• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Thanksgiving Therapy

A Resource for Ministry to People Who have Suffered Spiritual Injuries Through Building Relationships and Having Spiritual Conversations. (Very many people have.)

Revision 0 26 April 2016

Revision 1 31 July 2016

This is not a “therapy” in the traditional sense. Rather, it is merely a set of techniques that can be employed by ordinary people with a true relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ who have love and compassion for others. The process and techniques found within have been tried and proven in a variety of the MATTHEW 25:34-40 Ministries.

This document is useful for training the saints in techniques that can improve their ability to minister to friends, neighbors, and others that they can encounter intentionally or casually.

Authored by “Church On The Streets” (COTS) Leaders COTS is a Ministry of MATTHEW 25:34-40 Ministries

For suggested revisions, please contact us through [email protected] or in writing at 1060 Alexandria Drive, San Diego CA 92107-4115 or by telephone at (619)223-1504

1 Table of Contents

Thanksgiving Therapy...... 1

Background Summary...... 3 Ministry Background...... 3 The Universal Experience of Spiritual Injury...... 3 The Downward Spiral of Untreated Spiritual Injury...... 4 Theological Background...... 4 Calling to Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks...... 4 Avoid Ingratitude...... 5 Our Responsibility...... 5

The Nature of Spiritual Injury...... 5 Types of Wounds...... 6 Symptoms of Spiritual Injury...... 7

The Thanksgiving Therapy Process...... 8 Process Overview...... 8 Thanks to God & Who He Is – The 1st Step...... 9 Thanks to God for His Relationship Toward Us – the 2nd Step...... 11 Thanks to God – How He Displays His Love Toward Mankind – the 3rd Step...... 11 Thanks to God – How He Acts in Our Behalf – The 4th Step...... 12 Thanks to God – Who He is in His Personal Relationship to Us – 5th Step...... 12 Thanks to God for His Promises – 6th Step...... 12 Thanks to God – His Deliverance & Healing in Our Circumstances – The 7th Step. .13 Process Summary...... 13

Appendix A Biblical Examples & Reasons for Suffering...... 14

Appendix B Some First Step Conversations...... 15 Ice Breaker Conversations...... 15 Starters...... 15 Common Responses...... 16 Replies to Common Responses...... 16 How Do You Know Step One Is Established?...... 16

Appendix C “GOD Is…” Table of Contents...... 17

Appendix D Names & Titles of God & Christ...... 18

Appendix E Some realizations of people experiencing spiritual trauma in warfare/military service...... 24 How can you help people with these stories?...... 25

Appendix F: Some Stories...... 25 How can you help people with these stories?...... 35

2 Background Summary

Ministry Background In the diversity of needs we encounter in our various ministries, we know that physical and emotional needs are often symptomatic of spiritual needs. If we meet these immediate needs, the people we have served have the need again and again. Only when the spiritual needs are met do we see the people set free and gain the position of being able to meet their own physical and emotional needs. Almost all of the spiritual needs we encounter are needs for healing in the heart from deep hurts. Too often, people have suffered traumatic spiritual injuries in the midst of life events. They have been unable or ill equipped to handle the hurt in their heart. All too often, people who are close to the hurting person don’t know how to help them. The testimony of Scripture is that people do not naturally give thanks to God; the sin nature is opposed to doing so. However, a spiritual wound does not heal by itself.

The Universal Experience of Spiritual Injury “So am I allotted months of futile [suffering], and [long] nights of misery are appointed to me.” (Job 7:3) “Bless our God, O peoples, And sound His praise abroad, Who keeps us in life And does not allow our feet to slip. For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins. You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance. I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings; I shall pay You my vows, Which my lips uttered And my mouth spoke when I was in distress.” (Psalm 66:8-14) “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) There are many hundreds of verses in the Bible addressing afflictions, injustices, evils, catastrophic losses, wars, exploitation (especially of the poor), suffering, agonies, tribulations, rejections, trials, and assorted other forms of troubles. Our Lord Jesus was not spared; rather, He endured it all for our benefit. It was for us that Jesus suffered on the cross. Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was troubled in His heart as He contemplated the agony He was yet to go through, sweating blood from the distress. On the Cross, He cried out, ‘My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ as He took our sins upon Himself and suffered the spiritual death of separation from the Father. Jesus has taught us that we should expect to go through the sufferings of this life, but He would be with us in every detail and every moment with His victory over sin and death. This doesn’t prevent us from suffering or being injured, but it does mean that He is there to comfort, strengthen, and heal us. Avoiding pain in our heart is not an option; we will all suffer heartaches and wounds in this sin-cursed world. The question that faces us is how we will deal with the events when they do occur. In each case, we can either turn our eyes to the Lord or try to “guts it out” in the strength of our flesh. When we fail to rely on the strength of God, we are ignoring the healing we need. We will fail. Ultimately, all suffering is designed for us to turn to and depend on God.

3 The Downward Spiral of Untreated Spiritual Injury The cultural adage, “Time heals all wounds” is not borne out to be true. Time alone cannot heal; there must be a healing process in place. Without a healing process, a downward spiral develops something like this: 1. Without a healing process, a spiritual wound only gets deeper and deeper. 2. Hope diminishes, so faith wanes and despair grows. 3. As despair grows, the wounded person tends to isolate from others because the hurt of loneliness is less than the hurt of not being understood by people “who should” know and understand and help. 4. In isolation and hopelessness, a. The person seeks to medicate themselves, leading to substance abuse. (The substances are most commonly food, alcohol, or drugs.) b. The person becomes increasingly depressed and unable to function in basic life skills, leading to dependency on psychiatric medications. 5. Dependent on substances and feeling out of control, the person grows in anxiety and hopelessness. 6. They continue to spiral downward, repeating (2) through (5), unless there is a positive intervention. We encounter people in various stages of this downward spiral, so they may be mildly affected, severely affected, chronically affected, or suicidal. The more serious the degree of affection, the more critical is the need for intervention. In every case, their life is at stake.

Theological Background

Calling to Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks The Bible describes the principle of thanksgiving extensively in both the Old and New Testaments. An extensive study of worship led to this conclusion: thanksgiving is the foundation of praise which is fundamental to worship which is ultimately expressed in doing the will of God. Without thanksgiving toward God, true obedience to God’s will is impossible. Psalm 100 provides an excellent expression of this thought: “Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.” A similar thought is expressed succinctly in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 as “rejoice always, pray always (without ceasing), give thanks always (in everything) for it is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Note that Psalm 100 is addressed to everybody across the whole earth. We can see how the concept of rejoicing is tightly linked to the giving of thanks. Philippians 4:4-9 says, “ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and

4 heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” We can see how the passage in 1 Thessalonians is paralleled in Philippians 4, especially in verses 4 and 6.

Avoid Ingratitude Obviously, the opposite of thanksgiving (gratitude) is ingratitude. Not so obvious is that ingratitude is also the opposite (functionally) of rejoicing. Ingratitude is closely coupled to grumbling, murmuring, discontent, and complaining.

Our Responsibility Truthfully, the only true healing of the heart must come from the hand of the Great Physician, Jesus Christ. However, we are often called to be agents or instruments of our Lord in coming alongside others. Galatians 6:1-2 says, “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” We don’t often think about the relationship between a hurting heart and the sin nature. However, the sin nature tends to drive a person to perfect themselves, an endeavor to which they are doomed. Galatians 6 instructs those “who are spiritual” – those who have victory over the circumstances with which another is struggling – to restore them. Restore them in what way? In this context, restoration refers to bringing them back into a functional relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ where they too are living in the victory of His work on the cross. This means to not only arrest the downward spiral observed above, but to reverse it so that the person is back to where they were (or better) than before the event(s) leading to their heart injury. The “law of Christ” refers to loving each other in the concepts presented in Galatians 5. Fulfilling the law of Christ refers to His commandment to love one another. Jesus taught us, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you (John 15:12, see also Mark 12:30-31, John 13:34, 1 John 3:23, 1 John 4:21, and 2 John 5-6)” Thanksgiving Therapy intends to bring hurting people into the presence of the Lord who Heals. This occurs when we are obedient to Scriptural principles applied with love and grace. The therapy process builds an upward spiral toward a better relationship with God, overcoming the losses that had been suffered because of the trauma of the heart.

The Nature of Spiritual Injury There are a variety of physical wounds and each one has a different therapy that is appropriate for it; in the same way, spiritual injuries are different and require different therapies. That is not to say that Thanksgiving Therapy is not appropriate, it merely says that there may be other forms of counseling and perhaps some form of medical intervention indicated. We are not responsible for the entirety of the therapeutic program, only the portion for which thanksgiving is important. Thanksgiving is a matter of the heart. Thanksgiving is foundational to our relationship with God and in doing His will. We know that different people may all experience the same events, and yet react very differently. Why? It is because each heart is in a different spiritual state and relationship with the Lord. What may be simply a trial of life to one person may be highly traumatic to another. The impact of a traumatic event on one person may affect them different from another person going through the same trauma. Some stories are included in Appendix F to illustrate real hurts. We are each individuals. It is a good thing that the Great Physician knows each of us perfectly. 5 Types of Wounds Let us consider different types of wounds. There are wounds of at least the following types:  Loss o Death of a loved one. . Parents . Siblings . A child . A child through abortion . A close friend o Self-identity found in or through: . A job . A life purpose, especially when no longer being able to pursue it because of health or disability . Inability to continue to do favored activities . A position of importance in social standing (former glory) . Community connections/participation o Health . By accident . Disability . Disease o Prosperity/Possessions/Personal treasures . Through accident/breakage . Through legal actions (divorce, foreclosure, etc.) . By natural disasters . By theft or fraud . By bad decisions/poor investments, etc. o Identity theft/loss of ID materials (birth certificate, driver’s license, bank cards) o Security/Safety o Robbery/theft  Helplessness in the face of: o War o Wickedness o Disaster o Illness or Disability  Betrayal o Especially by people who are highly trusted o Infidelity o Divorce o Abandonment, especially by parents . Absentee parents . Functionally absent parents (due to alcoholism, drug abuse, or “workaholic” behavior) o (perceived betrayal by God created by false personal theology)  Exploitation o Abuse, especially spousal abuse and other forms of domestic violence 6 o Verbal abuse, character assassination, slander, libel o Rape o Trafficking . Sexual . Labor (enslavement) o Employment o Financial/Fraud  Bad Personal Decisions (usually also resulting in loss or exposure to betrayal and/or exploitation)  Inability to defend oneself from enemies (or dire circumstances) leading to: o an overwhelming sense of helplessness/lack of control, o fear and anxiety, o need to run and hide (but the circumstances may be inescapable) [Notice how becoming homeless can create very significant multiple losses and how the circumstances leading to becoming homeless may involve multiple other factors.] This is not an exhaustive list, but it captures the overall sense of the types of injuries we encounter. Please notice how you have probably suffered similar circumstances in your life, but you may not have had any sense of injury. Nearly all of us have suffered the death of a loved one, we have been betrayed, we have been exploited, but we have not always felt the effects of being injured. Why? Probably because we went through the circumstances with others and we were able to comfort each other. Perhaps it was because we received some spiritual truth in the midst of the circumstance that gave us strength. How many funerals have we been to where the Twenty-third Psalm was read or “Amazing Grace” was sung? However, we need to recognize that there may be special circumstances in a person’s heart which prevents them from being comforted or hearing the good words they need to hear.

