Transcript Understanding the Self-Injurer

Understanding the
Self-Injurer
Shannon Gubser
[email protected]
360-481-3830
CREDITS…
*Training at S.A.F.E. by Karen Conterio and
Wendy Lader, Ph.D.
*Our YL region (at that time led by Ky Griffin)
paid for half of the training…they are behind
us in our pursuit to help kids heal
*The Lord’s Word (both written and rhema)
have answers to our questions…
if we will but just ask
How I began this journey…
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Kids were suffering in their lives and were using SI to survive as a
coping mechanism
Prayed with them and tried to help them but ultimately their
behavior went back to SI
Saw girl who attended S.A.F.E. on TV…”This cannot be fixed by
prayer alone, kids need to be taught new behaviors and how to
change their thinking”
Yes…how can I help the whole person? If we are 3 parts…body,
soul, and spirit
Went to S.A.F.E. for training…came back and used their tools as
well as prayer and the Lord’s Word
Bigger then just “K”…set up camp for the region through
intercession
Today is “expanding the tent pegs”…Isaiah 54:2
Let’s be honest…
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When we are struggling or in pain (birthing contractions for example)…we
want a way OUT! Or at least a distraction!
Often times when pain comes we: self-protect; self-promotion; selfprovision; self-hatred; escapism
So…what if the option of the way we deal with our pain is taken away? Can
you imagine taking the epidural away after you’ve been using it?
Our faithful and gentle God tells us (and backs it up with action) that we
don’t have to do it this any longer…that He can be trusted to walk us
through our pain
Step 1…we identify (or see) that we aren’t dealing with life in a healthy/God
trusting manner…Step 2…we learn new ways to practice new behaviors
(through the Word, through other people who love us well, and through
circumstances)…Step 3…we practice our new behavior until it becomes a
part of who we are (discipleship)…EXAMPLE…coaching hurdles
This will be the very same journey we walk our kids through…SI isn’t
something to be feared…Jesus never feared hearing the hard stories or
seeing demons…instead He met people where they were at…spoke
truth…brought healing…and backed it up with action…AND…are we not an
incarnational ministry as well?
Defining Self-Injury
SELF INJURY IS…
“Deliberate mutilation of the body or
a body part, not with the intent to
commit suicide but as a way of
managing emotions that seem too
painful for words to express”
(Lader, 1998).
Self abuse, self-injury, self mutilation
is seen by the injurer as a form of
self care to manage emotions
SI is a radical means of emotion
management
SI communicates emotional pain;
translates/communicates
emotional pain through physical
pain
SELF INJURY IS
NOT..
It’s not a half hearted attempt at
suicide…rather it is often seen as
a way to avoid suicide, seen as a
way to get through the moment
It’s not body modification taken to
the extreme…body modification is
seen as a way to beautify or
improve looks
It’s not demon possession…this is a
gross simplification to treat a very
complex issue
It’s not a “way to get attention”…
rather it’s often the opposite
Examples of Self-Injury
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Cutting
Burning
Head banging
Scratching
Biting
Interfering with wound healing
Hair pulling
Injesting/injecting sharp objects or toxic substances
Breaking bones
Facial picking
Amputation/blinding
General Profile of the Self-Injurer…
Has rock bottom selfesteem
Is even “SELF-LOATHING”
Often times feels: unloved,
ugly, distain, hopeless,
trapped
Has probably had a lifetime
of stuffed emotions
Probably has never learned
to express emotion in a
healthy manner
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Often has feelings of
profound abandonment
Often feel they can never
be right or good enough
And often feel they are
damaged goods
Usually feels a lot of
shame and guilt and
therefore keeps this
behavior secret
Why Might the SI feel
“Self-Loathing”?
