belong to the Lord.  Through the cross, Jesus has already secured the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57), and we get to live from that place of triumph here and now.
  4. Because We Are More Than Conquerors – No matter what we walk through, His love makes us victorious.  When everything else shifts, His love anchors us in perfect peace. (Romans 8:37)
  5. Because His Love Never Fails – His love remains steadfast and constant through every season.  When everything else shifts, His love anchors us in perfect peace. (Romans 8:38-39)
  6. Because He Turns Our Ashes into Beauty – Jesus redeems what’s been broken and breathes new life into what felt lost. (Isaiah 6:13) Gratitude grows when we remember how He’s turned our mourning into dancing.
  7. Because His Presence Never Leaves Us – He walks with us through every valley and stands beside us in every joy. (Matthew 28:20) We are never alone, and that’s reason enough to be thankful.
  8. Because He is Our Provider and Peace – He meets every need physical, emotional, and spiritual and calms the storms of our hearts. (Philippians 4:9, John 1:27)
  9. Because He is Faithful to Every Promise – His Word never fails.  Even when we don’t see the full picture yet, His promises are still “Yes and Amen.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

My Prayer Poem for You This Thanksgiving from My Heart to Yours:

I greet you this Thanksgiving Day,
And pray you’re blessed in every way.
With joyous hearts that rise and sing,
With thankful hearts for everything.
May grace surround you where you stand,
May peace rest gently, hand in hand.
And may your souls say yes and amen
To mercies new again and again.
For love that holds and never ends,
I’m grateful for you, my family and friends.
May this day be touched by heaven’s cheer,
And blessings follow through the year.

 

I want you to know how deeply thankful I am for each and every one of you.  Your lives, your joy, your faith and simply your presence have brought so much life to me, Tommy, and Freedom House.  I am thankful for your support whether monetarily, whether in prayer and whether keeping in touch with me.

So, I bless you this Thanksgiving and may it be one of the most meaningful, joy-filled, and tender seasons you’ve experienced.  May you feel the Father’s love surrounding you, filling you and renewing you.

 

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of

Blessings of love,

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


The Heart of A Lily Pad

The Heart of A Lily Pad

By
Mari Anne Andersen

October – November 2025

 

Dear Family and Friends,

I wanted to take a moment to share an experience I had a couple of weeks ago—one that deeply touched my heart and reminded me of the empowering presence of the Lord. In that moment, I felt His love, His promises, and His gentle overshadowing presence in such a tangible way. It was as if He was whispering, “I am with you.”

My prayer is that this message and the words that follow will also speak to you—right where you are, in whatever season of life you find yourself in.Screenshot 2025-10-28 at 5.02.51 PM

As many of you know, I serve as the Director here at Freedom House, and with that role comes a great deal of responsibility. We may not be on national television or have large-scale programs, but Freedom House has been growing and expanding—and with that growth comes new stretching, both in the ministry and within me personally. Every time we grow, my faith and trust in the Lord must grow, too.

To be honest, there are moments when it feels overwhelming. There are days I find myself asking, “Lord, can I really do this?” Between counseling people from around the world, mentoring, teaching, leading our training schools, and now writing the full curriculum for our eight-month Training 201, there are times when the weight feels very heavy. Sometimes I feel very small in the vastness of what God has called me to.

I have found myself crying out to the Lord: “Lord, I need You to reassure me in this moment of time, that You are with me in all the places I’m serving You, serving others in Freedom House, and serving in the body of Christ.” I lingered there for a while, just pouring out my heart before Him.

So, in those very moments, the Lord faithfully reminds me: “I have called you for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14 Then it’s there—in that place of quiet reassurance—that I find peace again, holding tightly to His promises and resting in His strength.

 

As I often do, I ended my time of worship with one of my favorite hymns. It was actually my grandfather’s favorite—In the Garden. Every time I sing that song, my sanctified imagination takes over, and I find myself dancing in the arms of my Father. In that sacred moment, He’s holding me firmly and securely. My eyes are closed, my head resting on His chest, and I’m moving gently with the rhythm of His heartbeat. I can almost hear the sound of His love vibrating through me.

In His arms, I feel safe. His embrace is strong, steady, and filled with affection. There’s something about those arms—arms that hold, protect, and reassure that remind me I am never alone. When the last notes of the hymn faded, I stayed still in that holy silence, just soaking in the presence of my Father and the warmth of His love.

I also heard the Lord whisper to my heart, “Mari Anne, your heart is full of lily pads.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, Lord,” I said, “I guess… thank You? But You’ll have to show me what that means.”

You see, one of the things I love about God is that He often speaks in pictures and parables. Jesus was famous for doing that, wasn’t He? He invites us into what I call a spiritual treasure hunt. I always say that part of our walk with the Lord is becoming a private investigator with the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to uncover hidden truths and letting us discover the depth of His rhema word, so that we can have those Eureka moments, those divine aha revelations that only He can reveal.

Sure enough, as I began to study what a lily pad is—its function, its purpose, and its design—I was absolutely blown away. Every part of it spoke of spiritual truth and divine symbolism. And so, I want to share with you what the Lord revealed to me through this journey. Because the truth is, we’re all walking this road together, this journey called life.