Symptoms of Spiritual Injury In any case, we can see that there are some common responses to spiritual injury that we have all experienced in one way or another which brought about a need or response in us such as:  Pain  Grief  Anger o Against an individual o Against a group of individuals, organization, or the government o Against society as a whole o Against God (He allowed it; He allows things to be the way they are; etc.)  Hate  Mistrust  Despair The severity of the response is often an indicator of the depth of the injury. The type of response can indicate, in part, the nature of the injury (grief is associated with loss, anger with betrayal and exploitation, etc.). We are familiar with these traits in our own lives, so we should be able to be sympathetic. We need to be sympathetic in order to be helpful, but we also need to love enough to desire to help the person move beyond what they are experiencing back to spiritual health. If we care, we also have to be careful that we are not enabling them to stay in their current state, yet we must also be graceful enough to allow them to heal at the pace they need to 7 receive what they need from God at the rate they are able. God need to be able to use us the way He wants us to behave and speak most effectively to this person to whom He has called us to minister. He will tell us to speak truthfully and redemptively to our hurting brother/sister in such a way that they will decide it is time to start healing. We can only do this when we have developed a trusting relationship with them. When we have a sufficient relationship, we can often gently ask questions that will tell us about their spiritual suffering. We will need to listen carefully with compassion and understanding. (This document has been prepared by a number of engineers who are not known for their ability to express emotions well or to demonstrate compassion, but all things are possible in Christ Jesus. If we can do this, you can too.) I our listening, we need to be careful to control our own thoughts so that we can be attentive. We cannot afford to be thinking about how to respond or what to do or to be analyzing what is being said. We need to simply listen, prayerfully hear, and receive what has been said. We need to understand that the person who is hurting may not be telling us the truth; they may be deceived themselves or not able to understand what they have been going through. God knows, so we need to be listening to the Spirit as well. We can have confidence that our efforts in behalf of our Lord will succeed in the matter for which He has called us. He will have totally equipped us for what we must do.

The Thanksgiving Therapy Process

Process Overview We call this Thanksgiving Therapy because “therapy” implies “a treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder.” Out of our love and compassion for our fellow mankind, we desire to see them relieved from their observed conditions and restored to health. At the same time, we realize that we don’t have the power to change anyone – we can’t even change ourselves, but we know the One who can and does change lives – our Lord Jesus Christ. The concept of therapy implies a method or approach which is tailored to each individual case. Please notice that the beginning processes are totally independent of the type of injury or trauma. This is because the impact of spiritual injury is to disconnect the heart from faith in God. Faith in God needs to be re-established at a basic level for any progress to be made. Therefore, the principles in “Having Spiritual Conversations” on our Ministry website resources (see http://www.mt25v34.com and find “Spiritual Conversations” under the Resources tab) are very useful in executing the process steps. The therapy process steps serve as resources for the conversations. Scriptural principle, as well as practical experience in ministry, informs us that everything must be guided in prayer and that the following general steps must be followed: 1. Thanksgiving focused on God a. Who He is i. The Creator of everything ii. All-powerful iii. All-knowing and all-understanding iv. Present everywhere v. Eternal vi. The Only True & Living God vii. The One – King of kings, Lord of lords, God of gods – Sovereign over all b. His character c. His attributes 8 2. His relationship toward each and all of us. a. Giver of Life b. Savior c. Deliverer d. Provider 3. How He displays His love toward mankind. 4. How He acts in our behalf. 5. Who He is in His personal relationship to us. 6. For His promises 7. For His deliverance and healing in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. While this process is not rigidly defined in the Bible, there is a strong realization that we cannot progress through the process until there is a sufficient understanding internalized in the heart of the person who is being helped, not merely their mind. We also realize that those who participate in the process must be guided by the Spirit of God since He alone knows the hearts of each person. As we saw in the Theological Background above, thanksgiving, rejoicing, and prayer are all linked to each other. Since the process must be guided by the Spirit of God, it is obvious that prayer is essential. The focus on thanksgiving (a heart of gratitude) is the mechanism through which the heart is opened to healing. In the downward spiral described above, there is an erosion of hope and faith which must be restored. The exercise of thanksgiving restores the openness of the heart to hear from God and to exercise faith in Him. The ability to express joy is a direct measure of the progress in the healing of the heart; it is also a measure of how good our relationship is with the Lord. (He is perfect toward us, it is our response that is lacking.) The passage from 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us “always” is the standard for rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks, but we all recognize that nobody achieves this standard. We all need to grow in our spiritual maturity and in our relationship with the Lord. (How much more important it is for us to act in love and grace and encourage each other.) Thanksgiving is the foundation of praise. Praise is the foundation of worship, and worship is gladly doing God’s will. Similarly, Step One is the foundation for Step Two which is the foundation for Step Three, and so forth. As a result, don’t ever abandon the more basic steps as you proceed through the process steps. Rather, routinely return to Step One and work your way up the steps. This will ensure cementing the concepts into the heart.

Thanks to God & Who He Is – The 1st Step This first step is the most basic step, and yet is often the most difficult. Giving thanks in all things (per the standard of 1 Thessalonians 5:18) is exceedingly difficult. Our sin nature does not naturally give thanks. We need to be taught to be thankful. It is easier if we have been taught from our childhood to be thankful for our meals, but as children we often did that rather mechanically because we didn’t understand why. Just putting on an attitude of gratitude is very difficult for someone who has a hurting heart. We must thank God for who He is. This may seem counter-intuitive to us. But we need to do things God’s way, and His ways always start with Him because He is the provider of all things. The benefit of accomplishing this step is acknowledging that God is God and we are not God. The sin nature inherently does not want to admit that we are not equal with God, so when we are trapped in sins, we have a hard time admitting He is God and giving Him the thanks due Him. Gratitude that God is God seems to be so simple. The fact is straight forward, but the reception in our heart is difficult when our heart is not focused on God. It is also very difficult

9 for you, a stranger, to be the helper you are called to be since a trust relationship still needs to be established. A person who attributes their heart injury to God may find it especially difficult to express gratitude. It is useful during this step for the helper (you) to lead some casual conversations that are non-threatening. The “Having Spiritual Conversations” document provides a process for establishing a trust relationship. When you are able to move to Level One, you can converse on the weather, the beauty of flowers and trees, and the things in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Talking about the creation are an excuse to thank the Creator, but discussions about truth, honor, right, pure, lovely, of good reputation, excellent, or praiseworthy are increasingly difficult to have in the North American or Western European cultures; the farther the culture drifts from godliness, the more relativistic and less absolute we become in our judgments of these things. Our dictionary definitions have become blurry; we might complain about how people call good things evil and evil things good. This can be a good thing in the long term because disagreements can occur, and you have an opportunity to disagree gracefully, thoughtfully, and respectfully. These types of discussions, done properly, this will earn you trust. People who don’t know you will test you to see if you are sincere and truthful. Much of this initial teaching of thanks to God is by your example of expressing thanks to God – for who He is, for the weather, for His creation, etc. Staying the course will cause a person to become curious and might simply initiate the right conversation for you. Another element of your testimony is your sincere joy. As you live rejoicing in the Lord, people will notice. They may “get into your face” to see how real you are; when you react lovingly and gracefully, they will react, usually in a positive way. When they ask you why you’re happy all the time, you have two honest answers to give: (1) “I’m not joyful 100% of the time, but (2) I am so grateful to God that it’s hard not to be joyful.” It doesn’t have to be these exact words, but the sense of being really real and expressing thanksgiving are both present. Your example will open other opportunities to open dialog about thanking God for being God. When a person is around you enough to regularly comment about your joy in the Lord, they are probably ready to discuss your giving thanks to God more. When dialog opens on the topic, you will be suggesting to them, “It works for me, why don’t you try it?” Either they will or they will talk about why they can’t. In both cases, you will gain information about their heart condition and be able to discern how to help them acknowledge gratitude to God as God. The function is really natural for many people when they realize that they were grateful to their parents for all they did to raise them (even in a dysfunctional family circumstance) – how much more so we ought all express thanks to God who formed us in our mother’s womb. Psalm 139 has a lot of good material for these discussions, such as His personal involvement in making us individually and His knowledge of our being. But don’t quote the Bible if the person isn’t open yet. You need to be Bible literate without being a “Bible thumper”. You need to hear some of a person’s story to understand their pains. When we are able to speak Bible truths germane to the conversation, people will generally ask where you “got it from”, and you can respond with the Bible address. After you have done this a little while, they will be more open to talking directly from the Bible. Keep in mind, many of the people with whom we work have some Bible knowledge and church exposure, but they may have belonged to a “meaningless religion” and have not developed a personal relationship with God. They may have attended an abusive church. They may have come from an abusive and dysfunctional family that was very religious and used the Bible (falsely) to justify their abuse. Remember that our goal is to complete their introduction to the true and living God of the Bible, not the false religious god they think they know.

10 As we become able to thank God for being God, we can enhance our gratitude by appreciating God’s character and attributes. The MATTHEW 25:34-40 ministry website has a study, “GOD IS…”, which provides scripture references and a discussion about 72 attributes of God revealed in the Bible passages where God says, “I AM”, or where there is a declaration “Thou art”, “God is”, or “The Lord is”. It is a resource that allows in depth study, meditation, and prayer. It is a good resource for starting discussions about the nature of God and becoming thankful for who He is, His attributes. Similarly, God’s character is revealed in the titles and names assigned to God and to the persons of the Godhead. There are dozens of books on the names and titles of God, God the Father, God the Son (Christ), and the Spirit of God. Altogether, there are more than 1500 names and titles documented in the Bible. Virtually all of them are also descriptive of the character of God and the ways God demonstrates His character in His interactions with the Creation. Surely, there is much to give thanks to God in His character and attributes. The key to this first phase of gratitude to God is to not rush beyond this first step. It is the first step, but it is also a foundational one. It is also the hardest for the heart to grasp, so it merits sticking with it. Subsequent process steps can be added on, but it is wide to always start with the first step in each conversation.

Thanks to God for His Relationship Toward Us – the 2nd Step God made us to have fellowship with Him. He equipped us, revealed Himself to us, and ultimately has removed every roadblock preventing us from having a relationship with Him. We were sinners while He is perfectly holy, pure, righteous, and just. It is not possible for us to stand before Him without being cleansed of our sin, so He did for us what we could not do. Jesus came down to live in the flesh a perfect life, pay the price for our sins (death, both physical and spiritual), so that in His resurrection we who trust in His work on the Cross might have be able to partake of His eternal life, be dressed in His righteousness, and stand before the throne of God. This is our salvation and redemption. God has done, is doing, and will do so much more as He pursues a relationship with each of us. The terms, titles, and names applied to God in the Bible together with the many hundreds examples of His grace demonstrate a host of other ways in which God is perfect in His relationship toward us. Each of the hundreds of descriptions of God’s relationship toward us from birth to death is a reason to give thanks to Him. We do need to meditate on each with intention. The basis of our meditations provides us with topics for dialog with others and the opportunity for us to give thanks together. With such a rich variety of materials on which to draw, it is hard to imagine running out of materials. The added benefit of meditating on what the Lord does to give us life, redeem us, deliver us, and provide for us is that while we are thinking on these things, our heart is drawn away from sin.

Thanks to God – How He Displays His Love Toward Mankind – the 3rd Step This step builds on the 1st and 2nd Steps and can be discussed coincidently with them. In this step, one gives thanks for how manifests His character and attribute toward mankind in general. There are several ways He does this:  How God has created the world for mankind o The earth is perfectly situated to give and sustain life

11 o The world teems with plant and animal life which provides for the many needs of mankind all over the globe.  God is abundant in lovingkindness.  God offers wisdom for all who ask of Him (see Proverbs 2:3-6; Psalm 51:6; James 1:5)  God is concerned about mankind (see Psalm 8:4; 144:3; Job 7:17; John 10:13-15) The Psalms are a tremendous resource for this step. This 3rd Step has much material available to meditate on, but it serves as merely an interim step to prepare for the 4th Step, which is much more important.

Thanks to God – How He Acts in Our Behalf – The 4th Step This step is very similar to Step 3, except if focuses specifically on you as an individual. In this step, you can use all of the material you have learned in proceeding through the prior steps. We have found it useful to use a notebook or note pad to do exercises taking the attributes and character traits of God and thinking about how He has manifested Himself to “you” (the person you are helping to heal) personally. Even atheists have confessed they have seen things in their own lives that were unexplainable “supernatural” interventions (although they will deny anything supernatural – it must be good luck). To the agnostic, “if God exists”, He must have done this or that in my life. Well, if this is true, are you grateful? Most of us who have lived past the age of 35 have seen multiple times when we could have died, but we are still around. Most of us have seen a lot of evil in this world, but we have also been amazed at how much good there is in the world even with all of the wickedness among men. These are things worthy of great thanksgiving. Thinking about these things, use the notepad to write a note of thanksgiving to God. The exercise of writing a thank You note to God takes us to places in our heart that need a touch from God. Writing and reading the note out loud is helpful for us to reconcile past experiences to a new realization about the goodness of God even in the evil we have endured.

