Lady Wisdom

By Mari Anne Andersen

Director of Freedom House Ministry

August 2026

Out in the Open Wisdom Calls Out Loud, She Raises Her Voice in The Public Square (Proverbs 1:20)

Dear Family & Friends,

As I prayed about this month’s newsletter, I was drawn once again to the beautiful picture of Lady Wisdom found throughout the book of Proverbs.  Scripture presents wisdom as a gracious woman standing at the gates of the city, calling to all who will listen.  She is not hidden or reserved for a select few; no, she lifts her voice in the streets, inviting every heart to hear and to walk in God’s ways.

So, with that I invite all to hear what the Spirit is saying in and during this season of your life and the season of our culture in this 21^st century.

Lady Wisdom Standing at the Gate – Proverbs 8:1-3 (NIV) – ”Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?  At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries out loud:”

Friends, this is not accidental for her to stand at the gate because in Biblical times, the city gate was one of the most significant places in the community.  The gate was where the elders met to judge legal matters, where kings made decrees, where prophets proclaimed God’s Word, where business transactions took place, and where travelers entered and departed.  The gate was the place where important and essential decisions were made that shaped the future of individuals, families, cities, and nations.

The significance of the gate reveals that God desires and longs for each of us His wisdom to influence every decision before we step into life’s circumstances. There are so many decisions in our lives about family, marriage, friendship, finances, health, ministry, work, and countless opportunities that come our way.

The gate reveals the Father’s heart so that we are not driven by fear, emotion, impulse, pride, or the pride of this world.  Instead, He lovingly invites us to pause and listen to His voice before we move forward.  The Father did not leave us alone to navigate life by our own understanding.

The gate reveals the Father’s heart so that we are not driven by fear, emotion, impulse, pride, or the pride of this world.  The Father did not leave us alone to navigate life by our own understanding.  Instead, He lovingly invites us to pause and listen to His voice before we move forward.

The Holy Spirit takes the wisdom of God and faithfully applies it to the ordinary and extraordinary decisions of everyday life.  He brings clarity when we are confused, discernment when choices seem uncertain, conviction when we begin to wander, and peace when we are walking in the Father’s will.

WOW, what a God we serve…  Lady Wisdom standing at the gate is a beautiful reminder that God’s guidance always comes before directions.   This means we need to pause and seek Him with intentionality, wholehearted devotion, and with a heart of intimacy as a child of the Most High God. This is not just only to make good decisions, but His desire is we know Him so intimately that His wisdom becomes the very atmosphere in which every decision is made.  How different our lives become when we learn to listen before we act.

The Fountain of Life – Proverbs 13:14 – “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.”Wisdom is pictured as a fountain because God’s instructions bring inspiration, protection, and direction.  His wisdom keeps us from the path that leads to destruction and guides us into life.  This “fountain of life” is a picture of God’s wisdom, His Presence, and the life that flows from Him.  It is not just a fountain that gives drink, but it represents a source that continually gives what a person cannot produce on their own.  Psalm 36:9 – “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.”

In the ancient world, a fountain was not like a man-made container that eventually emptied.  It was often a spring fed from deep underground.  The water came from a hidden place and continually flowed.  The fountain of life represents the endless flow of God’s wisdom and life that transforms us from the inside out.

Friends, this reveals something so deep and beautiful about our God – that His wisdom is not temporary advice, but it truly is a living stream.  That His Spirit within us is not meant to be stagnant, but it is meant to flow into every area of our life.  His love, His wisdom and His instructions are to be a deep source beneath our decisions, relationships, emotions and purpose.  As John 7:38-39 expresses, “Whoever believes in me, as Scriptures has said, rivers of living water will flow within them.”

