By Paula Williamson guest writer The Day God Changed My Name I must tell you how it came about that my grandchildren began calling me “Mercy”—lest you think I am better than I am. It’s interesting how nothing in the life of a child of God is ever insignificant. God works in ways we rarely notice, carefully arranging circumstances, one small detail at a time, for purposes far greater than we can see. Little by little, He is shaping us into the image of His Son, and every seemingly ordinary moment is an ingredient in something extraordinary. One morning, during my quiet time with God, I sensed Him telling me that He would do something life-changing, something significant in my life. I wish I could find my journal from that day to remember His exact words. I just remember sitting there in awe, wondering what it could be, and thanking Him in advance, asking if I might even notice it when it came. Later that day, my new son-in-law brought over his boys. Michael, the oldest, asked if I would play chess with him. I agreed, and as we played, every time I had him in a position to jump his piece, he would beg me,  “Have mercy!”  And of course, who wouldn’t? Somewhere in our conversation, he asked what he should call me. I told him my other grandchildren called me Nana, but he could choose whatever he wanted. After the game, we went for a walk in the woods. He found a perfect spot to build a treehouse, cleared away the brush, and climbed like a monkey. I ran back to get pruning shears to help trim the branches, and when I returned, he was gone. I called his name, and he ran to me. I asked where he had gone. He said,  “I thought you were tricking me.” I looked into his sparkling brown eyes and told him,  “I would never do that.” Then he said words that would change my life:  “Oh yeah, you’re Mercy.” I looked at him and told him it was the nicest thing anyone had ever called me. That day, I shared my quiet time with my daughter about the sense that God had promised something significant, and she asked if it had happened. I told her that perhaps it had been Michael calling me “Mercy,” and how blessed it had made me feel. Since that day, three of my grandchildren—and even my daughter—call me by that name. It is humbling to bear the honor of being called by one of God’s characteristics. Mercy was not how I would have described myself most of my life, yet each time I hear it, my heart softens in a way that transforms me from the inside out. It is a gentle, powerful reminder of God’s love working through others to shape our hearts. I remember attending a birthday party where an old friend learned what my grandchildren called me. She stared into my eyes and said,  “God changed your name.”  And in that moment, I realized the profound significance of that day. Just as God changed Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, He had placed a new name upon me—not to honor me, but to reveal His mercy flowing through me. God paid a ransom for all His children, not with coins, but with the blood of His precious Son. When we come to Him, He gives us a new name: chosen, loved, saved, forgiven, redeemed, children of God. We bear His name. We are His. Scripture reminds us of the names God gives us: Colossians 1:13-14: I am delivered. I am forgiven. Colossians 1:22: I am reconciled. Colossians 2:14: I am debt-free. Ephesians 1:4, 7, 13: I am chosen. I am redeemed. I am sealed with a promise. Ephesians 2:22: I am His dwelling place. 2 Corinthians 2:15-17: I am His fragrance. I am a new creation. John 3:16, 8:36: I am loved. I am free. And one day, we will receive a completely new name from God, just as He has prepared for each of His children: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Everyone who is victorious will eat of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.”  —  Revelation 2:17 (NLT) God’s love is enormous, infinite, and transforming. He changes us from the inside out, and sometimes, He uses the smallest, most ordinary moments to remind us of His extraordinary mercy. A Closing Prayer Heavenly Father,Thank You for Your mercy, for giving us new names, and for showing us who we are in You. Help us to live as those who are chosen, redeemed, and loved. Transform our hearts from the inside out, Lord, and let Your mercy flow through us in every word, thought, and action. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Devotional Takeaway: God can use the smallest moments to reveal His mercy, transforming our hearts and giving us new names that reflect His love, grace, and purpose in our lives. _____________________________________________________________________________   This blog was taken from my book, Listen for His Whisper , a free download.

By Paula Williamson guest writer Letting Go of the God of My Understanding I’m not sure where I first formed my understanding of God. Often, our earliest ideas come from the authority figures in the first five years of our lives. For me, I grew up believing that God was a strict taskmaster, watching my every move, ready to snuff out my light whenever I failed. My mother often told me that God wouldn’t love me unless I was “good enough.” I carried that fear for years. No matter how hard I tried, I never felt I measured up. I studied the Bible, but for a long time, I still filtered it through that lens of fear. That is, until I came across the story of David—King David, a man described as a man after God’s own heart—who committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband to cover his sin. When the prophet Nathan confronted David, he asked a chilling question:  Do you want your punishment to come from the hand of man or from God? I paused, heart racing. I thought of the childhood stories of Noah and the flood—of God punishing the world for its evil. I wondered what justice would look like for David. What would God do? What choice would David make? Then I realized something extraordinary: David chose the hand of God. I was stunned. In my mind, God was strict and unforgiving. Yet here was David, fully aware of his sin, yet choosing God’s mercy over man’s judgment. That moment shattered my old understanding. I realized I had  never truly known the God of mercy, forgiveness, and grace . David’s story taught me that God does not measure His love by our perfection. His forgiveness is boundless, His mercy endless. And when we experience that love and grace ourselves, we are freed to extend it to others. Walking through grocery stores, malls, and even Sunday morning crowds, I see it all around me: faces hungry for unconditional love, hearts aching for mercy. How blessed we are to know a God who seeks the lost—not to punish, but to embrace, to heal, to restore. There is no one beneath His mercy. Scripture reminds us: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  —  Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV) God’s ways are higher, His love wider, and His understanding far beyond anything we can imagine. Letting go of the God I thought I knew allowed me to step into the God who truly is—a God of mercy, grace, and overwhelming love. A Closing Prayer Heavenly Father,Thank You for showing us the depths of Your mercy and the breadth of Your love. Help us to let go of our limited understanding and trust in Your perfect ways. Teach us to receive Your forgiveness fully, to extend grace freely, and to love others as You love us. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Devotional Takeaway: When we let go of our limited understanding and embrace God’s mercy, we discover a love so vast it frees us to forgive, to love, and to live fully in His grace. _____________________________________________________________________________ This blog was taken from my book, Listen for His Whisper , a free download.

