Mighty People Garden

I found Elaine through social media several years ago. In fact, I was a contractor working for Elaine during some of my darkest times and trying to put Christmas presents under the tree for my children. Elaine has been a long time supporter of veterans and this was my opportunity on behalf of the many veterans that she has helped over the years to say thank you.

Elaine joins the show this week to share how she needed to lean into her team when she was faced with a crisis of domestic violence. The pivotal point in her journey was also having to navigate a hard pivot during Covid and an outsider threat from another company in another state. While she is still recovering in many ways, she has also found her pain to purpose story in sharing her story that it is never to late to ask for help. That others are in our people garden praying for us and are there to support us when the going gets tough. When the going gets tough then the tough get going. 

#domesticviolence #veteransupport #gethelp #veteranvoices #veteranpodcast 

This week we cover Genesis Chapter 29. Jacob finds himself in a new land and kisses a lovely Rachel at the well. Since Jacob has no dowry, he offers to serve his uncle for 7 year to marry Rachel. Though he thinks he is marrying Rachel, his uncle tricks Jacob and he wakes up in the morning and realizes that he married to the older daughter Leah, not Rachel. Leah however get the laugh by bearing four sons to Jacob and Rachel has none.

Eva also introduces the topic of Operator Syndrome to the moral injury healing and recovery conversation (DSM 5). In light of recent news that could be triggering, Eva offers giving your trials to God. Go to him in prayer and ask for forgiveness. Ask for help in getting through these trying times. It's okay to turn the news off too.

#moralinjury #moralstories #moralrecovery #revivalist #veteranrevival #veteranpodcast #veteranshistory #veteranvoices #veteransupport

In this episode I dare to share my vulnerable stories about exposures to domestic violence. With the recent news of Epstein and sex trafficking, being a victim of events like rape or sex trafficking or even domestic violence is not restricted to women alone - it happens to men too. 

Unfortunately, all to often, we remain silent. We are silent to file complaints. The stigma is there. At some point as a society we need to remove the shame and stigma. 

Domestic violence happens in the military and it happens before or after we get out. Certainly these events can affect us, but it remains a choice to keep carrying the rocks. Love is what heals us. God wants us to be healed, He wants us to know that we do not have to carry that burden alone.

Yes, there is vulnerability in sharing my story, but it is my pain to purpose story. I have endured the years of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual pain because of these events. But God is how I have endured, how I have healed, how I have continued my faith and continued to grow, to thrive, to live the best life I can. 

Join Eva and Chaplain Darrell this week as we cover Genesis Chapter 28. Isaac warned Jacob to not marry a Canaanite woman. There were a number of directions that were given along with the beautiful sentiment that God will bless him, "make him fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples."

Jacob then has an incredible dream with a clear vision from God with another covenant for all of us. "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will to leave you until I have done what I have promised you - Genesis 28:15. 

For us a Revivalists who are focused on moral healing and recovery, this is a beautiful message to share with everyone that no matter what trials we endure, God is always with us and will not leave us. 

This week Eva and Darrell cover Genesis Chapters 26 & 27. The Cycle repeats. One would think that Abraham would have told his son Isaac the errors of his ways and telling lies. Perhaps that's where Isaac heard the lie and decided to convey the same lie to Abimelech about his wife being his sister. But Abimelech knew better and sent Isaac on his merry way with blessings. Isaac's blessings grow in abundance which make the locals mad and they start filling in his water wells. Abimelech proposes a contract with Isaac, they agree the next day. The third well that Isaac's servants dig is full of water and they are back in business. 

Born as twins, Esau and Jacob race to bring dinner to dear Dad who is blind and near death. However, this happens but not without some deceitful acts of Mommy dearest Rebekah who prods Jacob to act like Esau and get the blessings first. Esau's first response was to Isaac and where were his blessings? Life is not fair! Esau vows to kill Jacob. (Isn't this a familiar story between Cain and Abel?) 

Our moral injury takeaway is that when we tell lies and facilitate lies, there will be consequences. It does not help with disability claims when we embellish stories to inflate our injuries. What sets us free is the truth of whatever it is that happened. It may take us awhile (could be twenty years) to get our disabilities just tell the truth. 

In this episode, Stephanie Ford joins us as a guest speaking about some of her experience as a former military spouse. She discusses the loss of her identity to support her husband and family during service and not finding or managing her own identity at the time due to her need for being a perfectionist supporting the military family and her own family. 

That's all until she discovered her new born again spiritual date and a new relationship with God and leaning into her faith. By leaning into her life by praying to God before she walks, she has found that her her once prayer for Jesus and peace was really just one ask - Jesus in her life. Her other pains have turned into her purpose in life and a newfound reason for her season. 

This song is dedicated to the women who served during the Gulf War during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. 

This week Revivalists see a shift in Abraham's obedience because God is testing him. Now that he understand that there are consequences to following God's directions after what happened with Lot and that town, Abraham tunes into listening and obeying God even when it comes to sacrificing his only son Isaac. Though we still see Abraham telling lies to his servants and Isaac about the sacrifice itself. In many ways, both the sacrificial lamb, and returning we fully understand are a bit of prophecy. At 127, Sarah passes away and Abraham makes arrangements to bury her after he negotiates and land deal with the Hittites. Abraham then makes arrangements with his senior servant to go find a bride out of the local area back with Abraham's brother's descendants. Intro Rebekah into the scene with Isaac. 

From a moral injury into healing side of things, we focus on understanding that the lies that have been told over time have had some consequences. God deals with though and it might not be easy, the trail may be a bit rocky to deal with but God is going to keep testing us until we get right with God. He gives us time to deal with things, make choices, in the end, He is going to make us account for whether we follow His directions (since He is God after all) or he will let us be our own "god" (little g) and let's see how those results go, or not.