This wonderful fountain of life represents wisdom flowing from God.  Proverbs 13:14 – “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life.” Wisdom is not merely knowing information, but it is heavenly wisdom to see life from God’s perspective.  Heavenly wisdom is much deeper than having knowledge and facts. Knowledge fills the mind, but wisdom transforms the way we see, discern, and live.  If you recall Paul would NOT pray for more knowledge.  He would pray for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that the eyes of the heart would be opened.  Knowledge fills the mind; revelation awakens the heart and wisdom transforms our life.

What I pray often is . . . “Father take this information and release Your divine revelation.”  I understand that human knowledge and information have value and serve an important purpose, but they only take us to a certain point.  Knowledge helps us understand facts and gather information.  Wisdom, however, takes us beyond the surface and gives us heavenly insight, spiritual discernment, and divine direction.  Knowledge informs our minds, but wisdom transforms our hearts. Through God’s Spirit, we can see life from His perspective. This helps us understand His purposes and walk according to His plans.  Wisdom doesn’t replace knowledge it builds upon it.  Simply put, wisdom is the bridge between knowing what is true and living out God’s truth in a way that brings life, alignment, and transformation on this side of eternity.   

Do you not love the fact that God truly has graciously given us the ability and capability to travel through this life, faithfully steward all He has entrusted to us, to face this life’s challenges with courage, and chart our course and direct our steps with His wisdom of love.  He has equipped us with every good gift through the indwelling Holy Spirit, empowering us to live with heavenly wisdom, spiritual discernment, and divine direction every step of our way.

God our Father has given us every provision and every heavenly roadmap we need to live victoriously on this side of eternity.  Through His Word and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, He shows us how to walk in the fullness of the life He intended from the very beginning.  His desire is that we would live fruitful and abundant lives, reflecting His image, fulfilling His purpose, and faithfully stewarding all He has entrusted to us.

From Genesis onward, we see God’s heart for humanity, to bless us, cause us to flourish, and invite us to exercise wise stewardship over the gifts, opportunities, and calling He has placed within our reach with and through the Holy Spirit, so we can fulfill our divine purpose.

If I could gather the many facets of wisdom found throughout the book of Proverbs and weave them together, it would release in living color the grand portrait of Lady Wisdom.  For she is not simply the personification of intelligence, but a picture God’s own wisdom flowing from His OWN heart – a wisdom ultimately fulfilled through the Holy Spirit who leads us to all truths and the fullness of life.  No wonder Proverbs declares, “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver.” (Proverbs 16:16)

Wisdom is heaven’s greatest treasure. Gold and silver can improve our circumstances, but wisdom transforms, cultivates, and aligns our lives, refining Christlike character, guiding decisions, and aligning every area of our lives with His divine design and eternal purposes.  Wisdom enables us to steward every gift, navigate every season, and walk in God’s purposes.  Receiving His wisdom keeps us from destructive paths, harmful choices, and spiritual deception.

Through the many years of counseling, I have observed that one of the greatest needs people have is not simply more information, but it is Godly wisdom.  Many people are underdeveloped in allowing God’s wisdom to realign their thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and choices with His truth. As a result, they find themselves trapped in destructive habits, unhealthy behaviors, and broken patterns, repeating the same painful cycles over and over again.  And it is so sad because they have the divine blueprint for abundant life within reach.

This leads me to another important reality.  Much of our culture is no longer living according to God’s wisdom or even sound judgement.  Instead, people are increasingly guided by their own opinions, emotions, desires and personal definition of truth.  Scripture describes this a being “wise in their own eyes” rather than submitting to the wisdom that comes from God. When people reject God’s wisdom, they inevitably begin to define life on their own terms.  What feels right becomes more important than what is right.  This results in confusion, brokenness, lawlessness, and repeated cycles that never produce the abundant life God intended.

Isaiah 59:14-14 (Message) – “Our wrongdoings pile up before you, God, our sins stand up and accuse us.  Our wrongdoings stare us down; we know in detail what we’ve done:  Mocking and denying God, not following our God, spreading false rumors, whipping up revolt, pregnant with lies, muttering malice. Justice is beaten back, righteousness is banished to the sidelines, truth staggers down the street, honesty is nowhere to be found, good is missing in action.  Anyone renouncing evil is beaten and robbed.”

