Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken at the right time.                                    Proverbs 25:11

I read a book several years ago titled A Theology as Big as the City by Ray Bakke.  Lots of good stuff in the book, but one of the big takeaways for me was the idea that the church ought to serve as a chaplain to the city, or the area where it is located. Chaplains serve people with spiritual and emotional care at times of stress and crisis. We have hospital chaplains, military chaplains, hospice chaplains, police chaplains, even a chaplain for the U.S. Congress. That tells me that we value the spiritual care for people in critical situations.

The same goes for just us ordinary folks too. Heaven knows that there are daily stresses in our life that could be helped with the aid of a chaplain once in a while. The local church- that is the people who are part of that church (all of us, not the “pastor” necessarily), should be chaplains to the community we live in. We need to be ready to serve as the chaplain to the neighbor, friend, or even stranger who needs help, giving spiritual and emotional support.

If people saw the local church as a place where healthy, caring chaplains came from, they may be more inclined to check out what that church has to offer.

Just a thought…

Prayer: Lord, help us see the needs around us, and give us the will and courage to reach to help, Amen

A person’s conscience is the Lord’s searchlight exposing the hidden motives          Proverbs 20:27

I spoke with a client not long ago who was struggling with inadequacy, especially regarding his income. While he was earning a decent living, and was not in debt, he was triggered to feel inadequate when he discussed finances with his wife. After some discussion about this, I asked him what his “self-talk” was about how he felt. How did he internally process the feelings he was having?

He talked about his family of origin, as well as some past financial plans he had made, etc., and I asked him to consider in his self-assessment the difference in outcomes vs. motives. I explained that we often default to looking at certain outcomes in our life- “did this work out well or poorly for me”? At the same time, we often do not consider our motives. Did I mean to do the right and loving thing? Were my intentions geared toward the best interest of my family or others? Did I do the best I could given the information that I had at the time?

These are motive questions. I am a believer that outcomes are not totally under our control, but our motives are. There can be other circumstances that may hinder the outcome that we desire, but our motives are ours, and we must own them. They are totally under our control. If our motives are good (not perfect, they seldom are), then we can give ourselves grace about outcomes. We may be too hard on ourselves for outcomes without considering our motives.

My client considered that, and that was his takeaway from the session. He recognized that he did have good motives, but the outcomes were not always what he had hoped for, and indeed that is what he judged himself upon.  

So, consider motives when judging yourself. Self-aware people do judge themselves, and that is fine, as long as we do it in a way that is balanced.

 That allows us to give ourselves grace in the process.

Prayer: Lord, help us to extend to ourselves a portion of the grace you give to us, Amen

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.                                                                                                         Matthew 5:8

So, what does it mean to be “pure in heart”? It does not mean a “perfect heart”- that is not possible. It does mean that we have looked into our heart and we have seen it for what it is. It is selfish and pleasure seeking, if left to its own devices. Our job is to cut down on how often it is “left to its own devices”. In other words, we are to be stewards of an inherently selfish nature.

In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet asserts “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be. Jeremiah 17:9-10

We are clear that we are not perfect in heart, but we can be pure of heart. We can do that by agreeing with God on it. He knows our frailties, and he detests the practice of trying to cover it up, pretending we are something that we are not.

The counseling principle of ownership of our innermost being frees us to become who we are truly meant to be. Truth in agreeing that we are sinners in need of a Savior is the step of freedom and change. It is the “moment of clarity” for those in addiction who now see the need for help in overcoming the addiction. It is the moment of salvation for those who see that they cannot solve the sin problem alone.

I have been fond of writing about the relationship of faith and science. Science can explain and solve many world problems. It cannot solve the sin problem. That is the work for faith.

Prayer: Thank you Father for the solution to our heart problems, your son, Jesus, Amen

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.                                                                                                        Matthew 5:8

So, what does it mean to be “pure in heart”? It does not mean a “perfect heart”- that is not possible. It does mean that we have looked into our heart and we have seen it for what it is. It is selfish and pleasure seeking, if left to its own devices. Our job is to cut down on how often it is “left to its own devices”. In other words, we are to be stewards of an inherently selfish nature.