Thanks to God – Who He is in His Personal Relationship to Us – 5th Step. “God Is…” contains 17 citations about God’s personal relationship to those who are His. My Savior, My Deliverer, My Hope, My Confidence, My Fortress, My Stronghold, My Strength, My Lamp, My Teacher, My Shepherd, My Portion, My Cup, My Righteousness, My Redemption, My King and My God, My Song and My Joy, The Horn of My Salvation: they are all special personal relationships with one of our brethren. How many of these Biblical records apply to each of our lives? Each one is a testimony of God’s deeply personal work in a person’s life. Can we confess of His work in our own life? Once again, it is useful to do some notebook exercises, making note of how God is deeply involved in our life. Thinking about these things, use the notepad to write a note of thanksgiving to God. The exercise of writing a thank You note to God takes us to places in our heart that need a touch from God. Writing and reading the note out loud is helpful for us to reconcile past experiences to a new realization about the goodness of God even in the evil we have endured.

Thanks to God for His Promises – 6th Step. The Bible contains hundreds of promises. There are specific promises applicable to specific circumstances, and many general promises available to us all. When we consider that God cannot lie and that He is able to make every one of them to be true, His promises are like 12 precious gold. Here are a few of the more precious general promises for which we can be thankful:  WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED (Romans 10:13; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21)  Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)  …God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)  No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)  For I am convinced that [NOTHING] will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)  …I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU…(Hebrews 13:5) (See also Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5) There are many other promises that you can apply to specific aspects of your personal life, but these more general promises can serve as a great comfort in any circumstance throughout our life. They are promises that serve our assurance of salvation, help us endure the trials of life, and strengthen us when we are pressed to endure the extremes of life. As we learn to give thanks for these promises (and others), we learn things that also help us to heal from things which have overwhelmed us in the past.

Thanks to God – His Deliverance & Healing in Our Circumstances – The 7th Step This last step typically occurs spontaneously as the wounded heart finds God’s healing power. As we realize God’s majesty, power, lovingkindness, and grace is real in our personal life, the wounds seem to melt away. His love conquers everything. However, if you read through the stories in the appendix, you also recognize that most people have more than one unreconciled injury hidden in their heart. This step in the process is designed to help a person to remember God’s gracious work to give victory over their pain from the past so that it won’t recur. In the practical implementation of this step, the person is encouraged to journal about his (or her) realization of how grief, anger, forgiveness, depression, anxiety, etc. have been released and resolved by God. Perhaps it can be memorialized in a song or ballad; maybe a sketch or painting can describe the victory. Investigate the talents the person has and encourage them to use those talents to describe their experience and the deliverance God has granted them. This can give them a permanent record of God’s work in their life situations. It is similar to how God reminded the Israelites to remember their delivery out of slavery in Egypt, how they were cared for while they were in the wilderness for 40 years, and how they were brought into the Promised Land. Scripture records that the Israelites were required to recount these significant events during their festivals annually. The Bible history also records how Israel forgot their festivals, forgot God’s providence, and fell into idolatry, requiring God’s judgment to bring them out of idolatry and to restore them into a right relationship with God. The purpose of the 7th Step is to memorialize their healing victory so they will not fall back into the past downward spiral.

13 Process Summary The process works for several reasons: 1. Unresolved heart injuries bring about several mechanisms of the sin nature which work against a person’s faith. Internal feelings can overcome their faith and turn them away from the sole source of true healing. 2. The process follows Biblical principles to restore the heart and which build (or rebuild) faith. The Bible is the standard by which we all should live and accept as authoritative. The strongest principle for restoration of the heart is to give thanks to God. 3. The Enemy’s attacks always begin with lies that leverage misunderstandings about the true nature of God. The process approach focuses first on the true nature of God and then upon God’s relationship with us. So we can see that the first two steps strongly focus on the nature and attributes of God and God’s expressed desire for all of us to be in fellowship with Him. The next three steps preserve this fundamental focus but build toward His desire for an intimate personal relationship with each of us as an individual. People with traumatic spiritual injury have a hard time believing this fact. The last two steps apply growing gratitude toward specific heart issues and hurts. The last step seeks to integrate this gratitude with the natural gifting that God has placed within that person. The restored heart allows the person to return to a functioning contributor to their communities and society as a whole.

Appendix A Biblical Examples & Reasons for Suffering The Bible provides a variety of examples of suffering that help us to better understand the nature of suffering. Certainly chief among these should be the Passion of Christ, The Suffering Servant. However, there are a wide number of other examples, such as Job, Jeremiah, Joseph, the Israelites in Egypt as slaves, Daniel, David, Urriah, Jacob, Paul, Peter, John, Lazarus, and so forth. They cover all sorts of human suffering and illustrate a variety of circumstances. It is useful for us to be acquainted with this variety of reasons for suffering as well as how people of faith have faced their suffering successfully. Here are some specific reasons mentioned in the Bible for suffering: 1. As one chosen by God in order to glorify Him (and as a plan of God to bring greater blessing). (See Job 1, 2, and 42 as well as John 21:19; 1 Peter 4:14-16). 2. Vicarious suffering for the benefit of others, especially Christ for our sins. (See Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 8:17; Romans 15:3; Luke 24:46-47; John 10:11, 15; John 11:50-52; John 15:3; and 1 Peter 3:17-18). 3. As an act of love towards others (1 John 3:16-17). 4. Christians suffer (and should expect to suffer) for their faith in Christ. (See John 15:18- 27, especially verse 20; 2 Timothy 2:3 and 4:5; Matthew 5:10-12; Hebrews 10:34; 1 Peter 2:19-23). 5. Because of the curse upon the world due to the original sin; i.e., life is full of toilsome suffering, betrayal, violence, exploitation, abuse, and pain under normal circumstances and blessedness is not a normal condition (and sometimes rare) except by the grace of God. (See Genesis 3:1-19). 6. As a consequence of submission to the sin nature leading to sinful and foolish behaviors (i.e., bearing bad consequences for bad decisions we have made or because of personal rebellion). (See Psalm 107:17; Galatians 5:13-24 and Galatians 6:7-10). 7. For failing to destroy evil that was given to us by God to destroy. (See 1Kings 20:42). 8. Due to the loving discipline of our Heavenly Father. (See Hebrews 3:3-14).

14 9. Due to the testing of our faith to produce spiritual maturity. (See Genesis 22 and James 1:2-4). 10. As a consequence of being under the authority of corrupt or wicked authorities. (See a number of Psalms (13; 22; 28; 31:9-24; 35; 38; 41; 69; 71; 86; 102; 109); Psalm 27:12; Psalm 35:11). 11. Those who have power exploit those who do not, causing suffering (see James 2:6-7), or we have been exploited or attacked by another (or others) independent of our own actions (as in Psalm 27:12 and Matthew 2:16-18) 12. Under the righteous judgments of God upon a nation for its collective ungodliness. (See Nehemiah 9:32-37; Jeremiah 7:20 and 1 Samuel 4-6.).

When we study these different examples together, we also see a variety of reactions, but we also see some unifying principles in how the saints of old dealt with suffering that should be beneficial for us as well. One unifying element of successfully suffering is this: that the one suffering looks to Christ, seeking the face of God in the midst of his or her suffering. Christ is the Great Physician who brings to all of us who look to Him hope and comfort and the ultimate healing of our soul (as indeed we also shall receive a new glorified body in which we cease to suffer (see Revelation 21)).

Appendix B Some First Step Conversations The contents of this section are some examples of conversations that have proved useful in helping people in the first step of the Thanksgiving Therapy process: “Thanks to God & Who He Is.” As noted above, this is usually the most difficult step. The various injuries and traumas people have suffered, combined with the effects of the Downward Spiral, tend to isolate people from whatever connection they have ever had with God, so this first step is the “ice breaker” and starter toward making progress. The ground work for the first step is the key to having a spiritual conversation is the development of a trust relationship with the one you desire to help. You develop trust by being real in loving concern and through truthful, graceful discussion. “Good morning, how are you?” and “Hi, my name is ____, how are you doing?” are good starting points. (People in our Ministry are encouraged to wear name tags during active ministry. We offer our name and seek to learn and remember our new friend’s name. Knowing someone’s name is a certain sign of your caring about them. Casual conversations will usually serve to learn about each other. Listen carefully to what people tell you. You need to remember that many people on the street will tell you stories that are not true to either try to manipulate you or to see how you might respond to something shocking. In time, sometimes a very short time, the truth will come out. As you listen to them, you need to discern what kinds of heart pains they carry with them. Please note the very deep pain, grief, mistrust, and despair. Try to understand why they may harbor anger or hate. Can you understand how much their soul may hurt? When you do this, you are ready to start the process. If there are other good indications that you have earned the trust of your friend, you are ready to start the process.

15 Ice Breaker Conversations

Starters Ice breakers are conversations that elicit true thanksgiving. Here are some of the proven favorite starters: “Good morning, what a beautiful day. What are you thankful for today?” “It’s good to see you today, (name). I’m thankful to greet you, what are you thankful for?” “I have joy in my heart, do you?” “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (You can even sing the chorus)

Common Responses 1. “Well, I’m alive.” (or equivalent – most common by a factor of 8-10) 2. “I’m thankful for the (meal ministry) last night.” 3. “I’m glad (or thankful) I slept well last night.” 4. “I’m feeling pretty good today.” 5. “Yeah, I’m glad too.” 6. “I’m glad to see you today.” (This is a deflection – watch out for this one) 7. “I’m not.” or “What do I have to be thankful for?”

Replies to Common Responses Listening to the response gives you an opportunity to advance the thought of thanksgiving. If there is an expression of thanksgiving (1), (2), or (3), go with it:  “Well, if you’re alive, then God must have a purpose for you today!”  “You know, God is the provider of everything, including life. He’s the one who gives breath, the beating of our heart, and life in general.”  “You know the Bible says that God is the security of those who take refuge in Him.” (This is the sense of Psalm 5:11-12. If your friend asks, “Where?” you can show him this passage. Psalm 4:8 and Proverbs 3:24 are also good.)  “Well, a good night’s sleep is a gift of God; that’s something to be thankful for.” There are many other good replies you can use. Listen to the Spirit and you will know. If the response is more about feeling good or expresses joy ((3), (4), or (5)), remember that joy and thanksgiving are related. Talk about how God loves us and wants to fellowship with us; He is our provider, our protector, our security, our…(fill in the blank with whatever your friend needs). Talk about the character of God. If your friend deflects you (6) or states a lack of thanksgiving (7), look for opportunities for them to hope. The only hope they can really value is an eternal hope, so focus on the character of God and His lovingkindness. Also, try to delve into their personal interests and things they enjoy and are good at, no matter what that may be (other than getting high and checking out of life). Eventually, the Spirit can lead you to something in their life that lends meaning, hope, and purpose. When your friend realizes that these interests are God-given, then it is easier to move forward in thanking God.

16 How Do You Know Step One Is Established? When one is able to thank God without prompting from another, Step One of the Thanksgiving Therapy process is established. This is better indicated by a person retaining joy in the midst of difficulty. It is also well indicated when there are regular praises and shared prayers of thanksgiving. A person may be slow to show these traits in their daily life. They may need to be encouraged regularly even when they start showing these good signs. Remember to always keep yourself, your friend, and the process bathed in prayer. We are never the solution or the one actually helping; we are merely good instruments of the Spirit.