How accurately this describes our society today. Society has been stripped of moral order, truth and honesty, and this is truly a clear picture of what happens when society rejects God and truth.  Isaiah is not only describing individual sin but also the collapse of a culture.  This, my friends, is a mirror of what happens when people repeatedly choose darkness over Godly wisdom and His Spirit of truth. Wisdom has been rejected, thus truth stumbles in the streets when God’s wisdom is not embraced. It becomes a fountain of life that restores justice, righteousness, and peace, enabling God’s people to reflect His character in a world that desperately needs Lady Wisdom, the fountain of life.

So, my friends, I want to conclude with 2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”   As we respond to God’s invitation, we are choosing the path of Lady Wisdom.  We are turning away from our own understanding and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us into God’s truth, so that the fountain of life begins to flow more freely within us, bringing healing, clarity, righteousness, and transformation.

Our Cry for His Wisdom of Truth & Life

Father, let us turn wholeheartedly to You, Jesus our Savior, embracing Your wisdom above our own.  May the eyes of truth be opened up to see and hear Your whisper of wisdom, soften our hearts to receive correction, and be pointed toward Your fountain of life, and empower us to walk in Your redemptive ways.  May the fountain of life flow through us, refreshing our thirsty souls, and our culture pointing us to the hope, healing and abundant life found ONLY in YOU..

Freedom House Updates

1. The trip to Norway was wonderful. The wedding was beautiful and being with family and friends in Norway was a special treat… make sure to look at some of the photos attached below.  In Norway for weddings and special occasions many wear the national costume.  Then in the evening at the reception, they change into formal wear.  The church for this wedding was the church Tommy and I were married 45 years ago. It was built in the 1800’s.  The wedding photo is Tommy’s younger brother Glenn and his wife along with bride & groom and her parents.  Then it is my mother-in-law (Tommy’s mom) and myself.
2. We are excited to announce that our 2026-27 Sanctification & Transformation School begins September 19th. All of the dates, curriculum and registration information are now available on our website.  Vision and Purpose for Freedom House Sanctification & Transformation Training 201 – Freedom House Ministry
3. Tommy and I have completed the entire curriculum. We are so grateful for the revelation, insight and practical tools the Lord has given us to create a training experience that is both biblical and highly interactive.
4. One of the most significant additions this year is something entirely new – “The Transformation Lab.” Each school day will include 2 teachings. Immediately following each teaching, we will move into a live Transformation Lab.  This is where the teachings come alive.  Students who choose to volunteer will receive prayer ministry before the group.  Together, we will demonstrate how to prayerfully identify the spiritual and emotional roots connected to the topic that was just taught. 
5. These sessions will be Spirit-led, practical, and interactive. The Transformation Lab will include prophetic ministry, Spirit-led discernment, biblical tools, and practical demonstrations that equip the participants/students to minister with greater confidence, wisdom, and compassion.  Each school day will include Two Transformation Labs, giving students multiple opportunities to witness the Lord at work and to grow through real-life ministry experiences.
6. For those who desire to grow in hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit and ministering more confidently in the prophetic, this school will provide practical, biblical training. You will learn how God uses prophetic insight, prophetic acts and Spirit-led discernment to bring revelation, healing, sanctification and transformation.

We never want finances alone to prevent someone from participating in the training.  If you have questions about tuition or would like to discuss available payment options, please feel free to contact Mari Anne Andersen – Marianne@freedomhouseministry.com or 216-260-6450.  We will be happy to talk with you and explore options available.

