by Hope City Church on Jun 02, 2024
### Summary
Welcome, everyone. Today, we are diving deep into the topic of mental health, a subject that has been the focus of our recent series. I have decided to extend this into a mental health conference over the next two Sundays. The feedback we've received has been overwhelmingly positive, and it has inspired me to bring this conference to our Sunday morning service. Our goal is to meet people where they are and provide both spiritual and practical guidance for mental health.
We begin by discussing the importance of understanding how trauma affects our bodies. The book "The Body Keeps the Score" is a valuable resource that explains how our bodies retain trauma and the work required to release it. This is particularly relevant for those who have experienced significant trauma in their lives. We aim to create a space at Hope City where people can find healing for their souls and spirits, moving from trauma and triggers to triumph.
The Bible tells us that God desires for us to live life to the fullest, but many of us carry unresolved pain that cannot be healed in a single Sunday service. While our gatherings are essential, we also need smaller, more intimate settings where we can unpack our trauma. This is why we are bringing in professionals to help us understand trauma better. For instance, studies have shown that the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors experience PTSD, even though the term PTSD was only coined in 1980. This highlights the long-lasting impact of trauma and the need for both spiritual and practical approaches to healing.
The story of the Israelites in Exodus 13:17-18 serves as a powerful metaphor for our journey from trauma to healing. When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He did not take them through the shorter route because it was fraught with war. Instead, He led them through the desert to avoid triggering their fears and causing them to return to their traumatic past. Similarly, God may lead us on a longer path to healing to protect us from triggers that could cause us to revert to our old ways.
We often think that faith alone can heal us, but the Bible says that faith without works is dead. Many Christians have faith but lack the necessary actions to support their healing. God has given us tools, including professional help and medication, to manage our mental health. It's not always about asking God to take away our struggles but using the resources He has provided to manage them effectively.
Generational trauma is another critical issue. Trauma can be passed down through generations, affecting not just our immediate family but our descendants as well. This is why it's essential to break negative cycles and create a legacy of healing. Trauma literally lives in our bodies, affecting us physically and emotionally. Guarding our hearts and minds is crucial to prevent negative influences from taking root in our lives and the lives of our children.
The Israelites' journey out of Egypt also teaches us about the importance of grounding ourselves. When they saw the Egyptians pursuing them, their past trauma resurfaced, causing fear and doubt. Similarly, we need to ground ourselves through prayer, meditation, and practical activities like connecting with nature. Disconnecting from the busyness of life and reconnecting with God's creation can help us find peace and healing.
Trauma is not just a past event; it can be a current threat to our well-being. It can cause physical symptoms and affect our mental health. Triggers can bring back traumatic memories, causing us to react in ways that are harmful to ourselves and others. It's essential to recognize these triggers and find ways to manage them effectively.
Triumph is not the absence of struggle but the defiance of defeat in the face of adversity. Many of us are out of our traumatic environments, but the trauma still lives within us. We need to find ways to get it out of our minds and hearts. This often involves seeking professional help, sharing our stories, and taking practical steps to heal.
In conclusion, you are not alone in your struggles. Many people are suffering in silence, but there is hope and help available. We have a list of therapists and counselors who can provide the support you need. Remember, trauma does not have to define you. With faith, action, and the right support, you can move from trauma to triumph.
### Key Takeaways
1. **Faith and Action Work Together**: Faith without works is dead. While faith is essential, it must be accompanied by practical actions to support healing. God has provided us with tools, including professional help and medication, to manage our mental health. It's not always about asking God to take away our struggles but using the resources He has provided to manage them effectively. [01:37:52]
2. **Generational Trauma**: Trauma can be passed down through generations, affecting not just our immediate family but our descendants as well. This is why it's essential to break negative cycles and create a legacy of healing. Trauma literally lives in our bodies, affecting us physically and emotionally. Guarding our hearts and minds is crucial to prevent negative influences from taking root in our lives and the lives of our children. [46:31]
3. **Grounding Ourselves**: When the Israelites saw the Egyptians pursuing them, their past trauma resurfaced, causing fear and doubt. Similarly, we need to ground ourselves through prayer, meditation, and practical activities like connecting with nature. Disconnecting from the busyness of life and reconnecting with God's creation can help us find peace and healing. [52:00]
4. **Trauma is a Current Threat**: Trauma is not just a past event; it can be a current threat to our well-being. It can cause physical symptoms and affect our mental health. Triggers can bring back traumatic memories, causing us to react in ways that are harmful to ourselves and others. It's essential to recognize these triggers and find ways to manage them effectively. [56:12]
5. **Triumph Through Adversity**: Triumph is not the absence of struggle but the defiance of defeat in the face of adversity. Many of us are out of our traumatic environments, but the trauma still lives within us. We need to find ways to get it out of our minds and hearts. This often involves seeking professional help, sharing our stories, and taking practical steps to heal. [58:56]
### Youtube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[41:07] - Introduction to Mental Health Conference
[42:28] - Understanding Trauma and PTSD
[43:51] - The Journey of the Israelites
[45:13] - The Impact of Trauma on Relationships
[46:31] - Generational Trauma
[47:48] - Guarding Our Hearts and Minds
[49:12] - The Importance of Practical Steps
[50:42] - Recognizing and Managing Triggers
[52:00] - Grounding Ourselves
[53:16] - Connecting with Nature
[54:42] - Trauma as a Current Threat
[56:12] - The Power of Words and Information
[57:42] - The Role of Professional Help
[58:56] - Triumph Through Adversity
[01:01:45] - Panel Introduction
[01:11:49] - The Power of Humming and Tapping
[01:13:37] - Military PTSD and Personal Stories
[01:17:29] - Misconceptions About Trauma
[01:19:36] - Managing Trauma and Moving Forward
[01:25:54] - The Impact of Trauma on Purpose and Destiny
[01:26:59] - The Importance of Seeking Help
[01:28:08] - The Role of Counseling and Therapy
[01:31:14] - Recognizing Clinical Depression
[01:33:56] - Removing the Stigma of Mental Health
[01:35:39] - Advice for Those Needing Help
[01:42:55] - Closing Remarks and Resources
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. **Exodus 13:17-18**: "When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.' So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle."
