Strong Tower Mental Health Podcast · Heidi Mortenson, MA, LMFT

204. New Beginnings | Making Room for God's Blessings

·30 min·2 clips

Heidi admits she's struggled to step into her calling but wants to bring more Jesus into mental health.

Host Heidi Mortensen, a licensed marriage and family therapist, returns to her podcast after a six-month break serving another ministry. This solo episode focuses on making spiritual and emotional room for new blessings through Christian faith. Mortensen shares personal revelations from her time in ministry school and serving under Teresa Dedman. She emphasizes the scriptural concept from Hebrews 12:24 that the blood of Jesus "speaks a better word" of mercy rather than vengeance. Mortensen argues that many believers hesitate to hear God because they fear judgment, projecting onto God the flaws of human authority figures. She describes a process of "yielding and surrender" as an active, daily practice of dying to one's old self, referencing Galatians 2:20. Her service role required her to prophesy more and listen rather than lead, which she found personally challenging but transformative. A key insight is that hearing from God begins with raw honesty about one's current state, even expressing anger or confusion. Mortensen recommends praying Psalm 139:23-24 as an invitation for God to search one's heart, followed by a practice of waiting in silence to listen. She contrasts this with the common habit of only presenting grievances to God. Mortensen shares a personal dream image of being on a ski hill with boots too big, symbolizing God's prepared promises that feel intimidating. She connects emotional and physical pain to a clogged capacity to receive blessings, noting that trauma therapy techniques like EMDR can free up bound emotional energy. The episode concludes with a declaration that listeners are being called into a new, God-shaped identity, supported by scriptures like Isaiah 43:18-19 and Haggai 2:9. The tone is pastoral, instructional, and deeply personal, blending therapeutic language with charismatic Christian practices like prophecy and listening prayer. This episode adopts a conversational and encouraging style, moving between teaching, personal testimony, and guided prayer. It is educational yet intimate, aimed at fostering spiritual and mental renewal. Listeners seeking a Christian perspective on integrating faith with emotional health and personal growth will find this episode highly motivating. Those uncomfortable with charismatic expressions of Christianity or looking for secular mental health advice may prefer to skip it.

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