Help healing a soldier.

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faroukfarouk

Banned
#21
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
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#21
precious8627 said:
Wow. Thank you so much RickyZ. This is not a perspective I had thought of. I've always felt it easier to just cut him out and wipe the slate. It hasn't been easy though. I'm going to think and pray more. Quite honestly though, I think my prayers have already been answered and I've been unwilling to listen.

Since I am an ex, and if I were to choose to be his friend, it is not adultery? I'm really new at following religion closely and I've made a commitment to myself and to God and I feel very strong about my commitment. I don't want to sin anymore.
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Your giving him a Bible, way back, was an excellent step; but now for you and all of us the priority is to keep digging into God's Word for ourselves. Psalm 119.105 says God's word 'is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path'. My wife and I go to a Bible based local church here in Canada and this is what it's all about, really.

The Lord Jesus is the central message of God's Word: John 3.16.

God bless His Word to us all.
 
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precious8627

Guest
#22
#22
Yes, I am aware; however, the site will be independent of the military and its partnering agencies because of the stigma of seeking help. I will solicite counsel and advice from the Chaplains Corps, Pastoral Universities, as well as many other religious and spiritual organizations. Soldiers should have complete anonymity and feel 100% safe in using the site. Religious/Spiritual Mentors will be selected with care and must be transparent to some undetermined extent.

My desire is not to convert individuals, my desire is to provide a safe place for individuals to seek answers and guidance alongside their peers among the faith, however strong or weak, they already have.

It is not a site that will be built over night. I do not know everything, and even the things I do know I recognize someone else knows much more and that is the person(s) I intend to consult. Safety and security is definitely a concern. Providing help that is actually needed is probably the most vague aspect of the site at the moment. Many methods of helping soldiers are currently in practice and are proven beneficial to the soldier. The site will in no way steer a soldier away from seeking help and/or treatment from medical and mental professionals. I will use surveys to design the entire site to ensure that it meets the needs of most participants.
 
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Ecclesiastik

Guest
#23
#23
Hey Precious,

I just want to give you a piece of advice if you'll have it.

The Chaplain Corps is a failure. It is a hybrid of secular and religious help given by folks who are supposed to be men of God. Yet, they strive to please Uncle Sam and God to the point that they become Mr. Facing-Both-Ways. Inevitably, many of them (I would argue most) end up looking to Uncle Sam in more direct applications.

The complaints I have heard about the lukewarmness and spiritual incompetency of the Chaplain Corps are numerous.

I want you to know this because I don't want you to make the same mistake with your web site. All things we should do, should be for the glory of God. The Bible says "Seek the Kingdom first and all these things shall be added to you". If we start something from the mindset of seeking to please men or give them the help that they think they need (even if it is ungodly), we are going to develop problems.
 
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maconaldric

Guest
#25
#25
I have been reading all of the posts and I don't think your wrong about approaching this guy as a friend. As a matter of fact he maybe looking for a way to approach God and feels that you might be the one to get him motivated to actually understand the Word of the Lord. I urge caution though you might not know the complete story of the guy and may not be prepared for some powerful feelings or emotions. You need to be aware as to what your limitations are. Don't hesitate to speak to other clergy and if it gets sticky have him seek outside support and help. The guy you knew before he went to war may not be the guy that returned.
 
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precious8627

Guest
#26
#26
Ecclesiastik - I will consider all advice. I can not attest to what you say, though I can say that in my 7 years of service I met 1 or 2 chaplains. They are HIGHLY understaffed; 1 chaplain per battalion = 1 chaplain per 300 - 1,200 troops. If a request was made for a chaplain you would become the talk of the unit, there is surely a stigma. And yes it is certainly different from one unit to the next.

Maconaldric - Certainly their is much I do not know and possibly cannot fathom. I am not pressing for information, nor do I have those intentions. For him, I have done all that I can do on my end of things. I've accepted things as they are and as they will be.

I just want to say thank you to everyone on this site for being helpful. We are all different but together greatness can be accomplished. I think that is uber important in a community of any type. God bless!
 
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Ecclesiastik

Guest
#27
#27
Wow, the air force is a lot different, precious. We have 4 for our base. I usually can just call and make an appointment or I'll just walk into their office and say hi. I have a few chaplains as friends.
 
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precious8627

Guest
#28
#28
I suppose I'm biased the Guard/Reservist sector.
 
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faroukfarouk

Banned
#29
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
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#29
precious8627 said:
I suppose I'm biased the Guard/Reservist sector.
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Ms. precious8627: So how long did you serve in the military for? army? navy? air force? My wife and I are in Canada; the Canadian military works closely with the US.

Blessings.
 
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precious8627

Guest
#30
#30
8 was enough for me
 
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faroukfarouk

Banned
#31
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
0
#31
precious8627 said:
8 was enough for me
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This is quite long service! I guess skills received in the military helped you with work afterwards? it often happens that way, anyhow. Ex-service personnel carry not only the skills but a special outlook (and not unusually the tattoos, even) which they gained in the military, for the rest of their lives.

Blessings.
 
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faroukfarouk

Banned
#32
Feb 21, 2014
5,672
18
0
#32
maconaldric said:
I have been reading all of the posts and I don't think your wrong about approaching this guy as a friend. As a matter of fact he maybe looking for a way to approach God and feels that you might be the one to get him motivated to actually understand the Word of the Lord. I urge caution though you might not know the complete story of the guy and may not be prepared for some powerful feelings or emotions....
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Yes, really sounds like Ms precious8627's wish to help is commendable; it's good also to be cautious, like you say.
 
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