2. **Exodus 14:10**: "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord."
#### Observation Questions
1. What reason does Exodus 13:17-18 give for God leading the Israelites on a longer route out of Egypt?
2. How did the Israelites react when they saw the Egyptians pursuing them in Exodus 14:10?
3. According to the sermon, what are some modern examples of trauma that can affect us similarly to how the Israelites were affected by their past? [50:42]
4. What practical steps were suggested in the sermon for grounding ourselves and managing trauma? [52:00]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why might God choose to lead us on a longer path to healing, as He did with the Israelites? How does this reflect on our understanding of God's protection and guidance? [43:51]
2. How does the concept of generational trauma, as discussed in the sermon, relate to the experiences of the Israelites in Exodus? [46:31]
3. The sermon mentioned that faith without works is dead. How does this principle apply to managing mental health and trauma? [47:48]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the role of professional help and medication in the context of faith and healing? [37:52]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God was leading you on a longer path to healing. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [43:51]
2. Have you noticed any patterns of generational trauma in your family? What steps can you take to break these cycles and create a legacy of healing? [46:31]
3. What are some practical ways you can ground yourself when you feel overwhelmed by past trauma or current stress? Consider activities like prayer, meditation, or connecting with nature. [52:00]
4. How can you balance faith and action in your approach to mental health? Are there specific actions you need to take, such as seeking professional help or using medication, to support your healing journey? [47:48]
5. Think about a trigger that often brings back traumatic memories for you. What strategies can you implement to manage these triggers more effectively? [56:12]
6. The sermon emphasized that triumph is not the absence of struggle but the defiance of defeat. How can you adopt this mindset in your current challenges? [58:56]
7. How can you support someone in your life who is dealing with trauma? What resources or actions can you offer to help them move from trauma to triumph? [01:42:55]
Day 1: Faith and Action in Harmony
Faith without works is dead. While faith is essential, it must be accompanied by practical actions to support healing. God has provided us with tools, including professional help and medication, to manage our mental health. It's not always about asking God to take away our struggles but using the resources He has provided to manage them effectively. Faith alone cannot heal us; it must be paired with the actions that God has made available to us. This includes seeking professional help, taking medication if necessary, and engaging in practices that promote mental well-being. By combining faith with these practical steps, we can better manage our mental health and move towards healing.
The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). This means that while our faith is crucial, it must be accompanied by actions that demonstrate our trust in God's provision. God has given us various tools and resources to help us manage our mental health, and it is our responsibility to use them. This might include seeking therapy, taking prescribed medication, or engaging in activities that promote mental well-being. By doing so, we are not only demonstrating our faith but also taking practical steps towards healing. [01:37:52]
James 2:17 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: What practical steps can you take today to support your mental health alongside your faith?
Day 2: Breaking the Chains of Generational Trauma
Trauma can be passed down through generations, affecting not just our immediate family but our descendants as well. This is why it's essential to break negative cycles and create a legacy of healing. Trauma literally lives in our bodies, affecting us physically and emotionally. Guarding our hearts and minds is crucial to prevent negative influences from taking root in our lives and the lives of our children. Generational trauma is a significant issue that can impact multiple generations within a family. It is essential to recognize the signs of generational trauma and take steps to break the cycle. This might involve seeking therapy, engaging in healing practices, and being mindful of the ways in which trauma can manifest in our lives and the lives of our children.
By addressing generational trauma, we can create a legacy of healing and prevent negative influences from taking root in our families. This involves being intentional about our mental health and taking steps to guard our hearts and minds. It also means being aware of the ways in which trauma can be passed down and taking proactive steps to break the cycle. By doing so, we can create a healthier and more positive future for ourselves and our descendants. [46:31]
Exodus 34:7 (ESV): "Keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."
Reflection: What steps can you take to break the cycle of generational trauma in your family?
Day 3: Grounding Ourselves in God's Presence
When the Israelites saw the Egyptians pursuing them, their past trauma resurfaced, causing fear and doubt. Similarly, we need to ground ourselves through prayer, meditation, and practical activities like connecting with nature. Disconnecting from the busyness of life and reconnecting with God's creation can help us find peace and healing. Grounding ourselves is essential for managing the effects of trauma and finding peace in the midst of chaos. This involves engaging in practices that help us stay connected to God's presence and find stability in our lives. Prayer, meditation, and spending time in nature are all effective ways to ground ourselves and find peace.
By grounding ourselves, we can better manage the effects of trauma and find healing. This involves being intentional about our spiritual practices and making time for activities that help us stay connected to God's presence. Whether it's through prayer, meditation, or spending time in nature, grounding ourselves can help us find stability and peace in the midst of life's challenges. [52:00]
Psalm 46:10 (ESV): "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
Reflection: What grounding practices can you incorporate into your daily routine to stay connected to God's presence?
Day 4: Recognizing and Managing Trauma as a Current Threat
Trauma is not just a past event; it can be a current threat to our well-being. It can cause physical symptoms and affect our mental health. Triggers can bring back traumatic memories, causing us to react in ways that are harmful to ourselves and others. It's essential to recognize these triggers and find ways to manage them effectively. Trauma can have a lasting impact on our lives, affecting us physically, emotionally, and mentally. It is essential to recognize the signs of trauma and take steps to manage it effectively. This might involve seeking therapy, engaging in healing practices, and being mindful of the ways in which trauma can manifest in our lives.
