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Military Ministry

Home > News > The Standard Bearer Online > Our PTSD Journey

The Standard Bearer Online

February 13, 2007

Our PTSD Journey

by MG (Ret) Bob Dees

MG Dees-uniform

Our Military Ministry journey regarding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) started about a year ago when a number of Army soldiers and wives gathered in our headquarters. Although randomly chosen, they told compelling stories about the how PTSD was the primary issue in each of their lives.

Spiritual Solutions Needed

We saw the need, and we asked the question: “What would Jesus do?” As we learned even more over the next few months, we saw that many agencies are working the problem hard, but that the spiritual dynamics of God, the Bible, faith, love, and Christian community were missing ingredients in the prevalent treatment regimens. We became convinced that Jesus would seek to insert spiritual relevance into this great need. Hence, Military Ministry started an exciting journey to provide spiritually relevant preventative measures and post-trauma spiritual solutions.

And quite a journey it has been thus far:

  • building a task force of Military Ministry staff and volunteers to pray, think and plan our response: Rahnella and Chris Adsit, Ron and Marcia Wheat, Paul and Nancy Davis, many others.
  • working with military, church and community leaders in Norfolk, New York, and Houston to pilot a new church-based ministry, now called Bridges to Healing
  • co-laboring with Times Square Church (New York) to help them launch their new military outreach
  • nurturing a widening network of people and organizations who are aligning with the vision to provide spiritual solutions for combat trauma:
  • linking arms with the American Association of Christian Counselors toward equipping professional and lay people to provide sensitve, relvant care for PTSD sufferers and their families
  • sensing God’s continual confirmation that we are addressing one of the most significant spiritual needs in the Armed Forces of the United States.
  • producing the Bridges to Healing video to mobilize support behind this effort
  • publishing the Combat Trauma Healing Manual to provide a step-by-step approach for connecting with God’s healing

We truly do need your prayers and support as we move forward in this important battle on behalf of our troops and families at this critical time in our nation’s history. Jesus said “Come unto me all you who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest (peace).” May our troops and their families have this peace which only Jesus can provide.