Healing For The Splintered Mind –By Thomas J. Koester

We can’t live a happy life with an unforgiving soul and a stubborn heart.

When we refuse to forgive ourselves and others, we split our identity. One part loaths the offender, and the part hates self. It is the inner voice of self hatred and toxic unforgivness, which curses the outer self of life and the inner self of peace.

I know you know what I’m saying. I’m not trying to gulit you, but to help you!

I don’t want you to end up with two personalities in one body. That’s a horrible way to live!

One world is real, full of life, hope, and dreams. The other is false — filled with lies, masks, and illusions. Sure, you can survive in your false world, but you were made for so much more than surviving…

… and I think you know that!

You’ve felt it your entire life, that there’s something wrong. You don’t know what it is—you feel trapped inside—imprisoned by offense. Maybe you feel like a hostage, only it’s you that holds the key to your own prison cell.

In the movie The Matrix, Neo asks Morpheus a question:

“If you’re killed in the matrix, you die here?”

Morpheus:

“The body can not live without the mind.”

The book of James puts it this way:

“The splinter of a divided mind shatters your compass and leaves you dizzy and confused.” —James 1:8

Do not yield to thoughts of condemnation for others and hatred of self, for the end of such thoughts are self-destruction and death. You need to yield to, and desire wisdom from God, who understands both the body and the mind. But if you reject his wisdom and truth, your inner thoughts, no matter how untrue and false, will become reality. For either the wisdom from God and the belief of self-hatred are both initiated by faith. You see, faith activates the power of both truth and lies.

If you believe in the truth and wisdom from God, you will live and thrive. Conversely, if you believe in self-hatred and unforgivness, you will become lifeless and die. For the body obeys the mind, and a double minded person is unstable, confused, and lost.

I don’t want you lost—I want you found and freed!

The standard of God’s Word, Wisdom, and Truth never changes, so anchor all your thoughts, fears, and doubts on him, and you will find your way again.

This very moment, you are standing at the crossroads—as Jeremiah puts it:

Yet the Lord pleads with you still: Ask where the good road is, the godly paths you used to walk in, in the days of long ago. Travel there, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, “No, that is not the road I want!” —Jeremiah 6:16 (TLB)

Don’t yell an angry, “NO!” Cry a humble “yes,” and find rest again.

If you will not turn to God, The Holy One of Truth and Wisdom, not even your loved ones can help you. Until you’re willing to expose your false self and cease your fake salvation, you can’t be helped. Until you ask to be rescued, you’ll continue to drift further and further away.

Unrelenting unforgivness hurts no one but yourself. The one who offended you is unharmed by your hoarding of anger and offense. They’re free, but you’re not!

I plead with you, turn to God and be honest. Be brave. Be loving to yourself again and live! You may not realize it, but you’ve had the keys to your own prison all along.

“… You will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask him for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.” —Isaiah 30:19

Jesus Christ died that you may live and was raised to life that you may never die.

For there is no peace and no rest in wasting your life being unforgiving. There is life and peace in Jesus Christ.

Here, please read Psalms 23 — it’s a beautiful passageway to life!

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” —Psalm 23

Trust Him—He will give you rest for all your weariness and heal your splintered mind!

Maybe you’ll be restored enough to even feast in the presence of those who once hurt and offended you.

I’m here, if you need me.

Beautifully Broken – By Thomas J. Koester

What stands between many of us and the life we’re supposed to live is our ability to bullshit.

No, this is not a treatise on global warming or climate change or the negative impact of cow flatulence on our environment—far from it!

This is about fleeing pretense and duplicity and becoming the real you. It’s about breaking down the fake areas in our lives and being honest with ourselves and others.

Wholeness can only be achieved by utter and complete brokenness. This is a universal principle. This is also the opposite of what the world thinks.

I like what Jerry Maguire said in his moment of a breakthrough:

“… Two nights later in Miami at our corporate conference, a breakthrough. Breakdown? Breakthrough. It was the oddest, most unexpected thing. I began writing what they call a mission statement for my company. You know—a Mission Statement—a suggestion for the future. What started out as one page became twenty-five.

Suddenly, I was my father’s son. I was remembering the simple pleasures of this job, how I ended up here out of law school, the way a stadium sounds when one of my players performs well on the field… And suddenly, it was all pretty clear. The answer was fewer clients. Caring for them, caring for ourselves, and the games, too. Starting our lives, really. Hey, I’ll be the first to admit it. What I was writing was somewhat “touchy-feely.” I didn’t care. I had lost the ability to bullshit. It was the me I’d always wanted to be.” —The Movie “Jerry Maguire”

You see a breakthrough, I mean, the kind of breakthrough we know we really need is always preceded by a breakdown. And, when we lose—no, rather, when we refuse to bullshit ourselves and others, we’ll become the people that we’ve always wanted to be.