By recognizing and managing trauma, we can take proactive steps towards healing and prevent it from negatively impacting our lives. This involves being aware of our triggers and finding ways to manage them effectively. Whether it's through therapy, mindfulness practices, or other healing activities, managing trauma is essential for our overall well-being. [56:12]
Psalm 34:18 (ESV): "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Reflection: What are some of your triggers, and how can you manage them effectively to promote healing?
Day 5: Triumph Through Adversity
Triumph is not the absence of struggle but the defiance of defeat in the face of adversity. Many of us are out of our traumatic environments, but the trauma still lives within us. We need to find ways to get it out of our minds and hearts. This often involves seeking professional help, sharing our stories, and taking practical steps to heal. Triumphing through adversity means finding strength and resilience in the face of challenges. It involves recognizing that struggle is a part of life but choosing to defy defeat and move towards healing. This might involve seeking professional help, sharing our stories, and engaging in practices that promote mental well-being.
By finding ways to triumph through adversity, we can move towards healing and find strength in the midst of challenges. This involves being intentional about our mental health and taking proactive steps towards healing. Whether it's through therapy, sharing our stories, or engaging in healing practices, triumphing through adversity is essential for our overall well-being. [58:56]
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (ESV): "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."
Reflection: What steps can you take today to move towards healing and triumph through adversity?
and a man, you know, as I've been, um, I really would encourage those—I'm going to be doing a small group this fall on this book here. We do have a few copies in the lobby. If you don't pick one up in the lobby, you can order it off of Amazon. I think about 10 to 12 bucks, very inexpensive book.
But it is true. I've read this before; I'm getting back into it now. But truly, the body keeps the score. And I think getting the understanding of the information that your body retains, particularly for those who have experienced some level of trauma in their life over the years, you can get that trauma out of your body, but it's going to take some real work.
You know, over the past few weeks, we've been in a series called mental health, and I just made this radical decision to do a mental health conference on Sunday morning. We're going to be doing it today and next week as well. And just the overwhelming feedback that we got on social media via emails and texts from people who've been encouraged over the past few weeks in that series really just gave me the motivation and inspiration to just do this conference on a Sunday morning.
My thought was, let's meet people where they are. You come on Sunday mornings, and I thought this would be a perfect time to show you through not only the spiritual aspect of the Bible but also bring some professional individuals who will be here from here shortly. I truly believe that Hope City can be a place of not just hope; we can live out our lives in a place where people can find healing in their soul, in their spirit, so that we can move—as I'm going to talk about here in a moment—moving from trauma, our triggers, into a place where we triumph.
It is God's desire that we triumph in our life. He said that I come that you may have life to the full until it overflows, and I really believe that. But I also know, in my own counseling sessions with individuals, that I do know that people who come to church Sunday after Sunday, week after week, are experiencing a lot of pains in their life that won't get resolved in a Sunday morning experience.
I love the fact that we get to come together in the arena as a family, as the family reunion, and hear the word of God. But when Sunday ends, we need to oftentimes, many times, find ourselves in smaller circles or in a space where you're speaking to someone one-on-one so we can literally unpack some of the trauma, some of the experiences that we've experienced in our life.
You know, as I'm on this study and working on this information here, I reached out to one of our professionals today and said, you know what? I really want to find a space where I can really go deeper in understanding this thought, this word called trauma.
And just my short study of it over the past few weeks, one of the things I found out is that those who were in the Holocaust, or Holocaust victims, it is a proven fact that Holocaust victims' grandchildren are experiencing PTSD. To be clear, the word PTSD did not really become a word until 1980.
And so, as much as we know about PTSD now, there's still so much to learn. I think about that from the church angle—that if PTSD has now become a normal word in our natural society, now you speak about that in a church that has never heard that word before, where we always look at the spiritual stuff, not the practical, not the physical side.
I wonder how many times we come in here, get prayer, or get worship, but we still take a lot of baggage home because we think everything is spiritual. And I do believe that spirituality has a lot to do with our lives, but I also believe that our physical side is important as well.
And so, as I look at the lives of those individuals who were traumatized in the Holocaust and their grandchildren, my mind went to the scripture, and it went to the children of Israel who were in slavery for over 400 years and the level of trauma that they experienced.
When I read the scripture in Exodus 13:17, when it says, "When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not leave them on the road through the Philistine country." Watch this here. Though that was a shorter route, when the children of Israel left their bondage, where they left the traumatic situation that they were in, it said that there was a faster way to get them to their healing or to their destination, but God did not send them that way.
Why? Because there was war going on. And He said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." And I just thought about our own lives, how we find ourselves getting free from our yesterday, and something from our past comes back up and reminds us of that divorce or reminds you of how that spouse did you, that you're divorced from now, or reminds you of what your grandmother or grandfather did or did not do.
It creates these traumatic moments or remembrances in your mind, and it causes us many times to want to take flight and go back to a place that traumatized us. It's easy for people to say to a woman who loves a man, or a man, but it's easy for us to say to a woman, "You should leave that man."
And it's easy for us to say that because we weren't in it. She or he spent 10 to 12 years in that relationship, even as traumatic as it may have been. And it's easy for us to say that because we weren't in it. She or he spent 10 to 12 years in that relationship, even as traumatic as it may have been.
It's easy for us on the outside to say, "You're crazy for going back." And it's easy because we have no connection to that. And they're finding it difficult to get even out of a traumatic relationship, even though that person or that thing or that mindset is hurting them in a harmful way.