As I began to study the lily pad, I was amazed by how something so simple floating upon the water could hold such deep revelation. Every part of the lily pad—the roots beneath the surface, the leaves upon the water, and the blossoms that rise in beauty – spoke to me of our walk with the Lord. It was as if the Holy Spirit was whispering, “Mari Anne, this is how I’ve designed you to live: grounded in faith, resting in My presence, and blooming in My glory.”

First of all, the roots of the lily pad are anchored deep in the mud beneath the water. Though unseen, they draw up the nutrients that give the plant strength, stability, and life. The Lord began to show me that this is the picture of our faith: faith that is rooted not in what we see, but in the unseen reality of God’s Word—the Bible that we hold in our hands each day.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,

and overflowing with thankfulness.  Colossians 2:6–7

There are seasons when our roots must go deep into the “mud” of life—the messy, hidden, and sometimes painful places. Yet it is in those very places that our faith draws strength. Like the lily pad, we are nourished in secret.  We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 When we stay grounded in God’s Word, our roots anchor us even when the waters around us seem unstable. We are sustained by His unseen hand.

Secondly, the large, circular leaves of the lily pad rest upon the surface of the water, perfectly balanced. They don’t sink under the weight of the waves; they float. This is the picture of trust—a life that rests on the surface of His promises, not striving, not sinking, but abiding.  Being still and knowing that He is God.

These leaves are positioned to receive the sunlight. In the same way, when we rest in Him, we are positioned to receive the light of His presence and revelation. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Psalm 34:5

There is such beauty in letting go of control and simply resting—trusting that the One who holds the waters also holds us.

Lastly, there is the flower the radiant lily that blooms above the water. The lily flower opens each morning and closes at night, responding to the light.  To me, that speaks of renewal, transformation, and intimacy with the Lord each and every day as we walk with Him so we can reflect His glory.

So, in conclusion, the lily pad is a living symbol of faith, rest, and divine design. Beneath the quiet surface of still waters, it tells our story: that our roots, though unseen, are grounded in faith; our leaves rest and trust upon the waters; and our blossoms reflect purity, transformation, and the beauty and glory of a life surrendered to God.

This humble plant is not only a marvel of God’s creation but also a living parable of the spiritual life of God’s sustaining power in our lives.

I now see this lily pad much more than just a plant. It has now become a picture of my faith in the Lord, a place in which I can rest, trust, and be still in knowing He is my God.  And in every stage of my journey I am anchored, resting, blossoming and bringing life to whatever God leads me to do serving in Freedom House and in the Kingdom of God.

Wherever you are in your own season, whether it’s a season of stillness, of loss and grief, of stretching and growing, or of stepping out in blind faith, my heart’s desire is that this word would breathe hope into your spirit, faith into your heart, and trust into your soul.

 

As Psalm 92:13 declares

Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

My Prayer for You

Dear Heavenly Father,

You see every heart and every life reading this. You know the places where we need our roots to go down deeper into faith, into trust, and into Your steadfast love. Lord, let our faith be anchored in who You are: a good and trustworthy Father.

I ask that Your radiant love and transformative power would bring fruitfulness into every life connected to Freedom House. For those with needs—whether spiritual, physical, financial, relational, or emotional—I ask that You come in a mighty way to release Your glorious love to capture each heart so that they can lean into YOU with faith, trust, and hope. Let each one experience how deep, how wide, and how glorious Your love truly is.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

An Invitation to Give

If this message has blessed you, I ask that you prayerfully consider supporting Freedom House. As you know, we are not a church, so we do not receive tithes. We also don’t get paid when we are not able to counsel due to circumstances with our counselees who have to cancel or ourselves due to emergencies or illness.

What sustains this ministry and allows us to keep reaching, serving, and sharing the love of Christ are the generous gifts from friends and partners like YOU.

I would like to candidly share with you that at this time that we need to bring in $8,000 to continue all the work of teaching, counseling, mentoring, training, creating curriculum, and ministry traveling that we are now doing.  This is actually FHM’s monthly budget and need.

Freedom House funds are very low right now, so I need to be very direct with you. In fact, there’s isn’t even enough right now for my November salary. Here are a few specific suggestions as to how you could see yourself helping Freedom House reach this goal as you seek the Lord’s leading in your donation:

  • Could you be one of 2 people to give a one-time gift of $1,000?
  • Could you be one of 10 people to give a one-time gift of $500?
  • Could you be one of 5 people to give a one-time gift of $100?
  • Could you be one of 20 people to give a one-time gift of $25?

Although these are one-time donations, monthly pledges are also needed so I could know what is coming in each month to help us plan where to place money with ongoing needs and requests for our prayer counseling services and training.

Finally, trusting FHM with your hard-earned money is such a blessing that I do not take for granted. I am enormously thankful for your support at this time. And remember that your gift is tax-deductible.

Thank you for all your prayers!  We are a praying ministry first and foremost.

From my heart I thank you for your love, your prayers, and your generosity.