You’re divinely purposed to become a living act of God’s love and glory. You can’t become what your Creator has intended until you surrender your own mess. That is, your constant self-effort to holding the broken pieces of your life together. Living in fear and dread that your secret life will be exposed at any moment to a live audience.

Living life on constant defense and acting co-dependently, or as a self-enabler, justifying the actions of your false self at the expense of your true self. This is the definition of what I’m referring to as a “mess.”

You can not become assembled in body, mind, and spirit, all the while holding everything together. You are robbing yourself of the very strength and energy you need by wasting it on supporting your falseness and phony facade. Stop being driven by voices inside your head, echoing the curses from your mother or father, or from the other significant persons in your life.

These curses are the voices of “false coaches,” driving you to repeat a cycle of self-destruction and family dysfunction. These curses are carcinogenic to your desire for wholeness and wellness. They are the cancerous agents eating away at the divine purpose for which God has created you.

“Gloria Dei est vivens homo,” wrote Saint Irenaeus, which means:

“The glory of God is a living man.”

The glory of God is you fully living, and not your daily self-destruction and learned dysfunction.

In the human body, you can not build muscle without first tearing down the muscle you have. Tearing down the muscle requires a determination to submit to the pain and deny yourself comfort. Likewise, you must have a willing determination to submit your very life and comforts to God.

James says it this way:

4-6 “You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”

7-10 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God, and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” —James 4:6-10 (MSG)

Pride is self-destruction, low esteem, self-loathing, and such, is what’s been behind your self-effort of “holding it all together.” This is why pride always precedes a profound fall. There is nothing good in this kind of a fall because it’s always a fall from grace and not towards it.

Do you want God’s grace? Become truly humble. Oh yes, it is painful to stop your self-salvation and accept the truth, and act on it. But the light, which will come flooding into your darkness, will bring the wholeness and wellness you’ve been searching for.

The problem with bullshit is that it is no respecter of person, race, religion, or age—it flows from all of us! Far too many of us hide behind B.S.

“Men love darkness, rather than light,” this is true. But you can not become the man or woman you were meant to become all the while remaining in darkness. Just as painful as it is to build muscle, is it painful at first to step out from darkness into God’s marvelous light!

The gain from the pain of coming into the light is worth the life of wholeness and holiness.

Did you know that embracing your brokenness rather than hiding it will cause collateral beauty?

There may be a divine and strategic purpose behind your brokenness that, when shared with others, may cause a chain reaction of hope and healing in you and in them.

At this very moment, you’re standing at a crossroad—at a turning point; your next decision can create a paradigm shift of unprecedented emotional and spiritual change.

“The Lord said to his people…

“’You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not follow it!’” —Jeremiah 6:16 (NET)

Stop hanging out with the “We will not follow it” crowd!

You no longer belong to the crowd who refuse to follow the right path.

Stop staring at the crossroad in front of you and follow the right path. Stop saving yourself and fall into the grace, mercy, and love of God, and you will become the man or woman you’ve always wanted to be. After all, God put the desire to be his love and glory in you so that you may be fully living, fully alive to a world content with dying and taking you with it.

A breakdown is always before a breakthrough. God is waiting if you are willing. Open up to God or find a trusted friend to help lead you to God’s grace.

God can turn the ugliness of your brokenness into something beautiful!

May I be honest and a bit crass?

… It’s my prayer that you’ll lose your ability to “bullshit!” – Amen

The Power of The Father Connection – By Thomas J. Koester

Never underestimate the power, authority, and security of a father’s connection. There is nothing on earth that can take its place.

Since time began, power was, and is, the principal motivator of life. Whoever wields power has control, authority, and security. If you think about it, these three things are essential for just about any group of people. In fact, they are essential for a healthy family.

This is why family is so important. It is the very fabric that holds society together.

Whether you agree or not, God instituted family. He derived the construct from his trinitary-self of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Father, wife, and child are by design, God’s reflective image of himself into creation.

God first creates man, then woman, then from their union, offspring. God shares with man his power, giving him control, authority, and security. He places man in the center of paradise and says you tend it, cultivate it, rule over it, and honor its boundaries (security).

Fundamentally, our identity, personhood, and security come from our families and principally from our fathers. The most primal and significant connection we can have on earth begins with our fathers. It’s not an option—it’s foundational!

This is why fatherhood is under such terrible assault. It is the most strategic and essential part of God’s design and image. Destroy the image of fathers, and you destroy the image of Father-God. Turn the children from their fathers, and you’ll frustrate and hinder children from finding their Heavenly Father.

