Exiled!

Introduction:  One of the first stories told in the Bible is the story of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise. Their story is our story because it records how humanity has sought to return to a personal relationship with God after they've fallen from grace. This drama of exile continues throughout the Old Testament until a dramatic event. That event was that God became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ! Through Christ, we are no longer exiles but children of God. As God's children, we have the gift of eternal life. This gift is our inheritance, given to us by Christ who died for our sins and more importantly rose from the dead, defeating death once and for all. Consequently, we are free to live our lives without fear or doubt. This is the Good News of the Bible! Yet, there are those among us who have not heard the Good News or who deny its existence. The result is they, like

Adam and Eve, are still living in exile. Like the prodigal son, they search for joy in their lives but seek to find it in the wrong places.

Exile:  So, what does it mean to live in exile?  Have you ever experienced exile in your life? Are you looking for that elusive state of joy in your life?  In search of an answer, where do we begin?

Whether we recognize it or not, we have all lived in exile to one degree or another. If you have been pushed out, kicked out, discriminated against because of the color of your skin or what you believed, you have been exiled. Just look at what is taking place in our culture today with the corona virus.  If you're sick, you must be quarantined or isolated. If you're over 65-years old in California you're exiled in your own homes. You don't have the freedom to go to a restaurant or to go to work. This pandemic has made us all exiles in our own land! 

Even before this virus struck, many people were forced into an exile existence. Talk to the woman who has just been divorced, and she will share her feelings of being exiled. She takes on a new status and she feels like people look at her differently. What about the alcoholic who has struggled with his illness and as a result has been shut out of his family?  Is he living in exile?  Then there is the solider who has just come back from a war zone deployment, does he or she live in an exile state? Speaking from experience, combat vets find it difficult to reintegrate back into society.

I can remember coming back from Vietnam in 1966; it was one of the most difficult transitions I had to face. In returning home, I felt like a stranger in my own land. When you return home, you are bringing all of your emotional baggage with you. You can leave Vietnam, but Vietnam never leaves you. Allow me to explain further. As a security policeman assigned to a K-9 unit, each night we had to go out and patrol the outer perimeter of the base with our dogs. We walked the night alone. We were the first line of defense. During my tour of duty, I had my share of encounters that affected the way I thought, acted and felt. To this day, I am still dealing with nightmares.  I can't tell you how many times I have been shot in the chest in my dreams in a combat situation. I am still haunted by the two airmen I almost shot as they tried to climb over a perimeter fence in the middle of the night to get back onto base as they stood in a kill zone. Then, there was the time I slept through a firefight just below my post. My worst night came when I encountered a VC probe and I opened fire! 

When I was called home on emergency leave due to a family tragedy, I tried to engage with old high school friends, but I had changed. I could not engage with them because their life experience was no longer mine. When I left Vietnam to return home, I left my innocence behind. I was a different person and as a result, I entered into a self-imposed exile. My exile would last for years, buried deep within my soul. I was living in exile, and I didn't even recognize my condition. That is until I began seeking medical treatment at the VA Hospital.

Every time I went in for an appointment, the hospital staff kept asking me if I have PTSD?  My answer was a quick no! I did not want the stigma of such a medical tag. However, over time I kept looking back and upon a deep examination of my life, the nightmares, feeling cautious around strangers, flashbacks, and having the need to have two guns in my nightstand, it was time to face my demons.  I had to break through my denial and face the facts. I needed to find the answers to the questions I had not raised.  I accepted the reality that if I was going to accept my past, I needed to look into the future. I began the journey of self-discovery and started to see a VA counselor. 

What I found to be true regarding my life's experiences was true regarding my spiritual experience as well. Like Adam and Eve, I had to accept the reality that I was living in exile with one foot in the doorway.  It wasn't that I was a bad person; however, I had to admit that even though I was religious and went to church on occasion, I was not deeply committed to my faith. My faith was like an insurance policy, you kept it available just in case you needed it in an emergency. If I was going to break out of my exile and denial, I had to reevaluate my relationship with Jesus Christ.  