We would love for you to prayerfully consider partnering with us to continue the work the Lord has entrusted to us.  Thank you for standing with us and helping us see lives transformed through His love and 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

Vessels of Honor

By Mari Anne Andersen

Director of Freedom House Ministry

May 2026

2 Timothy 2:20-21 – “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.  Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

Dear Family & Friends,

Over the last few weeks, during quiet moments of soaking in the Father’s love and resting in His Presence, one phrase has continually stirred in my heart: “vessels of honor.”  I found myself lingering on those words, allowing them to settle deep within my soul.  What does it truly mean to be a vessel of honor?  How do I walk in a way that allows my life to become a vessel of honor for His glory and good works?

My prayer is that we can unpack this together to see the picture Paul is painting and discover some amazing hidden truths and gems so that we can shine boldly and brightly as pure gold that has been refined and purified.

Let’s first look at what “honor” means and looks like.  Literally definition of honor means:

• Great value or worth
• High respect
• Esteem or dignity
• Something precious and important
• To be regarded with special care or distinction
• Treasured

The simple meaning of honor is when something or someone is treated as valuable, precious and worthy of special purpose.  Honor is deeper than just being respected by people.  In the heart of God, honor is connected to value, weight, sacredness, and purpose.

Biblical honor is not based on fame, talent, money or outward appearance. That is the world’s definition.  God’s definition of honor is connected to the condition of the heart.

Honor recognizes the God-given value in someone or something. It’s treating what is sacred with a sense of reverence and giving people dignity because they are created in God’s image.  Honor is living in a way that reflects purity, integrity, humility, and obedience.  It also means being trustworthy enough for God to entrust greater things to you.

1. 21 – “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

So, in Biblical times, a wealthy home would have different kinds of vessels such as cups, bowls, jars, and containers.  Some were made of gold and silver and used for special occasions at the master’s table.  Others were made of common or even unclean purposes.  The vessel itself did not choose its purpose, but Paul reveals something amazing.

Spiritually, we can choose what kind of vessel we become through surrender, cleansing, obedience, and intimacy with God. Meaning that we are not powerless in this process.  God lovingly works in us, but we also respond to Him.  We choose whether our hearts remain open, soft, teachable, and yielded in His Hands.  “Lord, not my way, but Yours.”

A vessel becomes honorable not because it controls its own life, but because it allows the Potter to shape it.  Surrender is what softens the clay; it is releasing pride, self-reliance, fear, control, and personal agendas so God can form Christ within us.  Remember, the more surrendered we are we make room for God’s presence to flow in and through us.

In God’s eyes, just to name a few of His honor:

1. Choosing purity especially when compromise can be easier.
2. Speaking truth with love even when it’s scary.
3. Remaining faithful even when nobody sees behind closed doors.
4. Serving others without needing recognition, doing things unto the Lord.
5. Carrying responsibility carefully with your promises and actions.
6. Walking humbly before God taking ownership when wrong or hurtful.
7. Protecting what God calls holy when pursuing righteousness, godliness.
8. Valuing people instead of using people without manipulation and control.

Honor also affects how we see ourselves because for many we may be living beneath our identity because we do not realize our worth and value to God our Father.  So, when God is calling someone honorable, He is saying, “You are not common to Me.  You are treasured, precious, and you have purpose for your life, and I have set you apart for something meaningful.”

That is why Scripture in 2 Timonthy 2:20-21 speaks about cleansing ourselves to become vessels fit for the Master’s use.  Honor is connected to preparation and training for God refines, purifies, and sanctifies what He intends to use greatly in His Kingdom.

If we truly honor what God honors, then we will become intentional about what we allow into our lives because we understand that what enters us eventually shapes us. Simply put, “Whatever I continually take in will eventually influence what I become.”

Vessels of honor is also about our “inward” consecration, surrender, and transformation.  It’s about places in our heart that carry unforgiveness, selfish ambition, bitterness, dishonor, or empty living.  Not living according to His original design for you in your identity, personality, and destiny.  Empty living is not merely, “doing ungodly things,” but it’s being disconnected from life, identity, purpose and communion God originally created us for.

