Post Traumatic Growth Institute

06/10/2024

Greetings PTGI family and friends,

What a glorious day outside this morning, thank you Father for the beauty that you provide.
I've completed the Book of Ruth and folks this is an amazing story of self-sacrifice. Ruth marries into a Jewish family that settled into the Moab territory, her mother-in-law Naomi loses her husband and her two sons in a short amount of time. Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem in Israel to be near her relatives and releases her daughters-in-laws, encouraging them to return to their father's house but Ruth refuses.
The selflessness here is Ruth's undying desire to be part of Naomi's life...she fully believes in family (10 years of marriage into a Jewish family and lifestyle has taught her a lot). Ruth will change all aspects of her life...making Israel and the God of Israel her own. That my friends is quite an undertaking...to let go of all of the old ways and begin anew.
Well, that's exactly what Jesus wants us to do. Put our trust and faith in Him...to discard the old ways that have been hampering our lives and begin again in Him.
Folks, isn't it time to let go of an uncaring world and seek the salvation of the Prince of Peace? A place where we can lay our lives before a loving Lord who will guide us day and night. Let's be like Ruth and rise up to a joyous living in the presence of the one Holy Heavenly Father...Amen!

May your cups be filled with the Grace of God today - Dave

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06/01/2024

Hello All,

Thanks for following PTGI it's helped me to embrace the truth about mental and cognitive disorders that are a large part of the Active Duty, Veteran, and family associated with these folks.
We like to internalize things, and this usually leads to an overload that can be detrimental in many, many ways...not only to ourselves but to those we love and have great kinship with. As friends and family, I ask you to have patience and understanding as we navigate through the trauma we've had to endure while serving our country. We will try our best to also have patience and understanding for you and all that we've put you through as we deal with these breakdowns. In either case it isn't easy, but I thank you for loving us no matter what...even if it's from afar.

Father God sees our issues on both sides and only wants the best for us all. To reach that goal we have to have faith...not only in ourselves but in a Loving Lord who is always with us, even at our worst. He doesn't discriminate in any form or fashion...He knows every fiber of our being and will always hear when we cry out in pain. Friends, I want you to simply ask the Lord for forgiveness today.
-Dave

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05/24/2024

Greetings PTGI family and friends,

It's a Friday and we experienced some pretty wicked weather last night...storms were very strong, and I have some damage to my large tree in the back yard. It'll have to wait to get any work done until I go back to work in the fall for the new school year. Just praying that no more extreme weather moves through the area, that could spell disaster.

Speaking of disasters, the Book of Judges was one calamity after another...when I get into 1st and 2nd Kings it will hold true for the many Kings that will rule between the two Jewish territories.
Unfortunately, we today haven't made much progress...failing to adhere to the principles set forth by the Lord and by Jesus. We seek our own idols which disrupts our communion with God, just like in Judges.
Friends, understand that we are the furthest thing from perfect. We are prone to being misled by a dastardly character that preys upon our weaknesses daily and will continue to do so until the new Heaven and Earth is established according to God's word.
We need to realize is that Christ was the sacrificial Lamb who came to overcome our sinful ways and set us on a new path to redemption. We can't do it on our own, we are far too broken and unclean for that to ever happen, but Jesus stepped in to wash us clean so that we are presentable to our Heavenly Father.
Folks, review Judges and see how this people consistently walked away from the Word...they believed they saw that the "grass was greener" on the other side of the fence. What a mess that created. Are you caught up in the same misguided venture? Letting the unholy and the world dictate what is the solemn truth? Step back and view what's going on in your life from an outside perspective, asking the Lord to open your eyes and heart...it may be the breakthrough you've been waiting for...thank you Father.

Blessing and grace be with you from a Loving Holy Lord - Dave

05/11/2024

Greetings PTGI friends and family,

Wonderful weather, better get outside and enjoy it because we don't know how long it's going to last. Father God created the seasons for a reason...not just for crops but for our mental health and awareness. With each we are awakened to a new sensation that's vital for our survival...it's when we hide away and don't get the Lord's blessings through interactions between people and weather, we miss God's calling to us to be enriched in our lives.
Friends, just take some time and think about it...you can overcome many things that stymie us on a regular basis just by basking in the sunlight or cozying up by a fire during a winter storm.
Folks, enjoy the days we have and help others to thrive when the weather is nice. Have a blessed day! -Dave

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05/07/2024

Hello PTGI family and friends,

Beautiful day outside, even with the wind. Here we are in the beginnings of May, and we've seen a ton of rain coming across the plains...if it continues on this weekly deluge, we're going to have too much rain for the farmers. Please pray with me for Father God's grace concerning the weather we are all facing across the U.S. and the world.