During this time of crisis, we have a blessed opportunity to reflect on our lives.  This virus has forced us to re-examine our piorites.  Perhaps, we can look at the many things we took for granted, like going to a resturant, having coffee with a friend at Starbucks, or hiking in the mountains. Most importantly, in our moments of isolation, we are beginning to realize that we need each other.  The doors of opportunity are waiting to be opened if we are willing to break through our denial and accept that we were once exiles in our own land.  And, in this Holy Week, we can celebrate or rediscover that we are free at last!  

"The Elusive Gift of Joy" by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

The Elusive Gift of Joy

One of my favorite parables, as told by Jesus in Luke's gospel, is the story of the prodigal son. In the 15th chapter of that gospel, Jesus is teaching a number of lessons on the subject of what it means to be lost.  In telling the stories, he uses images to which audience can easily relate. So, he tells them about lost sheep, a lost coin, and finally a story about a lost son. In each of the stories, Jesus seeks to convey the extent to which we search for that which is lost and the joy we experience upon its recovery.

The story of the prodigal son is my story. When I read it, I am reminded of the many times I became lost! Like the young man, I have done some foolish things. Like him, I made some unwise decisions.  Like him, I went down the wrong path and separated myself from family, church, and my support systems. Like him, I have been distracted by wild living. And just like him, I had to find my way back home.  But, let us go back to the beginning of the story because there may be some facts about this young lad that may have eluded you.

The prodigal is the second son in this family.  Growing up behind an older brother, who was responsible and mature, was a challenge. In fact, he found it difficult to compete with his older brother. His brother did everything well, and why not?  As the oldest, he had only adults as examples. Consequently, the older brother got all the accolades and positive reinforcement. Even more than that, being the first born son, his family embraced him with great affection. Since the prodigal could not compete with his older brother, what did he do?  He sought negative attention and became the bad boy of the family. How do we know this fact?  Just look at his actions.  At the first opportunity, the prodigal son abandoned his family and relocated in a far off land! More than that, he sought a lifestyle that was corrupt and wild! He followed his heart's desire, that was until the money ran out.  Once he was broke and friendless, it was only then that he came to his senses. As he pondered his situation, he began to think about the elusive gift of joy.

With his inheritance in hand, he thought he could buy his happiness. He threw off the shackles of responsibility, which freed him to live the life he wanted for himself.  Or at least so he thought.  So he indulged in the party life, without a care in the world, nor thinking of the consequences of his actions.  As long as he had the money to buy his happiness, he lived in his delusion. And his delusion was that he was living the joyful life.

Now, ponder this story for a minute, look around you. How many times do you see the drama played out in your life with family and friends?  How many people do you know who seek to find their joy smoking a joint or downing a six pack of beer? What about those who seek to feed their sexual appetites with multiple relationships at the same time?  Are they seeking the elusive gift of joy?  Is enough ever enough to fill them with that joy? So, what is the answer?  What did this young man have to do to change course?

One of the conditions that affects the human spirit and forces us into poor choices is the issue of denial. Denial does not allow us to seek that which is truth. Denial blinds us from the facts. Denial fills our minds with fear of what may be taking places at the moment and forces us to accept other answers or other solutions. We all do it! The big question is, can we break free of denial's grasp on our lives? In the case of the prodigal son, he had to be honest with himself. He needed to look deep within himself and search his soul to rediscover what brought joy in his life.

Once this young man broke through his denial, the elusive gift of joy was right in front of him.  He needed to go back home and return to his father's love and embrace. The reality is that home offers us more than a place to rest our heads. Home is a sacred place where we learn about holy values such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22)  When we grasp these fruits of God's Spirit, is this not how we really want to live our lives?

"Toxic Sibling Rivalries" by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

Toxic Sibling Rivalries 

In the 4th chapter in the book of Genesis, we are introduced to the tragic story of two brothers.  The firstborn son was Cain and the second was named Abel. Their parents were Adam and Eve. Cain, the older, was a tiller of the soil, while his brother tended to the flocks. When it came time to make their offering to God, Cain offered up the first fruits of his crop, while Abel offered the fat portion of his animal sacrifice. When the gifts were received by God, He appreciated the animal sacrifice of Abel's above the crop offering of Cain's. In response, Cain grew in anger at his brother, the result leading Cain to seek revenge. So, Cain killed his younger brother. This story is the first recorded episode of human violence and toxic sibling rivalry. When God confronted Cain and inquired about Abel, Cain responded, "Am I my brother's keeper?" This story is the first recorded drama of human violence,  but it would not, however, be the last.

