These are some posts that explore the dynamics of healing from spiritual abuse in John. I’m putting links here all in one post as I work on an outline to potentially expand them into a booklet/book. If you take the time to read any of these I would love your feedback!
I have developed a habit of 'seeking common ground' with others; both in life and in academics, where I spent much time until forced out of it when I faced and addressed abuse complexed by a second evil (massive fraud-millions of dollars worth-in a medical school). The conbination would have created a huge scandal, so administrators dispersed the people and eliminated the institute built on the backs of the nearly half a million man hours and tens of millions of dollars-all to avoid as much scandal as possible, it seems... recover from that has been slow going, in light of how little help churches are for any 'abuse'...
God allows such evil and is able to bring Good out of evil in a Mystery, but He's revealed that to us; so we can walk in faith in His Goodness, knowing He is working to accomplish something good and that the wrongnesses will all be addressed, in time.
I am retired, engaged for the bulk of my day on most days, in reading and thinking toward the goal of developing ways to help the millions who struggle, largely alone, wiht abuse-becasue the church is so ILL EQUIPPED to even FACE REALITY, let alone HELP PEOPLE OVERCOME abuse...
I believe that in God's OBVIOUS Providence, the path He has led me to walk in life, has acquainted me pretty fully with abuse-while He called me bivocationally, in medicine, I learned how to SQUARELY FACE A DIFFICULT REALITY OF HUMAN SUFFERING centered in the PHYSICAL realm (and our bodies, that I might learn an approach for facing, understanding and beginning to find ways to mitigate and heal from SPIRITUAL suffering of our souls.
God has gifted me with gifts that do NOT 'stand alone' but that require the gifting of others in order to be effective... so I seek to help others whom God is clearly guiding on paths of 'wisdom'-through hard experiences, to gain more than they might alone...
Half my life ago, in my early thirties, abuse I experienced growing up in a home with an alcholic, awoke as it does decades after 'leaving home'; on the al-anon website, they mention that the average age someone contacts al-anon is forty two; i was a decade early because a relative's abuse awoke earlier and the story told about MY home of origin awoke mine... two years after 'working the steps' in the safe and healing pseudofamily al-anon groups create, I sought help from fellow elders I served with, in a PCA church-and learned the reality that 'we shoot our own wounded'...
While individuals have assisted, communities are neither trained nor seem to be seeking to be 'ministers of the gospel' today. our 'gospel' has changed in its MANNER--today-from substance to mere (and often hollow) words, sadly.
I commented on your post on the Samaritan woman-some very helpful and new to me insights from that post.. I find the next one I've read also very helpful and worth equivalent thought and more detailed feedback-if you would like the kind of feedback I have learned to provide to colleagues in academics; and you have available the email i signed up with-please contact me there with a contact route I can send more detailed feedback to. And I will work through these posts-and also through the books you've recommended (I went ahead and bought the extended two book treatise by McGilchrist, as well, after reading the first book I've already posted comments on).
I have been working to 'see the problem and how experts in this area propose answers' in a very focussed way, since losing my position and career for reporting crimes in a medical school.... The PCA church I was in at the time was of little help, and apparently still are not equipped well to help people who encounter abuse... there are not many churches-or any denomination that seems to be equipped to help people (or partner with those who have the training and skill to help, in any effective manner). I'd like to see that change before God takes me home, and am devoted to that path of 'assisting others' to understand, heal themselves, and be equipped to help others grow in understanding, that the church might regain its gospel mandate of helping the hurting in our world, as ambassadors of the God of Love, Who came down, dwelt among us, and made our redemption posssible through His loving 'service and sacrifice'.
Thanks so much Bill. I’m very sorry to hear of all you’ve been through, and encouraged by your dedication to help others in ways you should have been helped but weren’t (at least within the church, which has so much to learn from 12 step fellowships). When you subscribed to my newsletter you should have received an email confirmation, if you want to share additional feedback on my writing you can send it to that email. Thanks so much for reading and commenting, I really appreciate it!