So, I'm finished with Joshua and making my way through Judges. It's an all too familiar happenstance for the Israelite nation...they can't stay out of trouble; they simply can't abide by the rules set forth by the Lord. With the loss of Moses, Joshua, and the leadership that once flourished among the people, they have pretty much strayed from the promised path. Since the Jewish nation didn't drive out all the other nations/peoples they were easily swayed into worshiping false gods. They also became prey to the stronger local leadership and were subjected to force labor by their captors. Of course, God would intervene and send a Judge to free the people from their misgivings...there would be 40 or so years a peace. By the end of that tranquil period the Israelites were up to their old ways and began a new era of debauchery with false gods and pagan rituals. A hard to break cycle ensues and we still see it happening today.
Friends, why do we go out of our way towards agitating Father God with our pettiness? Looking to somewhere or something else for guidance...only to find that if we sought out the Heavenly Father first and foremost, He would have opened the doors and provided a better path for us to follow. Now He doesn't always provide a smooth ride but guarantee's that the journey will be much more beneficial.
Folks, take time to refresh your memory on the Lord's trustworthy word and that of His son Jesus...notice there is no contradiction in pathway we are to follow. Place God as your focus in life and watch all kinds of blessings manifest throughout your life.

May the perfectness of God surround you on your path this week - Dave

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04/27/2024

Shalom PTGI family and friends,

The weather has been interesting for the last several days with sirens going off, hard rain, high winds, and some hail for good measure. I sure this is not the last of what we're going to face in the coming weeks and through the summer. So be prepared.

I finished Deuteronomy and am now fully engaged in Joshua. Now Joshua sort of knew what he was going to face since he had been interacting with Moses for some time. I think that the reality of what he is going to do happens when he and the Israelite nation crosses the Jordan river...things suddenly become intensely real. The conquest of Jericho sets a precedence, but it takes mere moments for the people to forget what they were supposed to do and guess what...calamity rears its ugly head and God's punishment is revealed. Friends why are we so obstinate when it comes to the simple task of following God's rules or plans for our lives? We will spend time in the Bible, pray to our Heavenly Father, and even solidify a plan to overcome the obstacles that are blocking our purpose to willingly follow the Lord...yet we sabotage the entire prospect by abandoning His truths for our own selfishness.
Joshua is unfortunate that he has to find the culprit of the transgression and have that family stoned to death.
Folks, if such dire consequences for our actions or inactions were still viable today would we continue to be so callous about our dealings with the Lord? Honestly, I think Father God gets tired of reminding us over and over again about commitment. I feel like most of us at this point in our lives should have figured out that concept, unfortunately we are creatures of habit and step over the line drawn in the sand quite often...even though we know what the consequences will be.
Friends, please spend time reading the Word of God and let it be the guideline for your life. I find it can be rigorous at times so I may stall at trying to move forward but my common sense and need for peace in my life drive me to press onward. It's during these moments when I see the Lord's hand at work, smoothing out my path. What a blessing that is!
Trust and faith will enable you to endure the hardships that come your way and adhering to the covenant Christ laid before us will ensure a path of righteousness.

Peace, grace, and blessings on each of you from our Loving Father - Dave

04/22/2024

Well, it's been a while. Sorry about the extended off-line...I feel like I've been slacking as far as PTGI interaction goes. Had to deal with some oddball side effects form the surgery and all the meds that were coursing through my system. I was in a fog, and it made no sense in trying to write.

Then Last time I wrote I was in Deuteronomy...had to spend some time going through this wonderful book again to catch up to where I last left off and then to put myself together in regard to what Father God is trying to relay to me.
Here I am in Deu 28 and this chapter speaks of the blessings and curses associated with God's commands. A lot of us will think that these statutes and rules are obscure and no longer applicable, with the exception of the Ten Commandments...Hmmm, I really think you should give all those rules the once over...remember even Christ came and said the He would not change one jot or tittle of the law. (Read Matt 5: 17-20) It's easy for us to become complacent and think that certain things no longer apply to us...Israelites did the same thing and faced the curses in Deu 28. The last prophet in the Old Testament, Malachi remembers God's promise of a curse for not following His rules...and then silence form the Lord.
Friends let's not tread upon unproven ground, by forsaking God's word. It takes the Old and New Testament in unison to fully understand the Lord's plan for our lives. History has an uncanny way of repeating itself...what a marvelous design by a loving Father. He puts it all into play and all we need to do is open our eyes, ears, and hearts to see what needs to be done to live a life worthy of the Lord's blessings.
Folks, read this Holy Bible with no agenda in mind...it is after all the true and uncompromisable word of our Sovereign Creator. The one fallible part of this masterpiece is man's interpretation. I read it as a beautiful love-story...and no good story is without all the mishaps of life thrown into the mix.