When fathers and children turn away from each other, the family crumbles. When this becomes the norm, marriages crumble, and children become aimless and disenfranchised from the safety of paternal authority, control, and security. They become targets of destructive philosophies, ideologies, and influences.

The following is an excellent portrayal of the destructive force against fathers and family:

In the 1991 Movie “Hook,” starring Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, Robbin Williams as Peter Banning (Peter Pan), and Charlie Korsmo as Jack Banning, Peter’s son; an interesting scene takes place between Captain Hook and little Jack Banning:

Hook: Such a pretty, pretty…. … What is that I hear? A ticking. Smee, stop the ticking! Stop that! Stop that “tick-tick”!

Smee: There’s no ticking here. There’s nothing left to tick.

Hook: This is for the ticking that might have been. Get his father’s watch!

Smee: Right.

Hook: Go on. You know you want to. Give it a try. Go on.

Jack: This is for..never letting me blow bubbles in my chocolate milk!

[he smashes his dad’s watch]

Smee: Yes!

Hook: Ha ha! Good form! Bravo!

Smee: There you go! Isn’t that wonderful?

Jack: This is for never letting me jump on my own bed.

[Jack smashes the watch again]

Hook: Make time stand still, laddie.

Jack: For always making promises and breaking them! For never doing anything with me.

[ Once again, Jack smashes the watch]

Hook: For a father who’s never there, Jack. Jack, for a father who didn’t save you on the ship.

Jack: [Sadly] Who wouldn’t save us….

Hook: Who couldn’t save you, Jack.

Jack: He wouldn’t. He didn’t even try. He was there, we were there, and he wouldn’t try.

Hook: Jack, he will try. And the question will be: When the time comes, do you want to be saved? Now, don’t you answer now. No, no, no, no. Now it’s time to be whatever you want to be. Put behind you any thoughts of home…that place of broken promises.

Jack: That what?

Hook: Have I ever made a promise, Jack… … I have not kept? Have I, son?

Did you read how the evil Hook exploits Jack’s wounds? Then Hook belittles his father, even to the point of “when the time comes, Jack, do you want to be saved?”

Hook continues, stealing the boy’s identity:

“…Now it’s time to be whatever you want to be. Put behind you any thoughts of home… … that place of broken promises.”

Not only does Hook steal the boy’s identity, he sinisterly robs him of his sense of belonging and then mischaracterizes Jack’s home “as a place of broken promises.”

Hook tops it off by reidentifying Jack as “his son.” He strikes Jack’s wound at the center of his heart, reminding Jack that his dad is weak, a liar, and a man of broken promises.

“Hook: Have I ever made a promise, Jack… … I have not kept? – Have I, son?”

I truly believe that this clever and well-written movie accurately illustrates how evil destroys fathers, families, children, and homes.

In the last book of the Old Testament, the last chapter and the last two verses read:

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6

The fulfillment of this Malachi prophecy occurs in the First Chapter of Luke 1:17. John The Baptist prepared the way for Jesus Christ, whose mission was to redeem the lost sons of Adam.

When fathers and children remain estranged and God’s salvation is averted, the land, culture, and society become cursed. It is undeniable that our land, America, has been cursed.

Fathers, do whatever it takes to connect with your kids. Kids, do whatever it takes to connect with your fathers.

Sometimes, taking up our father’s interest in sports, hobbies, etc., is the only way we can connect with our fathers. His pastime becomes ours, and maybe the only bridge on earth to reach him and spend time with him.

However, I’d rather see fathers turn their hearts towards their children, enter their world, and connect with their likes.

The hearts of the fathers must initiate a turning back to their children, or there’s little hope for society, and maybe your family, too. Their best hope of connecting to God is their connecting with dad!

Fathers, your legacy is at risk – worse, your children’s future and eternity are at stake.

Never underestimate the power, authority, and security of a father’s role and his connection. There is nothing on earth that can take its place!

A Few Good Men – By Thomas J. Koester

History shouts, “It only takes a few good men!”

I Dare You To Become Greater Than Your Fathers. I dare you to become a real man!

A Few Good Men is an intergenerational and interdenominational movement of men for all ages. We believe that segregating our youth from the men in our churches, ministries, and communities is counter-productive to the process of raising our boys into strong men and leaders of tomorrow. We believe men, without the opportunity and access of our youth, are a terrible loss of potential and vice-versa.

Becoming a man is not a chronological process. You simply do not grow into manhood or masculinity. John Eldredge describes masculinity as “that quality or characteristic of manhood being passed through close proximity to boys.” You can not take a class or read a book on becoming a man. It is mystically and methodically passed through the process of mutual struggle and the sharing of life’s experience.