By Paula Williamson guest writer My Paper Doll Our lifetimes are made up of memories—some bring a smile, others a tear. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they were all good? The truth is, they are not. Some people seem to glide through life, leaving the past behind and moving forward. Others become trapped, paralyzed by memories that refuse to let go. These haunting moments can shape us in unhealthy ways—bitterness, addictions, compulsive behaviors—all trying to numb the pain. We find temporary fixes, which I like to call  band-aids , but band-aids never stay on forever. I’ve heard people say they can forgive, but forgetting is often the hardest part. Some memories sneak back in, uninvited, and reopen wounds we thought were long healed. During the 1980s, I attended a seminar with, John and Paula Sandford, called  Healing the Wounded Spirit . They shared their own stories about the scars of the past and the complete healing available through Jesus. Every word resonated with me. I had reached a point where I desperately needed God’s light to shine in the darkest corners of my heart. We all have those memories that make our palms sweat, our hearts race, and our stomachs twist when they resurface. Most of us keep them locked away, behind doors we never open. I had many such places—painful moments I will not share because they involve others—but there is  not one dark corner God cannot heal . There is not a scar too deep, not a wound too old, for His precious blood to cover. One such memory stands out, from when I was a little girl. Before I was old enough for school, I had a paper doll my grandmother had given me. It was special—it had real human hair! I would sit for hours, changing her clothes, imagining stories. One of the happiest memories of my childhood revolved around that little doll. But one morning, my mother came into my room in a rage because I had broken a tube of her lipstick. In her anger, she tore the head off my paper doll. I was devastated. I could not stop crying. My chest ached, my body jerked with grief, and the pain stayed with me long after the tears dried. Even as I grew up and had children of my own, I carried the sting of that moment. I had forgiven, but the memory remained, reopening its wound every so often. When I attended the seminar with John and Paula Sandford, this memory resurfaced. They taught that  nothing is too small or insignificant for God’s healing . Even the things we dismiss as minor can affect the heart. They guided us to bring these hidden wounds into the light and invite Jesus to do what only He can do. So, I shared my story with two of my mentors and, more importantly, with the Lord. I forgave my mother aloud, as if she were sitting right beside me. Then I invited Jesus to come and heal the memory. As I sat between my mentors, letting the emotions surface, I felt like that little girl again. I cried as uncontrollably as I had twenty years before. I remembered the doll, her head torn off, the tape I tried to use to fix her—but this time, something miraculous happened. I felt Jesus reach over my shoulder. I saw His hand touch the paper doll’s neck, and instantly, she was restored. I laughed out loud. She was whole again. The pain vanished. The memory transformed. In that moment, God replaced sorrow with joy, saddness with tenderness, and brokenness with beauty. He had healed a wound I thought would remain forever. That day reminded me of His unfailing love. He heals hearts. He removes scars. He makes beauty from ashes. And He does it completely—not partially, not temporarily, but fully. You do not have to carry your painful memories to the grave. Jesus came to set us free. He came to give us abundant life. We are not just survivors—we are  conquerors  through Him. If you have dark corners, gaping wounds, or painful memories, invite Him in. He replaces hurt with hope, despair with joy, and fear with peace. Don’t settle for coping mechanisms. Let Jesus heal completely. “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”  —  Isaiah 61:3 (KJV) A Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father,Thank You for Your tender care and for healing the deepest places of our hearts. Help us to bring our hidden wounds to You and trust You to make them whole. Replace our pain with Your peace, our sorrow with Your joy, and our brokenness with Your beauty. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Devotional Takeaway: No wound is too deep, no memory too painful—Jesus can step into the darkest corners of your heart and replace brokenness with beauty, peace, and lasting joy. _____________________________________________________________________________ This blog was taken from my book, Listen for His Whisper , a free download.