Truly empty living is existing without “Divine” alignment.  Remember, His sons and daughters were created to reflect God’s nature, walking and talking with Him, carrying His Presence, revealing His love and truth on earth, living from identity instead of striving, and building what has eternal value.

My question for you: “Are you living beneath your value and worth?”  God is not wanting anyone to be spiritually displaced but to be rooted deeply in His Father’s Heart.  Being a “vessel of honor.” 

God is not looking for perfect people but He’s looking for yielded people—a people becoming a carrier of Heaven’s atmosphere.  Truth be told, sometimes the most honorable vessels are the quiet ones nobody notices because they remain in secret places resting, trusting, and praying.

Remember, God looks deeper, and He measures honor by the condition of our hearts. 

Throughout Scripture, God often chose the overlooked, hidden, rejected or underestimated people to carry His glory. Heaven does not measure honor the way the world does.  Let’s look at a few:

1. David – Youngest son, left tending sheep while his brothers stood before the prophet.  The shepherd field became preparation for the throne.
2. Joseph – Rejected by his brothers, thrown in a pit, sold into slavery and forgotten in prison. The prison became a pathway to the palace.
3. Ruth – Widowed foreigner, an outsider in Israelite society. No status, no influence.  What looked insignificant in the fields of Bethlehem became part of her redemptive history.
4. Gideon – Saw himself as weak and insignificant. The Lord often calls people according to who they are becoming, not merely where they currently are.
5. Peter – Ordinary fisherman, impulsive, rough around the edges and uneducated. God honored his willing heart.
6. Stephen – Chosen simply to help serve food and care for practical needs in the early church. Faithfulness in “small” assignments often reveals great spiritual maturity.

So many more that God repeatedly chooses because of their faithfulness, humbleness, and a surrendered heart.  These hidden places in our lives matter deeply to God because He is forming character, intimacy, purifying our motives and testing our obedience.  Remember Jesus Himself came as a servant King, washing feet instead of demanding thrones.  A vessel of honor is precious to God because it reflects His nature.

Often God develops vessels of honor away from applause so that when He raised them up, the glory belongs to Him alone.

A Picture of Honor

Imagine a king walking through a palace filled with beautiful golden goblets.  They all shine outwardly, but many are dusty and dirty inside.  Then off in a quiet corner sits a simple and plain clay cup which is clean, available, and ready.  The king reaches for the clean and simple cup.  Why?  Because the simple and plain cup was all about readiness, surrender, and it was clean inside.

The picture reveals something deeply important about the heart of God.  In a world that is constantly drawn to outward brilliance, status, and appearance, the Lord looks deeper.  He is not captivated by what merely shines on the outside, He searches for vessels that are clean within.  Hearts that are surrendered, are available, and willing to be used for His purposes.

So, my dear friends, honor in God’s kingdom is not reserved for the gifted few.  It is an invitation extended to every willing heart. May we never strive to appear polished so much so that we are neglecting the condition of our inner life before God.  Instead, may we become vessels of honor that are clean within and ready for the Master’s use, shaped by His hand filled with His presence, and set apart for His glory.

Prayer of Our Hearts

Father, I pray that You would help me to become a vessel of honor each and every day.  I willingly yield and surrender my heart fully to You and to You alone.  Shape me, Lord, according to You will and Your purpose for my life.

Create within me a heart that walks in purity, integrity, humility, honor, and unwavering obedience.  Teach me Lord, to follow Your voice above my own desires, and help me to trust Your hands as the Potter shaping the clay. 

Father, teach me to honor You not only in public moments, but in the quiet and hidden places, behind closed doors where no one else sees but You, and You alone. 

Father, continue to cleanse me, refine me, and prepare me for every good work You have called me to.  Let my life be a vessel that carries Your presence with honor and reverence.   