As we continue reading in Genesis, we come across the story of Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac. Now, in those days it was a custom to give your blessing to your first-born son. This blessing was a critical gift for the well-being of your first male child. In this case, it would have been Esau. The boys' mother, however, favored the younger brother Jacob, and she conspired with Jacob to steal his older brother's blessing. Consequently, when Esau was out hunting for the family, the younger son snuck into his father's tent posing to be the older son. Since his father had failing eye sight, he could not tell one son from the other. As a result, Jacob tricked his father and received the blessing meant for his brother! And, with this blessing, Jacob would have nations honoring and kneeling before him. When Esau discovered he was robbed of his father's blessing, the boy wept. Esau was angry, and Jacob had to flee from his brother's wrath. Yet, in doing so, Jacob discovered his destiny with history.  This saga of toxic, sibling rivalry continues on from biblical times to the present day. If you look, it is everywhere, if not within your own family, then in families close to you.

When toxic, sibling rivalries are allowed to fester within families, such emotions disrupt the family unit and in extreme cases can even lead to violence. Such relationships can last a lifetime with no resolution. These rivalries not only affect the family unit, but such discord can even creep into a community.  

Allow this thought to percolate in your mind. When Cain slew Abel, this was not the first time that Cain's anger got the best of him. I submit that this rivalry was an ongoing saga between the two brothers. I imagine that Cain's angry emotions kept building until he exploded in a fit of rage! And why not? Growing up in a household of boys, you have to ask yourself what young boys do? They learn how to fight. They cultivate jealousies and plot out their revenge. This pattern of behavior may follow them into their adult years if not resolved.  

Families are sacred spaces! In this wonderful institution created by God, parents are given the awesome responsibility to teach their children in the ways of righteousness. In this loving setting, children can see what it means to be honorable. Children can learn what it means to be forgiving. In a righteous household, trust is something that is developed and cherished. Honesty is part of the code of conduct.When mistakes are made, children are not harshly treated, but treated with mercy so that they can be merciful. Most of all, children are directed to grow into the persons that God intended them to be.  

In the stories of Cain and Abel and Jacob and Esau, siblings did not grow up valuing the uniqueness from the other. They did not lift each other up and support the individualization of their brothers. In doing so, they could not recognize that they had their own unique gifts and that they were each special in God's eyes. They were not taught that one of their roles was to encourage and lift up their siblings. In essence, to be their brother's keeper. When brothers do this, they won't become competitive or jealous of the other. Stop for a moment and think about healthy families. When you see siblings supporting and encouraging one another, is not conflict greatly reduced?  Does not their love for each other glow like the morning sun?  

In closing, allow me to raise one more troubling thought. If siblings grow up in a household of conflict and jealousy, it is difficult to set aside those memories. There is no denying that you experienced that hurt. If you think about it, your memory may be distorted. For example, have you ever returned, after a long absence, to your grandmother's house as an adult and discovered that her house was not as big as you remembered it?  In fact, now it looks quite small.  Is it possible that our memories hold the same perspective? That which is large when we were young has now grown small as we became adults. Yet, we react as if those hurtful memories are still large. We have the capacity to change our perspective if we are willing to break through our denial of memories that have been distorted. 

Remember, that on that Good Friday when Jesus painfully hung on the cross, He never talked about that experience and memory after His resurrection. His perspective had changed; He didn't look back.  Instead, He pointed us to the future. 










  

Do you believe in miracles, p.t 2 by Lawrence S Perry, B.S., M.Div

Do You Believe in Miracles (pt 2)

Another Miracle

Have you ever heard of the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, NM? It is known worldwide for its spiral staircase. How it was constructed, however, remains a mystery. The staircase was built to allow access to the choir loft. The chapel was operated by seven nuns who prayed for a carpenter who could build the staircase and complete the building project. There was one problem, how to build in such a small space.  