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of Love,

 

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


Prophetic Word for September 22, 2025 Hebraic New Year - 5786

Prophetic Word for September 22, 2025

Hebraic New Year – 5786

By
Mari Anne Andersen

 

“I Am the Great Connector” says the Lord Your God!

On this day, as we step into the Hebraic year 5786, the Spirit of the Lord is declaring a profound truth:

“I am the Great Connector. I connect heaven and earth. I connect My Spirit to the spirit of man. My Connector connects heaven and earth. This is the hour, this is the year, to see the Great I Am connecting man to God, God to man, earth to heaven, and the natural to the spiritual.”

A mark in heaven is imprinted upon the earth. The Connector—God’s Spirit—is shifting creation itself. The atmosphere will shift, the waters will shift, and the very fabric of the earth will align with the movements of heaven. Light, water, land, sky, air, sun, and moon are being drawn into divine alignment. A seismic shift is upon us, where heaven fastens itself to earth.

The rumblings of heaven are on the verge of breaking into the earthly realm. This is not only a visitation—it is an invasion of love, an occupation of glory, and an intrusion of redemption.

 

The Significance of 5786

The Lord calls this year remarkable, notable, outstanding, and consequential. It will be remembered as the year of reckoning—a divine summation where heaven and earth are joined together. What has been separate will now be linked. What was unseen will now be revealed.

This year will bring a transfer, a transport, and a conveyance of heavenly reality into earthly experience. The heavenly realms are not just touching the earth—they are invading it. The Spirit declares:

“You will not just taste My goodness, but the very air you breathe will be of My goodness. Not only the sky, land, and sea will be filled with Me, but all creation will resound with the truth that the earth is Mine and everything in it belongs to Me.”

A Heavenly Invasion

This is the year of divine hooking and fastening, where heaven connects with earth in a seismic and unshakable way. God is releasing love, salvation, redemption, and reformation in greater measure than ever before.

“This year, 5786, will be the divine hook of heaven—hooking, connecting, and joining My heart, My ways, and My truth to the earth and to mankind. I shall reign. I shall govern like no one has ever seen nor heard before,” says the Lord.

This prophetic release is not just an announcement—it is a summons. The Lord is calling His people to prepare, to awaken, and to align with this divine connection. Heaven is not far; it is here, breaking in, and joining itself with earth in unprecedented measure.  This year will be a decisive “TURNING POINT FOR USA.”  The sacrifice and witness of Charlie Kirk – a prophet, evangelist, father and devoted lover of Jesus Christ who literally poured out his very life as a true martyr, will NOT go unnoticed in the courts of Heaven.  His blood testifies, and heaven responds. 

The Lord declares a turning point for America: from evil to good, from darkness to light, from hatred to love, and from deception to truth.  Freedom will ring loudly and clearly as we see this Divine Shift – it will no longer be hidden but seen and it will be sealed in Jesus’ Name.

This means heaven joining earth as a re-weighting of reality – God’s presence, priorities and power increasingly shaping human hearts, institutions, and culture.  It’s the invisible meeting the visible—light infusing clay and the clay beginning to reflect the light.

 

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of Love,

 

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


The Great Shift from Heaven to Earth - 5786

The Great Shift from Heaven to Earth

5786

By
Mari Anne Andersen

September 2025

 

On September 22, 2025, as the sun sets, the Hebrew calendar will move into a New Year – 5786 – which marks the beginning of Rosh Hashana – the Feast of Trumpets.  The Hebraic year 5786 is more than a number on a calendar.  It is a prophetic signpost of a “Massive Shift” unlike anything we have witnessed before.  God is inviting His people to partner with Him as heaven touches earth in unprecedented ways.

The Hebrew language is one of the oldest known languages in the world, carrying with it a rich history and profound spiritual significance. So, as we are drawing near to the close of the Hebraic year of 5785, we are reminded that the emphasis of this past year has been all about grace, grace, and grace.  The number five in Hebrew carried the meaning of grace and favor, and in so many ways we have experienced God’s hand of grace and favor.  We have experienced Him turning situations around, setting things right side up, and bringing restoration where there was great brokenness. What once was chaos, madness, and foolishness and sometimes just pure evil, we are now beginning to see a divine reversal, a reset and a recalibration.

God, in His perfect love, has always revealed His purposes in advance to those who seek Him.  The Hebrew calendar functions like a prophetic compass, giving us insight into the time and seasons.  As we step into 5786, we are not just entering another year, my friends, but we are crossing into a season of profound global shift that will affect individuals, families, churches, and nations.

The Prophetic Picture in Numbers:  5, 7, 8, 6 – when viewed individually, each biblical number carries its own symbolic meaning.  But when placed together – 5 7 8 6 – it’s a prophetic picture that begins to unfold.

The Number 5 is the number of grace representing God’s unmerited favor and His empowering presence.  It also signifies victory and divine enablement, reminding us that completion comes not through human effort but through the grace of God.

The Number 7 speaks of completion and perfection through warfare.  In Scripture, it is often tied to cycles of fulfillment, divine rest, and the completion of a spiritual journey.  Through perseverance and faith, victory is secured.

