Hello! My name is Dr. Alysa VanderWeerd. I am the Founder of Relentless Prayer. Thank you for visiting! Praying you come across a resource you need at the right time.
Here at Relentless Prayer, we have a heart to pray and to encourage many to not give up on praying for that specific loved one.
God is faithful!
His agape love is unfailing, He is always present, and He speaks the need. Isaiah 26:4 says, "Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH the LORD is everlasting strength."
God is the One in whom we trust with our family, friends, church, community, work, nation, and our own life.
Here at Relentless Prayer, we also provide strong resources with a Biblical worldview to guide in regard to the many aspects we face in life.
My Doctorate is in Education in Community Care and Counseling: Family and Marriage from Liberty University. Truly, my testimony showcases the faithfulness of God and how He will take us on a 180 in life, when we make decisions according to others' opinions of us, as opposed to seeking God for direction. I love how God moves. He will redirect our path according to His will. His life stories are never boring! He is the One Sovereign over our life. We can trust Him.
One verse I love is 1 Corinthians 2: 9, No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the journey God has planned for those who love Him.
Another verse I love is Proverbs 19:21 and it says, “You can make many plans but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
This is a truth I have lived! I received my B.A. in History with a minor in English from the University of California- Irvine, where I rowed for the women’s crew. I originally aspired to be an author; however, my professors were not so keen on my writing; therefore, I switched my major to History where I excelled. I then sought to be an Archivist for a Presidential Library, earning my Masters in Public History from the University of California- Riverside.
While earning my Masters, I obtained an injury on the job and attended physical therapy. I was working full time while earning my Masters, and so I joined the gym that the physical therapy clinic was set in. My stress reliever before class! About 10 months later the physical therapy clinic offered me a job. “You don’t want me,” I told the Physical Therapist as I proceeded to tell him physical therapy was not my field. The following month I regretted telling him no. I remember writing in my prayer journal one day, “Lord, I wish I would have just taken that job.” No joke, the next day the physical therapy clinic called me and offered me the job again. They had hired another girl, who quit the day before she was supposed to start. Totally the Lord! I took the job. My intention was to work there until I finished my Masters and then find a job at a Presidential Library. But God. As I was completing my Masters the Lord continued burdening my heart to remain at the Physical therapy clinic and not pursue archives. So, I did. And I do not regret it.
I worked in physical therapy for 9 1/2 years where I had the privilege in helping injured patients in their rehabilitation. Everyday, I received a first hand look at someone in pain. Someone needing help and guidance. What I noticed through the years, it was not just physical pain people were struggling with, but emotional and spiritual. God opened many doors and opportunities to reach out to them with the love of Jesus Christ, sharing the gospel, showing them specific verses in the Word of God, praying for them and most importantly pointing them to Jesus Christ–the Great Healer. These were some of the best conversations.
So many people are hurting, and they need to know there is hope. They need Jesus Christ.
I grew up attending Harvest Christian Fellowship, serving in the youth ministries, Harvest Crusades, prayer, and Follow-Up Counseling. Just as I witnessed people in physical therapy whom we gave specific therapeutic exercises to, to correct abnormal movement patterns and address functional deficits, recover due to correct modalities; so too, for those that are struggling with issues in life, I have seen how the ability to not only guide them to the Word of God but exhort them to live it, has helped them thrive through pain as they set their eyes on heaven. And this changed the course of my journey again, as I decided to pursue my doctorate in counseling. People need to know there is hope amidst affliction and pain. They need Jesus Christ!
I worked for a Forensics Psychologist, who focused his practice on those who experienced injury or harassment at work. Once again, I experienced first-hand knowledge of the very difficult traumatic situations people face in life that are out of their control while being psychologically debilitating and spiritually depleting.
Therefore, with Relentless Prayer, we seek to provide resources and prayer for those facing various difficulties in life, as well as guidance for the different seasons we face in life. We believe God graces us with the knowledge and wisdom we have in order to help others.
I focused my dissertation on Spiritual Disciplines and Mental Resiliency: The Effectiveness of Spiritual Coping to Decrease Anxiety and Depression Symptoms.
And have written a few books.
Truly, we Christians need one another, uniting in prayer!
Will you join us in praying?