On the 9th day of their prayer vigil, a stranger arrived at the church and informed the nuns he was looking for work and could fulfill their request on one condition. He had to work alone, and no one was to be present while he was working.

What this carpenter built still baffles experts to this day. He built a spiral staircase using no nails nor glue. The structure does not have a central support beam, and the wood used was not common to the area. When the project was completed, the sisters wanted to throw a banquet in the carpenter's honor, but he was nowhere to be found.  He had just disappeared, not leaving a trace of who he was or where he was from. The sisters wondered if he was St. Joseph? 

The story of Loretto Chapel has been researched, studied, books have been written and movies made of this mystery and questions still remain.  The story is grounded in both truth and myth. What remains and stands before everyone who visits the chapel is that a unique, beautiful staircase exists that captures one's faith and imagination. What is true of Loretto Chapel, is also true of my experience of the bombing at Cokeville Elementary School.

Breakdown of a Miracle

When all of the students were packed into classroom 4, it was hot and the fumes from the bomb were making the students ill. So, some of the teachers asked if they could move the desks out into the hall. That was done, and as a result, the students could sit on the floor closer to the ground. In addition, the teachers were allowed to open the windows and doors to provide cross-ventilation, thereby blowing out the gas fumes. Furthermore, one of the teachers put a taped perimeter around the bomb so that the children would not get close to it, which kept the kids a number of feet from the device.  These actions were lifesaving! When the bomb was accidently discharged, it didn't blow out but up into the ceiling. Because the children were seated on the floor, many were saved from the blast.  

What cannot be explained, however, was the fact that the bomb was constructed in two parts. The upper part detonated, but the bottom portion did not! With regards to John M., the music teacher who was shot, the perpetrator was carrying two hand guns, a .22 cal. and a .357 cal. When David tried to stop John in the hallway, David pulled out the .22 cal. and shot John.  If he had pulled out the .357, there is no telling if John would be alive today. In addition, the doctor at the emergency room explained that when John was shot in the back, the bullet had an unexplained path. The bullet entered his back heading toward his spine. The bullet, for some unknown reason, went around his spine and lodged in his shoulder blade.

There was also one more intriguing story.  Some of the Mormon children reported that some people dressed in white were in the room.  They said they were angels.  

As one who believes in angels, I cannot dispute this claim. On the other hand, when I spoke to the teachers, none of them could confirm that story. In fact, all summer long I listened to their stories, and no one mentioned angelic beings present in the classroom. What we are left with is, that like the miracle at Loretto Chapel, this story is also grounded in fact and myth. What I do know was that there were lots of prayers being lifted up both within the classroom and outside of the building. The fact remains that not a child, teacher, or staff person was killed. And that was the true miracle!

Do You Believe in Miracles? pt. 1 by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

Do You Believe In Miracles?

How would you answer that question?  If you said no, what is the reason behind your reasoning? Would you say that miracles go against scientific reasoning?  Would you say that you never witnessed a miracle, therefore, they do not exist?  How about you just don't know!  If you said yes, how would you justify your thoughts? Can miracles be proven?  Have you experienced a miracle in your own life?  Or do you accept the notion that miracles must be received on the basis of faith?  You may believe because the foundation of the Christian faith is built upon on the story of the Virgin birth and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So, you believe, but perhaps you still have questions as to whether miracles still happen?  Allow me to share my story, and you can decide.

Background for the Story

In 1984 I was assigned to a small country church in Cokeville, WY. It was one of three mission churches I oversaw in the western part of the state. As one of my duties, I established a chaplaincy program for the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. The idea being that when a serious problem arose in the field, the chaplain could respond and provide spiritual comfort to victims and families.  Having worked as a deputy sheriff in CA, this new responsibility was a good fit. To my surprise, it didn't take long before my services were called into action.

On a beautiful spring afternoon, I received a call from the Sheriff's Dispatch to respond to Cokeville, which was 45 miles away. I was called to assist in a hostage situation. The day was May 16th, which will forever be etched in my mind. Also, I was instructed to pick up Fr. Sullivan, the Roman Catholic priest, who also had a small congregation in that small community. Apparently, someone was holding the entire elementary school hostage!