By Paula Williamson guest writer He Talks   Avocados and a Little Girl’s Birthday I cannot begin to tell you all the times a fleeting thought passed through my mind—an urge to call someone, write a note of encouragement, send a small gift—and time after time, people would later say that my words or actions came  just when they needed it most . One day I called a woman simply to check on her. She told me she had just prayed, asking God to send someone to call her. I answered her prayer. What if I had ignored that fleeting thought? What if I had dismissed it as coincidence? Would she have wondered if God cared? If He didn’t answer her prayers? It was then I realized: God doesn’t just speak in thunder or earthquakes. He speaks in whispers, in nudges, in fleeting thoughts. He talks to us personally—intimately—and He longs for us to listen God is a God of Details I’ve met people who say,  “God has too many important things to do. He can’t be involved in my little life.” That is not the God I know. My God is a God of details. Every detail of the ark, every detail of the Tabernacle, every measurement of the temple—all mattered to Him. Even the smallest detail has divine purpose. I believe He talks to us all the time. We just need to learn to listen. A Sacred Moment at the Grocery Store One birthday, my six-year-old niece, living with us at the time, requested guacamole for her special day. On my way to the store, a fleeting thought entered my mind:  Sack-n-Save.  I ignored it. I drove to Winn Dixie, bought six avocados, all hard as bricks, hoping they’d ripen in time. The night before her party, they were still rocks. I tried everything—warming them, bagging them, even putting them in the oven. Nothing worked. Exasperated, I got in the car to go to another store. Again the thought came:  Sack-n-Save.  I ignored it again and headed toward Albertson’s—but the road was blocked. Reluctantly, I turned toward Sack-n-Save. And there it was: a huge bin of perfectly ripe avocados, six for a dollar. I stood in awe, realizing the God of the universe had whispered three times, guiding me to fulfill a child’s birthday wish. It was a sacred, holy moment: God cares about the details of our lives. He  whispers . He invites us into relationship, patiently waiting for us to notice. God in the Small Things Around the same time, we were financially struggling. My husband had just been laid off. I was working as a teacher, plus making crafts and painting to supplement our income, worried about how we would provide for the holidays. One afternoon, on my way to help care for my great aunt, a fleeting thought popped into my mind:  Turn here.  I was on the usual scenic route but decided to follow that thought. Down that road, I saw it: a massive pile of free, high-quality wood. Exactly what I needed for my crafts. Over the next few trips, I filled my car, made enough money to buy holiday decorations, and even painted gifts for my family and friends. Had I ignored that whisper, I would have missed this precious gift of God entirely. A Closing Prayer: Father, help me not miss the ways You whisper throughout our common, ordinary days. Help us to tune our ears to Your whisper that floats into our thoughts like a feather. Help us act on them, swiftly and promptly and never reason them away. Devotional Take Away: Obedience to Your whisper brings heaven to earth and transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. _____________________________________________________________________________ This blog was taken from my book, Listen for His Whisper , a free download.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Heaven's Grace and Hummingbirds One ordinary day, while doing laundry, I walked into my garage and noticed a tiny hummingbird darting frantically up and down the wall. I’ve always been fascinated by those little masterpieces of God—so delicate, so fast, so full of life. I paused for a moment just to watch him before returning to my chores. Later, I came back to switch the laundry. He was still there. His wings were still beating at lightning speed, hovering in the  exact same spot . I couldn’t imagine what on earth he was trying to accomplish. I went back inside, cleaned a little more, started another load. When I returned—on my  third  trip to the garage—that poor little bird was still trapped in the same frantic pattern. That’s when I realized he couldn’t find his way out. So, I tried to help. I grabbed something red and waved it toward the wide-open garage door, hoping it would catch his attention. Nothing. I brought out the hummingbird feeder and placed it on the back of my car—surely food would lure him toward freedom. Still nothing. He kept flying straight into the wall. Finally, I stepped back and watched him from inside the house through the window. And that’s when the whisper of God gently settled into my heart: How often do My children do the very same thing? How many times do we come up against a wall in life—frustrated, exhausted, desperate for relief—while God patiently shows us a way out… and we never see it? Or worse… we see it and keep flying into the wall anyway. I thought about how much effort I was putting into rescuing that tiny bird—and how completely he was ignoring me. And I realized–sometimes, I do that to God. Still, I was determined to save him. I love hummingbirds. I couldn’t just let him flap himself to death. So, I grabbed a tennis racket and slowly tried to guide him toward the garage door. He moved—but then circled right back to the same spot as if the wall were a magnet pulling him in. My patience began to thin. My gentleness started to fade. I added a broom to my rescue mission. Little by little, inch by inch, I finally nudged that stubborn little creature toward freedom. And if that hadn’t worked, I was fully prepared to throw a towel over him and straight-up bird-nap him. Once again, God whispered: Isn’t this just like My children? How often do we insist on doing things our way… even when we feel His gentle nudges, His holy interruptions, His quiet instructions? How often do we keep struggling, striving, exhausting ourselves—when He is standing right there trying to lead us out? If I hadn’t intervened, that hummingbird would have flapped himself to death. Isn’t it something to think about—how often God intervenes in  our  lives in ways we will never fully know? How many dangers were stopped. How many disasters were diverted. How many times mercy stepped in without announcement. I believe one day, when we stand before Him and finally see the full picture, we will fall at His feet overwhelmed by the love we barely recognized while we lived inside it. And with tears and awe we will cry: “Holy, holy, holy…” Scripture tells us: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” —  Proverbs 16:25 (KJV) We don’t have all the answers. We never have. And we never will. God’s ways are higher. His plans are wiser. His perspective is eternal. So why do we insist on settling for our small plans when the King of Kings has His best in mind? Why do we cling to control when surrender leads to freedom? Let me ask you this, dear one… Is there something in your life you have tried—and tried—and tried—to fix on your own– something that feels like a wall you keep hitting over and over again? What if your way isn’t the way out? Scripture reminds us: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” —  Proverbs 12:15 (KJV) God’s counsel is as close as a whisper. His help is as near as a prayer. And His grace is far stronger than our stubborn wings. Sometimes freedom is waiting just a few inches in a new direction. A Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father,Forgive us for the times we strive in our own strength instead of trusting Your guiding hand. Help us to hear Your whisper, to recognize Your ways, and to follow when You lead us toward freedom. Teach us to surrender our plans for Yours, knowing that Your will is always higher, wiser, and filled with love. We trust You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Devotional Takeaway: Sometimes the wall we keep flying into is not our destiny—it is simply the place where God is inviting us to trust Him enough to turn and follow His way out. _____________________________________________________________________________ This blog was taken from my book, Listen for His Whisper , a free download.