Appendix C “GOD Is…” Table of Contents A study in the attributes of God. Attributes of GOD Which Are Uniquely GOD GOD IS ALMIGHTY GOD IS OMNISCIENT GOD IS THERE (OMNIPRESENT) GOD IS ETERNAL GOD IS UNSEARCHABLE GOD IS UNCHANGING Attributes of GOD Which Show GOD is Not an Idol GOD IS GOD THE LORD IS GOD CHRIST IS GOD GOD IS GOD OF GODS, KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS GOD IS ONE GOD IS THE ONLY TRUE GOD GOD IS THE FIRST AND THE LAST GOD IS THE CREATOR Attributes of GOD Which Show GOD as the Source & Executor of Justice GOD IS THE LAWGIVER GOD IS THE GOD OF JUSTICE, THE JUDGE GOD IS WITNESS... GOD IS AVENGING Attributes of GOD as Our Spiritual Ideal GOD IS SPIRIT GOD IS LIFE GOD IS LIVING GOD IS LIGHT GOD IS HOLY GOD IS RIGHTEOUS GOD IS TRUE GOD IS ABUNDANT IN TRUTH GOD IS BLESSED GOD IS WORTHY GOD IS READY TO FORGIVE Attributes of GOD Which Show GOD's Active Relationship with the World GOD IS TO BE FEARED (REVERED) GOD IS CONCERNED ABOUT MAN GOD IS THE GOD WHO WORKEST WONDERS 17 GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE GOD IS JEALOUS GOD IS WRATHFUL Attributes of GOD Which Show GOD's Work of Salvation & Our Victory in the Spiritual Warfare for Our Souls GOD IS THE HORN OF MY SALVATION GOD IS MY DELIVERER GOD IS MY FORTRESS, MY SRONGHOLD GOD IS MY SHIELD GOD IS MY STRENGTH GOD IS MY BANNER GOD IS MY ROCK GOD IS MY REFUGE GOD IS MY KEEPER GOD IS MY HELP Attributes of GOD Manifest in the Fruit of the Spirit GOD IS LOVE GOD IS MY SONG GOD IS PEACE GOD IS SLOW TO ANGER GOD IS ABUNDANT IN LOVINGKINDNESS GOD IS GOOD GOD IS FAITHFUL GOD IS SELF-CONTROL Attributes of GOD Which CHRIST is Made to Us in HIM GOD IS WISDOM TO US GOD IS MY RIGHTEOUSNESS GOD IS THE LORD WHO SANCTIFIES GOD IS THE ONE WHO JUSTIFIES GOD IS OUR REDEMPTION Attributes of GOD Which Show GOD's Loving Leadership of Our Lives THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD GOD IS MY LAMP GOD IS MY TEACHER Attributes of GOD Which Reflect by the Faith of the Saint GOD IS MY GOD, MY KING, MY LORD GOD IS GLORIFIED GOD IS PURE GOD IS MY HOPE GOD IS MY PRAISE Attributes of GOD Which Show GOD's Position as the Father to Saints GOD IS THE FATHER GOD IS MY PORTION GOD IS KNOWN (by SAINTS) GOD IS NEAR GOD IS FAR FROM THE WICKED GOD IS ABLE... GOD IS COMING...

18 (“GOD Is…” is found on the Ministry website, http://www.mt25v34.com , under the Resources tab.)

Appendix D Names & Titles of God & Christ The following table is a list of some of the names and titles ascribed to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The arrangement is alphabetical, so if doing topical interests, look for synonyms. The variety of Bible translations sometime use alternate, but equivalent words. Some other Bibles provide alternate translation variances because many of the names are idiomatic and do not carry over directly into English or to promote readability. In general, the reference is to the first occurrence, but occasionally a more significant reference has been substituted. It is suggested that one read the reference in its full context in order to get information about what the name means to the believer. Most of the names occur many times, so use of cross-references found in many Bibles is useful. Name Ref. Name Ref. Names of God (& God The Father) Abba, Father Mk 14:36 Almighty God (El Shaddai) Gen 17:1 Ancient of Days (Ancient One) Dan 7:9 Buckler (Shield) Ps 18:30 Consuming Fire Heb 12:28 Creator Is 40:28 Crown of Glory, Diadem of Beauty Is 28:5 Deliverer Ps 70:5 Dwelling Place Ps 90:1 El-Roi (God Who Sees) Gen 16:13 Eternal (Everlasting) God Gen 21:33 Father Is 64:8 Father of Glory Eph 1:17 Father of Lights Jam 1:17 Father of Mercies (Compassion) 2Co 1:3 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Col 1:3 Father of (our) Spirit(s) Heb 12:9 Fortress Jer 16:19 Fountain (Spring) of Living Waters Jer 2:13 God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob Ex 3:15 God of All Comfort 2Co 1:3 God of Gods Dan 2:47 God of Heaven Neh 1:4 God of My Salvation Hab 3:18 God of Peace Heb 13:20 God of the Whole Earth Is 54:5 Governor Among the Nations Ps 22:28 Guide Forever (Unto Death) Ps 48:14 (My) Hiding Place Ps 32:7 Holy One Is 43:15 Horn of my Salvation Ps 18:2 Husband (to His People) Jer 31:32 I Am That (Who) I Am Ex 3:14 Jah (Yah) (the LORD) Ps 68:4 Jehovah-Jireh (The LORD will Provide) Gen 22:14 Jehovah-Nissi (The LORD is my Banner) Ex 17:15 Jehovah-Shalom (The LORD is Peace) Jdg 6:24 Judge Ps 75:7 Judge of All the Earth Gen 18:15 Judge of All Heb 12:23 Judge of the Earth Ps 94:2 Keeper Ps 121:5 King 1Sa 12:12 King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible 1Ti 1:17 King of Glory Ps 24:7-10 Lawgiver (Ruler) Is 33:22 Light Ps 27:1 Light of Israel Is 10:17 Living God Dan 6:20 Lord God Almighty (Omnipotent) Rev 15:3 Lord God of Israel Luk 1:68 Lord of Hosts (Sabaoth, Armies) Zec 8:22 Lord Our Righteousness Jer 23:6 LORD Who Heals Ex 15:26 Lord Who Sanctifies (Makes Holy) Ex 31:13 Majesty On High (In Heaven) Heb 1:3 Maker Job 4:17 Mighty One of Jacob Is 49:26 Most High 2Sa 22:14 Most High God Gen 14:18 Most Upright Is 26:7 (my) Portion Ps 119:57 Potter Is 64:8 Redeemer Is 54:8 Refuge Dt 33:27 Rock 1Sa 2:2 19 Name Ref. Name Ref. Rock of Israel 2Sa 23:3 Rock of My Refuge Ps 94:22 Rock of My Salvation 2Sa 22:47 Rock of My Strength Ps 62:7 Savior Is 45:21 (thy) Shade Ps 121:5 Shepherd Ps 23:1 Shield Ps 5:12 Song Is 12:2 Strength Ex 15:2 Strong Tower Pr 18:10 Wall of Fire Zec 2:5

Names of God in Relationship with Israel (His chosen people) God of Israel Mt 15:31 Holy One of Israel Ps 78:41 Hope of Israel Jer 14:8 Judge of Israel Mic 5:1 Light of Israel Is 10:17 Lord God of Israel 1Ki 8:23 Redeemer of Israel Is 49:7 Rock of Israel 2Sa 23:3 Stone of Israel Gen 49:24 Strength of Israel 1Sa 15:29 Creator of Israel Is 43:15

Names of God, The Son Advocate 1Jo 2:1 Alive Forevermore Rev 1:18 All and In All Col 3:11 Almighty Rev 1:8 Alpha and Omega Rev 22:13 Amen Rev 3:14 Angel of His Presence Is 63:9 Anointed (Anointed One) Ps 2:2-3 Apostle Heb 3:1-2 Author and Finisher of Our Faith Heb 12:2 Author of Their Salvation Heb 2:10 Babe (Baby, Child) Luk 2:16 Beginning and End Rev 22:13 Beginning of The Creation of God Rev 3:14 Beloved Son Mt 3:17 Bishop (Guardian) of Your Souls 1Pe 2:25 Blessed and Only Sovereign (Ruler) 1Ti 6:15 Branch of Righteousness Jer 33:15 (True) Bread Jhn 6:32 Bread of God Jhn 6:33 Bread of Life Jhn 6:35 Bridegroom Mt 9:15 Bright and Morning Star Rev 22:16 Brightness of God’s Glory Heb 1:3 Captain of Salvation Heb 2:10 Captain of the Host of the LORD Jos 5:14 Carpenter (Carpenter’s Son) Mk 6:3 Chief Cornerstone Eph 2:20 Chief Shepherd Jhn 10:11 Child Jesus Luk 2:43 Chosen of God Luk 23:35 Christ (Messiah, Anointed One) Mt 16:16 Christ Crucified 1Co 1:23 Christ Jesus Ro 3:24 Christ Jesus Our Lord Ro 8:39 Christ of God Luk 9:20 Commander of the Army of God Jos 5:14 Consolation of Israel Luk 2:25 (Wonderful) Counsellor Is 9:6 Covenant of the People Is 42:6 Daysman (Someone to Arbitrate) Job 9:33 Dayspring (Dawn) from on High Luk 1:78 Deliverer Ro 11:26 Descendant of David Rev 22:16 Desire (Wealth) of All Nations Hag 2:7 Door (Gate) Jhn 10:9 Elect (Chosen One) Is 42:1 Emmanuel (Immanuel) Is 7:14 End of the Law Ro 10:4 Ensign (Banner, Standard) for the Nations Is 11:12 Eternal (Everlasting) Father Is 9:6 Eternal Life 1Jn 5:20 Everlasting Light Is 60:19 Express Image of God Heb 1:3 Exact Representation of His Nature Heb 1:3 Faithful 1Th 5:24 Faithful and True Rev 19:11 Faithful and True Witness Rev 3:14 Faithful Creator 1Pe 4:19 Faithful High Priest Heb 4:14 First and Last Rev 22:13 Firstborn (Firstbegotten) Heb 1:6 Firstborn from the Dead Col 1:18 Firstfruits of Those Who Have Died 1Co 15:20 Flesh Jhn 1:14 20 Name Ref. Name Ref. Foreknown from Before the 1Pe 1:20 Forerunner Heb 6:20 Foundation of the World Foundation 1Co 3:11 Fountain Zec 13:1 Friend of Publicans & Sinners Mt 11:19 Fuller’s (Launderer’s) Soap 2Co 5:10 Gift of God Jhn 4:10 Glory of Thy People Israel Luk 2:32 God Jhn 20:28 God Blessed Forever Ro 9:5 God Manifest in the Flesh 1Ti 3:16 God Our Savior 1Ti 2:3 God With Us Mt 1:23 Good Master (Teacher) Mk 10:17 Good Shepherd Jhn 10:11 Governor Mt 2:6 Great High Priest Heb 4:14 Great Prophet Luk 7:16 Great Shepherd of the Sheep Heb 13:20 Greater Than Jonah Mt 12:41 Greater Than Solomon Mt 12:42 Guardian of Your Souls 1Pe 12:25 Head of Every Man 1Co 11:3 Head of Every Ruler & Authority Col 2:10 Head of the Church Eph 5:23 Head of the Corner (Chief Cornerstone) Mt 21:42 Head Over All Rule & Authority Col 2:10 Head Over (of) All Things Col 2:10 Heir of All Things Heb 1:2 High Priest According to the Heb 5:10 Order of Melchizedek High Priest Forever Heb 6:20 High Priest of Our Profession Heb 3:1 Holy Servant Jesus Act 4:27 Holy & Righteous One Act 3:14 Holy One of God Act 3:14 Hope of Glory Col 1:27 Horn of Salvation Luk 1:69 I Am Jhn 8:58 Image of God Heb 1:3 Image of the Invisible God Heb 1:3 Innocent Man Mt 27:19 Jesus (God’s Salvation = Joshua) Luk 1:31 Jesus Christ Mt 1:18 Jesus Christ Our Lord Ro 1:4 Jesus of Galilee Mt 26:69 Jesus of Nazareth Jhn 1:45 Judge of the Living & the Dead Act 10:42 Just Man Mt 27:19 King Luk 19:38 King of Saints Rev 15:3 King of Kings Rev 19:16 King of the Ages Rev 15:3 King of the Jews Mt 27:11 King of the Nations Rev 15:3 King Over All the Earth Zec 14:9 Lamb Rev 5:12 Lamb of God Jhn 1:29 Lamb Slain from the Foundation Rev 13:8 of the World Last Adam 1Co 15:45 Leader & Commander to the People Is 55:4 Life Col 3:4 Life-giving Spirit 1Co 15:45 Light Jhn 1:7 Light of the Gentiles Is 42:6 Light of the World Jhn 8:12 Lion of the Tribe of Judah Rev 5:5 Living Bread Jhn 6:51 Living Stone 1Pe 2:4 Lord Luk 9:57 Lord & Savior Jesus Christ 2Pe 3:18 Lord from Heaven 1Co 15:47 Lord Jesus Christ Our Savior Tit 1:4 Lord of Glory Jam 2:1 Lord of Lords Rev 19:16 Lord of Peace 2Th 3:16 Lord of the Dead & Living Ro 14:9 Lord of the Harvest Mt 9:38 Lord of the Sabbath Mk 2:28 Lord Over All Ro 10:12 Lord’s Christ Luk 2:26 Man Approved of God Act 2:22 Man Christ Jesus 1Ti 2:5 Man of God’s Right Hand Ps 80:17 Man of Sorrow (Suffering) Is 53:3 Man Whom God Ordained Act 17:31 Master Mt 23:10 Mediator 1Ti 2:5 Mediator of a Better Covenant Heb 8:6 Mediator of a New Covenant Heb 9:15 Melchizedek Heb 7:16 Merciful & Faithful Servant Heb 4:14 Messenger of the Covenant Mal 3:1 21 Name Ref. Name Ref. Messiah Jhn 4:25 Messiah the Prince Dan 9:25 Mighty God Is 9:6 Mighty One of Israel Is 30:29 Mighty One of Jacob Is 60:16 Mighty Savior Luk 1:79 Minister of the True Tabernacle Heb 8:2 Most Holy Dan 9:24 My Son the Beloved Mt 3:17 My Son Whom I Love Mt 3:17 Nazarene Jhn 1:45 Offspring of David Rev 22:16 Offspring of the Woman Gen 3:15 One Chosen Out of the People Ps 89:19 Only Begotten Son Jhn 3:16 Only Wise God Jude 25 Our Paschal Lamb 1Co 5:7 Our Passover 1Co 5:7 Physician Luk 5:31 Plant of Renown Eze 34:29 Power of God 1Co 1:24 Prince Act 5:31 Prince of Life Act 3:15 Prince of Peace Is 9:6 Prince of Princes Dan 8:25 Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev 1:5 Prophet Mighty in Deed & Word Luk 24:19 Propitiation For Our Sins 1Jn 4:10 (Atoning Sacrifice, Ransom) Rabbi, Rabboni Jhn 3:2 Redeemer Is 59:20 Refiner’s Fire Mal 3:2 Resurrection & the Life Jhn 11:25 Righteous 1Jn 2:1 Righteous Branch (of David) Jer 23:5 Righteous Judge 2Ti 4:8 Righteous Man 1Jn 2:1 Righteous One 1Jn 2:1 Righteous One My Servant Is 53:11 Righteous Servant Is 53:11 Rising Sun Luk 1:78 Rock Num 20:8 Rock of Offense 1Pe 2:8 Rod Out of the Stem of Jesse Is 11:1 Root & Descendant of David Rev 22:16 Root & Offspring of David Rev 22:16 Root of Jesse Is 11:1 Ruler in Israel Mt 2:6 Ruler of God’s Creation Rev 3:14 Ruler of the Kings of the Earth Rev 1:5 Salvation of God Luk 3:6 Savior Luk 2:11 Savior of All Men 1Ti 4:10 Savior of the Body Eph 5:23 Savior of the World 1Jn 4:14 Scepter Out of Israel Nu 24:14 Second Man 1Co 15:45 Seed of David Mt 1:1 Seed of the Woman Gen 3:15 Shepherd of Your Souls 1Pe 2:25 Shiloh (the one to whom it belongs) Gen 49:10 Shoot from the Stem of Jesse Is 11:1 Signal for the Nations Is 11:12 Someone to Arbitrate Job 9:33 Son of Abraham Mt 1:1 Son of David Mt 1:1 Son of God Mt 27:54 Son of Joseph Jhn 6:42 Son of Man Luk 9:58 Son of Mary Mk 6:3 Son of the Blessed (God) Mk 14:61 Son of the Father 2Jn 3 Son of the Highest Luk 1:32 Son of the Most High God Mk 5:7 Son over His Own House Heb 3:6 Spiritual Rock 1Co 10:4 Standard for the Nations Is 11:12 Star Out of Jacob Nu 24:14 Stone of Stumbling 1Pe 2:8 Sun of Righteousness Mal 4:2 Sunrise from on high Luk 1:78 Sure Foundation Is 28:16 Teacher Come From God Jhn 3:2 Treasure of All Nations Hag 2:7 Tried Stone Is 28:16 True Rev 19:11 True Bread from Heaven Jhn 6:32 True God 1Jn 5:20 True Light Jhn 1:9 True Vine Jhn 15:5 True Witness Rev 3:14 Truth Jhn 14:6 Unspeakable Gift 2Co 9:15 Vine Jhn 15:5 Way Jhn 14:6 Wealth of All Nations Hag 2:7 Wisdom of God 1Co 1:24 22 Name Ref. Name Ref. Witness Rev 3:14 Wonderful Counsellor Is 9:6 Word Jhn 1:1 Word of God Rev 19:13 Word of Life 1Jn 1:1