The Number 8 symbolizes new beginnings, resurrection, and eternal life.  It points to the transition from the old into the new, the breaking forth of a new day, and the power of renewal through Christ Jesus.

The Number 6 carries profound prophetic weight.  Biblically it is associated with humankind, as humanity was created on the sixth day.  In Hebrew, the letter (VAV) represents connecting, securing, and joining.  It functions as a nail that fixes two things together or as a hook that draws something into place.  Symbolically, it is the divine link between Heaven and Earth.

Every number in Hebrew has not only a value but also a meaning.  The Hebrew letter VAV is the number 6.  It means a hook, something that connects.  In Gensis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the Heavens AND (VAV) the earth.  The word VAV is what connects heaven and earth. It’s connecting God’s heavenly purposes to our earthly lives.  It’s joining together the physical and spiritual worlds.  The number 6 is connecting Heaven to earth. It brings the steadiness, secureness, and firmness into our world.  What a promise for each of us to see Heaven release into our world with glorious balance, divine order, and perfect rhythm of God’s unfailing. In 5786, we will truly taste in real time God’s goodness as well as His greatness.

It truly is a picture of God’s redemptive plan—that His grace sustains us, His victory completes us, His resurrection renews us, and His divine connection secures us into His eternal purpose.  Listen to what the Spirit is saying – “this year will be one of the most significant transitional shifts that we will see and experience.” 

This verse in Genesis 1:1 – opens a divine promise of redemption for it reveals His intention and His design from Heaven to our earth.  The heavens and earth were always meant to connect, to unite under His reign and rulership so that we can experience His glory and harmony.  Heaven and earth were to be in perfect harmony and close fellowship with our Father.

 

It’s a year of Divine Connections, Divine Shifts and Divine Alignments from Heaven to our Earth.

What Does This Mean for Believers?

 

  1. A call to deeper alignment:  It requires living with intentionality that we must remain and abide in the Godhead so that He can lead His people into a greater oneness with His purposes from Heaven to Earth.
  2. New Openings and Gateways: Expect new doors to open in unexpected ways.  Don’t be afraid to see some of the old breaking into the new.  Be ready, willing, and able to step into new ways and to leave the old behind.
  3. Completion and New Beginnings Together: Uniquely, this year carries both completion (number 7) and newness (number 8).  Old cycles will close so that new ones can emerge.
  4. Global Significance: Nations will feel this shift profoundly.  Political, economic, and spiritual landscapes will not remain as they were.  God is repositioning all these areas in our lives.  Remember He is connecting, aligning, and joining us into Heavenly purposes here on this side of eternity.

 

The Holy Spirit is sounding the alarms, and He is calling us to be awaken, to repent, and to prepare for what is coming.

He is calling us:

  1. To awaken us from slumber
  2. To step into grace and revelation
  3. To prepare for warfare and completion
  4. To walk through new gateways with faith
  5. To embrace the divine connection of heaven and earth.

As I started out in this article, I said the Hebraic year 5786 is more than a number on a calendar. It’s a year that will NOT be the same old, same old thing.  This year is a prophetic signpost of a massive shift and unlike anything we have witnessed before.

In conclusion, 5786 is going to be a year of a great shift seeing the grace of God, the sword of warfare, the doorway of new beginnings, and the connection of heaven and earth all converge in this year.  For God is sealing His people and nations for His purposes.  The trumpet is sounding.  Awake, align, and prepare for heaven’s purposes to break into earth like nothing you have ever seen.  For God is marking Hs people and even the nations with His seal for the trumpet is sounding for heaven’s purpose to break into the earth with unprecedented power for a global awakening.

Lord, we thank YOU that 5786 is not just another year, but a divine appointment in Your calendar.  We receive the fullness of what YOU are speaking and doing in this season.  Let every hinderance be removed, and every chain be broken so that Your people may rise in freedom and boldness.

Father, open our eyes to see the doors You are placing before us.  Teach us to step through them in faith, without fear, leaning fully on Your Spirit.  Let Your wisdom guide us, and Your presence sustain us. 

We do declare that this is the year of alignment—heaven and earth joining together for Your glory.  Let Your voice be louder than any distraction.  Let Your Word be established in our hearts and proclaimed in our mouths.  We say “YES” to the Divine Shift, we say “YES” to being your vessels of Your kingdom on earth.  Seal this year in victory, and let everything we do be for the glory and honor of our Yeshua.

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of Love,

 

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


open

The Season of Wide-Open Spaces – Your Journey of Faith

The Season of Wide-Open Spaces – Your Journey of Faith

By
Mari Anne Andersen

August 2025

 

 

There comes a time in every believer’s journey when the atmosphere shifts, when a wind of change takes place, and when the Spirit begins to blow in a new direction.  My friends, I believe there is a Heavenly perspective change in our atmosphere, culture, and in our daily kingdom climate both personally and corporately.

I also believe there is a Kingdom-level of realignment taking shape and form in our midst, and I also believe God is giving us ALL new spiritual lenses to see, behold, and witness IF we choose to do so!  He always gives us the dignity of choice IF we choose to put on these new lenses. That choice is ours!