By Paula Williamson, Guest Writer Chosen Long before I ever knew who God was, I somehow knew  He was there . I can’t explain how or why—I was just a child—but I always sensed that Someone greater than me was watching over my life. Back then, I was timid and insecure. I still remember standing in elementary school gym class while two teams were picked for sports and every time, I was the last one left. When the final team reluctantly got stuck with me, they would groan in unison and chant,  “Oh no… we’re going to lose.”  Rejection became familiar. Being unseen felt normal. Then one summer, when I was twelve years old, everything changed. I was invited to spend a week with my cousin in Dill City, Oklahoma. It was the first time I’d ever been away from home, and I wanted to go more than anything. That night, I looked up into the dark Texas sky and saw a single bright star staring back at me. I whispered that old childhood prayer: “I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight.” With all the hope I had, I wished my parents would let me go. I had no idea then that God would answer  far more  than the prayer I prayed. Most of that week, my cousin and I sat on the shaded back porch, surrounded by fabric scraps, scissors, needles, and thread, happily designing tiny Barbie clothes. It was in the middle of one ordinary afternoon that eternity interrupted my childhood. My older cousin suddenly asked me,“Are you going to Heaven?” The moment froze. That simple question landed on my heart like a judge’s gavel. I had never really thought about it before. I searched my memory for answers—Vacation Bible School lessons, an old science experiment with ivory soap and black pepper symbolizing sin being washed away. Then my mind raced through everything I had ever done wrong… and my mother’s voice reminding me of it all. That was all the spiritual knowledge I had. She kept asking. Again and again. And finally, I broke. Tears spilled out before words ever could. I didn’t know the answer—yet somehow, deep down, I think I did. My aunt rushed in, thinking I’d been hurt. I was crying too hard to explain anything. Unsure what else to do, she called her pastor and that Tuesday afternoon, they took me to his office. The pastor sat with me and patiently walked me through stories of the Bible—from  creation to the cross —until he reached Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.” In that quiet church that afternoon, I realized something life-altering: The great God of the universe had visited a shaded porch in Dill City, Oklahoma… and knocked on the door of my heart. Why He would leave Heaven to reach down to a timid, rejected twelve-year-old girl is still a mystery that fills my eyes with tears—but He did. He chose me. The angels didn’t groan when Heaven claimed me. They rejoiced. And into my fragile little heart rushed a love and acceptance I had never known before. For the first time in my life, I felt  whole . The very next Wednesday, when I sat in church and listened to the hymns, prayers, and preaching, everything sounded different. The words came alive. The songs made sense. I knew that the Savior of the world had taken up residence inside me and had washed me from the inside out. Since that day, my ordinary life has been filled with extraordinary interruptions—moments when His whisper breaks into my routine. Looking back, I now see that these moments are  my story . No one else can tell them the way I can. They are living proof that  my Savior lives . He is active. He is present. He is faithful. And the more I listen and obey, the more clearly I see it:He truly does leave the ninety-nine to go after the one. No one is beyond His reach. No failure too final. No soul too insignificant. How I love Him. How I thank Him. God made a way—through His Son, Jesus Christ—for every single one of us to be reconciled to Him. None of us are perfect. None of us could ever earn our way into His presence. That is why Jesus came. As He said in John 14:6, “I am the way.” At twelve years old, I realized one day my life would end. And when that day comes, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I just needed Someone to make the way for me. Jesus did that. A Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to remember in a world full of rejection that no one is beyond being chosen by You. You are a good and compassionate in every way. Everything good comes from You. We are not exempt from the cruelty and ugliness of this world, but we can be certain that we are welcome and safe in our presence. You turn no one away. Thank You.   Devotional Takeaway: He is as close as a prayer and we are all welcome in His presence. _____________________________________________________________________________ This blog was taken from my book, Listen for His Whisper , a free download. Chosen

Families in America are diverse. However, three quarters (77%) of all families are either two biological parents or single parents with children under eighteen years of age. The biological parents make up 50% of all families. One quarter (27%) of all families are single parent families with children under eighteen years of age. Other family types with children under eighteen years of age include: • Cross Generational Families: – Family member 65 or older—6,000,000. – Families with one or both parents living in their grandparent’s home—2.5 million. • Adoptive/Foster Families: – Approximately 135,000 children are adopted yearly. – Aproximately 328,947 live in foster care homes. • Never-Married Families: – 3 million unmarried couples have at least one child under fifteen years of age. • Blended Families: – 20% of children live in two-parent households with divorced adults who remarried and formed blended families. • Grandparents As Parents: 27 million children live with their grandparents. • Same-Sex Parent Families: – Five million children have parents who are gay, lesbian or bisexual. (Note: Last updated 11/21/2025.) [1] Whatever the type of family, there are certain characteristics that are the elements of a healthy family. A family systems model includes six elements of family life, these are: goals and values, roles and functions, status, rules, communication and coping strategies. Goals are the aims and purposes for which a family exists. The primary goal is to provide a system whereby the individual in the family and the family as a whole is nurtured and sustained. The nurture is to provide those things that allow for growth and health. To “sustain” is to cause these to continue in existence.[2] The family system must allow for change to occur in the family and the individual so that they are adapted adequately to the society as a whole and can survive. At the same time, change in the family and the individual must be managed so that change does not destabilize either. Modeling Values Modeling exhibits behavioral and moral principles that a family views as important. One way to do this is to instruct by The Five Ls . These are love, limits, learning environment, liberty and liability.