May the Lord bless and keep you in the coming days - Dave

03/08/2024

Greetings PTGI friends and family,

Life has a way of throwing you a curve ball when you're expecting something different to come across the plate. Surgery got rescheduled but I have to trust that the Lord has a plan, and all will work out accordingly.
I'm in Deuteronomy and Moses is running through all the rules one more time before the Israelites cross over the Jordan to take possession of the promised land. He wants to remind this generation that Father God is in control and to stay upright in His presence...do the things that He has laid out and all will be good for their livelihood, don't and there will be a price to pay.
I fully believe that these laws and statutes should be revisited by every generation...the new covenant and the Ten Commandments should rest within the fabric of our being, but we are easily distracted by the nuances of this world ((Squirrel)) (see you had to stop and snicker a bit, distractions so easily interrupt our focus) and not on the promised land. Yes, just like the Jewish nation...we too have a beautiful place that awaits us, flowing with milk and honey.
Friends, we all have this idea that we have a "get out of jail card" because we were nice (for the most part) and this will allow us to pass freely into the Heavenly realms. Sad to say that's not really how it's going to work...being nice, paying tithes, giving money to the guy or gal on the corner looking for their next meal are great things, but we were all born into sin and by our very nature we are predisposed to wallow in that pool of gluttony and selfishness. Honestly, we like it...we are a bunch of pretenders, we put on masks to hide the true self that lurks in the shadows of life.
There is however a cure for our malaise, and it requires us to fully trust in God and Jesus...the Christ went to the cross and willingly gave up his own life taking upon himself "all" the sins of the world (that's past, present, and future) so that we can stand before God...cleaned of all our sins. That trust I mentioned is a hard pill to swallow for most folks...it means giving up control and relying solely on the Lord to help us navigate through life on earth. It's having faith that no matter what we are going through (good, bad, and ugly) that the Lord is working a redemptive spirit within us. Can't tell you how many times I've fallen...only to find my Loving Father is there picking up the pieces of my shattered life and remolding me into something nicer.
Folks, that's why these rules, the covenant, the commandments are so important to us...these are the building blocks of our lives...we are going to mess things up, yet if we trust and have faith in a merciful and gracious Father, we will be remade into something more wondrous than we were before.

Blessings, peace, and a full cup of grace for our Heavenly Father to you - Dave

02/24/2024

Greetings PTGI friends and family,

Sorry about the popping in and out of writing for the group but I've been getting ready for surgery...you know one of those things that needs to be done in order to keep things running smoothly. Genetics and military service can take a toll on your body, but I know my life is in the Lord's hands, so I'm not worried about what lies ahead.

Well, I finished Leviticus and now making my way through Numbers...to tell you the truth the end of Leviticus is quite scary. Father God lays out the consequences for not heeding His word and choosing to go after idol worship. The repercussions are quite dire...welcome to the world of pain, suffering, and death. I look at what's happening around the world, and I see the hand of God at work. There's healing taking place...such as what I'm going through, also the suffering of countless millions due to their lack of faith and trust in our Heavenly Lord (by the way, He will go to great lengths to show you His love and grace, you need only ask). Lastly, death...I'm not talking natural causes type death but the loss of life to the careless and regrettable mistakes of trying to fit into life without the majesty of the Lord at your side. I tried to be top notch go to guy, relying on my talents and guile to keep me in the spotlight...well, I'll tell ya...that didn't pan out like I hoped. It all came crashing down and God was there when I hit the bottom. What a mess! It's when I surrendered to Jesus, that was the first time I realized that no matter what...I wasn't ever in control...the unholy was just egging me on and took me for all I had. Thankfully the Lord was there to pick up the broken pieces and begin the long-haul ordeal of mending the broken mess that I was...it's still a work in progress, so mind the caution tape.
Friends, you yourself may be experiencing the same rebuilding or you may even know someone whose life is spiraling out of control...it's a chance for you to reach out and plant that seed of forgiveness and grace. Don't criticize just show some sympathy, empathy, and compassion...the power of God's grace can and does do great things. Be that beacon of hope!