Many times, when older men share their struggles, losses, and defeats in a room full of young men, you’d think they’d be bored to tears. They’re not. They are inspired to open and share their own struggles, losses, and defeats. And when we have this kind of “open vulnerability,” change is possible. Community develops, and a band of brothers is formed.

“This story shall the good man teach his son; … From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered-We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition, from this day, till the end of the world” – William Shakespeare, King Henry V, Act IV, Scene III.

We need each other. A father needs a son, and a son needs a father. In a perfect world, each of us would have a present, communicative, warm, and loving father. He would be their to father us through each of life’s challenges, showing us the ropes, teaching us, and modeling how life is to be lived, fought for, and how to love and sacrifice.

It is the purging of our hurts, losses, and pains, which eases the suffering of becoming a man. It helps young men and boys to see the scars and wounds older men have amassed over the years. It helps because they learn they’re not alone, not misfits nor Martians. Life is hard. I said earlier, “In a perfect world, each of us would have a present, communicative, warm, and loving father;” this, however, isn’t reality.

Some of our deepest wounds were delivered by our dads. And, because it was our dads, the wound is life altering and disruptive; it takes many of us “off course” from the path of our intended journey.

Most of us have not been invited into manhood but have entered in, without guidance and the advantage of a present and available father. We are lost. Lost sons and then lost men. Most of us men are simply aged boys. We’re stuck and trapped, and inside is a small and frightened boy. On the outside is the body of a man, pretending to be a man on the inside. His life is carefully lived, concealing this truth.

If boys are to become men; or, if lost adult males are to become men; we must open up in a sanctuary (safe place) for us to share our stories. The telling of your story is the first step to being found.

One of my favorite movies is “Hook,”with Robin Williams as “Peter Panning” and Dustin Hoffman as “Captain Hook.” The scene where the Lost Boys have their early encounter with “Peter Panning, the Lawyer” was one of rejection and disbelief. “‘He’s not ‘The Pan,’ he’s fat and old!'”

The Lost Boys become divided; some believe he is “The Pan,”and others do not. Even Peter Panning thinks they’re all nuts. However, a little boy approaches Peter Panning. The little boy takes the face of Peter Panning into his hands and begins to shape it, looking for something lost, peering into his eyes. Suddenly, the boy lifts Peter’s sagging face into a smile, and the little boy exclaims; “Oh, there you are, Peter!”

You see, deep within you is that lost boy. You were knocked off your intended journey into manhood and masculinity. Somewhere, you became lost. It sometimes takes the brave young boy to look you deep into your soul and say, “There you are, Jeff! There you are, Bob! There you are, Mike, or John or Steve!” We need the youth, and the youth need us. Together, we find each other. Together, we become men.

We invite you; no, rather we call you to join A Few Good Men. I dare you to be greater than your fathers. You do indeed have what it takes. You are no longer a lost boy but found, wanted, and needed.

Join us in becoming men. Men of honor. Men of God. A Few Good Men!

You’ll Not Find Me There – By Thomas Koester

I’m not in your work, so why do you lose yourself there?

The Barna Group and USA Today have estimated that 3,500 people walk away from church each day. Of these dechurched people, 80% are from the age group of 14-33.

It’s interesting that the single greatest issue reported by these people walking away from the Church is due to a lack of connectedness.

What does this mean?

It may mean that while people are looking for spiritual connectedness, our youth are not finding it in Church! So, they leave the organized Church looking for God elsewhere. Is it possible that in many churches today, God is not there?

I remember several years ago, Toni and I visited a church in Sonora, California. For the City of Sonora, it was considered one of the largest churches. We walked in and then later out of the church without any welcome or introduction. On our way to our car, I asked Toni,

“Honey, do you think we’re invisible?”

We then visited another church in Sonora and were ambushed by teens and adults with hands held out and warm greetings. Afterward, several people were genuinely interested in us. At one touching moment, a young man introduced himself and offered to pray over my back, as he noticed the pain I was in from a recent collision with a Hummer on Interstate HWY-4.

The stark difference between these two churches we visited, while anecdotal, seems to jive with the Barna Group’s study.

Needless to say, we joined the Church where we not only felt connected but became vital to that body of believers. In other words, the people there took the time to know us, understand our spiritual gifts, and, so, plugged us in to serve.

So, I want to tell my estranged fellow believers, “Don’t give up on the Church and find God there.” Like in most things and in many people there are good ones and not so good ones. Keep searching until you find a church you can call family and become vitality connected and useful.

Complacency and apathy do not belong in God’s people and in His Church. Yet, for many churches, their lack of utilizing people’s spiritual gifts breeds complacency and apathy. And so, sadly, many people become church dropouts.