[3] This is a clear, structured process. Love is unconditional love no matter when there are no conditions to love. It is never “I love you if…” or “I will love you when….” It is “I always love you.”[4] Limits are clearly defined and properly modeled. At the same time, they are reinforced by consistent and nurturing reinforcement. The limits modeled are: physical, emotional, mental, moral and spiritual.[5] Learning Environment is maintained by parental authority. The parenting adult tells what is expected and explains why. He/she defines the consequences if not done, then shows how to do it. At this point parent and child share the task together. Then the parenting adult watches the person perform the task and evaluates the work done. Rewards are given. Positive rewards are given for appropriate responses; negative rewards are given for inappropriate responses. The small child is offered only one of two options. He/she should be offered and expected to act upon one appropriate, parent-chosen and acceptable choice. Completing this successfully, a positive reward is promised. The parent should always follow through and give the positive reward. On the other hand, if the child makes the wrong choice as defined by the parent, the negative behavior is rewarded as promised. The process internalizes the discipline and makes the child responsible for the outcomes, positive or negative. They get what they earn. The parent always rewards appropriately and keeps his or her word. Liberty is the freedom to succeed or fail within limits through making choices. If the child succeeds in the task he should be affirmed and praised. If he does not, he is not to be shamed or scolded. In the process of learning there is a learning curve. Failure and success are a natural part of the process. Liability allows the child to take responsibility for the choices he/she makes. The consequences, both positive or negative, are the result of their own choices.[6] Roles and functions are the part each family member plays and the particular task each family member is assigned.[7] Different family structures may necessitate these functions and tasks being done by others assigned to carry out. These functions are basic to meeting family needs and must be accomplished by someone. Biological parents functioning within the extended family fulfill the needs best and with lessstress. Their perspective is to be given from the point of view of the biological parents’ parenting their children. The role and function of the father is provider, protector, teacher and caregiver. The mother, by financial necessity or choice, is now provider in the vast majority of families. This diminishes the parental guidance that children need. The stress on the mother is extremely high. The role and function of the mother is provider, caregiver and teacher. Parents work together to raise and nurture the children. Their objective is to parent the children so that they are socialized and can function well in society as adults financially and emotionally independently of parents. The role and function of children is to grow up healthily, learn, accomplish their age- appropriate tasks and move into functional adulthood. Brothers and sisters are to learn to relate to each other within appropriate boundaries. They are also to learn how to share tasks to lessen self-centeredness. As the parent’s model to them appropriately, they will catch the expected adult behavior. The Rules The rules are the operating code, the habitual pattern of doing things. These are internalized as the way things are done. They direct behavior, interactions and problem solving. The operating code is not what is said, but what is done over and over, and thereby sets the rule. The rules inform and direct behavior. They make clear what behaviors are allowed and those that are not. The rules honor certain behaviors and disapprove of others. Family rules show how, and in what manner, family members relate to one another. The rules model how families solve problems. Whatever model is used the children will internalize it. In some families the boss decides. In some family’s problems are ignored, fought over, and never resolved. In other families the problem solving involves negotiation. Some homes are marked by chaos; problems are seldom dealt with consistently or appropriately. Whatever model of problem solving used, it should be consistently applied, be effective and should nurture confidence and skill in the family members. Communication Communication makes possible healthy family functioning. It is sending, receiving and processing messages from and to one another. The sender of messages perceives a situation or event. It is then translated into a message. At this point a medium for transmitting the message is chosen and used. The receiver of the message receives the message sent to them, they then interpret it, if clarification is needed, they ask questions and process it until the message is correctly interpreted. Then the receiver makes their chosen response. It is appropriate to engage in the feedback process in most cases. Coping strategies are the systems of response and action that have been worked out over time within the family. The purpose of which are to deal with challenges and crises that arise within the family functioning in society. These crises destabilize the family, and the order and structure of the family are stressed and at times shut down. At these times reordering the structure of the family is required. The purpose, in the crisis, is not to restructure everything, but to change those aspects of the family that allow for changes to take place. The changes should allow and aid resolution of the problem. To facilitate the necessary change’s flexibility changes of roles, communication patterns and/or relationships are required. Status in the family makes clear to all members of the relative worth and influence of each. Worth is the value placed on each family member and others. Worth is of two types: intrinsic value and functional value. Intrinsic value is the real value of a person (not dependent on performance of any kind). It is a person’s value as a state of being. It does not change, but is fixed, and positive. Intrinsic Value is not diminished or increased by what is done to a person, nor is their value decreased or increased by what they do. A person’s intrinsic value is not dependent on whether or not they are affirmed or others recognize it. They, we all, are precious and valuable because God made us that way. Whatever God does endures forever. Nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. (Ecclesiastes 3:14) Functional Value is the relative worth of the individual in relationship to others. It is made clear by their recognized authority, influence and/or by the usefulness and financial power. Functional Value has a great deal to do with what the person does and skill by which they fulfill their role. It also is dependent on the value placed on their role in the family or more broadly