Author: Angela Miller

The Book I Wish I’d Had: Why It Took Me Ten Years to Write Raising Truth Seekers

Written by Angela Miller on October 14, 2025. Posted in 25 Anniversary - Ring The Bell, Serenity Blog, Serenity Retreat Center, TPM 101, Transformation Prayer, Transformation Prayer Training. No Comments on The Book I Wish I’d Had: Why It Took Me Ten Years to Write Raising Truth Seekers

by Barbara Rolen, Program Director, Serenity Retreat

Ten years ago, God gave me a dream.

He wanted me to help parents weave Transformation Prayer Ministry, this beautiful process we use at Serenity Retreat, into their everyday parenting and family rhythms. To show them how running to Jesus with struggles could become as natural as breathing in their homes.

But here’s the thing: I wasn’t ready yet.

I was still holding onto way too many lies.

The Lies I Didn’t Know I Believed

For decades, anxiety and fear plagued me. They colored everything: my relationships, my parenting, my view of God Himself. What I didn’t realize was that I’d picked up lies as a child. Lies like “I’m worthless.” “I’m unlovable.” “I’m defective.”

The really insidious part? I had no idea these lies were running my life. I didn’t even know I believed I couldn’t trust God.

But when I finally got to the end of myself—when I cried out to Him that I was just done with this way of living—He met me there. And He brought Transformation Prayer Ministry (TPM) into my life.

One by one, He’s been replacing those lies with His truth—His perspective.

That’s what TPM is, really. It’s a process where we meet God in our pain, and He brings truth that sets us free as it says in John 8:32, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” TPM is simply a very effective way to cooperate with God and receive His truth—the kind that reaches down into the hidden places where we’ve been believing things that aren’t true, but we’ve been living life as if they were true.

Imagine growing up believing you’re unlovable. You might spend your life jumping through hoops so others will love you and not reject you. Maybe you can see how it would be extremely hard to believe that God loves you, if in the core of your being, you believe the totally opposite?

Even my husband’s death became part of this transformation journey. God used everything in my TPM sessions—the grief, the questions, the wrestling—to help me see things through His eyes instead of through the filter of my lies or limited perspective.

All of that has led to the birth of Raising Truth Seekers.

The Moments I Couldn’t Help My Kids

You know what I remember most about parenting young children? The helplessness.

When my kids were fighting or melting down, I didn’t know how to help them process what they were really feeling. I’d try to fix it, manage it, redirect it, but I couldn’t actually help them get to the root of what was happening inside.

And the reason was painfully simple: I didn’t know how to do it myself.

I didn’t know how to name my own emotions, trace them back to the beliefs driving them, or run to Jesus for His perspective in those moments. So how could I possibly teach my children to do it?

This is the book I wish I’d had as a young mom.

Not another book telling me what I should be doing, but one that showed me how transformation actually works—in me first, and then in my family. Because here’s what I’ve learned: we can’t give our children what we don’t have ourselves.

What We’re Really After

What we’re really after as parents is raising kids with deeply rooted faith—the kind that holds when life gets hard. The kind that doesn’t crumble when they face disappointment, rejection, or suffering. The kind of faith that is actually strengthened in the hard times each time the Lord persuades a family member’s heart of His truth.

And that can happen when we create a family culture where running to Jesus with struggles is just part of how we do life.

Not someday. Not when they’re older. Not when we finally get our act together.

Right now, in the carpool line, in the meltdowns and the middle-of-the-night worries.

TPM can happen anywhere: in traffic, before a hard conversation, in the moment your teenager slams the door. It’s like getting in the express lane with God. It takes you straight to the root of what’s really going on, instead of just managing the surface symptoms.

When Kids See It Work

I love what a dad in West Virginia shared with me. His teenage daughter was skeptical at first about this whole TPM thing. (Teenagers, right?) But after receiving truth from God in a TPM session with her dad, she yelled through the house: “Hey sis, Dad’s not crazy! This thing really works!”

That’s the dream, isn’t it? Raising kids who actually want to bring their struggles to God; who know how to meet Him in their pain instead of numbing it, fixing it, or running from it.

Esa and Conor George are a young Canadian couple I interviewed for my book. I recall Esa as a student in our training course asking questions about how to use TPM with children. I was delighted to discover that they are figuring it out in real time. Esa told me that they don’t typically sit down for a formal prayer session in their home. It happens right in the middle of the kitchen with the family all around. What a way to model running to Jesus when your emotions reveal you are not seeing things the way God sees them.

Conor said that TPM has made him more curious in the moment. Now he asks himself, “Why am I so upset right now? What’s really behind this feeling?” He’s even learned to name what’s happening inside, saying to his family, “I’m feeling this right now. It’s not anyone’s fault—I just want to be honest.” That awareness helps him pause before reacting. He recognizes that his emotions might not reflect the full truth. Instead of rushing to fix things, he makes space for God to bring His perspective. What a beautiful way Conor is learning to shepherd his family so that his children grow up knowing there is only one thing to do when life gets hard: run to Jesus.

This is generational transformation.

It Starts With Us

Here’s what I know after years of doing this work: the fruit of TPM is real, lasting transformation.

As prayer ministers at Serenity, we get a front-row seat to these stories. We watch someone walk into a prayer session carrying years of anxiety or depression—and then watch them leave with a different countenance. One hour with the Lord brings more breakthrough than years of trying to fix themselves.

But it starts with us experiencing it first.

Our kids won’t learn to run to God with their struggles if they never see us do it. They won’t know how to receive truth from Him if we’re not modeling what that looks like. They won’t develop the habit of bringing their emotions to Jesus if home isn’t a safe place to name what they’re really feeling.

Raising Truth Seekers is not a how-to book of Transformation Prayer Ministry but rather my invitation for you to prayerfully consider creating a family culture where meeting Jesus in the hard moments, for the purpose of gaining His perspective, becomes just part of how you do life together. You’ll read testimonies of parents and grandparents who have learned to incorporate TPM as a lifestyle in their families.

Your Turn

What lies might you be believing right now—about yourself, about God? What would it look like to run to Him with those struggles instead of trying to manage them on your own?

At Serenity Retreat we’d love to walk with you on that journey. Because the truth really does set us free and that freedom is the greatest inheritance we can pass on to our children.

Want to be the first to hear when Barbara’s new book Raising Truth Seekers releases? Grab your free Family Faith Talk at PursueAbundantLife.com, you’ll be added to her list for early updates, sneak peeks, and more!

At SerenityRetreat.com you can schedule a prayer session, request information about a retreat in Bellville, TX, or register for TPM 101, the first step in our TPM training.

Raising Truth Seekers will be released this fall in its entirety. For anyone who commits to a monthly pledge in October 2025, you can request a copy of the 25^th Anniversary Special Release (limited quantity).

Part Two: When Breakthrough Rings in Bellville

Written by Angela Miller on September 16, 2025. Posted in 25 Anniversary - Ring The Bell, Serenity Blog. No Comments on Part Two: When Breakthrough Rings in Bellville

By Cynthia Wenz

Part One: Read Here

Flash forward to today.

I sit in the seat of CEO for the very ministry that once held space for my healing. It’s not lost on me how full-circle God’s faithfulness is.

I’m deeply blessed and inspired to serve alongside a united, prayerful board as Serenity Retreat prepares to celebrate its 25th year—a year of reflection and renewed mission.

Twenty-five years of quiet miracles. Of whispered prayers. Of stewarding sacred ground that has absorbed the tears and testimonies of hundreds who came to meet with and receive from God.

This summer, as heat slowed the rhythm of the city, our board made a strategic move: they asked me to step in as unpaid interim CEO to fill the gap and carry the weight of vision leading up to our 25th Anniversary Fundraiser on October 3rd.

It wasn’t a business decision; it was a spiritual one.

We sensed that this summer wasn’t a pause, it was a preparation.

And so, we, as an organization, have turned first to prayer.

Led by our dear Tiffany Pardue, the Serenity team launched 40 Days of Favor — committing 25 minutes of every morning to lift high the name of Jesus, not only for our ministry, but for hearts across the city, our partners, the Church, and the world.

These moments have become the heartbeat of this season. No production, no polish. Just believers united in one cry: Come, Lord Jesus. Move among us.

From those calls to the quiet trails of Bellville, breakthrough is beginning to take shape again. It’s the kind that’s born from humble hearts and holy ground.

We hear it in worship echoing from the cabins, Lodge and prayer chapel.

We feel it in tears that water the soil beneath our feet.

We see it when someone walks out of a Transformation Prayer Ministry session, ringing the bell — a literal, physical bell — because they’ve encountered freedom, truth, and the nearness of Jesus.

And how fitting that this year, our 25th Anniversary will be held at The Bell Tower on 34th Street — a place where bells echo through stone halls, as if heaven itself were affirming: Breakthrough has a sound.

It’s the sound of prayers whispered in faith.
The sound of truth replacing lies.
The sound of a bell ringing in Bellville, and in hearts ready to be free.

Will You Join the Sound of Breakthrough?

🙏 Pray with us: Join the last 6 Days of our 40 Days of Prayer: Sign-Up for our daily 40 Days of Favor prayer guide here
🎟️ Host or sponsor a table at the 25th Anniversary Fundraiser Celebrations. Whether you’ve attended before or not, your presence and invitation could make room for someone else’s healing: Register to Host or Sponsor a table here
💛 Partner with Serenity Retreat: Through prayer, presence, or financial support, you help us continue to offer sacred spaces of restoration to those who need it most.

Breakthrough is more than a moment.
It’s a movement.
And it’s already begun.

Come ring the bell with us.

RSVP at serenityretreat.com/ringthebell.

Experience the Unthinkable

Written by Angela Miller on September 15, 2025. Posted in Serenity Blog, Transformation Prayer. No Comments on Experience the Unthinkable

By Eric Miller

My health had declined in ways that doctors couldn’t explain, then I lost my job, and most painfully, God felt silent.

I was still praying and living for Him, but my daily struggle had somehow drowned out His voice. I was worn out physically and spiritually, and sadly, I had started to believe that maybe God would no longer speak to me.

Then we discovered Transformational Prayer Ministry (TPM) through a Google search. After an orientation, I thought it would be just like any other prayer method I’d tried in the past, but boy, was I wrong. During my very first session, I experienced the unthinkable.

God spoke to me again… for the first time in several years.

Not through someone else and not in vague impressions, but in a crystal clear way that addressed the exact lie I’d been believing: that I was all alone. It was intensely personal, and extremely transforming. It gave me hope. Hearing God speak made my heart feel soft again (It’s amazing how hard my heart had become).

Amazingly, albeit slowly, my circumstances began to shift. Over time, my health began to improve, and eventually, new doors opened for me professionally. One day, I realized that I felt completely stable and perfectly normal. And shortly after that, I realized that the trials I had walked through had served the purpose of teaching me to always trust my Savior in the midst of suffering and pain.

TPM didn’t fix everything, but it definitely made my heart soften enough to hear God speak again, and as a result (it’s been several years since that first session), I am still able to hear my Savior speaking to me daily, and I am walking in continued health, freedom, and hope. All glory to God!

If you find yourself disconnected from God, or in a season of overwhelming trials, I want to encourage you that God is always speaking to you, and that you can always hear Him speaking if your heart is soft enough to listen. And I bet that He’ll use your pain and suffering to break through to you. And TPM.

…cause that’s what He did for me.

To book a TPM Session virtually, in-person, or at our retreat center in Bellville, TX go to: https://serenityretreat.com/book/

A Night to Cherish the Old and Look Forward to the New

Written by Angela Miller on September 13, 2025. Posted in Filling Station, Serenity Blog. No Comments on A Night to Cherish the Old and Look Forward to the New

By Barbara Rolen

It was such a joy to gather in Bellville for the recent Filling Station on September 10. This bi-annual gathering gives us the precious opportunity to unite and remember why we continually say yes to this vital kingdom work. There was something special about gathering on the very land that God gave the ministry years ago. Nancy Zimmerman’s words, “We are on holy ground,” resonated deeply in our hearts.

The significant scripture that anchored our hearts that evening, and continues to guide Serenity Retreat in this season, is Matthew 9:17: “Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

As Cynthia Wenz, our volunteer interim CEO, spoke about these new wineskins, you could feel something stirring in the room. There’s something powerful about recognizing when God is preparing us for something fresh—something that requires not just new vision, but new capacity to hold what He’s pouring out. Robert Zimmerman, our board chairman, painted the picture beautifully as he shared how we’re unifying around our central purpose. He also shared his heartfelt conviction that this ministry simply wouldn’t exist without our prayer ministers. Our mission—to provide a safe place for all generations to encounter the Lord and be transformed— can only be realized because of our faithful prayer ministers willing to be on the front line.

Prior to ending the evening, Tiffany Pardue, our Retreat Director, set us up well to move into a time of prayer. It was a beautiful sound to hear small groups of believers all around the room praying over the ministry.

One of the evening’s highlights was listening to the bell ring 25 times, each chime representing one year that God has been ministering to His people at Serenity Retreat. We each took time to individually reflect on this sacred moment. Personally, I was thinking of what an honor it is to walk alongside our prayer ministers who have ushered guests to the feet of Jesus and witnessed transformation before our very eyes thousands of times. It was beautiful to move right into an impactful time of worship outside while the sun was setting. Rob Moorman, our board vice-chair, and Keever Wallace, one of our proficient mentors and leaders in the ministry, led us in such sweet worship beginning with “Holy Ground”.

The weight of our calling felt especially significant the morning after on the 40 Days of Favor prayer call as we paused to pray for our nation and the family of Charlie Kirk after the devastating news of his death. I believe that our mission is more important than ever as we prepare to receive hurting souls who have encountered tragic events or who just can’t seem to make sense of life anymore. Come Holy Spirit and have Your way in our hearts.

From Doing an Assignment to Being on Assignment: A Tribute to Emma Alvarez

Written by Angela Miller on August 12, 2025. Posted in Prayer Ministers, Serenity Blog, Spanish Ministry, Transformation Prayer, Transformation Prayer Training. No Comments on From Doing an Assignment to Being on Assignment: A Tribute to Emma Alvarez

By: Angela Miller

This Fall, we celebrate a beautiful transition in the life of one of our beloved team members, Emma Alvarez, who has stepped into a new season from the Lord as a teacher in the public school system. Emma leaves Serenity Retreat not only renewed, but transformed, a living testimony to God’s faithfulness, healing, and commissioning power.

As one of the administrators who had a small hand in Emma’s hiring, I look back now and simply say: Praise You, Jesus. He showed up for Emma in powerful, undeniable ways during her time at Serenity. There were hard days and months of transition that stirred old wounds and brought deep places of the heart into the light. And yet, God used every moment of discomfort, every challenge, to do what He does best: refine, restore, and use ALL things for His good (Rom. 8:28).

Transition often jostles things in our hearts. For Emma, those seasons became sacred spaces where God met her in profound ways. She leaves with blessing and joy from our team and with an eager anticipation for what God is about to do in and through her in this next assignment.

Emma once carried anger, anxiety, and rejection, wounds deeply rooted in childhood trauma. Those burdens shaped how she saw herself, how she related to others, and how she approached God. But in 2022, everything began to shift.

“Through Transformation Prayer Ministry at Serenity Retreat, I encountered a new level of healing. One by one, the lies I had believed for so long began to unravel as God gently replaced them with His truth. He didn’t just touch the surface—He went to the root. And He didn’t just heal me—He transformed me.”

That transformation didn’t stop with her. It began to impact every part of her life, her marriage, her family, her view of the world, and most importantly, her understanding of who she is in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1, and Romans 8).

“For the first time, I believe God can use me in ministry—not because I have it all together, but because He said, ‘You are mine, and I will use you for My glory.’”

For the past two years, Emma has served faithfully and joyfully as our Ministry Coordinator, then Office Manager and Prayer Minister and recently Bilingual Prayer Minister with Serenity (plus all the other duties as assigned). Her life and leadership have left a mark on many. She walks away from this season not with regret, but with freedom, joy, and a passion to share what God has done and continues to do.

“Serenity Retreat has been a vital part of my journey, and I’m forever grateful. I feel fully alive again and passionate about sharing what God has done.”

And so, with hearts full of gratitude, we bless Emma as she steps into this next chapter. She goes from doing an assignment to being on assignment! No longer striving, but walking in the Spirit’s leading. May every student, coworker, and classroom be touched by the light of Christ in her.

To God be all the glory.

– Angela Miller, Follower of Christ, Wife to Eric, Momma to Samuel, Program Manager & Prayer Minister

When God Had Other Plans for My Mountain Getaway

Written by Angela Miller on August 9, 2025. Posted in Prayer Session, Serenity Blog, TPM 101, Transformation Prayer, Transformation Prayer Training. No Comments on When God Had Other Plans for My Mountain Getaway

By Barbara Rolen

Have you ever planned a peaceful getaway only to discover God had something deeper in mind—your transformation.

This summer, I ventured to the Colorado mountains for my first solo vacation since my husband’s death five years ago. As someone who practices Transformation Prayer Ministry (TPM) as a lifestyle, I went expectant. When difficult emotions surface, I’ve learned they’re invitations to encounter God’s truth about whatever I’m believing.

At Steamboat Springs, I was thrilled to ride the gondola up Mt. Werner until those doors closed.

Within seconds, my excitement turned to tears. Alone, suspended by a cable high above the earth, my emotions were exposing a lie I was believing.

Deuteronomy 31:6 promises God will never leave or forsake us, yet here I sat feeling utterly abandoned. Rather than suppress these feelings or push through them, I leaned in. Using TPM right there in that swaying gondola, I uncovered the belief driving my distress: I am totally and completely alone.

God’s gentle correction came swiftly. Yes, I was the only human in that gondola, but I was never truly alone. As His truth penetrated my heart, tears of fear became tears of joy.

This is TPM as a lifestyle; cooperating with God whether on mountaintops or in mundane moments.

What would it mean for you to have this kind of intimate, experiential walk with God available in any situation?

That journey starts with experiencing TPM for yourself. Book a prayer session today. Our upcoming free TPM 101 introductory class is also a perfect entry point—and the prerequisite for TPM 201, where you’ll learn to begin using this life-changing prayer process on your own.

Whatever you’re walking through right now, this structured prayer process is available to you. Your transformation might be just a prayer away.

When Life Throws You a Curveball (Like Getting Moved to a New School the Day Before Classes Start!)

Written by Angela Miller on August 7, 2025. Posted in Serenity Blog, Transformation Prayer, Transformation Prayer Training. No Comments on When Life Throws You a Curveball (Like Getting Moved to a New School the Day Before Classes Start!)

By: Barbara Rolen, Program Director, Serenity Retreat

What does the beginning of a new school year mean for you? Maybe you’re in the thick of buying school supplies and new shoes, or perhaps you’re watching your own kids navigate those exciting and sometimes overwhelming first days.

As a former elementary school teacher for 18 years, I lived for those countdown moments. The planning, the meetings, the perfectly arranged bulletin boards, all building toward that magical first day when everything would finally come together. (You know that feeling, right? The excitement so intense you can barely sleep?)

But I’ll never forget the year I spent an entire week creating my dream classroom setup, only to get a phone call just hours before the first day: “We’re moving you to a different school.”