That is the million-dollar question to YOU my friends, because God is inviting ALL to take steps beyond the familiar and into a season marked by faith. This is that season we are in NOW.  It’s a time unlike the ones we have had before—a time of expansion, of stretching and of a deep awakening is being released especially since we are fast approaching the Hebraic New Year—5786 in September.  More on that later!

Faith in this season is not passive. It will be alive, active, and fierce in the Spirit for it will reach beyond the limitations of our natural eyes and will stretch us into the WIDE-OPEN spaces that God has prepared.  These are places where our feet have NOT yet trod or stepped on.  It’s territories, regions, and lands that once seemed impossible until NOW.  This is the realm of the miraculous where the God of wonders moves mountains and parts seas for those who dare to believe that the veil is lifting, and where your eyes are adjusting to Kingdom clarity—to view His limitless perspective anchored in His truth and in His promises.

Yes, He is breaking the lenses of fear, doubt, and logic and giving YOU a new vision to see what He sees for YOU.  Hear me my friends, this is not just a change in view, but a Divine Reorientation and Redirection from mere survival to supernatural vision.

What you once called a barrier or a hindrance, God is now calling it a birthing place for your perspective is being purified and sanctified.  You were never meant to live limited by what you can see; the supernatural realm is YOUR divine inheritance and YOUR divine right as sons and daughters of the Most High God.

As we press into this journey, something profound begins to happen. Strength rises not from the flesh but from the Spirit.  It’s the kind of strength that sustains you when answers are slow and the wait is long.  It’s the strength that quiets the noise and tunes your ear to the whisper and sound of Heaven that pours into our very soul.  And in that strength His plan and purpose become clearer and clearer—sharpening the vision to see His glorious path and purpose.

Jesus meets us right here and right now! And friends, it’s not just in theory or concept but in a real encounter that becomes personal and intimate signed, sealed, and secured by His presence, His power, and His reality.

He is inviting YOU to His sacred surrender so that He can usher in His rest, His trust which will lead you to His best. When we let God take the lead a holy exchange happens, and we begin to walk in the best version of who we are in Him.

This is the hour to be activated—no more delays, no more postponements, and no more excuses for this is the hour and the time for Open Wide Spaces to see Your Spiritual Journey breakthrough moment, a revolution in spiritual understanding and a turning point of no return.  For your faith is about to leap beyond logic and into the realms of divine outcomes. For the Spirit is stirring in this hour and He is longing for YOU to have divine hunger so that YOU can see His glorious glory cascading upon you and yours.  Old ways will not carry you into new dimensions for what’s ahead requires a new rhythm, a new resolve, and a fresh release of His glory.

My friends, this is not a new chapter for you BUT a new era. He is calling you to Widen your stance, to strengthen your footing in His immovable truth of promises. He’s calling you to expand your perception so that YOU can see from God’s vantage point and see past your own natural limitations. For He is preparing YOU for a greater weight of glory; He is enlarging your capacity to carry and steward what’s coming.

This is the hour, the time and the moment for your faith to carry you into the Wide-Open Spaces of His Glory. To experience the freedom of fullness of living in the presence of God without restriction, limitation, or fear. It’s His realm of grace where your soul breathes, expands, and aligns with heaven’s rhythm.  This is the place where glory replaces striving, where rest fuels movement, and were intimacy births authority.  It truly is breaking out from small thinking, limited belief and self-protected living and stepping into heaven’s vastness here on earth.

Yes, Jesus is calling YOU to come and seek Him to fully, honestly, and humbly return to the places He has prepared for YOU.  Recognize where you have grown complacent, where you’ve stood still, slipped backward, or chosen comfort over conviction.  It is time to step out of the shadows and back into the light of His presence so that YOU can experience the Wide-Open Spaces of Your Journey of Faith.   

 

Hear What the Father is Saying to YOU

I hear your heartbeats longing for more.  I hear the rhythm of change beginning to stir and I see it awakening in you. Do you see it?  Can you hear what My Spirit is speaking? 

You are crossing into a new level of your walking, but before the increase, there must be a cleansing.  There are closets of clutter, hidden sins, and little foxes roaming unchecked, subtle compromises that have shaped your habits and character.

Now is the time to cast My net and take every hidden thing captive, remove it, dismantle it and dislodge every unholy root.  I have made the path clear for you to walk in righteousness, not just in appearance, but in truth and power.  This is the path of kingdom living.  I am sending My whirlwind of victory, My whirlwind of champions, and my whirlwind of glory.  It will be a fresh wind that lifts, realigns, and re-establishes My promises personally and corporately.

Just as Joshua and the army encircled Jericho with unity and a shout, I am calling you to take new territory the same way, through corporate praise, prophetic sound and a holy boldness.  Stand-up, Shout-up, and Sing-up and watch the hindrances fall, watch the collapse of strong-holds crumble. 

This is your new beginning – this is your new era to return to the Throne Room as a son or daughter welcoming you into the heart of the King.  Let this Throne Room be a place of daily dwelling and daily communing with your King of kings and Lord of lords.  For this is a time for His glory coming upon you not to crush you but to crown you. Let His glory wrap around you like a robe of righteous that is yours.  The King is here waiting for you.  For I love YOU with an everlasting love forever and always and throughout all eternity. 