in society as a whole. In family, both intrinsic and functional value should be recognized and modeled. Both should reflect the core values of the family. These values should be adequately adapted to society so as to prepare the individual to function in it but should also confront society to the point that family values are not set aside. The purpose of co-occurring emphases is to bring forth self-confident and positive self-regard in all family members. Influence is the relative power, authority or prestige of one family member to another. Family members and roles have different influence depending on the structure of the family. Influence is listed from the greatest to the lesser: • Patriarchal: father, mother (male over female), children. • Matriarchal: Mother, father (female over male), children. • Egalitarian: Mother and father (joint, and equal), children. • Child Centered: Children, then mother and father (children over parents). All family types produce healthy, functional families except the child-centered family. This one is always dysfunctional. NOTES 1. http://www.HealthyChildren.org/English/FamilyLife/Family-dynamics/types-of- families/pages/Different-Types-of-Families-A-Portrait-Gallery.aspx 2. Ibid. 3. Author Unknown. 4. N.L. Coad. The Divided Soul Coadword Books, Burleson, TX. 2016, p 71. 5. http://psychcentral.com/lib/10-way-to-build-and-preserve-better-boundaries/ . 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid. For more information and help check out Dr. Coad’s book, The Divided Soul in the Book Store. Category: Norman's Place Tag: Multiple Personality Disorder

By Norman L. Coad D. M. Dissociative Identity Disorder/Multiple Personality Disorder only occurs when the person has the hereditary ability to dissociate. This predisposition must be combined with trauma for splitting and hiding to occur in the individual. Dissociation creates gaps in the memory. These gaps are really barriers of amnesia used to protect the conscious mind from the trauma that the person has experienced. There are many barriers of amnesia within the dissociating individual. The more traumatic the events experienced the more barriers there are. Dissociation is, therefore, a defense mechanism that is God-given in order to protect the sanity of these people. This protection is necessary. While it protects, there are some real and negative consequences to this forgetting on demand. Out of sight and out of mind does not mean all is well with the individual. Trauma is real things, happening to real people or parts of people at a a real point in time. They are not imaginary. The gaps in the memory that occur when the individual dissociates mean that the person with Multiple Personality Disorder is not aware of what the alters/personalities are doing in life. Almost all the alters carry out some function. They exist for a purpose. Many of these purposes are evil, destructive or shameful. Not being aware of what they are doing, or of their role and history equates to not being consciously in control of all your life. You are doing things that you just do not know about. Some alters were formed and dissociated because of verbal, emotional, physical, psychological, sexual, ritual and religious abuse. Trauma may include abandonment, rejection, age-inappropriate demands, emotional deprivation, or lack of structure in the family of origin. Inconsistency leads to insecurity, anxiety, poor adaptation to life. These are not the only types of abuses that occur. Much abuse is generational in nature. Patterns of abuse reoccur in families. This is evident in alcoholic, drug addicted, sexually addicted and co-dependent/dominant-submissive homes. These families often produce and parent children who grow up and repeat many of the problems of their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. A great amount of abuse is spiritual in nature and deeply hidden in the person’s subconscious. Homes where satanism is practiced parent children who exhibit sinful lifestyles similar to, but often worse than, the preceding generation. Satanist families are marked by frequent and profound torture, sexual perversion, sin and cruelty. (See “Court Evidences of Satan’s Destructive Work”;  SEEING AND BINDING UP THE BROKENHEARTED   by Norman L. Coad, Coadword Books, Burleson, Texas, 2018, pp. 46-50.) Those who are deeply ritualized are often controlled by demonic beings. When they act out under the influence of the evil ones, they can exhibit no remorse. If not stopped, they will continue to repeat their evil deeds. As they continue in their antisocial destructive behaviors, they will become increasingly evil. The Old Testament calls such individuals BELIAL–useless ones who lie, steal, corrupt and are violent. The New Testament in the King James Version calls them reprobates–people who love to do evil, encourage evil and criticize goodness and virtue and applaud those who do evil. Families marked by generational sin will often continue to carry out the iniquity of past generations. The sinful behaviors become entrenched in them. If not arrested, they will become increasing evil, wicked, corrupt and violent. God’s word says that He visits the iniquity of the fathers (and mothers) on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Him (God) by not obeying His commands (Genesis 20:5-6). As long as these continue their sinful behaviors, they bring the wages of sin upon themselves and their families. The remedy is in genuine confession of sin, repentance, turning away from their evil ways, and calling out to God for salvation. God said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Perhaps when you tell them the truth they will listen, and each will turn from his evil ways. Then I will relent and not bring on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. If not, then I will let the evil fall on them (Jeremiah 26:2-6). Both God and Satan work with individuals and groups of people. Here is how Satan uses unconfessed sin of previous generations. He sends fallen angels, demons, to gather up unconfessed sins of previous generations. He forms these into “the schemes of the devil” and visits them on the children to the third and fourth generations to lie, rob, and destroy them (Ephesians 6:1-20). Those who engage to help these wounded and troubled people must engage in spiritual warfare against the evil ones. They must recognize and use their spiritual authority that the believers have in Christ Jesus. They are then able to use the name, the word, and the blood of the Lord to save, heal, and deliver the sin-sick, lost and dying (Matthew 16:13-20; 10:1; Luke 10:1-20). Category:  Norman's Place Tags:  Dissociation is reversible ,  Dissociative Identity Disorder ,  Heredity and trauma in dissociation by  Norman Coad