And this is where the children of Israel's mindset—God was saying, "If they see war, if they experience that, they might change their minds and want to return to Egypt." So God led the people around the desert toward the Red Sea.
I believe that God is leading some of you a different direction, a different way. The person you think you want to be with, the thing you think you have to have, the career you thought you wanted—sometimes God leads us a different way, a different path, because there's something there you don't see that literally can harm and hurt your life.
My desire, as we talk about this today and next week, is that we don't feed cycles, that we break cycles, that we don't feed the negative cycles in our lives. Because watch this here: if you don't deal with that inner child in your life, your children in your adult stage, your children are going to deal with it themselves.
You know, in my research, in my study, I found out that literally trauma lives in the body. That's the reason why when certain things come up or you have to have a conversation you don't want to have, your hands start sweating, your throat gets tight—it's because trauma literally lives in your body.
And guess what? Trauma can live in your body from, at the minimum, seven generations. Some of the trauma some of you may be dealing with—we oftentimes say your mama or your daddy—sometimes it's not even them. It's something that happened even further along in that line.
Imagine this here: if we think physically, we could look like our mamas and our daddies and our ancestors and our grandparents. Physically, the same thing happens with our soul, our spirit, in our DNA.
When the Bible talks about, for Jesus, there's power in the blood, that's not just for Jesus. In your DNA, there's power in your DNA. There's power in your blood. That's why it's important that, watch this here, we guard our hearts. The Bible says, "Guard your heart, for out of it flows the issues of your life."
And when you think of that word guard, it's like a centurion soldier that's standing on the outside of a building, managing what's coming in and what's going out. When you don't guard your eyes, your heart, your mind, you don't manage your children, what they watch and what they see.
If you don't watch what you're doing in front of your children, that could enter their heart, enter their mind, and even go with them into their future. When they see mama and daddy always arguing, it leaves physical imprints on their soul that can literally follow them into their future.
So when we say guard your heart, these are literally psychological words that even the ladies are going to talk about today. And I'm kind of saddened from the angle of, I think as a church, we can be so spiritual—and we should, because we are spiritual beings—but I think we could be so spiritual that we miss the practical side of what we have to do.
The scripture is clear: faith without works is dead. Many of you don't lack faith; you lack work. You believe—see, listen here, hope alone is not a strategy. I'm saying it again: hope alone is not a strategy. You can say, "I hope my marriage gets better." Well, you know what? "I hope we do better next year." Hope alone is not a—what is the plan? What is the strategy to make sure you get out of debt? "I hope I get out of debt." That's not good enough.
What is the strategy? Do you have a plan for your freedom? Do you have a plan for your deliverance? Whatever the thing you need in your life, what is the strategy? And sometimes it's been environments like this, it's been in environments where you're sitting on a couch, saying, "My name is Corey, and this is my problem."
Because if you don't go through admittance, you'll never put yourself in an environment where you can be healed. And I'm telling you, some of you, your issues are not spiritual; they are mental right now. Some of you need some mental peace right now. Come on, can I get a witness here? It's like that mind plays mind games.
Let's not feed the cycle. Let's break the cycle. Let's not feed the cycle. Let's break the cycle. Look what it says here in Exodus chapter 14, verse 10. It says, "As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them."
Imagine people who now got free, who have been in bondage for years, and they see an image or a picture from the past. See, some of you have moved on, but you get an image or something that reminds you of what your mama did, or your daddy did, or your grandfather, or your ex-husband did.
And you're in a new marriage right now, and your current spouse does something, and it triggers something. You're moving on, and this is where the children of Israel—they were moving forward. They were trying to be healed, trying to be whole.
And it says, "And they looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them." Their trauma, their past, the residue, what harmed them, the residue of what marked their soul, that marked their spirit.
You know, I used to think it was crazy, and I asked God to forgive me last week as I was studying this here, that I always would say things, and I said this multiple times, at least over the past 10 years, that the children of Israel were stupid for saying stuff like, "It would have been better to leave us in Egypt."
It was like, how can you even think like that? How can you—I mean, Egypt was horrible. Egypt was slavery. How can you even allow your mind to think like that? How can you even think that it was worthy to—your trauma would have you saying stuff like that.
Some of the stuff you're talking about, it's your trauma talking. It's that hurt talking. It's that pain talking. It's that experience that's talking to you. You know, a man would never love me. A woman would never love me. I never do this. I never do that. I never have this. That is your trauma. That is your pain. That is that failed experience that is talking through you.
And if we don't cast down—the Bible says, cast down every imagination that exalts itself against what you know about God. In a moment, we're going to talk about how to ground ourselves.
And one of the things that we do as faith, as spiritual people, how we ground ourselves is often through things like prayer, meditation, or fasting. Those are ways that we help ground ourselves. But I can't wait for the therapist to come in and talk about some of the practical ways that we can literally ground ourselves.
For me, one of the ways I ground myself, particularly after Sunday, I go in the yard. I go in the yard, I go in the yard, I go in the yard, on Monday or Tuesday, and I play in the dirt. Come on, somebody. Like a five-year-old little kid, get in the dirt. You know, make some mud. Make some mud. You know, disconnect.
And I was hearing that God—I forgot his name now, but he's well-known. And he was asked the question, how do you disconnect from after being in this busy life you have? And he talked about how he literally shut everything down. He'd get away from social media. He'd put his phone away. And he'd connect with just the earth.
In other words, with the sun, with the dirt, with the water, with the trees, with the sky—not worshiping it. Because we as a church believe that if you say anything about the sun or the moon or the water, that you—no, it's not about worshiping that. It's connecting with everything that God created.
