What if God asked you to stop everything for two years—no studies, no job plans, no ministry platform—just to be with Him? In a world where value is often measured by productivity, Helene’s story is a striking reminder of a different kind of calling—one marked by stillness, surrender, and the quiet voice of God. After high school, the Lord asked her to do something that didn’t make sense to most: lay everything down and spend two full years simply being with Him. What followed was a hidden season that changed everything for Helene.
A Hidden Season of Deep Intimacy
Helene is a young believer from Austria. The Lord led her into a hidden season after high school. When asked how, she responded: “The Lord actually told me to just spend time with Him,” she said. “He put me in the secret place and said, ‘Just get to know Me.’”
He put me in the secret place and said, ‘Just get to know Me.’
Helene had already been saved at age 11, but this was different. Over the next two years, she allowed the Lord to build a strong foundation inside of her—through walking and praying in the mountains, soaking in Scripture and Bible commentaries, and learning to listen in prayer.
“It wasn’t always about talking. About 80% of prayer was just listening,” she shared. “And we did many things together—not always spiritual things. He was just there.”
The Cost of Obedience
Though it was a beautiful season, the cost of obedience was real. Although she still worked part-time in a boutique, people questioned her choices.
“They were like, ‘Don’t you have to get a degree or do something?’” she said. “But I knew what the Lord was calling me to do was more important than listening to the world’s opinion.”
But I knew what the Lord was calling me to do was more important than listening to the world’s opinion.
The Reward of Receiving His Heart
In that secret season, she discovered things that God’s heart really burns for. One of these things is unity in the Bride of Christ: “I had a lot of my own opinions about different churches.”
She continues: “But the Lord just has been tearing down all these walls, and asked me to lay down my preferences and what I think is the right church and the right way. Because He is the only Way and the only Truth.”
The Joy of Salvation
What started as obedience turned into transformation. “I’ve honestly seen God’s presence shine through me,” Helene reflects. “People noticed something different. That wouldn’t have been possible without the time I spent with Him.” She also noticed a shift when she stepped into ministry again: “Now that I’ve soaked in His love, I can’t keep it to myself. It overflows.”
Helene’s time in the secret place also reframed her view of ministry and calling. “Even if He never does more with my life, I already have everything—because I know Him,” she said. “This is the whole point: to know the Lord and to sit at His feet. My relationship with Him and the joy of salvation are the most precious things.”
My relationship with Him and the joy of salvation are the most precious things.
Sowing and Reaping Throughout Generations
Helene believes her story isn’t unique—it’s an invitation for many. “I think God is calling people in our generation to slow down. He wants to show us that friendship with Him is the foundation of everything.”
In this hour where we see many turning to Christ, ‘’we are actually reaping a harvest that isn’t ours, Helene shares. ‘’I have so much joy just knowing that there were people praying for decades for this to happen.’’
She continues: “It’s an honor to reap this harvest, but also a blessing to pray for the future generations, so that they can reap a harvest that they did not sow into themselves. We can already prepare for the future generations when we realize that prayer truly is the basis of everything else we do.”
We can already prepare for the future generations when we realise that prayer truly is the basis of everything else we do.
Turning Faith into Action
To those considering a hidden season, she offers both encouragement and challenge: “We say we want to sit at Jesus’ feet, but are we willing to sit for three months? Or two years? Jesus didn’t just say ‘I love you,’ He showed it through the cross. Are you actually willing to step out in obedience and in action?”
Her final words are a prayer for all of us: “That we would trust God’s pace, and walk in it. That we would know He’s pleased with us—even when we don’t do anything besides enjoying Him in the moment and receiving His love.”