In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet asserts “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be. Jeremiah 17:9-10

We are clear that we are not perfect in heart, but we can be pure of heart. We can do that by agreeing with God on it. He knows our frailties, and he detests the practice of trying to cover it up, pretending we are something that we are not.

The counseling principle of ownership of our innermost being frees us to become who we are truly meant to be. Truth in agreeing that we are sinners in need of a Savior is the step of freedom and change. It is the “moment of clarity” for those in addiction who now see the need for help in overcoming the addiction. It is the moment of salvation for those who see that they cannot solve the sin problem alone.

I have been fond of writing about the relationship of faith and science. Science can explain and solve many world problems. It cannot solve the sin problem. That is the work for faith.

Prayer: Thank you Father for the solution to our heart problems, your son, Jesus, Amen

“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”                                                                                                                                                         Jeremiah 29:7

This passage from the book of Jeremiah has always intrigued me. The context is that God is speaking to and through the prophet Jeremiah, who is crushed in spirit about being carried away from his beloved Jerusalem. Jeremiah and the captive Israelites were lamenting that they were no longer in the Promised Land, and that they were now cut off from their destiny.

God gives Jeremiah a new plan. Really, I am thinking it was the plan all along. Jeremiah was to tell the captive Israelites that they were to plant gardens in Babylon. They were to marry and have children. They were to participate in the economy of this pagan Babylon and to help make it prosper. I’m sure that this was hard for Jeremiah to hear, and then to relate to his people, about participating in the hated Babylonian society and economy.

I think that message was also for the Church today. It was a cornerstone of my philosophy at New Creation Counseling Center. Christian organizations ought to be an integral part of society, helping in every way possible to enhance the physical, social, economic and spiritual health of where we are planted.

The history of the Church involvement through the centuries has been to start schools, hospitals, and benevolent organizations to help people in every walk of life- especially carrying out the mission Jesus set forth to help the poor and disenfranchised.

So, we grow where we are planted, and as our city prospers, so do we.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for this simple plan- to grow where we are planted, Amen

I look up to the mountains;
    does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
    who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

Psalm 121: 1-2

As we approach the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World
Trade Center, I thought back to a blog I wrote in its aftermath. I share it
with you today in hopes that the message at the end is one of hope. That the
very effects of the attack actually brought to light the hope in the night.

As you read this, consider how life has changed in America since
September 11, 2001…

The effects of the murderous terrorist attacks last week will be felt for a very long time. There are many painful, sad, gut-wrenching results, of course. But there have been, and will continue to be, good things that come out of this awful tragedy.  The terrorists intended pure evil, but some of the effects will be to our everlasting good.

The terrorists intended to cause pain and death, fear and chaos. They wanted to plant the seed that we are not safe anywhere. They wanted us to see that we are vulnerable, and that we can no longer feel insulated from the events around the world that some people live with daily. They correctly understand that we have depended upon our national intelligence network, the FBI, CIA, and various other governmental agencies for our security. While these agencies are now under scrutiny, and even attack, by many Americans for not having protected us, I do not join in that attack.  I recognize that no agency, no government, is able to totally protect us. 

Americans want guarantees. We want to make sure that someone is responsible if something goes wrong. We want to feel like we are a special people, never having had foreign invaders on our soil at least since, perhaps, the War of 1812. We want to feel that we are safe from the wars and killing on foreign shores. The events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 changed all that forever.

What the terrorists did was to wake us from that unreality. We are vulnerable to attack, and we cannot totally guarantee safety. Indeed, the terrorists taught us a painful lesson. But at the same time, the terrorists sowed in us the seed of new growth. They unintentionally reminded us (or taught some of us for the first time) that our safety and security is not in the hands of the government, as great as that government is. The terrorists sparked the nation to turn in unprecedented numbers to God for protection, guidance and comfort. Immediately after the attacks that day, people were mobilized to turn to God in prayer. Churches, synagogues and mosques opened their doors to people to come together and pray. We were instantly reminded that our help is in God.  So, unwittingly, these evil men helped to turn us to dependence on the only One who can protect and heal us.

