Getting Real

[cheranne]

I remember getting help,it was around 10 yrs after I had left The Way International

I had come to a place in my life that I could not deal with alone,I had not spoken of

my past in any way,in any churches I had visited or belonged briefly too,because I

couldn't stay in a place,to worship because I still had deeply felt I had betrayed God!

It didn't show on the outside,of my little family attending a non denominational church

You see I wanted and craved to know Truth,but more than anything I wanted my children

to know Jesus,so their would NEVER be a chance of them getting involved with a group

such as THE Way International.

Ofcourse I knew the bible and the scripture like all of ex way people do,and it is impressive

to some people,but for me at that time I was wanting to really know Jesus and not to walk

around feeling I had betrayed him with a kiss.

At the time of realizing I needed help (meaning some serious psychotherapy)

I was a religious activities director at Fort Bragg,and my job was to help guide new families

on base to the religious preferance(including satanism, muslim etc......)

My preferance of worship was Protestant,and I was involved in Fort Braggs Protestant Women

of the Chapel and went to bible study every tuesday and meeting with all the Army wives

and totting my little 2yr old baby boy,while his brother abd sister where in school where

barracades had been put up because Operation Desert Storm had just began and there Dad

was sent out to fight.

I was doing a bible study I had started using Billy Grahams book,and as I was reading it

out loud to other wives whose husbands were also gone to fight.

That is when it became REAL for me, and I knew it was time to knock off all the scripture

memorizing everything is great and get REAL.

You see there was something blocking my ability to go on and accept the God who loved

me,....without all the programs and classes and what should I wear or nametags!

It got worse before it got better,and it was not easy to get The Way stuff out of my head

but it was like poison in my blood and had to come out.

Was I depressed? well yes, and hospitalized yes,and suicidal ....yes.

[cheranne]

Tell me what you see in these ink blots.

That was the question,it had been a long two days,I sat there as distingueshed as I could

in a hospital gown and sponge shoes,anything I could hurt myself with was taken away from

me.

I was on a suicide watch and my mind was racing on how to get out of here,before this i was

in the quiet room,drooling and passed out on the floor of a rubber room after a shot of thorazin.

With every ink blot it was something spiritual,it was an angel holding a sword..it was a cross

it was Jesus..I was an emotional wreck and sometimes I word see an ink blot card and just

cry..........couldn't even speak I was so torn.

But,this is what I needed in my case to get real with myself,I could hide this around my kids

but in this place alone was how I really felt and why I knew I needed help.

I finally got out of that testing room and was served dinner at which point I fell asleep with

food still in my mouth.

I was far far away in a place I didn't think I would ever get out of,in a place where wanting to

simply understand the bible and have meaning in life went haywire!

Spiritual thinking was ALWAYS on. but in my case this was not a good thing.

[cheranne]

The doctor said I needed to see a christian therapist since this was a cult issue and

I never had exit counceling.

I began to see a christian therapist twice a week,he was new at this I learned later

and I was his first crack at a cult/dissociative dissorder.(great!)

Everything I learned in session I would go and have a session with my teacher who

taught Precept Classes.

She was the LTC. wife and a very patient and wise person, Precept classes helped

more I think because they really researched the TRUTH of the word of God (unlike

twi special prefabricated pfal class,designed for us all to come out like a cookie cutter

assembly.

I am just saying this helped me,I didn't belong to the Precept(Kay Arthur )Ministries

I didn't belong to a church either.

When I did go to a church I went on base at Main Post Chapel,but mostly more than

anything I would run!

Yes..run..the doctors at Duke Medical Center said I would need at least 4yrs of therapy

7 at the most!

No medication was prescribed.so running did help I think ..but I had to change my way

of looking at life.

I needed BALANCE . Christian therapy was like pulling teeth!,

So after 2 yrs I stopped therapy,we retired from the Army and moved to the mountains

of Western Maryland.

this doesn't end here but it does end for Army life.

I continued therapy 5 more years but NOT christain therapy,I was hospitalized one more time

my children grew up and are very balanced,we are non church going folks but believe in

God more than people think we do.

I like to think we keep it REAL!

[cheranne]

Okay don't freak out yet,just for your information on what I did to help undo the cult teachings of The Way,it helped me back when I was at Fort Bragg.

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Edited June 16, 2008 by OKLAHOMA CITY WOW 78

[polar bear]

Thats for sharing your life with us you have "been through the mill"

Bless your heart, that takes guts.

Hope things get better for you each day.

My life is starting to come together now since I've escaped the hold that twi had on my life.

[cheranne]

Okay don't freak out yet,just for your information on what I did to help undo the cult teachings of The Way,it helped me back when I was at Fort Bragg.

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Four Aims of PWOC

1. To Lead women to accept Christ as personal Savior.

2. To Teach women the history beliefs and programs of the church, all built on a solid foundation of worship and bible study.

3. To Develop in women the skills of evangelism, stewardship, and social service against a background of personal spiritual development.

4. To Involve women in the work of the Chapel, in keeping their interests and abilities.

Our Mission

Statement

The Protestant Women of the Chapel International is a resource network that unites, trains and encourages women in the military chapel community in their spiritual growth.

PWOC is God empowered, Christ centered and Spirit led; exists as an extension of the chapel; encourages women to grow spiritually within the body of Christ through prayer, the study of God's Word, worship and service; is sponsored by the Army Chief of Chaplains and is recognized by the leadership of the Air Force, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard Chaplaincy.

[cheranne]

another bible study that helped me and my family on base were The Navigators

Our Mission

Our mission is to serve Christ by reaching, discipling, and equipping military men and women at Fort Bragg to know Christ and to make Him known through spiritual generations.

Our Vision

We envision reaching, establishing, and equipping multitudes of people in every nation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through military men and women, who have a deep and abiding love for Christ, live a lifestyle of sharing Christ's love, and who multiply spiritual laborers among those without Christ.

Our Goals

Local Navigator ministry teams seek to support Army chaplains in a variety of ministry settings. We minister to single men and women, couples, and families by providing Bible studies, organizing retreats, sponsoring fun activities, and by opening our homes.

We also spend time meeting individually with men and women, developing them in their walk with Christ, and equipping them for their own ministry to friends, family members, and co-workers.

Our Values

• Loving and serving Christ with zeal
  
• Living and ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit
  
• Living by faith in the promises of God
  
• Developing depth in spiritual disciplines
  
• Sharing the Gospel by life and word
  
• Multiplying spiritual laborers
  
• Ministering life on life
  
• Imparting a vision for the World
  
• Relating to one another Biblically
  

[cheranne]

Fort Bragg

[cheranne]

also,when I couldn't read my bible anymore I would listen to Twila Paris(this was back in the 80's

but..it would comfort my spirit(you know when your in the transition of getting The Way Internationals

wrong teaching out of your head, pour good (solid)stuff in your HEART.

It was after many years of leaving,that I wanted to make my peace with God(and ofcourse God knew that!)

But...music is powerful.

I don't think The Way would have done as well as it did without Way Productions,music is Healing,yes

even CR(Precious Lord)and ROA groups.

[cheranne]

I forgot to add this.I hope it works!

Edited June 21, 2008 by pawtucket