Your spiritual gifts matter, and never settle for you or the gifts that God gave you to be benched or shelved. Your spiritual vitality and health are important to God and in the right Church also. Be humble and patient with God’s spiritual gifts, but also be wise and discerning.

So, to my dechurched brothers and sisters, I want to challenge and invite you back to God. To tell you that Jesus is there, where He said He would be if two or three are gathered together in His Name.

I am not on the internet, so why are you searching there?

I’m not in your work, so why do you lose yourself there?

I’m not in your affairs or hookups, so why do you hide there?

Is it because you no longer believe in Me or see Me that you continue to wander aimlessly? Is that why you have no fear of Me because I don’t shout and yell at you?

Is that why you trust more in things than in Me?

You’re hanging too tightly to the temporal things at the expense of the eternal!

It doesn’t matter how many Sunday services you attend. It’s your secret life that is denying your belief in Me. Your lack of connectedness in Church stems from your lack of connectedness to Me!

Your Sunday morning “hallelujahs” and “amens” mean nothing to Me without your holiness and devotion. I’m supposed to be in your heart and not in your religious ambitions.

I’m pleading with you to return to Me, even though you’re chasing shadows and lingering in sin, I’m still not willing for you to perish. All your difficulties are not a string of bad luck. It’s Me, dealing with you as a faithful Father!

You will not find Me in the false gods you love; in A.I., Tictok, X, Meta, or Instagram. People are into those things, not Me, I’m here, inside your heart—whispering My heavenly will, which is uniquely designed for you.

Take out the trash in your heart and mind. Ask Me to create in you a clean heart and clear head. All you have to do is admit your sins, cry your eyes out, and invite Me in. I don’t want to judge you—I want to love you!

Turn away from darkness, and come back into the light. I won’t shame you, I want to tame your feral heart. I want to quiet all that hateful self-talk you’re constantly muttering at yourself. Those nasty voices come from the deep broken places that you’ll not let me heal.

Hasn’t my Son, Jesus, convinced you enough that I’m in love with you? I want you here with Me in Heaven so that Father and Son can be with you there on earth.

I know that’s what you want because I put that desire in you before I created you. So, stop holding hands with sin and the devil! He wants you in hell. I want you here with Me. You’ll not find Me there in the devil’s darkness. I’m over here, in the Light of My Word, and in Jesus, My Son.

If you want the devil to stop harassing you and your soul to cease its pain, seek Me with all your heart and weary soul. I’ll be found. I’m not the one hiding.

You’ll Not Find Me There, because I’m over here—I’ve never left!

How To Heal A Broken Heart – By Thomas J. Koester

“A wound where there are no tears, wrote John Eldredge, is a wound that can’t be healed,”

A splinter under the skin, if left alone and ignored, will eventually fester to the point of infection. Your body rejects the foreign object no matter how small; the pain calls out for your attention. If you ignore it too long, you could end up in the emergency room.

How about your heart?

Why ignore the pain?

Your heart is more precious than a finger; you can live without a finger, but you can’t live without your heart.

Sometimes, we’re strong in the wrong things and at the wrong times, but to be weak in the right things brings true courage.

If you are hurting, in pain, and are crushed in spirit, heart, and soul, you may be at the most significant turning point of your life. You may be dwelling with God in a high and protected place, but you must share your tears with God, or you’ll be swallowed up in bitterness and left alone on earth.

Isaiah 57:15

“The high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, says this: I live in that high and holy place where those with contrite, humble spirits dwell; and I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts.”

Psalm 51:17

“The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.”

Let God encounter your tears; after all, he is the Everlasting Father. Please share it with him as your sacrifice of pride. Come to him crushed, broken, betrayed, rejected, and despised. He’s well acquainted with all of this and more. He allows it to touch your life, not to destroy you, but to draw you closer to himself so that you may be healed.

God wants to father you …

Trust and turn to God and surrender your rights to be offended, your anger for being abused, and your self-hatred for being molested, raped, and violated. God specializes in hurting and wounded people, and he’d rather be with you than with kings and queens.

The moment you offer up to God all your tears and pain, you are with him in spirit and truth.

Isaiah 42:3

“He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the dimly burning flame. He will encourage the fainthearted, those tempted to despair. He will see full justice given to all who have been wronged.”

God won’t exploit your bruises. He’ll not snuff out your heart, even if it’s barely lit and barely alive.

God desires to be your daddy …

Give it all over to God. If you do, he’ll see that justice is served, and you can give your anger and revenge a proper burial.

Then, you’ll knock down your walls of despair and make them into a dance floor, and you’ll dance with your Abba, just as He’s always wanted to.