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Trauma
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Dysfunctional families
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They feel that everything coming in
validates “I am a bad person”
Some Ways to Identify a SI
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Covers all genders, SES,
ethnicities, religions, etc
May wear long sleeved
shirts/pants even in the heat
of summer
May wear wrist covers
May wear many bracelets that
cover wrist area
May be showing signs of
depression or anger (feelings of
isolation)
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May write about bleeding or
cutting (check myspace/
facebook profile)
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May visit the bathroom
frequently
May hang out with other known
SI (contagion factor)
May have an achieverperfectionistic lifestyle (i.e.
excels in school, athletics,
relationships, etc)
May be a people pleaser who
covers pain with a happy face
May have a concurrent eating
disorder (up to 80% of SI)
Bottom line…
We can’t judge by
appearance,
we need to see their heart
Prevalence
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It is estimated that 4% of the adult general
population admits to at least occasional selfinjury (Comtois, 2002)
A recent study of 2,875 high school and college
aged students showed a lifetime prevalence of
SI at 17% (Whitlock, 2006)
Research has show 90% of behavior begins as
teenagers, with an average on-set at age 14
with increased severity through late 20’s
(Penner, 2005)
DO THE MATH…
Other Related Statistics
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It’s believed that between 50-80% of SI have
been sexually abused and 100% have been
emotionally abused or neglected in some fashion
during childhood
Up to 40-50% of SI are male
SI crosses all races and economic backgrounds,
although Caucasians may have a higher
prevalence perhaps due to higher transient
lifestyles/less extended family present
Up to 80% of SI have a concurrent eating
disorder
1st Exposures to SI
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Movies/TV
Music
Friends
Impulse as a young child…destructive to
self
What Precipitates an Incident of
SI?
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Cutters almost uniformly report the same sequence of events and emotional
states before and after the episodes of SI
Generally precipitated by an experience (real or perceived) of loss or
abandonment
Feelings provoked by this sense of loss or abandonment (tension, anger,
rage, fear, anxiety, panic) build to an almost over-powering climax
They are unable to communicate their discomfort to others and therefore
cannot draw support from others and they have not internalized their own
self-soothing mechanisms to calm themselves and regain a sense of control
Then feelings of: helpless, being overwhelmed, utterly alone
Because they don’t seem to be able to express these emotions in a healthy
manner nor can they be integrated, to discharge or release them they feel
they must need an action or a physical response
Often times they enter into some form of a disassociative state
Other “Triggers”
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Someone else talking about SI
Seeing SI on TV or on the computer
The sight of implements (i.e. scissors,
knives, etc)
The physical feeling or touching of
implements
During a SI Episode…
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Often times feel no pain at the moment of
cutting
Often oblivious to their surroundings
Some not aware of act itself until they
“wake up”
Extent of injury is “controlled and carefully
executed”
Either/or both the pain or sight of blood
snaps the SI back into “normal
consciousness”
Effects After a SI Episode…
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Feelings of being alive again
Calm feeling
Reintegrated again
Real again
Transferred from a place of “passive helplessness to
active control”, “peace and euphoria”
Then…often times feelings of shame and regret set in
once they “come down”
Cutting seems to provide a temporary relief that is only
that…temporary
Why People SI and Continue to SI
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My behavior doesn’t affect or hurt anyone else (in reality
isolates as well as has future implications)
It’s my body and I can do whatever I want with it, this is
all I have left
It will hurt a lot more if I give it up, not sure of other
options
Shows others how much pain I am in (my pain is real)
Scars are a reminder that “I can mange my pain”
Pushes people away when they get too close
I deserve to be punished; I am a horrible person
If I don’t self injure, I’ll probably kill myself (life
management for them)
“It’s easier to do this then deal with life”
Some Purposes of SI Behavior
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Analgesic Aim – trying to calm emotions, their
fear is their emotions, they don’t believe that
they will be able to survive or tolerate their
emotions, car accident – adrenaline rush…not
aware of the damage at the time, they need
more and more to continue to get the same
“relief”, relief from intense emotions,
physiological studies have shown an actual
release of endorphins when SI takes place
Some Purposes of SI Behavior
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Communicative Aims (skin as bulletin board) – the
skin is the largest organ of the body, it’s the first
thing people see, often times SI feel misunderstood
and not seen so they use their bodies as a bulletin
board, shows history, where do I begin and end,
who am I?, expression of emotion: self-hate/selfloathing, hurt, anger, fear, power, distain for self,
maintain sense of security/ uniqueness,
communicates inner turmoil, communicates need for
support, permanent reminder of pain, shows others
how much pain they are in, pushes people away
when people get close
Some Purposes of SI Behavior
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Religious/Discipline Implications – rituals have purpose,
sense of self-sacrifice: hurt self rather than someone
else, “I deserve this”, “I’m a bad person”, punish self
Other – ground in reality, I do exist, feel alive again,
repress sexuality (often SI genitals or breasts), a way to
deal with sexual self-loathing, express feelings of
alienation, validating emotional pain, sense of selfcontrol – faced and conquered it, prevention (preventing
something worse from happening i.e. suicide or the
actual dealing with the emotions)
They’ll say…But…
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They’ll say they have to do it, but if we can help give them other tools they won’t
need to. Understand the cycle of addictive behavior, addictions are traps (SI is not a
life choice in an active sense).
