LIRM One on One ~ Evangelist Yohanna Hoehler

The word survivor can be used in at least a million ways and today is no different. Here at Legends Icons and Role Models we are always excited about interviewing amazing individuals who have overcome adversity. Evangelist Yohanna Hoehler is no stranger to determination and purpose all while striving to be in a peaceful place.

Check out her inspirational story and be prepared to experience a story of fierce determination.

Yohanna, your background is amazing. Share with our readers your heritage. 

Well, my biological mother is half German half French and my father is of Turkish decient.  I was born in Germany and am adopted by African Americans. Many say this is interesting combination but it is quite natural to me –lol.

Who are some of your musical and ministry inspirations and examples? Do you have any memories of meeting any great role models?

I have quite a few individuals that inspire me starting with my mother Evangelist Bernice Harley. Her walk with Christ, undying faith and anointing is a daily inspiration to me. There are others that inspire me as well, such as my late Pastor Andreas Hastings, Donnie McClurkin, Shekinah Glory Ministries and many more.

Share with our readers about your ministry and what is the mission.

Divine Rapha Ministries is a very unique ministry with the mission of helping and guiding individuals to overcome abuse in all its forms and the effects. It has been born out of my own testimony of overcoming abuse. We want to bring healing and deliverance to those that are being consumed by pain and hopelessness.

The thing that makes this ministry unique is that we are not just talking from an educational standpoint but from the view of one that has gone through it. It also focuses on educating individuals, churches and ministries on the matters of abuse, and how to deal with it.

Abuse is still such a” hush-hush” subject for many, especially the church. Leaders are afraid of dealing with it for various reasons. Some don’t know how to, others are still so closed minded that they say what happens behind closed doors should stay behind closed doors. Then there are those that are the ones abusing others.

Your bio via your site states that you and Bernice Harley connected instantly. Tell us about the time leading up to that moment.

When I met my mother Bernice Harley, I was going through one of the worst times in my life. I was a wounded, hurt, and hopeless individual, in my late teens, who had never experienced what love from other individuals was or meant. At that point in my life I had already endured 19 years of physical, sexual, mental, and verbal abuse by the hands of my OWN family. Murder attempts were made on my life by the same family members as well.

Yohanna & Bernice Harley

Having accepted Christ into my life as a young teenager finally helped me reach a point of acceptance of accepting the unacceptable. Accepting that this is just the way God allowed things to be and accepting that I will never have a family relationship and connection with my own. When I met Bernice at a concert in Germany, I didn’t know that it would be a life changing encounter. I also didn’t know that me accepting the unacceptable would soon lead to being blessed with what I thought was impossible.

Abuse is still such a” hush-hush” subject for many,

 especially the church

After the concert I handed her a little piece of paper asking her to remember me in prayer. She came out from behind the table she was sitting at, embraced and started praying for me.  She actually prayed for the exact things that were going on in my life at the time. Here I am now being her daughter as God had placed on her heart to take me as her own.

Will you be releasing any projects or publications of your own in the future?

I am working on my first book which will tell my story in its entirety. It details my journey to healing and forgiveness for my perpetrators and will be educational, encouraging and strengthening for those that are currently trying to reach a place of healing and peace. Even though the main focus is abuse and forgiveness/un-forgiveness, it will be a MUST READ for everyone.

Clearly one can tell that you have a strong spiritual foundation. Share with our readers your thoughts.

Being born into a family that didn’t care more about God than they cared about me, it wasn’t always the forefront in my life. Once I had my encounter with Christ, his love and redemption, it changed everything for me. I was blessed to have experienced great pastoral leadership at my former home church in Germany.

The late Pastor Andreas Hastings was my spiritual guide and played a major role in creating that strong foundation. My mother has truly taught me the foundations of walking and living by faith which only strengthened my foundation even the more.

Yohanna with her Mother & Brother Bernice & Joe Harley

Being in ministry can be rather stressful. Share with our readers how you handle stress?

I wish I could give a spiritual answer to that but the very thing that helps me release stress is cooking. It’s an outlet for me when I can get the pots jumping in the kitchen.  Also, knowing that souls are being helped and healed through this ministry makes the stressful moments a lot easier to handle.

As a young woman growing up and dealing with various levels of abuse, how did you handle it? What kept you sane and grounded?

Actually, I had many insane moments.  There were times when I thought I lost my mind and moments of attempting suicide. I have numerous suicide attempts behind me but God kept me even from myself amidst all the madness.

I also attempted to find solace comfort in drugs and alcohol which is never the solution. When Christ came into my life at age 14 and I started going to church, things became different. Sane moments began to become a norm due to the encouragement found in His word. Eventually, accepting things for what they are truly helped me become leveled. I still experienced my daily challenges and occasional moments but I've made it with the help of the lord.

Yohanna, We live in a critical world and many judge others before truly knowing the person.  How do you deal with criticism?

Criticism only pushes me further into my destiny! The thing is this, some critics are merited and some are not, but in either event they only help me better myself. The best way for me to deal with it is to just prove people wrong through my walk.

Accepting things for what they are 

truly helped me become leveled.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

My prayer is to have established a national ministry and simply continue doing what I am doing now but on a larger scale. Traveling across the country as well as abroad is also in view.  To educated, liberate, heal and deliver is most important to me. I also desire to be an aspired author and have two more books published by that time.

In a time where people have various opinions and perceptions of what ministry is about, it is refreshing to encounter someone who has a positive outlook on it all. Here at LIRM, we salute this overcomer for facing her circumstances and embracing her purpose in this world.

http://www.wix.com/divineraphaministries/divine-rapha-min