Don’t live with the pain. Time is not the healer of all wounds; that’s a lie.

God is the healer of all wounds, and he’s waiting to hear your cries directed towards him so that He may act.

Isaiah 30:19

“O’ my people in Jerusalem, you shall weep no more, for he will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. He will answer you.”

Give it up to God. Let it drink in God’s presence and love, and so be healed and restored.

Become healed in the name of Jesus!

He came to seek out the lost and broken, and there is no one he cannot save or heal.

This may be one of your greatest moments and your most significant turning point.

Your heart and soul are God’s specialty. Don’t ignore this opportunity – don’t let your heart become hardened again. Act now while your heart has softened.

Don’t live with a wounded heart. Jesus is dying to heal you. Amen

Say What You Need to Say – By Thomas J. Koester

“Each time we don’t say what we wanna say, we’re dying.” – Yoko Ono

Don’t let silence kill your life, joy, or your future. Speak from your heart and live.

You may agree that the three most powerful words are “I Love You.”

Can these three little words indeed be so powerful and significant?

After all, for many, these words fall from our mouths so casually and regularly that we miss their true meaning and worth. But what happens if, for some of us, we’ve never heard those words from our moms or dads or the most important people in our lives?

Well, that was my story…

I lived through nearly four decades of silence from my father. I hated my father because of his silence and uninvolvement in my life as a boy. His career and extreme work ethic took him from me when I needed him.

When I heard that my dad was dying from esophageal cancer, I initially refused to visit him. My anger held me back for a little while until my siblings ganged up on me.

Four days before my father passed, I had the opportunity to stay overnight with him at the VA Hospital in Martinez, CA. (My father was wounded in action by a missile attack during the Korean War on September 19, 1951). He had served in the Army as a private, 1st class medic.

After the lights went out in my dad’s hospital room, courage rose within my heart, and I spoke the three most important words that I could say to the most important man in my life:

Dad?

“Yes, son.”

Dad, …I love you!

It felt like an eternity of silence orbited the darkened hospital room…

…Then, from my dad’s weakened condition, I heard what my heart and soul had so longed to hear during the 39 silent years I had lived:

“I love you too, son.”

Suddenly, unspeakable joy filled my heart, and tears rolled down my face. I called out to my dad several more times that night, saying:

Dad?

“Yes, son.”

Dad, …I love you!

“I love you too, son.”

I heard my father say he loved me, which washed all the years of hurt, anger, and loneliness from my body, soul, and mind. My father’s words were a healing balm that would change my life from that day forward.

My father’s words also helped me to accept my Heavenly Father’s love for me.

“I am my beloved, and he is mine; his banner over me is love!” Songs of Songs

“See, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreaded day of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest when I come, I strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6

Jesus came to me late on October 8, 1998, at night in that VA Hospital room in Martinez, California. He bound up my wounds and healed my broken heart. He freed this captive and released me from a prison of loneliness, despair, and anger. He lifted the curse from my life, and by becoming my father’s beloved son, I became God’s also!

“Come away with me, my love, my lovely one, come. For you, winter is over and gone. The snow has melted, and the flowers are in bloom; the cooing of the turtle doves can be heard throughout the land. Come away with me, my love, my lovely one, come. Your face is beautiful; your voice is sweet. Come away with me, my love, my lovely one, come.” Songs of Songs

My Dad became my hero and went away to be with the Lord of Life on October 12, 1998. I stood at his right side, holding his hand until he breathed his last breath. He looked up to the ceiling, smiled, and then was gone. We all wept so loudly as a family that our cries could be heard throughout the hospital wing.

A few moments later, I stretched my hand over my father’s face, and I closed my father’s eyes.

Yes, words do matter. Be brave, be courageous, and allow your heart to speak its words before it is too late. The “I love you, dad,” unlocked my father’s heart, which echoed those desperately needed words from him into my hungry and hurting heart and soul.

There is unspeakable power in the three simple words; “I love you” or “please forgive me.”” While these words are simple, it takes great courage to say them. Please, don’t be stubborn and don’t be afraid, dare to speak and listen for the reply; “I love you too.”

Scripture says, “If you hear God’s voice today, don’t be stubborn. Don’t be stubborn like those who rebelled in the wilderness.” – Hebrews 3:15

Don’t let silence kill your life, joy, or your future. Speak from your heart and live!

Watch this John Mayer Music Video and…

…“Say What You Need To Say”

Let your heart speak!

A Home For Your Wounded Heart – By Thomas J. Koester

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalms 147:3

“A wound where there is no weeping, writes, John Eldreged, is a wound that can not be healed.” Your wounded heart can be healed. But you must share your wounded heart with God.