Indeed too, out of the physical rubble in New York City, comes the renewed resolve to rebuild. We will rebuild the buildings, and we will renew our love for our country and one another. America has always responded to challenges, and she has always come through it stronger and a little wiser. The terrorists did not understand that in the rubble and pain that they caused, they also planted seeds of hope, strength, and renewal. Those seeds will grow and make us stronger as a nation.

Earlier in this column I mentioned the War of 1812. One of the things that came out of that war was the Star Spangled Banner, written, of course, by Francis Scott Key as he watched the British attack on Baltimore. As I listened intently these past few days to the words of the National Anthem, I heard at a new level the words “… and the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there…” The very bombs that were meant to rain destruction, actually lit up the night, and gave proof that our flag still stood. The same aggression that the terrorists rained on us on September 11, will give proof that we still stand, stronger than ever.

I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be…

From the children’s book, Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.                                                                  Jeremiah 31:3

I was speaking with a client the other day, and she was relating the pain she felt about the rejection of her adult daughters. The client had been alienated from them for various reasons, and she was unsure how to begin the reconnection process. One of the daughters was in an alternative lifestyle, and the daughter perhaps assumed that her mother would disapprove. Damage had been done on both sides over the years.

I suggested to the client a very simple approach. “Reassure your daughters that you will always love them, no matter what.” Now this is not a very novel, nor even creative approach, but I believe it is the one with the most impact. I asked the client if that statement were true. She said, yes, that statement is true.  

The fact is, when we love others, we need to assume that we will love them forever. That does not mean that they will not hurt or disappoint us, but it does mean that, no matter what, I will always love you.

Isn’t that what God says to us? Isn’t his love unconditional? No, we are not able to love as perfectly as God does, but we can decide that the love we have for our partners, our children, our family, our friends will always be there.

Letting those close to us know that we will love them forever is a very powerful statement, indeed, a gift.

I say, give that gift often.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us the marvelous capacity to love one another. Thank you..

As I wrote in previous parts of this series, my early mental health career was spent in the treatment of severely mentally ill clients. Those clients mostly carried diagnoses such as a psychotic disorder, a major mood disorder, possibly some brain damage from physical or medical trauma, some with severe emotional trauma and PTSD (before we called it PTSD). Others were diagnosed with neurological diseases, and some with profound developmental disorders.  

Later in my career, after being in public metal health administration for a number of years, I came back into a general practice of treating other mental health issues. In my practice at New Creation Counseling Center, we saw much more things like marital and relationship problems; adjustment disorders (that is, reactions to stresses, grief, etc.); anxiety; depressive disorders; substance abuse and addictive disorders; PTSD and early trauma. We also treated a host of other issues like personality disorders, reactive stress disorders, and mood disorders due to general medical condition.

In other words, there are a myriad of mental health diagnoses that we humans can be beset with. Daily living, our relationships, health problems, etc. all can and do cause us to have a mental and emotional reaction which needs attention. I have stressed over the blogs that I have written that treatment for all humans needs to encompass physical, spiritual, and emotional health. All systems affect one another, and all need care and attention.

I say all this to first normalize the fact that everyone can benefit from counseling and mental health support. This includes support groups of numerous types, and it includes 12 step groups, which are excellent means of support for anyone going through problems, whether addictions or not.

I came to see that mental health interventions are important for all people, not just those suffering from the major mental illnesses. Indeed, when one is suffering, it is a major problem for them, and the diagnostic label becomes less important. Yes, diagnosis is valuable because proper treatment demands a correct diagnosis, and often referral for specialist care. However, people are more than a diagnosis!