How many of you know if there are no trees on the earth right now, we have no oxygen? So all these things that God has made available, even the leaves that we eat, when we learn how to get back to the core stuff that God has created, I believe that's how we're going to naturally, emotionally, and psychologically heal ourselves.
He even said, he said, "Hey, go hug a tree." Now that sounds crazy to say, "Go hug a tree," because like, okay, I'm going to go lock you up if you go hug a tree. But his point was getting back to the original place we came from—the ground, the dust, the pure soil—getting back to the innocence of who we are before the culture and society and everything that we're doing in 2024, phones and TVs that are driving us.
And I thought about, if I hold my phone all day, why can't I hug a tree? Come on, somebody. We run to our phone; the phone controls us. It does. Our phone—we hold that phone all day. It's on our hip. What if we disconnect from these inanimate objects and connect to everything that God created?
Come on, somebody. You know, the Jewish people, those who particularly practice their faith on Fridays, they don't do any work. And they literally, and most of them, they don't even drive a car. It is their way of connecting with nature. It's their way of literally taking time to look at the real colors in the sky, really to take the time to walk and see the true colors in the trees and in the plants.
How often do we stop and see the real colors that are—but we're so busy, we cannot even stop and enjoy the opportunity. I can't even recognize the—I still feel the heat that's on my arm. Come on, somebody—that I can actually, I got the sense to know that it's hot or that it's cold because we're so busy in this busy world that is controlling us.
Trauma. Trauma is not just a past event. It's a current threat to one's well-being lurking in the shadows of the mind. The man has already said trauma is just not a past event. A traumatic event—trauma is just not a past event. Trauma is just not a past event.
That happened 10 years ago can be a current threat to one's well-being. Can any of you think of a traumatic event that happened to you? Maybe you were touched the wrong way. Maybe someone spoke to you the wrong way. Maybe someone called you names, and now the names they called you when you were five and six, you're living those names out.
Is there an inner child in you that did not grow up, that left you where you were at 15 and 20 years ago? That trauma has the power to live and to live in our body. And it can literally cause physical—in many cases, it can literally cause physical illness in our bodies.
Some people have had blood work and tests, and the doctors can find nothing wrong with them. A lot of that stuff is coming through their mind, releasing chemicals in our body. It's the reason why right now I could be extremely happy. Right now, endorphins are released in my body. I'm excited, but I get a quick text that says so-and-so just died.
And immediately, the happiness shifts to strong sadness or despair. Words have power. Information has power. And when it enters your mind, it literally can release chemicals in your body that gives you a totally different response and reaction to what's going on around you.
Triggers. A trauma trigger is a psychological stimulus that prompts involuntary recall of a previous traumatic experience. I'm going to say it again: a trauma trigger is a psychological stimulus that prompts involuntary recall of a previous traumatic experience.
I remember once my wife told me years ago, being married now 21 years, almost 22 in August, and my tone of the way I would speak to her—she said it was always, I was rough. I was too hard. And why do you talk to me like that? I'm not a woman on the street.
And I had to either reject what she was saying or pause long enough to say, okay, whenever I talk that way, this is making her feel a certain way. I could say, "Get over it," or I could check myself and say, "Hey, how are you going to help her heal?" Come on, somebody. How are you going to help her heal?
And I had to change the way—I had to change my tone to make sure that I wasn't hurting her in ways that I obviously was hurting. What adjustments are we willing to make in our life to make sure we don't trigger people the wrong way?
I will even go so far to say this here, and this is free right now: some of you need to be able to do this. I'm not going to do this. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this.
Be very careful of some of the podcast people you're watching because they are your trigger. Some of the stuff they're doing, they're actually feeding your trauma and your dysfunction. As much as you like them, you need to be very careful of some of the people that you are—are they really freeing you, or are they really stirring up the mess in your life?
Our trauma and triggers—a traumatic stimulus or a psychological stimulus that prompts involuntary recall of a previous traumatic experience. Thank you, sir. The stimulus itself need not to be frightening or traumatic and may be, watch us here, only indirectly or superficially reminiscent of our earlier traumatic incident, such as a scent or a piece of clothing.
I can, to this day, I can make my mind go to a place where I can smell my grandmother. I can literally bring—there are times I smell a certain scent. It takes my mind back to certain experiences in my life. I can make my mind go to a place where I can smell my grandmother. I can literally bring—and this happens when you probably see certain people that look like something.
He reminds me or she reminds—our sense—all of our senses has the power to put impressions in our soul. And many of the impressions that are in our soul were negative impressions that literally left, watch us here, a fingerprint on your soul.
And that's why it is very important you be careful who you let touch you. Not just physically touch you, but touch you with their words and with their so-called knowledge and wisdom. You shouldn't be eating from everybody's information because they leave a mark on your soul.
And then here's the third thing, and then we're going to transition over to our panel: trauma triggers and triumph. Watch this here: triumph is not the absence of struggle, but the defiance of defeat in the face of adversity. We'll say it again: triumph is not the absence of struggle.
Because some of you have struggled right now, and you're finding it difficult to triumph. You're finding it difficult to be happy in the face of adversity. You're finding it difficult to get the marriage or the kids or your business or your dream. You think triumph is perfection. You think triumph is without flaw.
You think triumph means that I'm out of Egypt now. So watch this here. See, we talked about weeks ago, we were in Egypt, but we got to get Egypt out of us. See, the children of Israel were in Egypt at one point. They got out of Egypt, but they still had the ways of Egypt locked up on the inside of them.
Some of you are out of the traumatic event—Egypt. You're out of Egypt. You're out of the bad marriage, but the bad marriage is still in you. The pain of it, the impact, the stuff they said, the stuff they did. You're out of the environment, but the environment is still in you.