Names of The Spirit Advocate Jhn 14:16 Breath of the Almighty Job 33:4 Comforter Jhn 14:16 Counselor Jhn 14:16 Eternal Spirit Heb 9:14 Free Spirit Ps 51:12 Good Spirit Ne 9:20 Helper Jhn 14:16 Holy Ghost (Spirit) Act 20:28 Holy One 1Jn 2:20 Holy Spirit of God Eph 4:30 Holy Spirit of Promise Eph 1:13 New Spirit Eze 36:26 Paraclete Jhn 14:16 Power of the Highest Luk 1:35 Power of the Most High Luk 1:35 Power of the Spirit Zec 4:6 Promised Holy Spirit Eph 1:13 Seven Spirits Rev 1:4 Spirit of Adoption Ro 8:15 Spirit of Burning Is 4:4 Spirit of Christ Ro 8:9 Spirit of Compassion Zec 12:10 Spirit of Counsel & Might Is 11:2 Spirit of Faith 2Co 4:13 Spirit of Fire Is 4:4 Spirit of Glory 1Pe 4:14 Spirit of God Mt 3:16 Spirit of God’s Son Gal 4:6 Spirit of Grace Zec 12:10 Spirit of Grace & Supplications Zec 12:10 Spirit of His Son Gal 4:6 Spirit of Holiness Ro 1:4 Spirit of Jesus Christ Php 1:19 Spirit of Judgment Is 4:4 Spirit of Knowledge & the Fear Is 11:2 of the Lord Spirit of Life Rom 8:2 Spirit of Might Is 11:2 Spirit of Power Is 11:2 Spirit of Prophesy Rev 19:10 Spirit of Revelation Eph 1:17 Spirit of Sonship Rom 8:15 Spirit of Strength Is 11:2 Spirit of Supplication Is 11:2 Spirit of the Father Mt 10:20 Spirit of the Fear of the Lord Is 11:2 Spirit of the Living God 2Co 3:3 Spirit of the Lord Act 8:39 Spirit of the Lord God Is 61:1 Spirit of Truth Jhn 16:13 Spirit of Understanding Is 11:2 Spirit of Wisdom & Revelation Eph 1:17 Spirit That Was Upon Moses Nu 11:25 Willing Spirit Ps 51:12

Hebrew Names of God (Anglicized, Bolded terms are most holy in Judaism) YHVH (Yahveh, Yahweh, Jehovah, LORD, GOD) (Occurring 6825 times) Gen 2:4 Elohim (God, (gods, determined by context)) (Occurring 2341 times) Gen 1:1 Eloah (My God, God of (a personal name)) (Aramaic, about 50 times) Gen 14:18 El Shaddai (God Almighty) Gen 17:1 Tzevaot (Sabaoth, of Hosts) 1Sa 1:3 Jah (or Yah, Lord) Used mostly in combinations Ps 102:18 El (God (or god, diety)) Used mostly in combinations Ex 20:5 El-Elohe-Israel God, The God of Israel Gen 33:20 El Bethel (God of the House of God) Gen 35:7 Adon (Lord) Gen 18:3 Adonai (or Adonay) (Lord, Master [emphatic]) Often substituted for YHVH Gen 18:27 Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (I Am Who I Am) Ex 3:14 Elohay Mishpat (God of Justice) Is 30:18 Elohay Kedem (God of the Beginning) Dt 33:27 23 Name Ref. Name Ref. Elohay Selichot (God of Forgiveness) Neh 9:17 Elohay Marom (God of Heights) Mic 6:6 Elohay Mikarov (God Who is Near) Jer 23:23 Elohay Mauzi (God of My Strength) Ps 43:2 Elohay Telihati (God of My Praise) Ps 109:1 Elohay Yishi (God of My Salvation) Ps 18:46 Elohim Kedoshim (Holy God) Lev 19:2 Elohim Chaiyim (Living God) Jer 10:10 Elohay Elohim (God of Gods) Dt 10:17 El HaNe’eman (The Faithful God) Dt 7:9 El HaGadol (The Great God) Dt 10:17 El HaKadosh (The Holy God) Is 5:16 El Ysrael (God of Israel) Ps 68:35 El HaShamayim (The God Of The Heavens) Ps 136:26 El De'ot (The God Of Knowledge) 1Sa 2:3 El Emet (The God Of Truth) Ps 31:6 El Yeshuati (The God Of My Salvation) Is 12:2 El Elyon (The Most High God) Gen 14:18 Immanu El (God Is With Us) Is 7:14 El Olam (The God Of Eternity) Gen 21:33 El Echad (The One God) Mal 2:10 Elah Elah-avahati (God of my fathers) Dan 2:23 Elah Elahin (God of gods) Dan 2:47 Elah Yerush'lem (God of Jerusalem) Ezr 7:19 Elah Yisrael (God of Israel) Ezr 5:1 Elah Sh'maya (God of Heaven) Ezr 7:23 Elah Sh'maya V'Arah (God of Heaven and Earth) Ezr 5:11 YHVH Elohim (LORD God) Gen 2:4 YHVH M'kadesh (The LORD Who Makes Holy) Eze 37:28 YHVH Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You) Ex 31:13 YHVH Yireh (The LORD Who Sees/provides) Gen 22:14 YHVH Nissi (The LORD My Banner) Ex 17:15 YHVH Shalom (The LORD Of Peace) Jdg 6:24 Shalom (Peace) Jdg 6:24 YHVH Raah (The Lord, My Shepherd) Ps 23:1 YHVH Rapha (The Lord That Heals) Ex 15:26 YHVH Shammah (The Lord is There) Eze 48:35 YHVH Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts) 1Sa 1:3 YHVH Tzidkaynu (The LORD Our Righteousness) Jer 33:16 YHVH O'saynu (The LORD our Maker) Ps 95:6 HaShem (The Name) Lev 24:11 Qanna (Jealous) Ex 20:5

24 Appendix E Some realizations of people experiencing spiritual trauma in warfare/military service 1. “I am going to have to hurt and even kill people I am supposed to love – and I might be killed.” 2. “People are trying to kill me – and I’m expected to forgive them.” (a Chaplain) 3. “The consequences of my fighting may result in innocents being injured or killed.” 4. “I was certain that I would be protected by God – I am His child – then I read JOB.” 5. “I was told that I would be protected by the love of God in Christ Jesus, but then I read about Stephan being martyred. All of the sudden, I was overcome by fear.” 6. “I was told all about the enemy, there was a fierce battle, then I saw the wounded being treated. All of the sudden, I was overwhelmed by their humanity. Before they were faceless, but at that moment, they looked like some of my co-workers and relatives.” 7. “Some of the things I was told to do resulted in friends and comrades being killed.” 8. “There seems to be no end to the blood and destruction. It is overwhelming. I look in all directions and see chaos. I see women and children wounded and killed. Even when I go to bed, my mind’s eye stays open and dwells on what I have seen. When will peace come? When will I have peace?” 9. “I have prayed and prayed, but things seem to be increasingly worse and out of control.” 10. “I thought I was a soldier of God, but then I faced the horrors of war. I was overwhelmed by the terrors that seemed to continue day after day. I got some R&R time off the front, but the memories took away my sleep. Then I was ordered back to the front. My knees buckled. My face paled. My commander yelled at me and barked orders, but I was unable to respond. If I couldn’t be a soldier for man, how can I be a soldier of God? I collapsed. The others in my platoon jeered at me. I was called a coward, and it was true. I was ashamed. All of my confidence was gone. I thought to myself, ‘I have no reason to live. I might as well go to the front and die. My purpose in life is dashed against the rocks.’” 11. “I was taught to sing “Onward Christian Soldiers” as a child. Then I read about the Children’s Crusade for which it was written. I started to wonder if there was really a God. I still wonder. How can all this evil exist? Where is God? What can I do?” 12. “I went to war to defend my homeland. I returned to find my family all murdered, my property looted, and all that was mine in ashes. My wife and children are gone. My brothers and sisters are gone along with their families. My village is ashes. I went away while the enemy came. Who can help me?

