Real Healing Starts With the Healer: Pastor Moriah Thomas' Story

Sep 15
A licensed mental health counselor spent years teaching people to cope. Then she met Jesus and found something coping never could: real healing. Here's her story, and what it means for you.
Dr. Moriah Thomas spent years collecting psychology degrees and sitting across from people in pain, teaching them how to cope. She was good at her job.

But something was missing, and she didn't even know it until she met Jesus at 39 years old.

What happened next changed the way she understands healing altogether, and it might change the way you understand yours too.
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You Don't Need a Religious Resume to Meet Jesus

Moriah wasn't raised in church. She didn't grow up memorizing verses or sitting in a pew. She came to faith at 39, through of all things, a TV show. A friend kept nudging her to watch The Chosen, and somewhere in those episodes the weight of truth settled on her heart. She didn't have decades of religious tradition to unlearn. She just had an open heart and a simple prayer: "God, whatever you have for me, I want it." That's not a bad place for any of us to start, whether we grew up in church or we're still finding our way in.

There's a Difference Between Coping and Healing

As a licensed mental health counselor, Moriah spent years teaching people real, evidence based techniques to manage their pain. Helpful tools. But she'll tell you now that coping and healing are not the same thing. Coping helps you survive the moment. Healing gets to the root. When Jesus stepped into her own story, she started to see trauma differently, not as something to simply manage for the rest of her life, but as something He wanted to actually heal. That's the heart behind Freedom Coaching, the ministry Moriah now leads at Rise Up Culture Church: sitting with people, inviting Jesus into the memories and the wounds, and letting Him do what only He can do.

Faith Grows the More You Pursue Him

Moriah didn't wake up one day fluent in hearing God's voice. She sat in a quiet chair night after night, sometimes for twenty minutes with nothing happening, before anything shifted. Scripture puts it this way: "it has been done according to your faith" (Matthew 9:22). Growing in relationship with Jesus is rarely instant. It's a posture of showing up, asking, waiting, and testing what you hear against His word and His love. The more we pursue Him, the more we get to experience Him, and healing is one of the clearest ways we grow closer to Him.

A Simple Next Step

Want to hear Moriah's full story in her own words? Watch the full conversation here. And if you're local to Davenport, Florida we'd love to have you join us in person this Saturday at 6 PM.

Live Group Sessions 

Join Pastor Moriah Thomas, Ph.D. and Pastor Drew East for their upcoming live Group Freedom Sessions:
 Identity & Forgiveness - October 1st 
 Inner Healing - October 8th
 Healing from Bloodline Curses - October 15th 

Come ready to receive some truth, do some heart work, and leave lighter than you came.

These are live virtual webinars. After you register, you'll receive a Zoom link by email three days before the event so you can join from wherever you are.
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Book A Session

We recognize that past wounds can shape beliefs, emotions, and a person’s ability to receive from God. In these Freedom Coaching sessions, we create a safe, Spirit-led space where Jesus can reveal and heal those deeper places. Our approach is simple: we listen, we care, and we follow Jesus. He is the One who heals. We help you connect with Him.


Ready to take a next step? Fill out the Freedom Coaching Interest Form and one of our Freedom Coaches will reach out to make sure this is the right fit for you. We currently have a waitlist. In the meantime, we recommend the Group Freedom Sessions, and taking the courses: Loved, and License to Roar.

Your healing matters deeply to us, and we never want finances to be a barrier. That is why all sessions are free. Availability is limited, so a waitlist may apply. If you need anything in the meantime, please email freedom@theriseupculture.com.


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We believe everyone should have the opportunity to encounter Jesus, find healing, and discover their God-given calling, regardless of their ability to pay.

That is why many of our courses and resources are available completely free. If the Lord leads you to give, your generosity helps remove financial barriers and makes it possible for someone else to receive these resources too.
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