Your Financial Gifts & Prayers Are Greatly Appreciated

As you know by now, Freedom House is, through faith, launching into new, wide-open spaces this fall, with debuting our own Schools come this September. There is such joy and anticipation as we already have students registering for Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201.  We hope you will consider attending.  Watch your email box for how to do that.

Most people take vacations in the summer, so giving to Freedom House naturally drops.  However, folks never get vacations from trauma, shame, pre-birth wounds, inner vows, hearts of stone, and orphan mindsets.  Therefore, our mission to come along side and minister continues.

Through your generous donation at this time, you can help those in spiritual need and also help me, and our staff, lay the complete groundwork for the new Freedom House School that will start in late September.  You have always been such a faithful prayer supporter and financial donor, so thank you again for what you can do now to make a difference.

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of Love,

 

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201

Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201

Starting, Saturday, September 27, 2025

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”

Isaiah 43:19

 

Dear Freedom House Students,

By now, hopefully you have read about the major changes in Freedom House regarding the Elijah House Schools and that we are no longer facilitating.  We are now on our own “Adventure” with our Good Shepherd as Tommy and I will be doing our own “live” teaching/training in our new course Sanctification and Transformation Training 201.  If you have not read the article that was posted via Mailchimp to your email on July 14, 2025, explaining the reason for these changes, I would encourage you to do so now.  (If you need a copy, please email me and I will be glad to send you a copy.)

Enjoy reading up on the changes and what you can expect from our Sanctification & Transformation Training 201 launching in late September.  We are working on the website with all the changes, and we will send a notice to you when all the changes and information is up and ready.

Now, I would like to give you a little background story in how all these changes came to be because it was certainly a “God” thing and a divine moment in time.

A New Chapter in Freedom House and the Birth of Sanctification & Transformation Training 201

At Freedom House, we’ve always endeavored to follow the voice of our Good Shepherd, trusting Him to lead us into pastures of spiritual growth.  Without doubt or hesitancy, we are stepping into a new and divinely appointed chapter with the launch of our Sanctification and Transformation Training 201 starting, Saturday, September 27, 2025.

This is more than a program. It is a response to the gentle yet undeniable leading of the Lord.  For several years we have sensed the Lord calling us to write our own curriculum and do our own teachings and have our own Training Schools.  We have been doing the Elijah House Schools for 30 years where we have been blessed by the Sandford’s, and we owe them an enormous debt of gratitude for imparting truth, revelation, and healing.  Now it’s time for us to be a “voice” and no longer an echo.

On April 4, 2025, the Lord gave me this prophetic word: “I will see clearly the plan, the vision, and the purpose, and it will come to me.  That He will “Ring My Doorbell” in the way of an invitation.  It will be an invitation signed, sealed, and secured by the Lord.  It will be an offer I couldn’t refuse, and I am to rest in Him, trust doorbellin Him, and I will see the best in Him through this invitation.  Wait and see what will behold you, what will capture you, and how I would be overcome with great joy in His glorious new way.” 

So, I did just that—I waited, rested, and trusted in Him with each day in my quiet time with our Good Shepherd waiting for Him “to ring my doorbell.”  And Jesus did just that—He rang my doorbell at the end of May as I received this picture from a dear friend.

The invitation came to me as the Lord promised. How true He is to every single promise! So, Friends, HOLD ON TO YOUR PROMISE AND BELIEVE.

This invitation was a proposal to Tommy and me which we could not refuse.  This offer came from a very special home church in Bloomington, with pastors Paul and Debbie Phillips along with their team leaders and Robyn Wright who was the catalyst. We have been in a relationship with these dear people for several years. Each summer we go and teach and minister.

Additionally, the Phillips themselves and several other couples and individuals from their church have attended our Facilitated Elijah House Schools over the last few years.  Every single aspect of their proposal that was offered to us was above and beyond our dreams and surely was a big blessing from them but also from our Good Shepherd.  The timing was so perfect and so right and in our spirit, we knew this ringing of the doorbell was the opening up of a new chapter that is a deeper and more hands-on movement of transformation and healing.

Furthermore, the Lord is not just calling us to write and teach our own curriculum, but He is calling us to equip, demonstrate, and walk alongside those hungry for wholeness, freedom, and deeper intimacy with Him.  Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201 is designed to move beyond just knowledge into activation, and from theory into encounter.   It is ultimately to raise up “Timothys” in this hour and season.

The focus will be on inner healing through the power of the Holy Spirit, prophetic insight, and how to hear God’s voice clearly.  Live demonstrations of prayer counseling and developing spiritual disciplines that shape our lives in living with our Good Shepherd will be a second focus.  Finally, walking out sanctification in everyday life, empowered by grace will be a third focus.

The path ahead is one of adventure and obedience.  Just as Psalm 23 describes, the Good Shepherd leading His sheep into green pastures and along righteous paths, so we too are being led toward His glorious plan and seeing the flourishing of His people.