On our drive to Cokeville, we drove in silence. All the time, I was thinking that this must be a mistake. No one takes a whole school hostage, not in a small community in Wyoming! Surely, this would all be over by the time we got there and learned that it was a big hoax. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just in case, in our silence, I was offering up my prayers.

When we arrived, I parked just off one of the main streets where we could observe the school. Quickly, I surveilled the scene and witnessed the chaos. This was no hoax. One- to two-hundred parents were yelling and screaming on the road that led to the school. They were headed to the school. Looking at the school, I could see smoking coming from one of the classrooms and a rush of children and adults pouring out of the building. Knowing that in Wyoming everyone who drove a pickup truck had a rifle hanging in the back window. My immediate concern was that they would take things into their own hands. I also knew the Sheriff's office was  busy trying to control what was taking place inside the building. I told Fr. Sullivan that we had to keep this angry and emotional crowd back. We were both wearing our clerics, and thus, we were signs of authority, which helped. Then, the situation grew in greater intensity. From the classroom, two deputies were dragging a woman's body from the classroom window. The way they were dragging her, I knew she was dead. If she were a teacher or suspect, I didn't know. But, all of my experience was telling me the situation was now critical.  

As kids and faculty continued to pour out of the building, many of them ran to me for safety. I directed them to where my truck was parked and where they would be out of harm's way. There were 136 kids in that school at the time. In addition, there were 9 teachers and 6 staff, plus a UPS driver and a young teacher applicant fresh out of college. Of this group, 16 kids and 6-7 of the teachers attended my small mission. Six of my kids had to be rushed to the hospital with burns. I had quickly learned that John, the music teacher and one of the members of my congregation had been shot, and he was also sent to the hospital in Montpelier just across the border in Idaho.  

The woman whose body was pulled out of the classroom was Doris
Young. The other suspect in the bombing was her husband David Young. Both individuals were former residents of Cokeville. In fact, David was a former town marshal but was dismissed after his probation. He shared the same fate as his wife. What was their motive? They were seeking to extort 2-million dollars from the Mormon Church and were using the children and staff as their bait! So, when the threat was over, I learned the details.  

Early in the afternoon, the Youngs entered the school well-armed and rolled in a crude, homemade bomb made of gasoline, gun powder and shrapnel. The bomb had a crude, triggering device which was attached by a string. The device was transported on a grocery cart. Once inside the school, they took over classroom four. They also seized the administration office and had the staff announce that they were coming to an assembly. The entire school population was then crammed into classroom 4, which was the homeroom of one of my parishioners.

Once everyone was under control in the classroom, David Young had to go to the bathroom. He gave his wife the detonation string which made everyone nervous. When she would talk, she waved her hands around until she accidently set off the bomb! Pandemonium followed which allowed students and staff to escape from the building. David Young returned to the classroom and found his wife critically injured, so he shot her. He then retreated to the bathroom where he took his own life. Although a handful of the children were burned by the blast, none of them was critically injured. All of the adults made it out safely except John M., the music teacher who was confronted by David Young in the hallway.  John had been shot in the back but made it out of the building.

Aftermath  

After the bombing, the injured had to be sent to hospitals, children reunited with parents, and a roll call of students and staff was made to make sure everyone was accounted for. So, they tried to gather everyone at a staging area. By this time, my immediate concern was for John M who was on his way to Montpelier Hospital which was about 30-miles away. I didn't know the extent of his injuries, but I needed to be there for him and his wife.   

At the hospital, we found John M resting comfortably. We learned that he had been shot in the back with a .22 caliber handgun. The wound was serious; the bullet had almost entered his spine.  

That Sunday I held services at  St. Bartholomew's in Cokeville, and the small log cabin church was full! Knowing how the tragedy was averted, there were many prayers of thanksgiving!  We came very close to losing everyone who was packed into that 32- by 30-foot classroom. The incident has been called the Miracle at Cokeville. The story made the national news, and Hollywood even took the lead in making a movie about the incident. For those who lived through it, it took many months to heal the memories. But what helped was that those teachers, staff and students knew that they were all in God's hands.

In my next post, I will explain more of how that miracle took place.   