The good news I have seen over the years has been the dramatic decrease of stigma attached to seeking mental health treatment. I have grown in my own understanding of the role of mental health as part of our total health needs. I am blessed to have been in this career, and I am still learning! I trust that this little series has been just a bit of help in seeing the evolution of mental health care.

Blessings, dear readers!

There has been robust discussion in the past several years about the role mental illness plays in the increasing number of mass shootings American society has experienced. Theories abound as to why there is more violence, and particularly gun violence in America. There are no easy answers, of course, and one of the factors often discussed includes the proliferation of guns in American society- particularly military type weapons which are automatic or semi-automatic weapons.

There is also discussion of the extremity of political division and lack of tolerance of divergent viewpoints. Extremists are often led by fear of the unknown, or belief that they will lose power, status or prestige to another group. There have been many racially motivated shootings, powered by racial animus, and social alienation.

Finally, there is the discussion of the role of mental illness. Here is where I would like to weigh in. Gun violence, of course, is fueled by more than one motivator. It is complex, and I would suggest that evil is at play. Yes, there is evil out there.

In Biblical times, and up until even into the 20^th century, some people would conflate evil, or demon possession, with mental illness. While evil exists, and mental illness exists, they are not one and the same. When someone decides to murder numbers of people indiscriminately, I suggest that evil is more likely the culprit than mental illness. Again, this is not to suggest that the two are mutually exclusive to one another. However, it is simply too easy to write off violent behavior to the effects of mental illness.

Mental illness in human beings has been around since the beginning of time. There was minimal treatment for mental illness until the 20^th century, yet America was not beset with mass murders many decades ago like we see in our current American society.

What has changed? More anger and division in society; the breakdown of family structure; more availability of all types of weapons; the process of change in society, including media and technology, which feels threatening to some; and fear of the outsider, witnessed by fears of immigration.

So, I say all this to say that mental illness is a glib response to the travesty of our violent society. Until we can look at ourselves and say that social structures are broken, let’s not just identify mental illness as the easy answer to a complex social moral problem.  

Mental illness does not equate to violent behavior. Indeed, some people who are mentally ill are violent. More frightening to me is the presence of unfettered anger and rage, which allows evil impulses to rule the thinking of those who would see violence as a justified response to their own inadequacy.

Tomorrow, I conclude with an expanded view of mental illness.

Today we continue talking about some history of mental health treatment. As long-term patients were released from mental health institutions, they needed community support. Theoretically, it was to be there. Practically speaking, the community was simply not prepared. Not that we didn’t try- we did. But much of the strategy of community support was based upon the efficacy of newer anti-psychotic medications, and the ability of community support systems to handle treatment. The newly funded community mental health centers had a combination of state and federal money to provide care closer to where patients now lived. Clients also were to benefit from being closer to friends and family. Case managers were to follow patients with home visits, and community psychiatry was to be able to prescribe and monitor those medications.

Of course, no system is perfect, and the above-mentioned model failed for numerous reasons. One, of course is that medication cannot be forced upon anyone (except in rare forensic situations). I well remember talking with a community client, recently released from the State Hospital, about the importance of taking his medication.  We discussed side effects, which I seemed to minimize relative to the importance of the good benefits. I will never forget his response. He said, “To you they are side effects. To me, they are primary effects!” He had reinforced to me to see this whole thing from the client’s perspective. Medications helped mitigate his symptoms, but he paid a price for that.

One other little story for today.

When we were trying to establish a supervised group home in a small town, we stressed that there would be supervision in that home, and that mental health clients to be placed there did not pose a violent threat to the neighborhood. Indeed, the clients were statistically more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators of it. Well, at a public hearing one evening, we were literally booed out of the council meeting. “Not in our neighborhood!”

Tough night!

The irony was, which we could not share with them, that for several years, we had been placing patients released from the state hospital in that very neighborhood, unsupervised, and the neighbors were not even aware of it. I am not blaming those neighbors. People have fear of the unknown.

Tomorrow, I talk about the misconceptions of mental illness and violence.