The person who was an addict is no longer going to the environment of the addicts or the alcohol or the crack spaces he used to go to. He's out of the environment, but now it's time to get it out of him. And this is why people go through—go to spaces that now I'm out of the environment, but even though I'm out of the environment, the environment is still in my head.
It's still in my mind. It's the reason why some of you could stop going to Ray Ray's house or going to Sheila's house or Bob's house. You done with them. You don't go there anymore. You don't go to that. Your stuff is out of their house. You done with them now, but at three o'clock at night, your mind is still thinking about them.
Come on, play with me in this Baptist church. You're out of the environment, but if you be honest with yourself, he's still right here. She's still right here. The desire is still right here. You got to find a way to get the desire out of your heart.
Let me give God a word for His praise. Let's turn our attention to the screen for a short video. And after, they're going to jump right into our panel.
You are not alone. Do know that you are not alone. I think one of the things is always people think, "I'm the only one. I'm the only one. No one's going through this." Trust me, you are not alone. People are suffering in silence, and that does not have to be our reality.
So I'm excited about this panelist who's going to engage us in what was in the first service, but will also be in this service here—a robust conversation surrounding this thought of mental health. I'm excited today to have, of course, Jeffrey Demick. I'm going to give all of them a chance here in just a moment to take about 90 seconds and introduce themselves.
But for those who know Jeffrey Demick, he's a member here at Hope City Church. And then we're also going to hear from Pastor Herndon. She'll introduce herself, and Tabria Capri, she will introduce herself as well. Can we give a quick hand, a cup of praise for our speakers for today?
And we'll start with you.
Is a big difference. That is huge. That's huge. So let's start with you, Tabria. You said earlier in my office about something that the doctor said.
So, there's an interesting thing about the tapping, and for me, humming—when I'm working out, I have to tap. And it gives me more strength. So, in an exercise, I have to tap myself. And I can go harder with the tapping. When I don't tap, I—
Wow. Interesting. Interesting. And so also, then I'm going to go to you, Jeffrey, here quickly. Humming, I discovered—I was with my dad this past weekend. My grandmother, I've known for years, whenever she's doing something, she likes to hum. I mean, she hums.
And it really, as I look back over her life, it really soothed her. I was at my dad's house last week and this week here, and I'm noticing he's humming. Humming. I'm like, "Dad, you're your mama. You're doing the same thing that Grimms does."
And my daughter does it even now sometimes. And this goes back to, again, not always trauma that is transferred in our lives. Positive stuff is also transferred in our life as well. So I want to kind of hit that in just a moment, how we're all open to the transfer of positive stuff, but how we got to guard ourselves for the negative transfer of trauma into our current spaces.
Again, as I said earlier, trauma can be potentially transferred down at least seven generations. And so some of the stuff you're dealing with is not even your mom or your daddy. It could be your mama's daddy going way back.
And so, Jennifer, you shared with me a few weeks ago at my home, and we were talking about the military. And you shared something with your wife that when it comes to—she knows not to walk up behind you and touch you because it puts you in a certain state. Can you go back to that space, counseling and the treatment that—
So, are you grateful that you listened to her? Because oftentimes I find that people—we all have blind spots. You can't see the picture if you're in the frame, is one thing I'd say. You can't see the picture if you're in the frame. It sometimes takes someone on the outside to show you stuff you can't see.
Many people—
Right. Unfortunately, are not as apt to agree with getting help. What advice would you give the people who, whether it's in the military space or outside of that? Why? Because PTSD is well beyond just military. What advice would you give to people who just need some help?
Thank you. You know, individuals who wear glasses, such as yourself, we don't think you're dysfunctional because you're wearing glasses. You know, no one would say, "Oh my God, she's wearing glasses."
But when it comes to the mind, if people go get help for their mind, there's this stigma of you're broken, you need help, you're evil, whatever the case may be. And I just thought about, as we were talking in the first service about trauma, and the question I asked, what are the common misconceptions about trauma?
Can you kind of go back to some of what you shared on that?
That it does not destroy my life, and I can still live a fulfilled life as I have been ordained to.
Yeah, love it, love it. And so, if a person, when it comes to managing the trauma, those memories don't necessarily have to have the same level of influence that it had when it originally happened.
So when I'm coaching, I coach a lot. I don't counsel. I mean, I can counsel. I don't like counseling. I don't like doing that. I'm ready to get past the counseling. Go see a therapist. I'm a coach. I want to get you forward-wise.
And I tell people, coaching is about looking forward. Counseling is about what happened in the past. And I'm often coaching people who want to now move into this triumphant state or achieve this here.
And in the coaching session, I'm learning you're not ready for coaching right now. Yeah. You need some counseling. You need to be healed from some of this stuff here.
And so, what would you say when it comes to managing the trauma that someone—it's 10 years ago, it's not as painful as it was then, but it's still here. Kind of speak more into that managing that.
Wait a minute. Wait, wait. Did you say we learned that from the environment?
So, if I saw people drinking—so, by managing it like that, using that there, does that take the power away from the thing?
I like to say exposure. Disclosure brings disclosure. And oftentimes, people feel that if I share this, it's going to make me look bad or people are going to think of me differently.
And my thing is, even if they do think less of you, so what? Because you want to be healed. You want to be free. And sometimes, your freedom becomes your opportunity to have a testimony to help somebody else out. You know?
Not just your—
Yeah, love it, love it. So, yes. So, technically, we can all have trauma, but trauma doesn't have to have us.
That's right. We all can have trauma, but our trauma doesn't have to have us. Because when we allow our trauma to have us, it robs us. It robs us of our joy, of our peace, to enjoy our spouses, whatever that thing may be.