How can you help people with these stories? Most of the people above are fellow Christians. You can tell that these realizations are challenging to each person’s faith. How would you answer these questions for yourself? It is not a good idea to give your answers to someone else, but your answers may serve as a basis of understanding. Your understanding might be very incomplete. Rather, seek to ask questions filled with love and truth and grace which the people you are working with might be able to use to process their own theology and find their own answers.

25 Appendix F: Some Stories All of the stories here are real, but the names and places have been changed to protect their privacy. They are presented here without the final outcome so that you can meditate on the heart injuries these people have incurred. (Most, but not all, of the outcomes have been very positive.) Now, imagine that you are encountering this person on the street or in some other ministry context. What do you have that they need? What added information do you think you would want? Small groups can use these stories as exercises to train each other. Keep in mind, for every 100 people you encounter in ministry, there are 100 unique stories. Arthur grew up in a broken home without any religious connections. His parents divorced when he was 2, so he never really knew his father. His mother worked multiple jobs to care for him and his older sister. When he was 10, his sister was killed in a gang-related shooting. Since his mother was working, he took care of himself after school. Arthur has never done well in school; none of the subjects are interesting to him. He likes sports, but doesn’t do well in team sports. He is an outsider without many friends. At 14, Arthur and Jake, a classmate, decided to drop out of school. They had been told in Biology class that everyone is the result of a series of “cosmic accidents.” Arthur asked, “What is the purpose of life?” The response he got was, “Life is whatever you make of it.” So Arthur and Jake decided to become surfers, dropping out of school and running away from home to live on the beach. They found themselves hanging out with a bunch of older boys who were into drugs and drinking. These older boys get violent when intoxicated, so Arthur and Jake stay away from them then. They subsist on recycling cans and bottles. Arthur continues to wonder what the purpose of life might be. Beth grew up in a very patriotic military family. During the Vietnam conflict, she enlisted in the Air Force and became a nurse assistant. She saw duty in Vietnam and survived some attacks on the base where she was stationed; some of her comrades did not. While on active duty, she was gang raped. She reported it, but was not believed. Subsequently, she was raped several other times, including by a commanding officer. She sustained a knee and hip injury in a sexual attack during which she was almost killed and ended up with a physical disability. (Although sustained while on active duty, her disability was ruled to be “not service connected” and not eligible for benefits.) She was discharged during the post-conflict draw- down, but her parents had died in an auto accident while she was overseas. An uncle was the trustee of her parent’s estate, which was non-existent by the time he had handled all of the family affairs. Beth did not have extensive marketable skills, so she went to school to learn a trade. Upon graduation, she held down a string of low income jobs. Two of the companies she worked for ended up closing down, leaving her unemployed. The apartment complex where Beth lived also housed a meth lab, which had an accident that destroyed the entire complex; she lost all of her possessions, service records, medical records, employment records, etc. She has lived in her truck on the streets for most of the past 30 years. Local police records show that she has reported being raped 43 times in the past 20 years. She has had 13 abortions. Her nickname on the street is “Batty Beth” because she seems to rant on and on about disconnected topics. It takes “special” listening skills to hear what she is saying. (Actually, it only takes some patience and compassion.) She has a hard time sleeping. Only recently, Beth has been qualified for benefits; she was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress. Most of her income is from odd jobs and part- time employment. Chester grew up in a strong Catholic family, going to Catholic school. He joined the Marine Corps and went to Vietnam. He saw a lot of combat, including watching close friends get killed. He earned several combat ribbons. When he got home, his sister (who was involved in an anti-war movement) spit on his uniform. He left home. Working as a carpenter, he enjoyed 26 drinking with his buddies after work. One of them led him to Christ, and Chet got involved in a church. He diligently studied the Bible and engaged in evangelical outreaches. But his drinking got increasingly worse. He attended several programs (Alcoholics Anonymous, Christian AA, Most Excellent Way, Celebrate Recovery); He would be dry for a while, but always went back to drinking – which got increasingly worse. He had several service related health issues, and had significant problems getting VA benefits and treatments. He said, “I don’t know which was worse: combat in Vietnam or fighting the VA.” Over the years, he had several girlfriends, but never got married. His drinking problem always got in the way. He had a daughter, but couldn’t be very involved in her life while she was growing up because of his drinking. Eventually, his health issues led to a permanent disability. He became disconnected from church. He still yearns to get re-connected with his daughter. His drinking problem seems to get worse every time he goes back to drinking. Vodka is his drink of choice. He found a stray dog for companionship; the dog is old with health problems. “Maybe we will die together.” Chester seeks for purpose in his life; he is losing hope. Friends have taken him to the emergency room several times in order to save his life. Donna grew up in a very religious “Christian” home. Her father was an elder in the church and very strict, even verbally and physically abusive, with the family. Her mother was mentally impaired (undisclosed reason). While yet in grade school, Donna’s father had an incestuous relationship with her. She rejected Christianity, but continued to believe in God, so she became Jewish. Although Donna grew up to be very successful in her career as a psychiatric nurse, she had never been able to deal with the inward pains. She has never been able to commit to marriage, but has been sexually active seeking to find a man when none could satisfy. She has done a number of things over her life, which has led to further heart injuries. Later in life, she struggled with cancer and had a double mastectomy. She has had decades of psychiatric care and psychological counsel without avail; she has committed herself to psychiatric hospitals on multiple occasions because she was having suicidal thoughts, disabling depression, and chronic severe anxiety. She is a hoarder and must be surrounded by lots of things. She claims that most of it is to be given away to help people, but she just doesn’t get around to it. She has never known how to live a financially responsible life, so she has had multiple bankruptcies and ultimately lost her home through foreclosure. She has had multiple accidents, so she has had to give up driving. Over the years she has continually pushed away good acquaintances, so she does not have many friends at all and no family to depend on. Some of those acquaintances have been very loving, but she keeps saying, “Nobody loves me.” She is full of fear. She is unable to work; she has lost her vocational purpose in life. Life seems to have no meaning for her. Erik’s parents were part of a biker gang. He and his two brothers grew up with the gang. Erik was the oldest and the first to leave home. He was very resourceful and soon became a successful photographer. Before long, he was also the president of his own biker gang; the gang was involved in the drug culture, manufacturing and distribution as well. Erik developed a reputation as being very violent, causing everyone in his family to be afraid of him. Over the course of only 20 years, Erik was married 8 times, with every one ending in divorce. He had 2 daughters and twin sons. The daughters were taken away by their mothers to never see him again. The mother of the twin sons became a major drug user, abandoning them to Erik. She then died of cancer. Erik somehow became a Christian by the witness of a couple who were former drug customers. He was without discipleship, but had in an old tin box an old Bible belonging to his grandmother. She had recorded prayers on the inside cover for each of her children and grandchildren by name. She had been praying for their redemption and deliverance. Within 6 months of his coming to Christ, Erik lost his business, an interim job, and his house. He went from a 5-digit monthly income to nothing. He was trying to raise his preschool age boys while living in a car. One evening, he watched helplessly as one of his sons was killed by a drunken hit-and-run driver who jumped a curb and crossed the sidewalk into a schoolyard. A few months 27 later, he was applying for a job; a broken street sign from the site of the accident that killed his son peered over a fence from a neighboring street maintenance yard. Eric was so much in pain at seeing it that he couldn’t interview for the job. Erik eventually got a job in an optometry shop. His son continued to grow and started into high school. They were able to be able to rent a tiny house (under 180 square feet) and join a neighborhood church. Erik became immersed in a discipleship program, but after a few years, Erik and the senior pastor had a theological dispute and Erik was forced to leave the church. He joined and prospered in a new church, but his son resented both churches. Erik was sent on a mission trip to a foreign country, which became much longer than originally planned; Erik missed his son’s high school graduation. Erik sought to find his daughters, but was not successful. He sought to reconcile with his brothers, which was successful but only over the telephone. He will not see them again this side of heaven. His son joined the Army. The church that sent him on the mission trip promised to provide support, but ultimately forgot about him. The mission trip has become a permanent station 10 time zones away from his former home. Frank has lived on the streets for more than 50 years (which is as far back as anyone has been able to trace him in any government system). Nobody really knows his story or even his age, because Frank doesn’t remember a time when he hasn’t lived on the street and has no recollection of family. Everything Frank owns, he carries in a massive stack of backpacks which stand 2 feet above his head. Frank trusts very few people, but those that he knows and trusts he counts as close friends. He is friendly and follows his routine day after day visiting various places where he can get free food. He doesn’t drink or use drugs, but he is alone, except for the very few people he has allowed to know him a little bit. Twice a week, he listens to a Bible study at a local church that also provides a meal. Nobody has ever heard him speak of his faith in God (or not). He enjoys it when people pray for him, but he remains silent all the time. He is never more than 10 feet from his backpack because he doesn’t want to lose anything (again – he has probably lost everything several times over the years). Frank lives in a cave, which is really an eroded hole in an old bridge on-ramp hidden by a tree. There is barely enough room for him and his backpack. Nobody knows why, but Frank can’t stand to be inside a building for more than about 90 minutes. Beyond that time, he becomes very anxious. During the day, he only stops walking to get a meal. He welcomes conversations with his friends as long as they are walking with him as he follows his routine. Erik has a “provisional” state ID card; his birthdate is unknown. He has no home of record. He has some expired “provisional” cards with different last names on them. When one expires, he goes and gets another, usually with a different last name because he can’t provide records to make a provisional card permanent. George just showed up on the street the first time one Sunday. A faithful team was giving out breakfasts and some other supplies to people living in the nearby camps. He looked out of place, and someone tried to talk with him. There was emptiness in his eyes. The servant gently prodded to find out if there was anything they could pray for him or with him or get for him. He shook his head, no. The servant sat down with him on a curb as he ate. “Is there anything I can get for you or do for you?” George finally stopped eating and sobbed quietly as the servant put his hand on George’s shoulder. Then he told a story of just the past few days. “I lost my job a few months back. We got evicted from the place we were renting. We packed everything we had in our RV and set out to find someplace to stay. I went into a convenience store to get some milk for the kids. My wife stayed with both of them in the RV. As I was checking out, I saw a big pickup truck drive across the lot and plow into my RV. Both vehicles burst into flames. Everybody was killed instantly. Everything I had in the world was burned up in a moment. The police said the truck driver was drunk and lost control. They figured he was going over 60 when he hit my family. That was Friday. I came here on the bus looking for an old friend, but he has left town for parts unknown. I don’t have a phone number or anything. I am empty. I have nothing. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go.” Others from the 28 team and from among the camp leaders gathered around. They developed a plan to take care of George and make sure he was OK. Four days later, George got back on a bus to go back to start life over again. The support he got on the street that day gave him new hope, but none of the team knows what, if anything, was said that helped George. Perhaps it was just the love of strangers touching the heart of a brother. Helen was born male but with very incomplete development of sexual organs, so her parents had her altered and she was raised as a girl. Her family was rather dysfunctional but very religious. They tried to take care of Helen when she didn’t want their help as an adult. Over the years, she was a successful social worker. However, she became attracted to other women and developed a partner relationship with another woman, to the horror and disapproval of her family. Later in life, she became blind and her partner had a major stroke requiring constant care in a nursing home. Helen is blind, estranged from her family, separated from her partner, and lives in a community which is also very strictly religious and disapproving of her lifestyle. She has become paranoid that everybody is trying to steal from her. She views everybody who is seeking to help as trying to exploit her and to take away her freedom. She is very proud of her ability to get along in life with her blindness. She says that she is able to identify people solely by their voices. Her hearing is now starting to fail. She is starved for companionship but trusts nobody. She comes out to the streets to get free food as she has a very limited income, but she really can’t identify the regulars in the team that are serving in the community. The people on the team are very concerned for her, pray for her, and seek to help her, but are continuously frustrated by her. Irene grew up in an abusive family. She got married at 15 because she had a pregnancy. However, she miscarried and her husband, who was 18, decided to divorce her. She went back home and went back to school, but dropped out at 18 without getting her diploma. She ran away from home after getting beaten by her step-father. She found herself on the streets. She tried to make friends with some other girls on the streets, but they turned out to be prostitutes who advised her to go home and get off the streets. She tried to bed down behind a dumpster one night, but she was awakened by a man who proceeded to rape her and to steal all of her possessions. He then beat her and stabbed her 5 times. She woke up in an emergency room. A homeless man had discovered her and called the police. The police found her broken cell phone during a drug house bust. They suspected her of being a drug user, but the hospital provided medical information to clear her. Jack is young, in his mid-twenties. He served in the Army in Afghanistan, but was discharged (honorably) after two enlistments. He had hoped to make the Army his career. Jack grew up in Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, and New York. He is the youngest of 4 children. His mother divorced his father when Jack was less than a year old. She remarried and divorced three more times before Jack turned 12. She died of a drug overdose when he was 15; by that time his older siblings were out of the house and out of contact in other states. Jack went into foster care. He was in 2 foster families before he graduated from high school; one of the families was judged unfit by the state, so he was moved to another foster family that already had 6 other children. Although he graduated from high school, his grades were marginal in every subject. Jack has a hard time forming relationships. He really enjoyed military service and the camaraderie of his unit. However, he was discharged into the Washington DC area, his last duty station. The military was drawing down. He moved to Baltimore, which was more affordable than DC, and sought employment. Although he had substantial discharge pay, he was only able to stretch it about 16 months because he failed and failed again to find a job with enough income to make rent and also his car payments. He was only able to find part time jobs, and held down several part-time minimum wage jobs. However, the part-time jobs were so sporadic he got behind in his rent over and over. He resigned himself to live in his car. Jack never was good at finding friends, and he was really lost trying to make it on the streets. He was constantly hassled by the police for 29 parking to long in unauthorized locations or for loitering. When he could find his occasional hours of work, he would try to use the facilities to get cleaned up. His only connection to religion is a Gideon’s New Testament he received while on active duty, but it lays hidden in the glove compartment of his car. Jack barely makes ends meet, especially in the winter months, so he stretches his budget by going to street outreaches that serve food. Ken grew up in the “ideal, all-American, Christian home”, the oldest of 4 children. His father had served in World War II and Korea in the Army. Ken did well in school and lettered on the basketball and football teams, but interrupted his education to join the Army and serve in Vietnam. Before leaving, he became engaged to his high school sweetheart, who promised to wait for him. He excelled in his training and became a Green Beret. He saw a lot of action, and was called on to do some things which, as he reflected on them later, he was not proud of, but it was war. He was defending freedom. While returning from a mission, the helicopter transporting the Team was shot down and crashed in a ball of flame. Ken was thrown away from the main wreckage, but was severely burned over much of his body. Still he could hear the dying cries of agony from his Team members. He passed out. He woke up in a hospital ward in Hawaii. How he survived was a miracle. A field hospital managed to save his life, although his legs had to be amputated. He had been temporarily wrapped in an experimental “artificial skin” and transported to the hospital for further treatment. He had been unconscious but clearly alive for over a month when he came to. The doctors told him how lucky he was because he was the sole survivor. Ken then realized that he had lost his legs; so much for being an athletic star. He was already burdened with survivor guilt; the doctors said he would get help for that – it’s a “common thing” and the Army has people to help. Ken was getting various drugs for the pain, nightmares, sleep deprivation, depression, and some to counter the side effects. One day, a cheery nurse came in to bathe him because he was getting visitors. Ken struggled to get awake from the grogginess caused by his medications. The visitors were his mother and his bride-to-be; both of them were shocked when they saw Ken lying in his bed. They both started crying, almost uncontrollably. Ken’s mother pulled herself together, but his girl ran out of the room still crying. Ken’s mother told him that his father had died of a heart attack shortly after they were notified of his being wounded in action. Ken couldn’t talk for very long, but his mother continued visiting each day for a couple of weeks. Ken’s girlfriend never returned; Ken understood when he looked in a mirror one day. His face was so distorted and grotesque with scars. A few months later, Ken got a letter from the oldest of his sisters; she told him that their mother had fallen and broken her hip. Another letter arrived; his mother had a stroke while she was recovering in the hospital. Still another letter came; his mother was permanently paralyzed and unable to speak. Within 6 months, she died; Ken was brokenhearted that he couldn’t go home for the funeral. Another letter arrived from the old home town; Ken’s girlfriend broke off their engagement and announced she was marrying a mutual friend. Ken tried to overdose on his meds, but the charge nurse forcibly stopped him. Lena is young, only 24 years old, but she has a story longer than most people 3 times her age. She has mental problems stemming from being born to a drug-abusing mother. When she was only 2, she was put into foster care because her mother and grandmother both died of over- doses. There were no known male relatives. In foster care, she bounced among multiple families and school systems; four different families by the time she was 11. She ran away from her foster home at 12 and went to another city. She was living on the streets where she was molested and gang raped. She was placed with another foster family, but was constantly in trouble at school. She got involved with a gang at 14 and ran away from the foster home again. The gang was trying to sell her for sex, but was trapped by a police sting operation. Together with other members of the gang, she was convicted of prostitution and drug charges. She served 3 years in a juvenile detention facility because of constant fights that extended her term. By the time she got out of the detention facility, she was no longer eligible for foster care and still had not completed 30 high school or obtained a GED. She was released to a group home, but was molested by one of the workers (at least according to her). She ran away again. She sold herself for sex to make money. She became pregnant 5 times, but had an abortion each time. She has been arrested a number of times for petty crimes, but has escaped prosecution. The last time she had an abortion, a woman was protesting outside the clinic proclaiming, “Abortion is murder. Everyone in the abortion industry is damned to hell! God will judge all.” Lena was recently found sitting on a park bench sobbing uncontrollably. She says she thinks about taking her own life, but she is too scared to do so. Mike is not yet 30. He can’t remember his parents, but he stayed with a single family in foster care for 14 years. His foster parents made sure he did well in school, so Mike graduated from high school. However, when he was thinking about the possibility of going to college, there was no money, so Mike joined the Navy in the hopes of finding a career and a way to further his education. He served honorably for 7 years, but was not allowed to re-enlist because the military was down-sizing and his rate had a surplus compared to military needs. Mike was discharged, but given no counsel or guidance. He had some money saved from the time he was discharged, but it ran out before he could find a steady job. He stayed in the city where he was discharged since there was no home for him where he grew up. Mike panhandles and collects bottles and cans in order to get money, but it is not enough to pay for a phone, let alone get an apartment. He applied for several jobs: as a security guard, in a restaurant, and in a shipyard. Each job required certification, so Mike took special training and got certified. The certification training was very expensive, so Mike went hungry quite a bit. Now he finds it hard to keep a job because there are days where he is so depressed that he doesn’t make it to work on time. His employers say that he does decent work, but he isn’t reliable. Mike hangs out in a local park and stands in a group of other men outside a Home Depot parking lot hoping someone will hire him for a day or two; most days are futile. Nate has been on the street for decades. Nate didn’t do well in school, and was a very poor reader. His dad was a felon and in prison throughout his entire childhood. His mom was an alcoholic and largely left him and his brother and sister to their own devices. Over recent years, he has been in jail for public intoxication and vandalizing public property by spray-painting graffiti on public buildings, but when he was a teen-ager, he was part of a gang and was convicted of armed robbery. He spent some years in prison. While in prison, he participated in both Christian and Muslim chaplain services and decided to renounce his past life of violence. When he was released early from prison for good behavior, he couldn’t find work or find a place to rent because of his status as a convicted felon. He had completed his GED while in prison, but lacked training in any useful trade. This also made it difficult to get employment. He has never established contact with his siblings, and has no desire to find relatives. He says his best friends are the pigeons in the park. He nests in some bushes in a secluded corner of the park and tries to avoid too much contact with others. He gets his meals at a local shelter, but he has a hard time staying indoors for too long because it reminds him too much of being in prison. Overall, Nate tries to keep his life simple. He has no possessions or ID; everything he has can be carried in his pockets. Once in a while, he earns some money by recycling cans and bottles he finds in the trash cans in the park. He gets clothes from a handout ministry at a local church when he thinks he needs to replace those he wears all the time. He showers daily at the public showers at a recreation center in the park; he washes his clothes at the same time by showering while he is wearing them. He doesn’t remember his birthday; the local police know more about him than he remembers. Nate just goes on day by day. He has no dreams, no purpose in life, and no hope. Oscar was born in another country and came to the US as a child. His parents were legal aliens and migrant farm workers who moved with the harvests, so Oscar and his brother and two sisters didn’t have a stable home. In many locations, they lived in shanties with no electricity or running water; in others, they lived in tents. During the days, the kids would play unsupervised 31 around the camp while their parents worked. After the evening meal, their mom and dad would try to teach them English, reading, writing, and counting. Their parents also studied because they hoped to become US citizens someday. Their mom got really sick and died; Oscar really missed his mom. By this time, Oscar’s brother and oldest sister were able to work in the fields, which they did while Oscar and his other sister played. About 3 years later, Oscar’s dad qualified to become a naturalized citizen; it was a proud day for him and the family as they stood before an immigration judge to take their oath. Oscar was 10 at the time. Only six months later, his dad was killed in a freak accident working with farm machinery. Oscar was devastated. Oscar’s oldest sister got married and left the migrant farm work. Oscar, his brother, and his other sister moved in with the newly married couple. This didn’t turn out well. The new husband hadn’t bought into gaining an instant family, and Oscar didn’t like him. Oscar’s older brother got a job, which didn’t pay very much but was enough to get an apartment, so Oscar moved in with him. For the first time, Oscar was going to public school, but he wasn’t doing very well in his studies. In school, the kids were making fun of him because he was wearing the same clothes every day. He was having a hard time reading because his vision was blurry. He was too uncoordinated to play team sports, and kids made fun of him when he tried. His oldest sister called one day to tell him and his brother that his other sister had been killed in a drive-by shooting. After the funeral, his sister and husband announced that they were moving away to another state because he had gotten a much better job. In his senior year of high school, Oscar’s brother came home one day and told him that he had lost his job because the store where he worked was closing. Oscar was unable to graduate because he had failed too many courses. While his brother continued to look for a job, Oscar decided to join the Army. He traveled across the country to go to Basic Training. He graduated from Basic and tried several specialties, but didn’t successfully pass any of the entrance qualifications for the ones he tried out for. He became infantry and was sent to Afghanistan. He was wounded in action. He started to have severe nightmares. The Army diagnosed him with PTSD. He was prescribed some medications; Oscar tried to overdose so that he could “just go to sleep and not wake up again.” He was confined to a mental hospital for nearly a year, but Oscar didn’t seem to respond to any of the treatments. He was discharged from the Army. Oscar then tried to contact his brother, whose phone number was disconnected and lives somewhere unknown to Oscar. He tried to contact his sister, but he doesn’t know where she lives and doesn’t have a current phone number for her. Oscar has been drifting from city to city, homeless, for the past 3 years. The VA in several cities has denied him benefits. In one of the cities, he was attacked by a gang of thugs; he was severely injured. The gang shouted obscenities about his Hispanic heritage, telling him, “Go home.” He has had to have his military paperwork replaced several times. Once in a while, he stops into a local rescue mission “just to recover from being on the road.” He still has frequent flashbacks and nightmares. He is very lonely. Peggy grew up in an abusive home with alcoholic parents, who were constantly fighting, splitting up, getting back together, and repeating the cycle. At 13, Peggy ran away from home in the Northwest and hitchhiked to Atlanta. She started hanging out with some older teens on the streets. One of the older boys said that he loved her and would take care of her. He got her hooked on drugs and sold her for sex to pay for his own habit. He took her from city to city, winding their way back and forth across