    

"Healing the Soul" (part 3) by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

"Healing the Soul" (part 3)

Introduction

If you were to go the Colorado Olympic Training Center and talk to some of athletes in training and ask the question, "How do you prepare for a competition?" Some would say that it begins by preparing your mind. This preparation requires that you, through the discipline of meditation, concentrate on your given routine and imaging your completing the performance perfectly. The theory is that by training the mind the body will follow. No matter what the sport, ice skating, down hill slalom, diving, or gymnastics, you want to train your muscles to respond automatically to what your brain tells them to do. Such a mental excersise demonstrates the power of the mind to direct your human response. Taking this principle a step further, using the mind to heal the soul is an important concept in the healing of memories while allowing the Spirit of Christ to guide you along the way.

Over the years, I have used the gift of inner healing in helping people overcome emotional trama which has left them with a deep sense of guilt, shame, betrayal, the pain of physical abuse, abandonment, and the list goes on. For example, I have been able to witness a healing of a young man who accidentally killed his neighbor. He needed to find forgiveness. Then, there was the young mother who came to me filled with shame as she finally confronted the reality that she was the victim of incest. There was another woman who sought to heal her soul having been victimized by a rape when she was younger.  Each of these situations was successful as we prayed and allowed the Spirit to transform their memories.

Now, there are some in the Christian community who argue that this gift is not found in the Scriptures and therefore is not valid. I, however, will argue the point and direct them to the fruits of this spiritual exercise. Is it not the role of the Spirit of Christ to address the emotional wounds of his beloved? Doesn't Jesus still heal? 

The Memory

Consequently, to heal a memory you have to be able to return to that memory.  To do this, I remind my subject that their brains are like a DVR and are always recording what we see, feel, smell and touch. And with our minds, we have the unique ability to hit the rewind button and go back in time. When they do this, I usually have them get into a comfortable sitting position and then close their eyes. They are then instructed to go back to the day of the trauma and begin to describe in every detail what they see, touch, hear, or smell. It goes without saying that this can be difficult and emotional. There are times, however, when a subject cannot recall a specific memory. In such cases, there is a composite memory. The composite memory is made up of multiple memories woven into one. All of these memories are of multiple episodes. In any case, it is extremely important for the subject to articulate everything they are experiencing which helps me to gain insight to memory and trauma. As they articulate the event, there are many times when I can see some unique feature that was missed or deemed irrelevant, only to discover that these events are extremely important. After the memory is relived, we begin to discuss their thoughts, feelings, and observations of what they had experienced. This review of the event will at times offer new insights into their trauma.

Then, I will ask them to revisit the memory, only this time, to allow Jesus to become visible. What is interesting is that sometimes they can see him, and on other occasions they might hear His voice or sense His presence. In every case, I have to be careful not to direct the scene. Each person has to be allowed to imagine their own scenario without me interjecting my thoughts, as tempting as it is at times. Consequently, their healing comes from within them, which is critical.  If I were to interject my thoughts and feelings, then their healing can escape them. Their encounter needs to be their personal experience.  Furthermore, I have discovered that when the Spirit enters the memory, what is done, is far different from what I might think in terms of outcome.  For example, I was dealing with a subject who was victimized by incest. As she played back her memory and she saw Jesus enter the room, he walked up to the bed she and the relative were him. I was expecting the Christ to angrily confront the man. That did not happen. Rather, Jesus went over to the bed and put the little girl and the man on His knees and said, "I love you both!"  The little girl was then able to say to the man, whom she loved, "I forgive you."  This act was extremely important, since the relative had passed away a few years after this story. She finally had closure to her nightmare and found peace and resolution.

After we finished with the second memory, we had a debriefing. I then asked her, if that second memory with Jesus was real? She said that it was very real!  As we continued to talk, I could see a transformation in her face, and her face told the rest of the story. There were no more tears and no more tension in her facial expression. She was unburdened. Most importantly, as the Spirit guided her, the Spirit made know the true character of Jesus. She learned that in the ugly memory, that the Christ was there, and she was not alone.  As He made himself known, He expressed His love to her and the relative.  And finally, Jesus bought reconciliation and healing to her soul.

