About New Heart Living
New Heart Living is a 501c3 ministry member of Network 220. All donations to NHL are tax-deductible. All goods and services received are charged as a fee in compliance with the IRS tax laws. We work in cooperation with an answer to our Board of Directors who fully understand their identity in Christ.
Coming to know God more fully and finding freedom!
The method of counseling and teaching to live from the new heart is "the abundant life" that is talked about in the Gospel of John. It is a life that is full and complete, not dependent upon circumstances nor often found wrapped in a neat and tidy package. Sometimes life is messy and feels out of control; however, the life that belongs to God and that belongs to us, if we are in Christ, is more than adequate for the storms we will face. The "abundant life" (Jesus' Life) is the new life that we have entered into, and we've entered it with new hearts. It is a life that God Himself will live in and through us...even in the midst of a crisis!
Speaking Engagements
Yolanda's speaking engagements can be booked by contacting her directly via email or telephone. She speaks regularly at women's retreats both for churches and other organizations on topics and themes that are endless. Her no-nonsense approach to sharing God's Word in the context of her own life, humor and the Jewish culture, in which she was raised, makes for both a fun and challenging time for her listeners to seek a more intimate walk with Christ. Her sample topics include:
The Resting Place or The Rest of God
Life In Grace
Redeemed, Renewed, Restored
Women of Valor
In The Beloved
Identity Theft
The Broken Road
Valley Life
Meet the Team
Yolanda Stith James
Executive Director
Yolanda Stith James received her training and certification under Network 220 in the mid to late '90s. She served as the Director of Training and a staff counselor for over 20 years, training men and women, supervising and mentoring/developing staff counselors, creating training and teaching curriculum used by the ministry and the Network to include topics such as addictions, marriage, codependency, depression, anxiety, parenting and a live counseling DVD series, all in an affiliate office in Northern Virginia.
Network 220 (founded in 1969 as Grace Fellowship International and later as the Association of Exchanged Life Ministries) affiliate offices that provide counseling, teaching (conferences, seminars, retreats and topical classes), and training focused on the identity of the believer in Christ. Yolanda received her commissioning through the Network 220.
Yolanda serves as the Spiritual Director for Northern Virginia Tres Dias, which is one of many Fourth Day retreat communities that conduct men's and women's retreats that serve the local churches in raising up Christian Leaders. She is a retreat speaker and conducts classes, as well as counsels and trains adult men and women.
In addition to her ministry experience and training, she has personally walked through a crisis in her family with her adult son that lasted nearly 10 years, and then another crisis hit in November 2014 when her husband and ministry partner, Ken, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After a 10-month battle, Ken went home to be with the Lord. With her training and experience, Yolanda offers those who come to New Heart Living an understanding, compassionate response, and tools needed for those walking in similar situations.
Sheila Murphy
Staff Counselor
Sheila Murphy joins the NHL ministry team after completing training and certification under Network 220 guidelines and requirements in 2015. She has a Masters degree in Counseling and has been a school counselor in the Fairfax County Schools in Northern Virginia for over 17 years.
Sheila is an active member of her community church in Vienna, VA and is a minister of renewing prayer there. She belongs to the Northern Virginia Great Banquet Fourth Day Community and serves to support others who want to grow and deepen their relationship with God. Before joining the NHL team, Sheila initially came to the ministry as a counselee seeking help for herself and God's answers for hope concerning her own personal life's challenges. She truly believes in and has experienced first hand, the transforming, healing power and grace that comes from our Lord.
Laura Stotler
Staff Counselor
Laura Stotler joins New Heart Living after being trained under Network 220 in 2012. Her previous experience as a lay counselor within the Network included her role as a Counseling Supervisor. She was responsible for client intakes, individual discipleship counseling, couples counseling, supervision, continuing education, and training.
Laura received her M.S.W. from The University of Maryland in 1999 where her focus was individuals and families. Her education has provided her with an opportunity to work in a variety of setting including school social work, in-patient child psychiatry, addictions clinics, and a private Christian practice.
Laura enjoyed helping her clients as they traversed their individual set of circumstances through the use of talk therapy, treatment planning, teaching the client specific coping strategies, and sometimes the use of prayer depending on the setting. Despite her efforts, it became apparent that her clients never fully experienced a lasting change. In fact, Laura realized that she was teaching her clients to work harder at their problem versus surrendering and letting Christ be their strength. One of her favorite verses is 2 Corinthians 2:19 “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” This verse is pivotal in the discipleship process as she teaches her client to lose confidence in their way of doing things and to appropriate Christ as their strength. When she learned about the transformative teachings of Paul’s letters, she knew that counseling apart from the Holy Spirit was impossible. Laura is, also, a member of the Northern Virginia Tres Dias, a Fourth Day Retreat Community.
Laura has witnessed this transformation in her own life and in the lives of her clients. She is passionate about sharing these truths with others and has enjoyed being a discipleship counselor ever since.
*New Heart Living works in conjunction with a Board of Directors that meets quarterly.