Positive self-esteem is the internalized understanding of one’s own self-worth in the light of the truth of the Word of God. Biblically Based Self Esteem Positive self-esteem is the internalized understanding of one’s own self-worth in the light of the truth of the Word of God. It is based on the creative work of God as revealed in the mind of God and His hands-on interactive relationship realized in physical reality from the moment of conception and our ongoing relationship to Him throughout life. Positive self-esteem is shown in our performance in life (but not based, nor dependent on, performance). It is not performance-based love and acceptance. It is a state of being, but one of who God created us to be, with all our unique traits of character and abilities. This is a biblically based Christian understanding of self-esteem. William James (1842-1910)—originated the term and the understanding of self-esteem.[1] Today, in psychology, the view that self-esteem as a collection of attitudes towards oneself remains current.[2] James’ “me-self” comprises the material self, social self and spiritual self. The material self consists of representations of the body. The social self-comprises all characteristics recognized by others. The spiritual self is how we present and evaluate ourselves.[3] Behaviorism minimized self-esteem as an unreliable aspect of introspection (looking into one’s own mind, feelings and reactions and making observations and analyses of oneself).[4] Behaviorists saw human beings as animals subject to, and altered by, negative or positive reinforcements.[5] The concept of core self-evaluations was first developed by Judge, Locke and Durham in 1997. The core evaluations include one’s fundamental appraisal of oneself, with locus of control (a sense of control), neuroticism (the interactions of the nervous system on self) and self-efficacy (the ability to bring about positive and appropriate outcomes for oneself).[6] (The interpretations are the author’s.) Abraham Maslow (1908-1970), in his hierarchy of needs, reflected the idea that self- esteem was a basic need and motivation.[7] He described two types of self-esteem:respect from others in the form of recognition, success and admiration, and self- respect in the form of self-love, self-confidence, skill and aptitude.[8] Without fulfillment of self-esteem needs, we become driven and are unable to grow and realize self-actualization (being and living out who we actually are).[9] Carl Rogers (1902-1987) taught that the origin of many personal problems was that people despise themselves and consider themselves worthless and incapable of being loved.[10] In order to enhance self-esteem, we must give people positive regard unconditionally.[11] In humanistic philosophy it is stated, “Every human being, without exception, for the mere fact of its self-existence, is worthy of unconditional respect of everybody else; he deserves to esteem himself and to be esteemed.” [12] Life experiences have great effect, positive and negative, on self-esteem.[13] Nurturing parents are critically important in nurturing self-esteem. Unconditional love from authoritative parents who are caring and supportive adults, who set clear standards for their children and allow them to voice their opinion in decision making, produce children who have high self-esteem and do well in school interactions. Childhood experiences that are an aid in self-esteem building and nurturing include: being listened to, being spoken to respectfully, receiving appropriate attention, having accomplishments recognized and mistakes acknowledge with unconditional acceptance of the child.[14] Life experiences that bring about or encourage low self-esteem include: being harshly criticized, being physically, sexually or emotionally abused (any type of abuse), being ignored, ridiculed, teased or being expected to be perfect all the time. During school years, aids to high self-esteem include: academic achievement and positive social experiences. Comparing oneself to others can alter healthy self-esteem; negative self-evaluations are destructive to self-esteem. Successful, positive relationships and interactions increase self-esteem whereas rejection by peers and loneliness brings about self-doubts and low self-esteem.[15] In later years, levels of mastery, low risk taking and better health, with adequate financing (author’s edit) are ways to predict higher self-esteem.Shame, at whatever age, contributes to low self-esteem. It makes no difference if it is false-shame (undeserved, or not real) or real and true guilt and shame. If these are not resolved, redemptively, low self-esteem will result. High Self-Esteem The characteristics of high self-esteem in individuals include: • They belief firmly in their values and principles and can defend them, or alter them, in the light of experience and insight. • They are able to make decisions and act decisively, trusting their own judgment, without guilt or being overly concerned about others’ opinions. • They do not expend excessive emotional energy worrying about the past or the future but live in the present. • They trust themselves to solve problems even in the face of apparent failures and difficulties. • They consider that they are as good and competent and of equal value to others (not better than, not less than), while being fully aware of the differences of social standing, talents and financial standings. • They understand that they themselves are precious, unique and worthy as are the people with which they interact. • They resist domination, manipulation and control, they resist being defensive and are able to collaborate with others in appropriate and necessary ways. • They are self-aware and accept their internal feelings and drives both positive and negative, while revealing these to others in appropriate situations and healthy ways. • They can enjoy a variety of activities. • They are sensitive to the feelings and needs of others, respect generally accepted social values and they do not claim any right or special privilege or desire to prosper at others’ expense. This is based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Insecure Self-Esteem Insecure People—people with defensive high self-esteem are fragile and vulnerable to criticism. They may internalize subconscious self-doubts and insecurity, causing negative reaction to any criticism. They have a need for constant positive feedback from others in order to maintain a fragile positive self-worth. These may also be boastful, arrogant and act superior to others and at times express aggressive hostile feelings, tearing others down in order to build themselves up.[16] The Characteristics of Low Self-Esteem are: • Heavy self-criticism and dissatisfaction. • Hypersensitivity to criticism with resentments against critics and feelings of being attacked. • They exhibit chronic indecision and exaggerated fear of mistakes. • They have excessive will to please and are unwilling to displease others. • They practice perfectionism which often leads to frustration when not achieved. • They show neurotic guilt, dwelling or exaggerating the magnitude of past mistakes. • They can express a floating hostility and general defensiveness and irritability without any apparent cause. • They live out of pessimism and a general negative outlook. • They have a general negative outlook without making differences between person, person-in-situation and situations. • They see temporary setbacks as permanently intolerable conditions. NOTE: The above characteristics are based on wiki/self-esteem. Biblically Based Self-Esteem The following is based on chapter six, “A Biblical Basis of Healthy Self-Esteem” and chapter seven “Self-Esteem Therapy,” of T he Divided Soul .