In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Quick Updates at Freedom House

1. First FHM Training School Completed: As of May 2^nd, we successfully completed the 8-month School of Sanctification & Transformation Training 201 in Bloomington, Illinois, culminating in a beautiful graduation celebration.  Grateful for touching many lives, including young families, throughout the year and receiving wonderful feedback and testimonies.
2. New Training 201 Curriculum Completed: Tommy and I completed the full written curriculum for the Sanctification & Transformation Training 201.  It was a stretching season, but we are incredibly thankful for what God has done through this curriculum.  This is the beginning of new things ahead for Freedom House having this curriculum completed for another school in the Fall.
3. Various Counseling Sessions and Other Ministries: This past year also has been full of new client prayer counseling ministry, a weekly Transformation small group at our church we taught and led, along with teaching opportunities, prophetic ministry, and had many opportunities to do dream interpretations and that has been so fun. Especially with the clients because they see God’s hand upon their journey of healing, and it’s confirming through their dreams.
4. Tommy’s Father’s Homegoing: Week before Christmas we traveled to Norway after the unexpected passing of Tommy’s father. While it was a difficult loss, we were thankful Tommy and his father were in a very good place relationally, and the memory service was beautiful.  Tommy did a great job.
5. Upcoming Women’s Conference June 2026: I am excited to share that I will be joining our pastor’s wife, along with Molly, another therapist from church, and we will be leading a special two-day women’s conference titled From Shame to God’s Hall of Fame the evening of Friday, June 5, and the full day of Saturday, June 6, including lunch. See flier below! Register to attend at this link:  Women’s Conference – Vineyard Church of Dupage. Throughout the weekend there will be heartfelt teaching, prophetic ministry, prophetic acts, healing moments and many other beautiful surprises along the way.  Please pray for this event June 5^th & 6^th.
6. Upcoming Trip to Norway: We will also be going back to Norway the 3^rd week in June for Tommy’s nephew’s wedding, the oldest of four of his brother Glenn’s sons and the first to get married. We’ll be there for 2 weeks.  The newlyweds will then spend their honeymoon with us in Chicago as we return from Norway and they will be staying at our daughter’s and son-in-law’s their 3 active sons and 3 active dogs.  Not sure that it will be a peaceful honeymoon but a honeymoon of many fun memories.
7. Family Blessings: On a personal note, all of our grandchildren (6) are doing wonderfully, and our lives are filled with baseball, basketball games, recitals, and cuddles and snuggles. Although our 13-year-old grandson cannot hug in public, we could in the house😊
8. Family Prayer Needed: We would appreciate your prayers for my younger brother, Dominick, who is battling cancer, and has cirrhosis of the liver. Please keep him and our family in your prayers as we try to navigate this with him.  Not an easy situation on many fronts.
9. FHM Finances Needed: We also ask for continued prayer for Freedom House financially. God has been faithful, but summer months are often financially lean for us as a ministry sustained only through donations and gifts.  We are not a church; therefore, we don’t get tithing monies.  We are trusting God for continued provision especially as we are in Norway and not working.

Thank you for your prayers, love, partnership, generosity, and faithful support of Freedom House.  We are very grateful for each one of you and all you mean to this ministry.

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

With the Risen One Is the Gift of Discernment

By Mari Anne Andersen

Director of Freedom House Ministry

Easter, 2026

He is risen, hallelujah!  He has risen indeed!  With the resurrected Holy One, Jesus Christ, many things come alive in this season of resurrection, including power, life, and liberty.  On this side of eternity, I pray that the good news of His resurrection will touch your spirit in a way that springs hope eternal.  Reviving faith where it has grown weary, restoring joy where it has been dimmed and renewing strength where it has been lacking so that you can experience this power, life, and liberty.

Just as Jesus rose from the grave, so too can the gifts of the Spirit that have been dormant or slumbering can be awakened and stirred within us.  One of these gifts I believe the Father is wanting all His children to see activated, motivated and initiated is the gift of “Discernment.”  I believe this is a gift that is underdeveloped and malnourished—in other words undernourishment in and of the Holy Spirit to practice discernment.  In this article I would like to challenge YOU to see that this gift of discernment is deeply needed in our time and in our lives walking through this life.

