This thesis paper examines the importance of the articulation of experience for the meaning and understanding of relationship with God entered through an encounter which includes body, mind and spirit in the ministry of healing through the laying on of hands. I examined the experience and ministry of laying on of hands from my perspective as well as the client's perspective to gain an understanding of my role in the healing encounter. One of the purposes of the Project was to "name God" through an examination of words used to describe the experience.

I transformed the context within which I practice my ministry from my living room to the living world, therefore my new context changed as I moved from place to place. The mandate for mission, which I initially felt as the need to speak about my ministry outside of my living room, has had the unintended consequence of an evangelization method.

I created an introduction to the healing session, as I practice it, and presented it eleven times around the country in ten different venues. I utilized the narrative method of research. My Local Advisory Committee and I conducted an aggregate total of over fifty interviews with people who practice the same or similar healing modalities, past clients and new clients.

The Project uncovered that people sought this experience for different reasons in the broader context, that of curiosity, and at the same time, that of strong faith. It also revealed similarities, in as much as the same amount of people sought the relief of emotional pain and suffering.

Our results revealed similar names for my role in the experience, facilitator, bridge, and Divine hostess. Our results also revealed similar names for God both before the implementation and in the new, broader context — presence, love and acceptance.