the country to various conventions and major sporting events as part of a prostitution ring. One evening, after an NFL game, Peggy was meeting a “John” in the hotel, but it was part of a police raid trying to arrest the entire prostitution ring. The police discovered that she was only 17, so they sent her to a special juvenile facility. There, she was treated medically and psychologically for 6 months while the various court cases against the other members of the ring were proceeding. The police and prosecutors interviewed her multiple times, but the drug-induced haze of her life didn’t allow her to remember anything significant. She couldn’t even remember the home town where she grew up. Eventually, the investigators were able to identify her properly and found that her parents were both in prison. A court hearing 32 was held to determine her status, and she was released without any charges against her. The court recommended a program for her, given her problems with drugs, and medical supervision, but the program had a waiting list and she had just turned 18. Peggy decided just to walk away and move to another city in another state. She had been free of drugs for over a year, but her life was so empty that she craved something to ease the pain. She bought a hit of “spice” on the street; the next thing she knew, she was in the emergency ward of a hospital. She was put into a special ward for several days for observation. The hospital said that there was evidence that she had had several poorly done abortions. All sorts of people came in asking questions and more questions; Peggy was overwhelmed. She was transferred to a psychiatric ward; she doesn’t know for how long. Eventually, she was discharged with a bottle of pills with instructions to take one each day with food. There were days she didn’t have any food. Finally, she hooked up with a boy, also living on the streets, about her age. They managed to get a small tent and a sleeping bag, so they made a “safe” place in a back alley their home. Peggy got pregnant. Her “husband” got arrested for trying to steal food from a convenience store on more than one occasion. On one of those occasions, she was alone in the back alley when her water broke. She worked her way to the nearest street, but there was nobody around at 3 or 4 in the morning. About 4 blocks away, she found an open convenience store, and the manager called 911. The baby was still-born on the way to the hospital. The hospital kept her overnight. Peggy left the following morning to look for her husband. She hasn’t found him. She went to the police, but there is no record of him. She returned to the tent to wait for him. She is very anxious and depressed. Quincy is a huge black man with a very gentle nature. He is disabled, having been shot by a security guard who erroneously thought Quincy was a threat. Quincy holds no grudge against him and never sought charges against him, but Quincy was unable to continue working after this “accident” that occurred 20+ years ago. Now he mostly lives on the streets. He tries to work from time for time for local eateries washing dishes. He rarely can work for more than a few hours at a time because of his disability. Most of the local eateries use him as much as they can simply to help him out. They also let him eat the “leftovers” after the main services of the day. However, Quincy doesn’t have anywhere to live. During the bad weather, some of his friends in the community let him sleep at their business or in their lounge. Some people have tried to help Quincy get government assistance, but he doesn’t like the idea of getting something without work. Beyond that, Quincy is very quiet and receding and hard to get to know. He is civil, but never friendly. None of his friends know anything about the details of his past. If asked, he simply says, “I don’t want to talk about it.” He has been observed sitting in the park with his head in his hand, sobbing. Recently, Quincy was stabbed by a man when Quincy interfered with the man assaulting a woman. The man was beaten unconscious. The police arrested the man for assaulting the woman and helped Quincy get medical treatment. Robert is an unknown quantity. He has lived on the streets for decades and is psychotic. He gets along by robbing others living on the street, usually at knifepoint and during the night while they are asleep. He has been known as a problem for years, but not much is known about his past. He served time in prison years ago for almost killing several men in a fight. He refuses medical treatment. He has been confined in a psychiatric ward and mandated to take certain medications, but he continuously refuses when he gets released. Recently, he started attending a church street ministry. Sarah and Thomas are an older couple, having been married over 40 years. They had two sons; both sons joined the US Marine Corps. The older was killed in the attack on the Marine Barracks in Beirut. The younger was killed in Iraq. Sarah said, “No parent should have to bury a child. It is doubly painful to bury the second child. We are empty.” Thomas (never Tom) agrees. He retired from a company and has a pension. It is a fixed pension and has diminished in buying power from year to year. He has found out that he has mesothelioma and the doctors give him months to live; he has already out-lived their prognosis. Sarah was out shopping one evening 33 for some needed food; she was attacked, beaten, robbed, and raped in the parking lot. She spent sixteen weeks in the hospital and a convalescent home recovering from her injuries. The hospital bills were greatly in excess of their insurance, so they mortgaged their home to pay the bills. Their pension doesn’t cover their mortgage payment, and there is a threat of foreclosure hanging over them. If they can somehow hold out for another year or so, they hope they can get a reverse mortgage which will get rid of their payments and save their home. Thomas worries about Sarah after he dies. Sarah worries about her ability to care for Thomas. They spend as much time as they can together at a senior’s center and in a local park. Utah and Veronica are a young couple. They were high school sweethearts. They went to college together. They got married upon graduation and settled down to establish a family. Utah came from a relatively poor family, but Veronica’s parents were upper middle class. Despite their college degrees, they had a hard time finding work. But Utah had skills as a carpenter and started working with a large construction company building houses. With his degree, he also became a site manager within the company. Within 5 years, Veronica’s parents died in a car accident, leaving her their house. The young couple moved in and proceeded to make it their own. By this time, they already had a girl and a boy, and Veronica was pregnant with their third child. Then one spring, a tornado came through in the night, and their house was destroyed while they slept. Utah and Veronica were found by rescue workers under their bed with the house on top of them. Utah lost part of his right arm and his legs below the knees. They learned later in the hospital than their children had died. Utah’s workplace was also destroyed. Veronica had no idea what to do. They discovered that their house insurance did not cover tornado damage or loss. They moved in with Utah’s parents while they were trying to sort out what to do. Utah’s mother was diagnosed with stage 5 breast cancer and his father continued to struggle with end-stage emphysema. Veronica found herself being unprepared to be the caretaker for her husband and both in-laws; then she finally gave birth to a baby son. Rather than being filled with joy, she became unbelievably depressed. She and the family don’t know what to do or where to turn. Wendy had a very average childhood. She married a wonderful man who she had admired from grade school all the way through high school. It was a dream fulfilled when he asked her to the senior prom; it was the first time he had ever seemed to take notice of her. They dated and got engaged and got married shortly after her “dreamboat” graduated from the police academy and was sworn onto the local police force. They quickly settled down. They bought a small house, and before long their first child was on the way. Two years later, a second child brought the family up to 2 girls. This was followed by twin boys three years later. Wendy had everything she had ever dreamed of: a loving husband and father to 4 perfectly adorable children. Their daily schedule was irregular because of the changing police patrol responsibilities, but it was not hard to adapt to. Wendy’s husband made sergeant, and the promotion helped a lot with the home budget. They chose to live modestly. Wendy poured herself into caring for her children and their schoolwork and activities. One evening, her husband was late coming home; Wendy assumed that there was an arrest and there was paperwork to do. But, a knock at the door was from a fellow policeman to tell her that her husband had been involved in foiling an armed robbery and had been shot and killed. Wendy sank to the floor. The next weeks were full of a lot of activities and many “Blue” families and friends wrapped around Wendy and the children to help. Gradually, things went back to a new normal. Her children kept growing up and doing well in school. Wendy tried to keep involved in their schools and activities, but she had to eventually go to work in order to meet the growing family expenses. She met a man at work, who was divorced but seemed nice. He seemed to really like her children and started to do things together as a family. They decided to get married. Things seemed to go well for the first several years, but her new husband became increasingly demanding and controlling. They started having more and more heated discussions. By the time their seventh anniversary rolled around, Wendy was very 34 unhappy. By this time, her girls are off in their own lives away from home, and her sons are graduating from high school. On the evening of their anniversary, she and her husband got into a heated argument at a restaurant, where her husband physically attacked her in public. The restaurant manager restrained him and called the police. The police took him into custody, charged with “drunk and disorderly,” but he was released the next morning. He and Wendy met at work. In the middle of a staff meeting, he flew into a rage, blaming Wendy for all the events the night before. Their co-workers were astonished. Wendy sought counselling, but her husband refused marriage counselling. Over the next year, he physically abused Wendy badly, and she had to be hospitalized with injuries three times. Wendy kicked him out of the house and proceeded divorce proceedings. She also changed jobs so she wouldn’t have to see him daily. She had to go on a business trip for her new job, and she decided to take a side trip to visit her boys at their college. She got a call the weekend that she was with her boys that her home had burned down. It was arson. Her husband was responsible, and he had intentionally let the home insurance lapse. Wendy was soon living in her SUV. She feels very threatened by her husband. A policeman told her to be very careful because her husband has taken out a large life insurance policy on her. Xenophon (or Xenny or Xeno) is the son of some 1960’s hippie drop-outs. He is a “peace at any price” and “chill out” kind of guy, but he also is very angry about his parents kicking him out of the house as soon as he turned 18. His dad told him to “get out of my house and get out of my sight.” His mom told him not to come home unless he brought a kilo (of drugs) for her. Almost any time Xeno sees a family enjoying time together in the park or coming out of church or doing almost anything else together as a normal family, he gets almost uncontrollably angry, flashing back to his parents. Sometimes his anger carries over toward almost anyone unfortunate enough to be nearby. He can’t hold down a steady job because of his inability to control his anger. Mostly, he lives in his van and does any sort of part-time work that doesn’t require a background check or reference. Yank was born in New Hampshire but wanders around in the beach cities of Florida. She went to college in Florida and got involved in free sex, alcohol, and drugs. She has taken a number of hallucinogenic drugs, which have greatly impaired her thinking. She “puts out” for meals and will stay with almost anyone who puts a roof over her head. Needless to say, she is exploited by lots of people. Most of the time, Yank is so “zoned out” that she doesn’t know her own name most of the time, and she can’t remember any details from her past. Zero jokes that he lives up to his name, but actually he is very intelligent. Zero is an itinerant homeless person or hobo. He wanders from city to city following the good weather and his mood. He is a willing worker at whatever jobs other people don’t want to do. When he has saved up enough money, he moves on. He doesn’t panhandle, but he won’t complain if someone gives him a free meal. Normally, he dresses well, but always casual and clean. He doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs. He is always polite. He worries about the women and children he sees on the streets. He said that he got hassled by the police in some cities because he looked homeless or like a vagrant, so he tries to “look like a normal.” He carries most of his belongings in a lockable briefcase. Sometimes he avoids living on the street by going into an office building near closing hours, finding an open office and sleeping in an office or reception room sofa. He keeps appearance such that he wouldn’t look too much out of place there. Zero says that he just has never found any real purpose to life, so he just tries to get along with folks and do whatever he feels like. He doesn’t know if there is a God. He is pretty sure that nobody cares about him.

35 How can you help people with these stories? The outcomes for each of these people are mostly known, although not published here. Most of the outcomes are positive, a few are still works in progress, and two are concluded by the death of the individual. In each instance, someone was able to effectively minister to the person in the story. How might you be used if you were part of these stories? How can you help your brother or sister in need? People like you have been able to make a difference because they have sacrificed some time to talk with these individuals. As you survey these stories, please note the very deep pain, grief, mistrust, and despair. Try to understand why they may harbor anger or hate. Can you understand how much their soul may hurt? Review the Process. How might you approach each of the people (assuming that you are seeking to answer the call from God to love our neighbors)? You might recognize some serious medical issues and conditions among these stories and say to yourself, “But I’m not a doctor. I’m not qualified to deal with this.” Nobody is asking you to do anything you are not qualified to do. But we need to recognize that we are able to do much more than we might think when we are walking in the Spirit. Some of the people in these stories had been under treatment and doctors had taken them as far as they could go; yet, someone like you answered a call from God and was used by Him to bring healing to a hurting heart. When the heart healed, the mental, emotional, and physical conditions were also helped immensely. It is rare that anyone receives the spiritual help they need from a doctor or hospital (and certainly never from a pill). These are the stories from “A to Z.”

36

Load more

  36

Copy Link