Wounds and scars, whether physical or emotional, are essential to being human. It happens to all of us. The following is written on the back of my business card:

“Living a scarless life is not living at all. Sometimes, our greatest triumphs lie in our greatest defeats. In all things, I am a child of God and never a victim. I do not, therefore, interpret tragic circumstances as mishaps, but a divinely scheduled trip to God’s beauty salon.”

If we only see ourselves as victims in every crisis, loss, or betrayal, we deny the very instrument and tool for which God is doing his best work in us. When you refuse to become the victim and instead respond in praise and thanksgiving to God, you, therefore, thwart darkness and defeat the devil.

The devil wants you to wallow in bitterness and anguish. He wants you paralyzed, frozen in time and eternity with a wounded and broken heart. He knows that a heart not healed will keep you from God, keep you from salvation.

The old saying, “time heals all wounds,” is not from the Bible. It’s from the devil!

This is why Jesus of Nazareth read from – Isaiah 61: 1

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to heal and bind up the brokenhearted…”

As a matter of fact, Jesus’ reading of the Isaiah passage was the official announcement of his earthly ministry.

The Psalmist, King David, penned:

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” – Psalms 147:3

“His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” – Job 2:9-10

God is in control – He’s not only our Creator, but He’s our Father also. He touches our lives with wisdom and cares for us greater than our earthly fathers. He’s preparing us for eternity with Him, and His actions are always with this in mind.

The devil wants you, if possible, to never meet your Heavenly Father. If he can’t prevent that, he’ll at least pervert it by causing your earthly father to wound your heart and soul. When our hearts bear the scars of father’s wounds, it is so hard, if not impossible, to trust God as our everlasting father.

And this is the central theme of Jesus’ ministry; to rescue you from the penalty of sin and the grip of the devil and to heal your broken heart so that salvation can come to you.

“No one can come to the Father,” said Jesus, except through me.” – John 14:6

Your heart must be healed because it is to become your Heavenly Father’s dwelling place.

He alone is the home for your wounded heart. Trust him, He’s making you beautiful inside and out.

Searching For Significance – By Thomas J. Koester

Searching for significance can last a lifetime. Don’t waste another day searching.

The wounds of our past can most often propel us into a fruitless seach for significance. Our search is fruitless because the root of our search lies within our wounded heart. The damage to our hearts was done many years and decades ago, and most likely when we were children.

Being wounded in our hearts and minds as children is an attack on our very identities and creates in us a desperate search for meaning and purpose.

You see, the wounds to our hearts cause us to make a vow or an agreement with the curses spoken over us. The curses were demonically engineered to warp and distort our true identity, forcing us into an endless masquerade of covering and hiding false shame and guilt. Living like this can send us into an endless search for meaning and belonging. This fruitless search for significance can last a lifetime.

The curses may be the distant echoes from our mother or father’s voices, which may have inadvertently or intentionally cursed our future and robbed us of worth and significance as their son or daughter. And this is why so many of us are lost from true living and true loving, or suffer with an inability to bond with others.

An alcoholic father or mother, or your parent’s divorce or an untimely death of a mom or dad can also send messages of abandonedment, rejection, and lostness. Sometimes, we think an affair or love and romance, marriage, or a baby will heal us.

Our failure is searching for significance in people, ministry, talent, sex, and money, which these things are powerless to fill and satisfy our emptiness. Only God can fill the huge hole in our hearts.

True worth and significance come only from the mouth and heart of God. Draw near and listen to Him and allow the only God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, heal your heart and end your search.

Let God help you do the impossible, which is to forgive those who’ve wounded the very preciousness of your heart and soul.

“The Spirit of the Lord, the Eternal, is on me. The Lord has appointed me for a special purpose. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to repair broken hearts and to declare to those who are held captive and bound in prison, “Be free from your imprisonment.”‘ – Isaiah 61:1

The above Scripture was read by Jesus on the day he began his public ministry. The Isaiah passage was fulfilled through him for you.

End your fruitless search for significance by turning your wounded heart and soul to God. With him, you’ll find unspeakable riches and a place of real belonging and a life of true significance.

Breaking the curses spoken over us is not complicated. All curses were nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ, whereby Jesus took upon himself all of our curses and the very death penalty for sin. The punishment of death on a cross inflicted on the innocent Lamb of God has legally broken and nullified all of our agreements with curses.

Put your faith into the finished work of Jesus Christ. Grant forgiveness towards those who have cursed you towards those who’ve wounded your heart and soul. Believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus’ death and resurrection have destroyed the works of the Devil and have canceled all curses against you.

All you must do is to just believe!

Come home to the True and Loving Father; come home, His lost son, and lost daughter.

