Thrive and Connexus Training

As part of our continued learning process, Dawn and I recently attended Thrive Training with the Life Model Works in Austin Texas and we had an incredible experience of joy and transformation. We needed to attend as bonded partners because so much of the work involved non-verbal, eye to eye communication and building joy. This is training for the right brain, the emotional control center. While most instruction is primarily left brained information and language focused, this work is done with the right brain where emotions, sensations, and our sense of our own identity are processed. These are so important to the work that I do as a counselor and trainer, and crucial to our marriage and family life as well. We had an incredible time of bonding that felt like a second honeymoon to us. Our kids were able to enjoy a week with their friends Gwennan and Will Rothnie, as Mark and Donna Marie we generous enough to care for them so that we could do the training. We are so grateful for this opportunity! If you’d like to learn more about Joy and the brain studies, this video of Jim Wilder is a good place to start. If you want a more bite sized peek into the subject, this is Jim telling about his own encounter with Jesus in a short interview.

The training is focused on teaching brain skills and learning to “turn on” the part of our mind that allows us to connect with God, with our own spirit, and with other people in loving bonds. “When the best of our brain and spirit are in shalom (peace) we are open, interested, flexible, self-reflective and use all our senses. We work to have the other person collaborate with us to reach understanding. We receive, process, respond, explore, understand and join. When we lose shalom our brain suspends the best brain and relational functions: self-reflection, attunement and mind sight. We feel alone, disconnected, and purposeless, we lose our sense of possibility and our role in the current situation, group or activity.”

I have found that this teaching builds wonderfully upon the foundation of grace I learned here at Grace Ministries International, and helps people who are suffering in low joy, to find themselves and connect with God again.The understanding of walking in the spirit, or walking after the flesh, is directly related to how well our brain is functioning and whether or not we are attuned to what God sees in His Love, or our own fear based view of things when we are triggered or shut down. The ability to calm ourselves and appreciate what God sees has a way of turning us on to His love and helping us to act and think more like ourselves. It’s a wonderful process to experience. I get to see the lights come on in my office every day!

His design of our mind, body and spirit is miraculous and He wants us to learn and grow in our ability to see as He sees, with the eyes or our heart, so that we can love as He loves!

I am already seeing incredible transformation in my family and in the people I work with as a result of this training. I see what God sees more readily; I attune to what people are feeling. I am aware when I can’t attune that I need to turn to Jesus for help.  It’s amazing, and I still have so much to learn!

I can feel God’s joy welling up in me as He sees His peoples’ hearts restored. Marriages are healing; children are being seen and known and loved well; friendships are being restored; people are realizing their dreams and desires and finding the energy and discipline to pursue them.

 Jesus makes His love known through His spirit in each of his beloved children. This verse sums up what I have been feeling as I do this work with Jesus.

In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! (Romans 5:5 MSG)

In short, my joy bucket is filled to overflowing! I am so glad that your heart can share in the generous outpouring of the Father’s love even as you read these words!