Maria was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to the United States at age nine with her parents and four siblings. Maria has had a heart for the hurting even as a small child and has a God-given gift of compassion and empathy.  She was originally introduced to deep inner healing in 1988 through Elijah House and sat under the teaching and training of founders, John and Paula Sandford, considered  pioneers of the “inner healing movement”. 

 

She began to desire to minister to wounded hearts.  In preparation, she attended the Basic Training School in 1989 and then the Advanced School in 1991, both through Elijah House ministries. As a result of this teaching and training, this was the open door to begin ministry helping others to be set free from emotional pain by discovering the root of the problem.

 

Maria did her internship in Birmingham, Alabama in 1989, through Abundant Life Ministries and has been working as a paraprofessional in private practice since then.  She joined Freedom & Healing in Christ as a counselor from 2003 – 2014. She also sat under the original teachings of Dr. Jim Wilder and his team, learning about the five modules of Connexus (Thrive) and is now assisting in facilitating these ongoing teachings. Maria loves learning in this area and continues to attend many various seminars, conferences, and webinars to update her skills and knowledge. 

 

Her heart is to join the Holy Spirit in the work He wants to do in wounded hearts, particularly in the Body of Christ… “The spirit of the Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to comfort all who mourn, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…” Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV