The Pure Desire Summit helped me know that I’m not alone.

We were so blessed not just by the speakers and the content, but it was the relationships and the connections I made with other people. Hearing their stories, getting to share our story, and then really feeling that love and acceptance, that’s what I love about the Summit.

I absolutely would recommend the Summit for anybody who is on their healing journey. It’s just so freeing to be able to be with these people and recognize that we’re not alone in this.

These quotes are from people who attended last year’s Pure Desire Summit. Do you notice a theme in each of them? Well, I sort of cheated by making them bold. The theme is connection and relationship with other people.

One of the greatest revelations we can have in the recovery and healing journey is knowing, “I’m not alone.” The Pure Desire Summit is one big party of people experiencing this reality. We are not alone on this journey. There are safe people who know what we know, have seen what we’ve seen, and have experienced the healing we’ve experienced.

In my humble opinion, this is what Christ intended the church to look like—a place of safety, honesty, and progressive healing. A place of vulnerability and curiosity. A place of empathy and encouragement.

We had over 500 people attend the Summit last year. This year we’re praying for even more. We’re doing this because we understand the power of connecting with other people who’ve experienced the transformation Jesus brings.

The author of Hebrews tells us,

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

While this passage is talking about the local gathering of a church, there are absolutely elements of this biblical mandate in our Pure Desire groups and events like the Summit.

In group, we know the power of sharing our stories among safe people. We know how much healing is experienced when others hear the deepest, darkest parts of our story and don’t run out the door. They sit with us, showing us love by listening. They say things like, “Wow, you’ve been through a lot. Thanks for sharing.” Or they say, “I’ve had a very similar experience and I totally get why you felt that way.”

The Summit is the same thing. Not only are we hearing from speakers who know the journey of healing and recovery, we are rubbing shoulders (in-person and virtually) with people on the exact same journey we’re on. It’s a safe environment for us to take the next steps in our journey.

Within this safe environment, our brains can relax and receive a new, fresh vision for the next chapter of our healing. We can be at ease, knowing that we don’t need to perform for anyone in the room. We don’t need to put on a brave face. We know, in this space, it’s okay to not be okay. From this place, our hearts are wide open to receive encouragement, replenishment, and direction from the Lord.

You. Are. Not. Alone.

Come experience this reality with us at the Summit on September 15-16!

Your next chapters of healing are being written. Let’s step deeper into it.

See you there.

Trevor Winsor is a featured speaker at this year’s Pure Desire Summit! Join us September 15-16, 2023, as we discover what healing and recovery looks like From the Heart.