They’ll say that life is too hard, but we can help them to recognize that they have a
choice to feel and deal with life head on. Be prepared to help them challenge
irrational thoughts that come up.
They’ll say this just happens…but something will have triggered the impulse. Help
them discover what the impulse was…walk through what precipitated the impulse
(can use the Impulse Log)
They’ll say they don’t want to feel the bad emotions, but no feelings are bad…they
are just feelings. Help give them language to express the emotion (feelings sheet).
They may say they use it to “feel better”, but it is never about increased pleasure, it
is about pain management
They may say they feel out of control and use SI as a way to get back in control, but
in actuality the sense of reprieve lasts only a short time and then there are feelings of
guilt, shame, and embarrassment when they are done
They say they cannot change how they manage their pain…but we can teach them
new ways. Allow them to let their feelings show rather than SI
Why is SI More Prevalent Now?
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Disenfranchised Society – change of jobs an average of
every 3-4 yrs, more moving and change of venue,
therefore loss of more long term relationships
Collapse of Extended Family – divorce / 2 households,
latch key kids, strangers baby-sit, dinner not sacred like
it used to be, loss of mentoring, loss of rites of passage
or less meaning to them
Emphasis on the Quick Fix – need for immediate
gratification, belief that everything should be easy,
painless, and fast, cell phones, IM, no need to selfsooth
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The A-holic Society – dysfunctional is chic
(glorification rather than shame), victim mentality,
nothing is my fault, behavior is normalized on TV,
internet, etc
Body Focused Culture – women perfect body
Individualized Activities – Internet, computer games,
listening to music with head phones, used to do
board games and made eye contact with others,
now many of our activities are not “face to face”
with others, all of these create a sense of invisibility,
kids don’t perceive ind behavior as rude when in
groups
More Exposure – Movies, TV, internet sites,
contagion factor
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Sexual Abuse – people who have been sexually
abused are more vulnerable and often feel as
though they are different and are not like
everyone else, traditionally rape is seen as the
women’s fault and therefore they feel they are
responsible for someone else hurting them
(however, rape is a crime of power not about
sex), SI is often a way of “uglification” to protect
themselves and keep others away, they make
the outside look like how they feel on the inside
General Differences / Not Fitting In – learning
disabilities, physical infirmity, etc
Family Aspects
Under parented
• Emotional
unavailability
• Role reversal
• Little or no conscious
• Recognition of anger
•Guilt becomes
conscious feeling
•”They need me”
Over parented
•Rigidity perfectionist /
controlling / enmeshed
•Individuation seen as
betrayal
•Met with anger/rage
• Child sees anger as
dangerous thus
represses anger
•”I need them”
SI and Eating Disorders
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Control – both are trying to master things that
others cannot, “tough enough to handle pain”,
“tough enough to conquer hunger”, when really
they are not tough enough to handle their
emotion
Protection – both interfere with (they take the
place of and protect from) social activities, keeps
them from being intimate with others
Purge – both rid one of toxic feelings that are
symbolized by food and blood
Self-Injury
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Behavior is a coping
strategy
Desire to relieve pain
Pain is intermittent,
gradually building to
intolerable
proportions
Pain is temporarily
relieved through SI (a
temporary escape)
vs.
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Suicide
Action is a permanent
escape
Desire to terminate life
Pain is long term and
perceived as
unavoidable
Pain is perceived to be
relieved only by death
(a permanent escape)
SI and Suicide
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SI can kill themselves accidentally, this is
the number one reason given for
motivation in attending the SAFE program
SI become hopeless when their coping
strategy fails to work or their stressor is
perceived to be too large, they may then
perceive suicide as an option
Stats on SI and Suicide
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Approximately 55-85% of SI have made at least
one suicide attempt (Stanley, B. Gameroff, M.A.,
Michalsen, B.A., & Mann, M.D., 2001)
28-41% of individuals who engage in SI
behaviors report having suicidal thoughts at the
time of the episode of self harm (Muehlenkamp,
2005)
Some who have SI have been hospitalized 2400X because they were diagnosed as suicidal
rather than as a SI
Differentiating SI from Suicide
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Where did they injure? If tops of arms or legs
probably not suicidal
What do they tell you about their intent? They
usually know the difference between a suicide
attempt or SI, they often feel very frustrated
when others do not believe that they are not
suicidal
Did they use their usual method of injury?