Our trauma doesn't have to have us. And I think there are some of you sitting here now, not only do you have trauma or you remember some trauma in your life, your trauma has you. It's not allowing you to be present.
It's not allowing you to be your best for your spouse, for your kids, or even the vision you have for yourself. Some of you cannot even walk in that purpose, destiny, and dream you have for yourself because your trauma has you.
Like you said, I had my traumatic experiences, but my traumatic experiences don't have me. It's my testimony. It's my stepping stone.
You know, someone shared with me, it's been a minute now, that how you know that you aren't healed or you still have pain from a thing is when it comes up, how does it make you feel?
Does it cause certain emotions to release off in your body? How do you respond when certain things happen? And you know if you are—quickly, you know if you are over a man or a woman based on how it makes you feel.
Don't play with me up in this Baptist church right now. You know you over him when he can walk past you, and nothing happened to you. Matter of fact, no response at all, and matter of fact, you ready for that joker to go.
Come on, somebody. You know you over it, and you know you free. Same thing with the traumatic events in our past, and your wife or your husband say, "You need to get help."
And you say, "No, I don't need help. I'm okay." Well, if you're doing certain things, and they're saying, "Oh, you need help," because you're really not over it as much as you think you are.
And back to you, Jeffrey, thank you for being okay to listen to your wife seeking that help. What's another way—and one of the reasons why I wanted Jeffrey to be up here, particularly after we had our conversation at my house, that I was totally just impacted by the thought of how many military people sit in Hope City Church every single week that may, could be, or have been experiencing some level of PTSD after being out of the military.
So what would you say, Ryan? I got so much; I need my own session with you, okay? So I think I'll be hiring you real soon, sitting on your couch.
My name is Corey, and I got a problem. You laugh, and I'm not. I'll be calling you real soon, sitting on your couch, being delivered.
Because again, as I told them earlier, everything is not the devil. That's right. You cannot rebuke trauma. Trauma is not a demon. Trauma is not a spirit.
And so around here at Hope City, to be clear, we believe in rebuking devils. And so we counsel the flesh, and we rebuke devils. We counsel the flesh, and we cast out demons.
And oftentimes, we're trying to cast out a demon in somebody that's not actually a demon. They got some trauma. They got some baggage. They need somebody to sit on a couch, to have a conversation, open up, and deal with it.
Exposure brings disclosure. And the more you put it out, the enemy loses his grip. The enemy of your mind, whatever your enemy is, it loses its power over you.
And when you get to a place of telling your testimony for real, it's like, man, I'm being more empowered the more I share my story-wise, okay?
And so what story could you share with us today when it comes to trying to overcome the thing that is trying to overcome you?
Love it, love it. So as we hasten to the end here, I've got a couple more questions. So biologically, so we know there's a depression that could be based on DNA, your biological, but also just some from just life issues and what's on your plate.
What's one easiest way for a person to be able to be clear that this is chemical? Is this my situations? I've got some medical issues going on here. Tabria, what's one way can a person realize that this is not clinical or it is clinical versus just being life issues-wise?
And I need some real help. Yeah. And so for those who end up finding themselves on some type of a depressive type thing-wise, that technically only should be medicine in my view.
And I can be totally honest. Totally wrong. Medicine, in my view, should only be an option when the person can't be reached. Is that accurate?
That's a scary word. You told me to go see a psychiatrist. Can you take the stigma off of going to see a psychiatrist? That just sounds scary, like the sixth floor, white sheets wrapped around sitting in a corner.
You need to go see a psychiatrist. Can we take the stigma off of that? It's exactly what I used to think of. I used to think of the movies, sixth floor, all the crazy people in the corners walking around.
And of course, I know that's not true. But you see that stuff. And you tell someone to go seek that help. They're afraid to go because now you think, "Oh, I'm crazy now."
And I think it's important for us to realize that stigma, that mindset, it's totally not true. And it's okay to say it. Absolutely not.
Good stuff. Good stuff. You wanted to add to that?
I do. Good stuff. But I'm a Christian. I'm a Christian. I need God to take it away in the name of Jesus. Go away.
How do you speak to a person that says that? "I ain't going to take my medication because I got faith, and it's going to be gone." And that's my hope because there are some people here who need that.
But they're already thinking, "I got faith. I believe God. I'm not going to take that." So they don't show up to your office actually needing that because their faith says—but again, the scripture says faith without works is dead.
So many Christians have faith, but they're not doing the necessary work that's needed to do. And that's the scary part to me, that people—that there's these professional people that God has put in the earth, who's given them gifts and talents, who have given us these different medicines.
Everyone doesn't need it. But if you find yourself in that population that needs it, there is a way to use that to manage it and live a fulfilled life.
And it's not always about asking God to totally heal me from it. Because it's not going to always happen. But He's given us a tool to be able to at least manage it-wise.
So what would be—I'm going to give us each a quick minute to—what would be your closing statement? You don't leave with everybody on tape. Whatever you want to share. What would be your closing statement?
Thank you. Patsy, can we also say this wasn't popular, obviously, years ago that we focused on our mental health?
And just using your point of—we take care of the physical. We got to take care of the mind. And a lot of stuff people had to deal with four or five or six hundred years ago, we have to deal with.
And so we got so many competing things coming for our time and our energy. And it can literally not physically just wear us out, but mentally wear us out.
So I love the fact that you said, let's not just manage our physical well-being, but let's also make sure that we've managed our mental well-being as well.
Thanks for sharing that. Wait, stay right there a second. Real fast. Number one, I'm real fast. I have a huge issue with generational curses. Just real fast here. I don't believe in them.