The first year of our new school will be held in Leroy, Illinois which is near Bloomington, Illinois.  The drive will be about 2.5 hours from Chicago, and let’s say it will be worth the drive. The School will be held one Saturday per month.  I will share the outline of our teachings here along with the dates that are set for the 2025-26 year.

Needless to say, Tommy and I are beyond excited because of this invitation. Every prayer that we have prayed for years is coming into fruition.  Again, the generous offers from this Home Church, The Sanctuary, Pastor Paul & Debbie Phillips is above and beyond our expectations. All I can say, is “To God Be the Glory.”

 

Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201

Classes Held One Saturday Per Month – 9:30am to 5:30pm

 

Day 1 – September 27, 2025

Lesson 1 – Biblical Foundation for Sanctification & Transformation

Lesson 2 – Bitter Seeds, Bitter Roots, and Bitter Fruits

 

Day 2 – October 18, 2025

Lesson 3 – Repentance, Restitution, and Restoring Trust

Lesson 4 – Accomplishing Forgiveness, the Gift of Freedom

 

Day 3 – November 22, 2025

Lesson 5 – God’s Ideal Blueprint:  Your Divine Design from the Womb

Lesson 6 – God’s Grace for Pre-Birth Wounds & Sins from the Womb

 

December 2025 – No Classes

 

Day 4 – January 10, 2026

Lesson 7 – Breaking the Power of Shame

Lesson 8 – Trauma of Unmet Needs

 

Day 5 – February 7, 2026

Lesson 9 – Mother Issues – Part 1

Lesson 10 – Inner-Vows, Heart of Stone, and Orphan Mindsets

 

Day 6 – March 14, 2026

Lesson 11 – Mother Issues – Part 2

Lesson 12 – Foundational Lies and Orphan Mindsets

 

Day 7 – April 11, 2026

Lesson 13 – Father Issues – Part 1 (Six Types of Fathers)

Lesson 14 – Watching Lion King (Identification List)

 

Day 8 – May 2, 2026

Lesson 15 – Father Issues – Part 2

Lesson 16 – Restoring Peace with God, Self, Family, and Creation

 

Each School Day, there will be one Small Group Meeting in the Morning.  Then, at the end of each Day of Classes, we will have a “Fireside Gathering Reflecting and Processing with the Holy Spirit” with all of the School participants, leaders, and students.  This will be an Open Forum With the following aspects:

  1. Learning and discovering the art of Soaking and Journaling which are two powerful spiritual disciplines that help us slow down and tune in to the presence and voice of God. This will be a time of resting in God’s presence so that we can become more in tune with His Spirit. Our spiritual senses of discernment, inner hearing, and awareness of His nearness will be awakened.
  2. Introducing the Good Shepherd and learning how to restore your soul with Psalm 23 and learning how to receive His comfort.
  3. We will engage in art as a spiritual discipline in how it leads us into healing and about engaging with the Presence of the Holy Spirit
  4. Prophetic Acts which mean physical actions led by the Holy Spirit that symbolize or release something that God is doing in the spiritual realm. It will be unlocking breakthroughs from Heaven to our earth.
  5. Live Prayer Counseling Demos.
  6. Other leadings of the Holy Spirit’s direction. Walking with the Holy Spirit isn’t only about discipline but it’s also about delight.  Just like a child learns through play, we can grow spiritually by learning to listen and respond to the Holy Spirit’s openness, trust, and joy.   To “play” with the Holy Spirit means listening with childlike faith.

Finally, we realize that while Freedom House has certainly been fruitful in many ways and over many years, God is now calling us to equip His people for deeper transformation, not just information.  The Lord impressed on our hearts that it was time to go further into the hands-on work of sanctification, healing, and walking with the broken into restoration.

So, we will be continuously sending you updates regarding our website and other important information and details for our Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201.  Perhaps you will consider enrolling!

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of Love,

 

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


Major Changes in Freedom House Ministry - A Divine Moment in Time

Major Changes in Freedom House Ministry

A Divine Moment in Time

By
Mari Anne Andersen, July 2025

 

 

 

Dear Family & Friends of Freedom House,

We have some wonderful news to share with you as we are entering a new season of change, growth, and pruning in Freedom House.  Please read this all the way through so that you don’t miss what has changed and transformed here at Freedom House.

Let me first start by saying pruning is very necessary for greater growth and greater fruitfulness in the Kingdom and in the Body of Christ.  John 15:2 states it this way, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (ESV)

We have seen much fruit throughout the facilitated Elijah House Schools for 30 years.  This has been such an honor, such a rich heritage and an inheritance that we received from Day 1 with John and Paula Sandford, Elijah House Staff, and of course, my mother Rose Marie Borrelli throughout all these years.

We truly recognize the importance and significance as well as the impact they had on me and Tommy, our staff, and all our students over 30 years at Freedom House.  We owe a great deal of gratitude throughout these years for this relationship, mentorship, and spiritual guidance.

Nevertheless, there are moments in the life of believers and leaders when God stirs up a sense of change, a sense of direction, and even a major shift.  We also know by nature, seasons change, and with such transitions, somethings must end for some new things to begin.