They’ll use a more lethal type of behavior if they
are trying to commit suicide
The Bad News/The Good News
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The bad news for the future of maintaining this in their
lives is the law of decreased returns, as they continue
this behavior they’ll need more to get the same “buzz”
relief…have to do more to get the same “high”
The good news is that this behavior is ultimately a
choice, and when given new ways to cope they can learn
to leave this behavior behind, the impulse may not go
away…BUT, they can change the way they choose to
respond to it
You can be a great first step, mediator, liaison for a
therapist by letting them talk about how they are feeling
Denial – Be Aware
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Before one can truly work with a SI, it would be
helpful to be on the same page with mutual
goals, good that they see this behavior as a
problem and that it is not a healthy coping
strategy (“Do you want to get well?”)
Many SI believe that the behavior is a valid
coping strategy and that they need it to survive,
rather, they are really not free
As this behavior becomes more common, it is
not hard to find peer support for this belief
system and then the behavior is normalized
Philosophy of Intervention
(Adopted from S.A.F.E.)
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Begins with the assumption that, although
temporarily helpful, self-injurious behavior is
ultimately a dangerous and futile coping strategy
that interferes with intimacy, productivity, and
happiness, and abundant life.
There is no safe or healthy amount of selfinjury.
That self injury is not an addiction over which
one is powerless for a lifetime.
Self-Injury can be transformed from a seemingly
uncontrollable compulsion to a choice.
Goals of Intervention
(Based on S.A.F.E.’s Model)
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To get through defenses to
core affect
To help client identify and
communicate experiences to
others verbally and in an age
appropriate manner
To challenge their irrational
thoughts and the lies of the
enemy by teaching truth from
God’s Word, as well as how to
adapt that truth to their lives
To learn to differentiate
thoughts from feelings and
behaviors
Increase the “window of
opportunity” between an
impulse (thought) and an
action (behavior)
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To experience feeling (i.e.
anger) without an action (i.e.
violence)
To face fears directly and to
challenge irrational thoughts,
rather than running
from/medicating with selfinjury
To mourn the loss of the
idealized childhood
To expose the character of the
enemy and to reveal how he
has influenced in their lives
To reveal how the Lord brings
freedom and life abundantly,
overflowing, and to the full
The obvious…eliminate all selfinjurious behavior
Practical Methods of
Intervention
How to Approach or Start a
Conversation…
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“How do you deal with stuff when it gets
really hard? What do you do?”
“…tell me about this” while gently
touching their arm (if cuts are visible)
“Everyone has a story to tell. Would you
share your story with me?”
“I’ve been worried about you because I’ve
seen…”
“Do you want to be well?”
How Can We Help a SI
Find HOPE?
We can respond
relationally…
1.
We Can Give Our Time and Presence
“…He listened to her whole story” Mark 5:25-34
♥ You don’t have to say anything but, “tell me more” (Mark
5:25-34), “would you share your story with me?” ♥ Listen
deeply, actively, and non-judgmentally ♥ They have felt
profoundly abandoned, so offer the ministry of presence ♥
YES…create boundaries, but you may have to bend the rules for
this kind of kid to “talk them down when needed” ♥ Be available
but do not be frantic *be aware that some SI do go bad and
accidentally become suicidal ♥ While we are with them accept
them non-judgmentally (woman at the well, John 4) ♥ Hear
them and accept them as a person NOT as their behavior ♥
Provide medical objectivity if needed…” Let me look at those
and decide if they need stitches” or clean wounds for them ♥
Give them language to express their feelings (handout) ♥ Keep
being faithful…the journey to the destination is generally not a
quick one unless the person has just begun this behavior
…vaccination example (Exodus 23:30)
2.
We Can Speak and Teach HOPE!
