Our Journey

The Harvest House director, Lori Zylstra, has a passion for prayer.  When that passion was combined with the desire for a place to gather with friends to pray and a private place to conduct prayer ministry, The Harvest House was born. The journey to find a location for a prayer ministry and retreat center began in 2009 for Lori and her husband Tim. It has been a long and winding road but the Lord has led them to three acres of beauty, peace and rest in the heart of Iowa for The Harvest House to call home. This property was literally Lori’s homestead as she grew up amidst the cornfields of rural Iowa.  So their journey has literally taken her home.

During the past 12 years they have been on a spiritual journey as well. Learning, reading, listening and studying about the different facets of prayer have been a joy as well as a “stretching” in faith.  Lori has studied and been trained in various levels of prayer ministry through today’s leading prayer ministers in healing prayer, inner/emotional healing prayer and deliverance.  Lori was ordained as a minister on April 5, 2013.

Using her spiritual gifts and training, Lori ministers in the corporate setting in her home church as well as conducting individual prayer ministry sessions at The Harvest House with those who desire deeper emotional healing and freedom.

Their heart’s desire is to share what they’ve learned over the years about God’s love and transforming power.  They not only minister to individuals and groups; but also train, encourage, and help others recognize and use the gifts that God has placed in them.  They desire to see each person living in the fullness of who God created them to be.

Lori & Tim Zylstra

Keys to Knowing God

God wants you to know Him and experience His love:

1.  God loves you and wants the very best for you.  “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jer 29:11

2.  The only thing that keeps you from experiencing God’s love is sin.  (Sin is “going your own way” and falling short of God’s will for your life.)  “Your iniquities have separated you from your God.  Your sins have hidden His face from you.”  Is 59:2

3.  The key to knowing God is to receive Jesus and the forgiveness He offers.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.” John 14:6  Jesus paid the penalty for your sin when He shed His blood on the cross.  He died and rose again so that He could bring you into a relationship with God.

4.  Receiving Jesus involves repenting (turning from your sin) and receiving the forgiveness Jesus provides.  When you do that, God sends His Spirit to dwell in your heart and make you a new person.  “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

You receive Jesus through faith.  Faith can be expressed in a simple prayer like this:

“Lord Jesus, I need You.  Come and live in my heart.  I now turn from my sins and receive Your forgiveness.  Please send Your Spirit to live within me so I can know You and be all that You want me to be.  I thank You now, by faith, that You have forgiven all my sins and brought me into a relationship with You!”