Through a great deal of prayer during these last few years, we have come to recognize that Freedom House is at that moment of time—making a necessary ending with the facilitated Elijah House Schools.

Therefore, we will no longer facilitate Elijah House Schools here at Freedom House, BUT we will be running our own schools with our own curriculum and our own materials along with our own live teachings. 

We would like to introduce to you the title of our new school: Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201.

Needless to say, we are thrilled and full of joy to begin this new adventure with our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who has been leading us and guiding us to such a time as this—or a divine moment in time.

In our Good Shepherd’s wisdom, He allows certain branches, even fruitful ones, to be trimmed, not because He is done with us, but because He is preparing us for more fruit.  This pruning in Freedom House is to make room for more fruitfulness and richness in this divine moment in time with our Good Shepherd.

Thus, we will be embarking on this new season with Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201 starting in late September. Tommy and I are so very excited as we anticipate teaching, training, and leading Freedom House’s own Schools of prayer ministry training.  Truly we are standing in a moment of divine transition, one that has been borne through much prayer, years of service, and wise discernment with our Board along with some of our Intercessors.

After 30 years of ministering, teaching, and training under the umbrella of Elijah House, God is now leading us into a fresh expression of our own voice and no longer just an echo.

In many ways, God has promoted us to lead the way into this journey with Him as we write and create our own materials and curriculum, with our own recordings of our live teachings.  The time has come for us to pour into others directly through our school of training with biblical teachings and transformational training especially in the areas of inner healing and equipping the saints to go forward into their call, their destiny, and their own voice.

We want to reiterate that we have witnessed the Lord do powerful work in and through countless lives in the facilitated Elijah House Schools. BUT NOW He is inviting us to create a space where it’s Freedom House’s Training Schools cultivating and deepening biblical truths and Spirit-led insights and revelations designed to raise up healed, whole, and empowered believers walking in their God-given destiny and walking out their transformational lives.

Be assured, we are NOT stepping away from our original mission or mandate of Isaiah 61. Rather we’re stepping further into it.  (Isaiah 54:2) We see the Lord expanding the tent pegs.

Furthermore, this will be more than a program or just training; it will be a new Spirit-led initiative designed to equip, activiate, and transform people and their lives. This training school will not be passive learning.  Instead, we will immerse ourselves with hands-on ministry training that will deeply impact every participant.

On a final note, participants will be trained and equipped to identify personal and emotional wounds, walk through healing conversations and minister the love of Jesus through live demonstrations and real time prayer sessions, learning to walk in the prophetic voice with love, as we help you walk out a prophetic lifestyle building habits with foundational spiritual disciplines of prayer, worship, meditation on the Word and soaking or inner-stillness—all designed to form spiritually mature, grounded believers.

Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201 is going to be more than a school; it will be a transformational experience.  God is raising up a generation not just of learners but of doers.

Please pray with us as we continue to prepare the ground, develop curriculum, and build the infrastructure needed to support this new adventure with our Good Shepherd.

More information regarding specific dates, specific location for training, and the individual topics that we will be teaching will be sent out shortly.  We are working diligently to have things up and running by late September for Day 1 of our 8-Day School covering one day a month for 8 months.   Also, we are updating our website page so that all the NEW information will be there to read in more detail and to learn how to register.  We’ll let you know when it’s live.

FYI: Our first year of this new training will be held in Leroy, Illinois for this coming 2025-26 school year.  It’s about 2:20 hours from the Chicago suburbs.

 

Then the Lord replied:

“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.”  (Habakkuk 2:2)

 

Again, thanks for your prayers as we follow the Lord’s leading to bring greater sanctification and transformation to all of you!

You can donate today:

OR:

Send a check made out to “Freedom House Ministry” to Freedom House Ministry, c/o The Andersens, 652 THUNDERBIRD TRL, CAROL STREAM IL 60188-9262 

With My Heart of Love,

 

Mari Anne Andersen

Director, Freedom House Ministry


Rejoice in Hope!

Rejoice in Hope!

Let this hope burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy.

Romans 12:12 (TPT)

Freedom House Ministry Graduation Celebration 2025

Hope

Hear from these favorite friends of FHM

Releasing a personal word, blessing, and encouragement to our graduates.

A time of celebration and commemoration with family and friends,
feasting in His goodness and abundance.

Pre-recorded Messages.

Mark & Maureen Sandford
Mark & Maureen Sandford
Elijah Rain Ministries
M.Div. Counseling
Trish Frost
Trish Frost
Co-Founder
Shiloh Place Ministries
Dr. Grant Mullen
Dr. Grant Mullen, MD
Change How You Think
Dr. James Friesen
Dr. James Friesen, PhD
PhD Psychology
MA Theology
Wm. Paul Young
Wm. Paul Young
The Shack, Eve, Crossroads
Joseph Z
Joseph Z
Prophetic Voice
Z Ministries
Saturday, April 26, 2025 — 11:00am to 4:00pm
Doors Open at 10:30am — Open Seating — Reserved Tables 5+
Pastor Celby Hadley
Pastor Celby Hadley
Praise & Worship
Crossings Community Church
Bolingbrook, IL
Graduation 2025
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