“But be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Romans 12:2
Tell them you are proud of their courage to walk through their pain ♥ Show them (hold up) vision
for the future ♥ challenge their irrational thoughts ♥ replace irrational thoughts with TRUTH (Luke
11:24-26) ♥ remind them it doesn’t have to be like this: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom (2 Cor 3:17) ♥ He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18) ♥ I came to proclaim
freedom for the captives…(Isaiah 61) ♥ I came to give life abundantly (John 10:10) ♥ you’re His
workmanship created in advance to do good works (Eph 2:10) ♥ He has a hope and future for
you (Jer 29:11) ♥ He is a father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5) ♥ He knows the number of hairs
on your head (Luke 12:7)♥ He has your name written on the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16) ♥
He’ll never leave you nor forsake you (Deut 31:8) ♥ He goes after His lost sheep (Luke 15:4) ♥
The Lord heals those who ask (Jer 17:14) ♥ He heals the broken hearted and binds up their
wounds (Psalm 147:3) ♥ If choose to stop this behavior, replace old behavior with new behavior
(Luke 11:24-26) ♥ Don’t give cheesy or contrived compliments but true words of affirmation ♥
Give them language to express their feelings (handout)
NO Biblical condemnation! They already live with tremendous guilt, shame, and despair, they
don’t need biblical judgment too.
p.s. anger is OK…many of them have believed anger is not good, or Christian, so it is one of those
emotions they try to distract themselves from…but, Jesus got angry…it is what we do with the
anger…express it in a healthy way…AND it doesn’t always require and action to walk through it
p.p.s. anger is generally a secondary emotion (so get to the deeper emotion)…it can also be
because of unmet expectations…ask what the expectations or hopes were that were unfulfilled
3.
We Can Live HOPE!
Let’s live lives that are worthy of the kind of trust
to allow deeply hurting kids to share their stories
with us
If we are untrustworthy as youth workers no one
will want to come and talk to us. So, seek
counsel about calling parents, don’t talk about it
around the church, and keep confidentiality with
wisdom
Keep short accounts with the Lord
We can model integrity…we are the same here,
there, and everywhere
4. We Can Pray for Them
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Pray that they would believe the Lord’s love for them
(found in the written word, through the Lord revealing
Himself, and our continued pointing to the Lord) and
then back it up with your actions and faithfulness
Pray that they would have the courage to face their pain
Pray the Lord’s Prayer with their name inserted
Pray for scales to fall from their eyes
Pray for the desire to “get well” and to find healthy ways
to cope
Pray that they would KNOW the Lord’s love for them
Pray for the Holy Spirit to protect them and that the
assignments of the enemy would be cancelled
Pray for the full armor of the Lord to be upon them
As a SI begins the healing journey,
you may find you need to help
them walk through…
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Seeing that chaos doesn’t have to be a
constant part of their lives…they can live
in peace.
Believing that you’ll love them and have a
relationship with them even if they “don’t
have a problem”
Teaching them the forgiveness process
Practical Tools in the Toolbox
(Based on S.A.F.E.’s Model)
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Book: Bodily Harm The Breakthrough Healing
Program for Self-Injurers by Karen Conterio
and Wendy Lader, PhD
Boundaries Set for Your Relationship (see
attached)
Feelings List (see attached)
5 Alternatives (see attached)
Impulse Control Logs (see attached)
Thoughts to Challenge (see attached)
Self-Injury Journaling Assignment if selfinjury occurs (see attached)
Writing Assignments (see attached)
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No-Harm Contract if they are ready (see
attached)
Individual Therapy (Refer them to a qualified
therapist, hunt and dig for one that works
with juveniles, you need someone with
wisdom and experience)
Contact S.A.F.E., it is the equivalent to AA for
SI
Shannon Gubser’s cell phone number 360481-3830
JESUS! Pray for wisdom, safety, and that
Jesus would be present in these kids’
lives…Remember that we come with power
greater than ourselves…we come in the
name of the Lord!