Beautiful Scars – By Thomas Koester

Don’t Hide Your Scars, They Just May Save A Life!

If you’ve seen the football movie, “The Replacements,” then you may be familiar with Shane Falco’s (Keanu Reeves) iconic quote:

“Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever.”

—Vince McKewin

Scars, are for some people, important symbols of heroism, bravery, and sacrificial achievements. But for many, scars are unfortunate circumstances of abuse, violence, rape, and simply being in the wrong place at a wrong moment.

The truth is, scars, whether bourn on or inside our bodies can, become a force for good. We all know and have experienced healing from pain, pain of broken bones, cuts, wounds, and emotional hurt. Thank God that he designed our bodies to heal itself. But not completely, right? Many wounds leave scar tissue. Even emotional wounds, wounds of the heart and mind can leave scarring.

Our scars all have stories behind them. For example, during the years of my youth, I played outside every summer break, doing dangerous stuff that kids do. Falling from trees, crashing bicycles, jumping ramps, doing all sorts of daredevil stuff, had scarred me up from head to toe! But I wouldn’t want to grow up any other way! Many of those childhood scars are still visible and still to this day tell many stories and fond, but painful memories.

Your scars, physical or emotional, also has stories. Some stories, I’m sure you don’t want to remember. But nonetheless, they happened, good or bad. But here’s something to give a little thought to; beneath your scars may be a hidden glory. How can that be? You may ask. Yes, I know you may not be a former all-pro football player; you don’t have to be a sports star or hero for your scars to add glory to your life.

Scars may be indicative of a well lived life or an indication of being human and vulnerable. A mother, for instance, bears the scars of childbirth, and each stretch mark represents the growth of new life within her, which she selflessly endured for her child. Her children, born to her, arrived during painful, agonizing labor, and, are a significant glory to her life. I don’t understand it as a man, but as soon as that baby is born, a mother’s face lights up with joy. Her joy miraculously replaces the pain and labor of birthing.

I’m thinking of a Bible verse, located somewhere, I think, in the book of Hebrews. Okay, I found it…

Hebrews 12:2 tells very clearly:

“… He who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This verse says Jesus focused on “the joy” that was set before Him as He endured the agony of crucifixion. He knew of the glory that was to be set upon him for his sacrifice. And he was crucified publicly. Wow!

I’ve spent too much time and energy trying to hide my scars, especially my emotional scars – scars of inner pain deep within the womb of the heart; scars of hurt, betrayal, and abuse. I’ve learned that healing isn’t the removal of such scars but accepting them and humbly wearing them like chevrons or stripes on my shoulders, indicating my rank and experience with pain.

My scars, hidden or not, are my carte blanche, approved by God. When God permits, my scars allow me to act as someone else’s wounded healer. Don’t be ashamed of your scars. Scaring means that you’ve survived, and maybe your survival and scars have a divine purpose for others. In other words, perhaps God masterfully ordained your hurt and pain so that your body, mind, and heart may produce abundant life and healing beyond yourself.

One day, as we pass from this life, we will see the scars planted on Jesus because of our sins. We will know then the significance of his scars as never before. We will have perfect clarity that our ultimate healing has come from those scars, and all our present pain and tears will be wiped away forever.

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes, we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

Have you heard the song, Scars?

Lyrics By: I Am They
from the album: Trial & Triumph

“We came up to a new sunrise
Looking back from the other side
I can see now with open eyes
Darkest water and deepest pain
I wouldn’t trade it for anything
Because my brokenness brought me to You

And these wounds are stories You’ll use

So I’m thankful for the scars Because without them, I wouldn’t know Your heart, And I know they always tell of who You are

So forever, I am thankful for the scars

Now I’m standing in confidence
With the strength of Your faithfulness

And I’m not who I was before
Now I don’t have to fear anymore

So I’m thankful for the scars
Cause without them, I wouldn’t know Your heart, And I know they always tell of who You are

So forever, I am thankful for the scars

I can see, I can see
How You delivered me
In Your hands, in Your feet
I found my victory
I can see, I can see
How You delivered me
In Your hands, in Your feet
I found my victory

I’m thankful for Your scars Cause without them, I wouldn’t know Your heart, And with my life, I’ll tell of who You are

So forever, I am thankful

I’m thankful for the scars Cause without them; I wouldn’t know Your heart, And I know they’ll always tell of who You are

So forever, I am thankful for the scars

So forever, I am thankful for the scars.”

Are you scarred body, mind, and heart? If so, you are in good company.

Learn to be thankful for each scar, and suddenly, without notice, what was meant for your harm, will instead produce a harvest of life and healing for others.

Your scars are beautiful!