Peace and grace to you all from our Loving Father - Dave

02/14/2024

Greetings and Salutations PTGI family and friends,

Here we are February 14th, Valetines Day, today is a great day to share some love with everyone you encounter today. You will quite possibly make someone's day...so they can be thankful and pass the love onto another...wouldn't that be a blessing.

I'm in Leviticus and finished reading about all the different sacrifices required to absolve a person or the whole congregation of sin. There are a lot of issues that can be taken from the Ten Commandments that are considered sinful and each requires certain items as a requirement for sacrifice on the alter. If that were still in effect today...I personally believe that sheep, goats, bulls would be either on the endangered species list or totally extinct, because of the sinful nature of humanity.
I had to let that sink in for a while to understand the magnitude of our ability to walk our own path and not follow the basic ideals as written in the law of God. It's a disparaging notion to come to grips with...why we choose temptation over doing what is right.
Friends, would you be at the altar today having to make atonement for something you've done? Unfortunately, I would, not because I did something intentionally but because my mind tends to wander and thoughts pop in my head while driving in morning traffic and bingo...I've committed a sin that requires a sacrifice. I am, however, thankful for Christ who is the Lamb of God and died so that we can be forgiven for all our sins...past, present, and future. The last sacrifice ever needed for eternity.
Today is a great day to share the Love of Jesus with everyone as I mentioned in my opening.

God's blessings and Happy Valetines Day - Dave

01/31/2024

Greetings PTGI friends and family,

Here we are mid-week and it's going to reach 58 degrees today. the weather sure is out of whack and I'm not looking forward to what the summer has in store for us.
I'm in Exodus and I feel sorry for Moses and Aaron...they have six hundred thousand complaining men in their midst...this of course doesn't count the women and children which would put the count at more than a million people. They are all willful and want things their way and they want it "now". Plus, they continually remind Moses that they were content with normal business under Pharoah's rule. Not sure I'd agree to their outlook on life...seems rather pointless and dim, much like our own lives when we try to exert control over our own destiny instead of trusting in the Lord. So, for the next 40 years they are going to wander in the wilderness and all the while they will continue to grumble about their lot in life until that particular generation dies off. What a mess.
Folks, why is that? What makes us believe that we are uniquely qualified to govern our lives? We need only step back one book to Genesis to see the fall from grace and realize that life will be a constant struggle. Life will always be a struggle...God said it would be...we've gotten smarter and have technology that rivals our predecessors, but life hasn't gotten any easier. Famine and disease are still prevalent today, as much so as it was back then. We are still rather thick-headed...I know from experience that this is so...I'm living proof. My only advantage is putting my trust in the Heavenly Father and that took the majority of my life to realize. I'm not in control...I may have free will but that just means I'm capable of really making a mess of things. I have to rely on God's divine plan for my life and to seek Him out daily in order to stay afloat.
Friends, ask yourselves...am I really making the best choices for my life and those I care for or should I be looking to the Father for guidance and understanding? As I move through the Bible, I will come to understand that when "humanity" is in charge things go awry but when the "Lord" is in control life moves at a simpler pace. I find I don't need to compete with the Jones's and I'm more content and happy with life.
Today, instead of trying to control every aspect of your life, ask Father God to lead you on the path towards your heavenly home, not your earthly one. You may be surprised at the response.

Peace and grace to you all, from our loving Heavenly Father - Dave

01/24/2024

Greetings All,

Temperature at the freezing mark, add in some fog/mist in the air and you have an ice-skating rink for roads. Being a school bus driver during these conditions can test your patience and abilities to make the best decisions while navigating the roadways...lower gears and slowing down works best.
I finished Genesis and I'm always in awe of Father God's accomplishments concerning mankind. The fall from grace was and is our greatest cataclysmic event...it's something we will try to atone for but can never make the grade. Try as we will, our own brokenness can never supplant the act of carelessness that transpired. We will struggle for countless generations.
Friends, I try daily to live up to my best potential...to be a light in the darkness that has consumed the earth. Unfortunately, things always tend to creep in and sideline my efforts...it's only through God's grace that I make it through the day. Like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I had to learn to trust in the Lord's plan for my life even when I instinctively believe that I'm heading in the wrong direction. I've made my own judgment calls and wound up in a heap of trouble...but Father God in his infinite wisdom allowed it to happen to show me that even though I made a mess of things He can fix my blunders for His glory. Do this a dozen or so times and you start to learn that trusting in the Lord is far better than marching to your own beat.
Folks, take time to pray and search out the path that the Lord has laid out before you...it may seem daunting but it's a matter of trust on our part.
Peace and grace from our Heavenly Father to you all today - Dave