Conclusion

The healing of memories is an important tool for members in the Christian community who have been scarred by emotional trauma. When this is done with a good practitioner, this spiritual exercise can quickly address the wounds that damage the soul. These wounds need to be exposed by prayer, meditation, and discernment. As we use the gift of our minds to look into our past, we invite the Christ to transform those hurtful memories into  positive ones.  As a result, the memory that lives on in the person is a joyful encounter with the Lord of Life.

"Healing the Soul" (Part 2), by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

Healing the Soul  (Part 2)

Introduction

Do you remember the last time you had a major blowout with you spouse or significant other?  It was probably heated, and your emotions got the best of you. After you had a chance to cool down, you resumed the topic in a more conciliatory speech. As you talked out the issue, you could see how there was a misunderstanding and the issue was misconstrued, or perhaps you were just wrong. Whatever the case, you reconciled having resolved the argument, and you were able to move on in your lives. Had you not resolved the argument, the hurt would have continued only to resurface at a later date.  Emotional hurt never resolves itself; it needs to be acknowledged and expelled. When we deal with emotional trauma, we open the doors to healing and peace.

What I have come to acknowledge both in my life and the lives of others that when we have been traumatized, especially when we were children, we are emotionally stuck in time. As a result, we process many of our thoughts, feelings and actions through this first emotional crisis. Having been frozen in time, we are unable to mature emotionally when we have found ourselves in similar circumstances. So, rather than facing an emotionally troubling issue like an adult, we respond like the hurt child. Just think, how many times have you responded in such a way? Have you ever used the phrase, "You're acting like a child!"

Healing that Inner Child

When you come to realize, that you are being affected by childhood memories, how do you begin to address such issues? You start with your belief system. Faith opens your mind and allows you to be guided by the  Holy Spirit. This is why it is so important to understand how the voice of God is speaking in the session. Will you see a vision, hear a voice, feel a presence, or be reminded of a Scripture verse that directly speaks to your issue? Faith takes you there!  

I once was doing a session with a man I will call Thomas. When we went back to the memory that was causing him trauma, we were at the point of envisioning Jesus in the memory.  However, nothing was happening; he could not see, hear, or feel the presence of Christ. Up to this point, I never had that happen in a session and I was greatly puzzled. So, I stopped the session and began to question him further. What I discovered was that he had a "blockage". Even though he was an active member of the church, he did not believe he was worthy to enter the Holy Presence of God. Consequently, he could not allow the presence of Christ to enter his memory. To continue, we had to address the issue before continuing.  Having addressed his faulty theology, we were able to finish the session with healing results. My friend started off as a doubting Thomas and ended up as a believer! 

I had long learned that as you begin a session, you invite the Spirit of God to be your guide. I long ago noted that when Jesus was asked to do a healing, he often asked the person, "Do you want to be healed?" Why did he do this?  I believe it was because when a person is healed they have to take responsibility for the consequences of the healing. They have to change their lives around. There will be no more excuses for their behavior. If they were a beggar, they now had to become a contributing member of the community. Their healing meant that their lives were changed.

When you start a session, you begin with prayer.  It could be a short, simple prayer. A good place to start is by reading and meditating on a short passage of Scripture like Psalm 46. You might have your own passage that brings you comfort. The point is that you want to open your spirit to the Spirit of God. Furthermore, when you seek to do a session, it is important to have a person who either has practiced the art of inner healing or the helper is a mature Christian who has demonstrated that they have the gift of discernment. You also have to remember that sometimes our memories are emotional time bombs that can detonate when we pry them open. You don't want to be left there to pick up the pieces, saying "What do I do now?"

What I suggest is to search a reading list on the subject to become familiar with the spiritual discipline of Inner Healing. There are a number of books and Christian authors out there who have prayerfully written on the subject.

Remember, once you choose to do an inner healing, you have crossed into a spiritual world, and that world contains land mines if you are not careful. For this reason, the spiritual world can be confusing in the hands of a novice even though they may be well-intentioned. So, if you still decided to seek a practitioner, you can easily google, "Healing of Memories", and that search will provide further guidance.      

In my next session, I will deal with the second step to healing using your DVR.