So, what is the gift of discernment, why did Jesus release this gift to His children, and what does Scripture say?  Here are a few Scriptures to ponder.

1. 1 Corinthains 12:10 – Discerning of spirits.
2. 1 Corinthians 12:7 – Given for the common good.
3. Hebrews 5:14 – But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
4. 1 John 4:1 – Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits.
5. Phillippians 1:9-10 – That your love may abound…with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent.
6. Matthew 24:24 – Warns of false prophets and deception in the last days, and the need for spiritual vigilance and discernment.

The gift of discernment is the spiritual ability to perceive, distinguish, and judge between truth and error, good and evil, or God’s will, which is led and guided by the Holy Spirit, versus human reasoning.  The gift of discernment is also called discerning of spirits, which is a supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to believers.  It enables Christians to perceive and recognize if a message or action is from God, the enemy, or human reasoning. This helps us navigate life with sound and wise spiritual judgments.

I believe that many Christians today are lacking in the gift of discernment as well as churches.  I also believe that this gift is so necessary for all believers to understand the times we are living in. Why? Because we are living in a world where not everything that looks good is good, not everything that sounds spiritual is from God, and not everything that feels right is right.  And friends, we don’t need more information.  What we need is spiritual discernment.

We are living in such a fast-paced world overflowing and inundated with information and communication from social media and culture in every direction.

• God’s word tells us that He guides the righteous.
  • How?— Through discernment.
• He tells us to test all things and recognize what is good and acceptable.
  • How?—Through discernment.
• He tells us to move into maturity, growing in understanding of deeper spiritual truths.
  • How?—Through discernment.
• He tells us to recognize excellence and what aligns with God’s purposes, separating what is fleeing or harmful from what is eternal and righteous.
  • How?—Through discernment.   

Friends, discernment is not just knowledge.  It is spiritual insight, wisdom, and comprehension that trains us, strengthens us, and anchors us in God’s wisdom, enabling and empowering us to navigate life with clarity, confidence and alignment with His will.

God empowered us with this gift of discernment because He knew the world we would live in would be a world flooded with chaos, crisis, and confusion.  He knew we would be confronted with information, advice, and ideas that look right, sound right, and seem right, yet are in fact deceptive and harmful.

Hear my heart. The fervent cry I carry for is for the body of Christ—the believers who are misguided, who are carried away with deception, whose spiritual compass has been misdirected.  My prayer, my exhortation is that YOU do not allow yourself to be led into the muddy waters of pain, deception, and destruction.

In counseling, I see so many whose gift of discernment has been neglected, slumbering, or buried.  Spiritually, it has grown lazy, because instead of engaging with God directly, they rely on the words of other leaders, pastors, and churches without testing or weighing them against the truth of God’s Word.  They fail to step into the gift of discernment through the Holy Spirit, and they do not practice the biblical call to test all things and hold fast to what is good.  This reliance on human opinion rather than God’s guidance keeps them spiritual stagnant and vulnerable to deception.

Discernment in scripture is not just “one” gift, but it shows up in three main ways:

1. A spiritual gift (discerning of spirits)
2. A mark of maturity
3. Something you grow in through wisdom and the Word

To me, the Word of God clearly intended believers to develop, practice, and grow in discernment and NOT to ignore it.  Hebrews 5:15 – “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”  (ESV)

This verse undoubtedly emphasizes that spiritual maturity comes through practice.  Discernment isn’t automatic.  It is developed as believers continually engage with God’s truth, apply it, and learn to recognize what is good versus what is not aligned with His will and His Word. We need to be engaged with God’s ways and the only way we know who He is, what He stands for, and what His heart is saying is to seek Him, to spend time with Him, and to love His word.

Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its seasons, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers.”   (ESV)

Verse 2:

• “…his delight …” This is deeply relational and not just instructional.  Delight means more than obligation; it speaks of joy, desire, and affection.  This is a hunger and thirst for God’s Word.
• “…in the law of the LORD…”  This refers to God’s instruction, His Word, His ways, His heart revealed to us.  It’s not just rules, but guidance that leads to life.
• “…on his law he meditates day and night.” This means a continual returning to truth.  It’s not about nonstop reading, but about dwelling on it, turning it over in the heart, and applying it in real life.

Verse 3:

• “He is like a tree…” This life is rooted, stable, and not easily shaken.
• “…planted by streams of water…”   This means the source is constant.  This person is not dependent on circumstances for nourishment; they are sustained by God Himself.
• “…that yields its fruit in its season…” This means growth and fruitfulness comes in right timing when we need it.

Therefore, when someone truly delights in and meditates on God’s Word their discernment deepens, their stability deepens, and their fruit becomes evident growing into a mature son and daughter that is truly transformed from the inside out.  As Psalm 1:1 starts off by telling us “…Blessed is the man…” who delights in and meditates “in the law of the LORD.”

However, discernment is not automatic for the believer. It is formed and nourished by being directly tied to how deeply we lean into God’s heart, His Word, and His ways.  You truly cannot separate discernment from intimacy with God.  The more you know Him, the more you know his Word, the more clearly you recognize what is NOT Him—discernment.

What if God asked you, “What do you want Me to grow in you?”  Would you ask for discernment?  This would be a wise choice because we are living in a time where discernment is not optional but is essential.

Every voice today can sound compelling, whether in politics, in culture, in religion, and even in the health arena.  Arguments are often persuasive on the surface. Therefore, we cannot afford to passively receive what we just hear or read.  We must take these four specific steps:

1. Bring everything before the Lord in prayer and ask for discernment.
2. Test what is said and what you hear against Scripture.
3. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
4. Be willing to slow down to truly hear His heart.

A final thought:  Discernment keeps us anchored and stops us from outsourcing our hearing what God is saying and instead cultivating our own sensitivity to His voice.  This will move us from spiritual passivity into spiritual maturity.

Now we are in the Easter season of resurrection where things long buried are called back to life.  For the Risen Lord Jesus Christ is truly risen and His victory is not only over the grave, but over every place in us that has grown dormant, passive, or hidden.

I pray in His mighty name, the Risen One, Jesus Christ our Savior that in this hour, the gift of discernment within you would be awakened and that what has been lying dormant would be stirred by the power of His Spirit just like in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Therefore, you will be rising up and stepping out of the tomb into spiritual maturity.

Just as Jesus came forth to resurrection life, so too you are invited to come forth alive, aware, and active by His Presence so that you will cultivate discernment, not as something distant, but as something living and active within you.  Consequently, your spirit will be sharpened to recognize truth, to walk in alignment with His Word, and to carry the fullness of resurrection life in Jesus’s name.  Amen and Amen!

In closing, your financial gift, at this special time of year, will enable us to keep moving forward in all that the Holy Spirit has for us as leaders of Freedom House Ministry and for those the Lord brings to us for prayer ministry through His power.  We cannot do this on our own.  Join with us in this season of Resurrection Power with whatever the Lord lays on your heart to give as we lead folks into biblical discernment and freedom.  We also covet your prayers as they undergird all that the Lord calls us to do in our counseling and in our schools.

No gift is too small or inconsequential.  You can go online to http://www.freedomhouseministry.com/make-a-donation/ 

Sending much love and blessings in this glorious and wondrous time of resurrection and a time of new life, new beginnings and biblical discernment.

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

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.

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

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

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

Mari Anne Andersen

Thanksgiving 2025

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.

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

Prophetic Word for September 22, 2025

Hebraic New Year – 5786

By
Mari Anne Andersen

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

By
Mari Anne Andersen

September 2025

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.

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 Season of Wide-Open Spaces – Your Journey of Faith

By
Mari Anne Andersen

August 2025

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