I believe in generational habits and patterns. There is such a thing as generational curses if you go back to the Old Testament when Deuteronomy talks about that we would no longer be able to say the parents have eaten the sour grapes, and now the children's teeth are set on edge.
He says, "No, everyone's going to be held accountable for their own sin." So that's one of the reasons why I don't believe in generational curses, particularly in Christ Jesus.
Okay. So with that being said, so now to your point, go to that generational trends. Oh, this is so good. Oh my God. I love that language. I love the generational legacy.
I'm literally looking into that right now. And what better gift to leave your children, to leave our families, is the gift of a whole person, a healed person.
I mean, let's transfer that down. Let's transfer that down into future generations. So can we give our panelists a hand of praise?
Yes. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Just quickly here. There'll be resources out in the lobby. You can also meet them in the lobby if you have any questions.
Who's closing us out? If you have any questions, who? Oh, oh, oh, we switched sides, but y'all learn fast. I see it already.
But there's resources out in the lobby. Meet them out there as well. We have a list of therapists and counselors who we are referring you to here at Hope City.
I think I need to add them to the list. Come on, somebody. Most of the counseling Hope City Church pays for. We pay for our members' counseling sessions. That's a gift that we give.
And we're only able to do that because of your generosity as a church. So thank you for your giving to Hope City Church. But we want to make sure that if you find yourself in a place where you need counseling, where you need therapy—yes, we have our in-house work, but we're also going to partner with individuals like them.
And because we also believe that you have to be connected to the right therapist. Every therapist can't speak to everybody. So there will be a list to make sure we connect you to the right person.
Can we give it up for our panelists one more time? Thank you.
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Triumph is not the absence of struggle, but the defiance of defeat in the face of adversity. We'll say it again. Triumph is not the absence of struggle because some of you have struggled right now and you're finding it difficult to triumph. You're finding it difficult to be happy in the face of adversity. You're finding it difficult to get the marriage or the kids or your business or your dream. You think triumph is perfection. You think triumph is without flaw. You think triumph means that I'm out of Egypt now." [01:00:18](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
2. "You are not alone. Do know that you are not alone. I think one of the things is always people think I'm the only one. I'm the only one. No one's going through this. No one's you trust me. You are not alone. People are suffering in silence and that does not have to be our reality." [01:01:45](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
3. "Disconnect from these inanimate objects and connect to everything that God created. Come on, somebody. You know, the Jewish people, those who particularly practice their faith on Fridays, they don't do any work. And they literally, and most of them, they don't even drive a car. It is their way of connecting with nature. It's their way of literally taking time to look at the real colors in the sky, really to take the time to walk and see the true colors in the trees and in the plants." [54:42](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
4. "Hope alone is not a strategy. I'm saying again, hope alone, is not a strategy. You can say, I hope my marriage get better. Well, you know what? I hope we do better next year. Hope alone is not a, what is the plan? What is the strategy to make sure you get out of debt? I hope I get out of debt. That's not good enough. What is the strategy? Do you have a plan for your freedom? Do you have a plan for your deliverance?" [49:12](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
5. "You know, individuals who wear glasses, such as yourself, we don't think you're dysfunctional because you're wearing glasses. You know, when no one would say, oh, my God, she's wearing glasses, you know, she's, but when it comes to the mind, if people go get help for their mind, there's this stigma of you're broken, you need help, you're evil, whatever the case may be." [01:17:29](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Some of you are out of the traumatic event. Egypt, you're out of Egypt. You're out of the bad marriage, but the bad marriage is still in you. The pain of it, the impact, the stuff they said, the stuff they did. You're out of the environment, but the environment is still in you. The person who was an addict is no longer going to the environment of the addicts or the alcohol or the crack spaces he went to or used to go to. He's out of the environment, but now it's time to get it out of him." [01:00:18](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
2. "Trauma is not just a past event. It's a current threat to one's wellbeing lurking in the shadows of the man. The man has already said trauma is just not a past event. A traumatic event. Trauma is just not a past event. Trauma is just not a past event. That happened 10 years ago can be a current threat to one's wellbeing. Can any of you think of a traumatic event that happened to you? Maybe you was touched the wrong way. Maybe someone spoke to you the wrong way. Maybe someone called you names and now the names they call you when you was five and six, you're living those names out." [56:12](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
3. "You can't see the picture if you're in the frame, is one thing I'd say. You can't see the picture if you're in the frame. It sometimes takes someone on the outside to show you stuff you can't see. Many people . . . how do you disconnect from after being in this busy life you have? And he talked about how he literally shut everything down. He'd get away from social media. He'd put his phone away. And he'd connect with just the earth. In other words, with the sun, with the, with dirt, with the water, with the trees, with the sky, not worshiping it." [53:16](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
4. "My desire as we talk about this on today and next week is that, that we don't feed cycles, that we break cycles, that we don't feed the negative cycles in our lives. Because watch this here. If you don't deal with that inner child in your life, your children in your adult stage, your children is going to deal with it themselves. You know, in my research, in my study, I found out that literally trauma lives in the body. That's the reason why when certain things come up or you got to have a conversation, you don't want to have your hand start sweating, your throat get, it's because trauma literally lives in your body." [46:31](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
5. "You know, someone shared with me, it's been a minute now, that how you know that you aren't healed, or you still have pain from a thing, is when it comes up, how does it make you feel? Does it cause certain emotions to release off in your body? How do you respond when certain things happen? And you know if you are, quickly, you know if you are over a man or a woman based on how it makes you feel. Don't play with me up in this Baptist church right now. You know you over him when he can walk past you, know nothing happened to you, matter of fact, no response at all, and matter of fact, you ready for that joker to go." [01:26:59](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)
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