My poor husband was on the receiving end of that frantic, tearful call. I was devastated. All that work, all those plans—gone in an instant.

Here’s what I wish I had known then: those overwhelming emotions didn’t have to derail me. What if, instead of spiraling into panic and frustration, I could have used those very feelings as a pathway to encounter Jesus right in the middle of my crisis?

That’s exactly what Transformation Prayer Ministry (TPM) offers, a way to cooperate with God each time life throws you a curveball.

Think about it: How would life be different for you and your family if you had a reliable way to meet with Jesus in your moments of greatest need? What if, instead of just gritting your teeth and pushing through trials, you could actually be transformed by them?

(I bet you’re thinking of a recent situation right now where this would have made all the difference.)

Your Turn to Experience Transformation

Here’s your invitation to discover what it’s like to walk through a simple prayer process and potentially walk away transformed—all because you gained God’s perspective where you once held faulty or limiting beliefs.

With the new school year beginning, we’re forming new classes at Serenity Retreat. If you’re ready to learn how to come through trials transformed instead of just weathering the storm, now is your perfect time to start.

Ready to dip your toes in the water? Join us for TPM 101, a free 2-hour introductory class that gives you a welcoming overview of Serenity Retreat and Transformation Prayer Ministry, along with a gentle walk-through of what a prayer session actually looks like.”

When: Tuesday, September 23 @ 6:30 pm
Cost: Absolutely free
What to expect: A safe space to discover how connecting with God in this new way could change everything

After TPM 101, you’ll be ready to dive deeper into our 6-week interactive class, where you’ll learn the principles, purpose, and process of TPM and begin your own journey of meeting Jesus in completely new ways.

Because here’s the truth: God doesn’t want you to just survive your trials. He wants to use them to transform you.

Ready to say yes to transformation? Register today.

Breakthrough Has a Sound

Written by Angela Miller on August 1, 2025. Posted in 25 Anniversary - Ring The Bell, Serenity Blog, Serenity Retreat Center, Transformation Prayer. No Comments on Breakthrough Has a Sound

By Interim CEO & Board Member, Cynthia Wenz

Part One: When Breakthrough Rings Like a Bell

I still remember the first time I encountered Serenity Retreat. It wasn’t at a gala or a board meeting. It was at a memorial service, a sacred gathering for mothers like me who had experienced the deep grief of abortion.

I had just completed my very first post-abortion healing class, and Serenity was still in its infancy, meeting in an Upper Room in Garden Oaks. I can still see Kathryn Eason, our gracious host, leading us as we gathered to grieve, to pray, and to lay down the burden that had weighed on our hearts for so long. That day I wept freely.

Tears seemed to ring through my heart like a bell. It was a holy sound, the sound of grief colliding with hope, the sound of a heart breaking open so healing could begin.

That healing became a turning point in my life. Soon after, my simple volunteer role at a local pregnancy center became a full calling. I found myself stepping into the CEO role at a pregnancy center just 10.4 miles away from the massive 78,000 square foot Planned Parenthood facility that was being built—the largest in the western hemisphere at the time.

As that building rose, my heart rose in response. World Magazine even featured my reflections in an article called Taking on Goliath. That season was my personal battle with Goliath. But like David, my weapon wasn’t a sword, it was prayer. My heart’s cry to the Lord became my sling and stone.

We served women and families with the hope of life in Christ. We educated. We prayed. We adjusted our business hours to match the rhythms of the abortion industry. And behind every act of service was a tear-stained prayer that Goliath would fall.

And now, 15 years later, that Goliath has fallen.

The massive facility that once cast its shadow over our city is finally closing its doors. Even still, I’ve learned through the years that while laws can change, doors can close, and buildings can be torn down, there yet remains the battle for hearts.

Now in my service as Interim CEO of Serenity Retreat, I can see clearly why the Lord has brought me back to this sacred space. Because breakthrough has a sound—and that sound is incepted in the prayers of God’s people.