Boundaries
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responsibilities of both parties
consequences as well as rewards for adhering
to agreement
plan made for crisis situations, expectation to
call before an action is taken - not after
expectations should be explicit
agreement on when hospitalization should be
clear
Feelings List
MAD
Annoyed
Furious
Enraged
Angry
Ticked Off
Irritated
Frustrated
Livid
Aggravated
GLAD
Blissful
Ecstatic
Loving
Relaxed
Happy
ANXIOUS
Vulnerable
Startled
Terrified
Shocked
Scared
Excited
Frightened
Agitated
Surprised
Proud
Curious
Cheerful
Relieved
SAD
Depressed
Exhausted
Grieving
Lonely
Empty
Agonized
Tired
Hurt
Miserable
5 “Alternatives”
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Alternatives should be chosen by the client
Not truly “alternatives”, but rather
temporary distractions to increase the
“WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY” between
and impulse and an action
Impulse Control Logs
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Helps dispel the belief that impulses come
from “no where”
Helps to structure problem solving during
periods of emotional distress
Helps individual to be more aware of their
impulses and to make connections
between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Thoughts to Challenge
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Self-injury doesn’t hurt anyone
It shouldn’t upset others
It’s my body, I can do what I
want to it
Giving up self-injury will hurt
more
The scars remind me of the
battle
No one knows that I injure
anyway
It keeps people away
It’s the only way to know that
people care
Negative attention is better
than none
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It’s not my fault, it just
happens
I’m stronger so I can handle
the pain
If I don’t injure, I’ll end up
killing myself
I need to be punished, I’m bad
*Challenge the idea that
punishment brings about
positive change. How
would they teach their
own children?
*Challenge omnipotence of
responsibility
*Our society doesn’t
condone corporal punishment
even for the most violent of
crimes
Self-Injury Journaling Assignment
(if self-injury is chosen)
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What precipitated the behavior?
What was the feeling?
Why did you choose destructive behavior?
What could you have done differently?
What will you do differently in the future?
Do you want to continue “in treatment” /
getting better?
The 15 Writing Assignments
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Helps to organize thoughts on issues that
often underlie self-injury
Develops self-awareness and identifies
feelings that surround their issues
Clients often state that writing makes
things more real
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“My autobiography”
“How do I see myself?”
“The female/male most
influential to me”
“The emotions
surrounding self-injury”
“The anger inside me”
“What I can’t stand
about people in my life”
“Compensation for life’s
injuries”
“Nurturing myself”
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“A time I was
comfortable in someone
else’s presence”
“The person I want to
be”
“How I feel about being
a woman/man”
“Saying good-bye to
self-injury”
“What I have learned
about myself through
these assignments”
“Future plans”
No-Harm Contract
(if the person seems ready…used for impatient treatment)
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Supports the belief of the individual’s
strengths
Sends message to think before acting
Won’t collude with escape through selfmedication
Confirms that SIB brings about loss
Contagion (during inpatient)
Same policy as drug and alcohol treatment
Some Do’s and Don’ts
DO:
Try to understand the meaning of the
behavior and help the student
communicate their needs more directly
Help teach them how to express their
emotion in a more healthy manner
(talking them down, feelings sheet, 5
alternatives)
Help them see the consequences of their
behavior
Help them think through their choices
(impulse log)
Explore the need for them to show their
scars
Pray for the Lord to change their heart
and their desires
DON’T:
Engage in power struggles
Try to force them to give up cutting, to
them their razor has been their best
friend, instead woo them with your
love as the Lord does to us (Hosea
2:14)
Try to rescue the student (they often
times want a replacement for loss
rather than to deal with the feeling of
the loss)
Focus on showing scars
Minimize the behavior (“it’s only for
attention”), it’s all SI even if it is just
for self-soothing
Take responsibility for changing their
hearts, only the Lord can do this
Practical Issues
for the Church
Youth Leader
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If SI that has become a habitual or addictive behavior
they MUST be referred to a trained or qualified therapist,
chances of us being able to help them through are slim
and simplistic…they need someone who specializes in
this, also, know the difference between SI and suicide so
that you can distinguish the difference and at the very
least know which you are dealing with…suicide must
always be reported…
When to tell mom/dad? Line is still blurred, some say
always, others say to look at the situation, seek godly
counsel (Proverbs 15:22: Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed) while maintaining
proper amount of confidentiality, responses from parents
may vary from amazing opportunities to minister to
them, to their disciplining the student’s behavior, to no
follow through at all, ultimately family integration is
crucial…but in saying so…
Final Words of Encouragement
“And as He approached, He saw the city, and He wept [ audibly] over it” Luke 19:41
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Picture of tending to the wounded on the battle
field as a nurse
Our job as nurse is to “prepare the way for the
doctor” as John did in announcing Jesus’ arrival
Our job is to tend to the wounds that we are
“qualified” to, but allow the doctor to do the
work that only He can do
We are NOT responsible for any more than that,
relieve yourself of that burden
John 6:44