I have developed a habit of 'seeking common ground' with others; both in life and in academics, where I spent much time until forced out of it when I faced and addressed abuse complexed by a second evil (massive fraud-millions of dollars worth-in a medical school). The conbination would have created a huge scandal, so administrators dispersed the people and eliminated the institute built on the backs of the nearly half a million man hours and tens of millions of dollars-all to avoid as much scandal as possible, it seems... recover from that has been slow going, in light of how little help churches are for any 'abuse'...
God allows such evil and is able to bring Good out of evil in a Mystery, but He's revealed that to us; so we can walk in faith in His Goodness, knowing He is working to accomplish something good and that the wrongnesses will all be addressed, in time.
I am retired, engaged for the bulk of my day on most days, in reading and thinking toward the goal of developing ways to help the millions who struggle, largely alone, wiht abuse-becasue the church is so ILL EQUIPPED to even FACE REALITY, let alone HELP PEOPLE OVERCOME abuse...
I believe that in God's OBVIOUS Providence, the path He has led me to walk in life, has acquainted me pretty fully with abuse-while He called me bivocationally, in medicine, I learned how to SQUARELY FACE A DIFFICULT REALITY OF HUMAN SUFFERING centered in the PHYSICAL realm (and our bodies, that I might learn an approach for facing, understanding and beginning to find ways to mitigate and heal from SPIRITUAL suffering of our souls.
God has gifted me with gifts that do NOT 'stand alone' but that require the gifting of others in order to be effective... so I seek to help others whom God is clearly guiding on paths of 'wisdom'-through hard experiences, to gain more than they might alone...
Half my life ago, in my early thirties, abuse I experienced growing up in a home with an alcholic, awoke as it does decades after 'leaving home'; on the al-anon website, they mention that the average age someone contacts al-anon is forty two; i was a decade early because a relative's abuse awoke earlier and the story told about MY home of origin awoke mine... two years after 'working the steps' in the safe and healing pseudofamily al-anon groups create, I sought help from fellow elders I served with, in a PCA church-and learned the reality that 'we shoot our own wounded'...
While individuals have assisted, communities are neither trained nor seem to be seeking to be 'ministers of the gospel' today. our 'gospel' has changed in its MANNER--today-from substance to mere (and often hollow) words, sadly.
I commented on your post on the Samaritan woman-some very helpful and new to me insights from that post.. I find the next one I've read also very helpful and worth equivalent thought and more detailed feedback-if you would like the kind of feedback I have learned to provide to colleagues in academics; and you have available the email i signed up with-please contact me there with a contact route I can send more detailed feedback to. And I will work through these posts-and also through the books you've recommended (I went ahead and bought the extended two book treatise by McGilchrist, as well, after reading the first book I've already posted comments on).
I have been working to 'see the problem and how experts in this area propose answers' in a very focussed way, since losing my position and career for reporting crimes in a medical school.... The PCA church I was in at the time was of little help, and apparently still are not equipped well to help people who encounter abuse... there are not many churches-or any denomination that seems to be equipped to help people (or partner with those who have the training and skill to help, in any effective manner). I'd like to see that change before God takes me home, and am devoted to that path of 'assisting others' to understand, heal themselves, and be equipped to help others grow in understanding, that the church might regain its gospel mandate of helping the hurting in our world, as ambassadors of the God of Love, Who came down, dwelt among us, and made our redemption posssible through His loving 'service and sacrifice'.
Bill
Thanks so much Bill. I’m very sorry to hear of all you’ve been through, and encouraged by your dedication to help others in ways you should have been helped but weren’t (at least within the church, which has so much to learn from 12 step fellowships). When you subscribed to my newsletter you should have received an email confirmation, if you want to share additional feedback on my writing you can send it to that email. Thanks so much for reading and commenting, I really appreciate it!