[17] The characteristics of biblically based self-esteem are: • Positive self-esteem is the internalized understanding of one’s own self-worth in the light of the truth of the Word of God. • Positive self-esteem is based on the creative work of God as revealed in the mind of God and His hands-on interactive relationship when He created us in our mother’s womb. He desires an ongoing relationship to Him throughout life. • Positive self-esteem is shown in one’s performance in life, but not based nor dependent on performance. It is not performance-based love and acceptance. • Positive self-esteem is a state of being based on the fact that God created us to be, with all our unique traits of character and abilities. We are who the Word of God says we are, not what the accuser speaks, not what our negative, diminishing thoughts accuse us of being. We are not what our behaviors seem to indicate we are. The Word of God, which can never be broken and endures for both time and eternity, tells us who we are. There is no one who is an exception to the absolute truth. Psalm 139:13-18 and Ecclesiastes 5:14 make this plain to us. The setting of Psalm 139 is that David, the King, in conversation with God. (David lived during the bronze age, about 3,000 years ago.) God spoke revealing our value and identity. In paraphrase, David states, “You, God, created me. You knit me together within my mother’s womb with Your own hands. Therefore, just as Adam and Eve were created by God’s own hands, so was David, so are we.” In the nontechnical age of the time, David chooses to express the creative process of human gestation as being like a knitting. Francis Crick discovered DNA in the mid 1950s. DNA is a long three strand of yarn like threads with interconnecting hairs. It is over twenty feet long and rolls on and off a bobbin. This is very much like yarn. Cell division and multiplication is similar to knitting. David states, “I praise You God for me! I am fearfully, awesome and wonderfully, uniquely made.” The two most important commandments are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and strength and the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.David then says to God, “Your works are wonderful (speaking of himself), I know that full well.” At this I took exception. I knew David’s life story. He had shed much blood. He had a violent, rageful temper. He also had too many women in his life. With Bathsheba, Uriah the Hittite’s wife, he broke most of the Ten Commandments: You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t covet, all this while causing the death of an innocent child and cursing his family. His performance was despicable, and it bothered me. However, as I read more, God called him “David, my beloved” and said, “He is a man after my own heart.” I could not resolve David’s behaviors with the Scriptures. Later on, while reading Ecclesiastes 3:14 the Holy Spirit resolved the issue for me. The Scripture says, “I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.” God made David. It is true our spirit and soul last forever. So, David is eternal. You cannot add anything to it, and nothing can be taken from it. So, when David said that he himself was wonderful and he knew it full well he was talking about God’s unchangeable work of which he was a part. I judged him on the basis of his performance (which was terrible). What does God say about performance? About everyone’s performance? • We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6) • There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God, all have turned away. They have together become worthless. There is no one who does good, not even one. (Romans 3:10-12) Therefore, our value is not, cannot be, based on our performance, but on God’s creative work which cannot be altered or changed in any way. Then that means that whatever has been done to us cannot devalue us. No matter what we do, or how low we descend. Our value remains the same. If no one ever validates who we are, or affirms us in any way, we are precious even so. As God’s creation, created in Christ Jesus, our value is fixed. It never changes, it does not go up, nor does it go down. This is true both for time and eternity. Trying to perform to have self-worth or high self-esteem is a fruitless effort. Performance based love and acceptance is like walking on a treadmill. One uses up a lot of energy but goes nowhere. As a state of being, we are wonderful, awesome, unique, beloved of God, precious, chosen of God, created by God, a man or woman after God’s own heart. See figure . NOTES 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James . 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-esteem . 3. Ibid. 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid. 8. Ibid. 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Maslow . 10. Op sit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-esteem 11. Ibid. 12. Ibid. 13. Ibid. 14. Ibid. 15. Ibid. 16. Ibid. 17. N.L. Coad . The Divided Soul Coadword Books, Burleson, TX. 2016, p 61-75.For more information and help check out Dr. Coad’s book, The Divided Soul in the Book Store. Category: Norman's Place Tag: Multiple Personality Disorder

We See What We Want to See Human beings, including the professional communities, see what they want to see. The Christian counselor and the psychological community suffer from preconceived ideas of the past and inadequate research to the point that they almost function in isolation from one another. We see what we want to see. Even if something exists, we will often not be aware of it when we refuse to consider it as improbable or if it doesn’t match our idea of what should be. We become blind. To illustrate, I give a personal example: I had returned from Africa ill and was put in the hospital for testing. They found a growth in my bladder that looked like cancer. With all the thorough testing they found nothing else wrong. They informed me that they would have to remove my bladder. However, before the surgery they ordered a twenty-four-hour urine catch. The doctor who had been in the tropics during WWII knew I had lived in the tropics, often in primitive conditions. He ordered the staff to look for the unusual. With that instruction they found the Nile River Bladder Fluke. I still have my bladder! I asked, “Did they not do other urine studies?” He said, “Yes, but they did not see it because they were not looking for it.” Was it difficult to see?” No, not at all! When they began looking for it, it was as plain as the nose on your face!” The Supernatural and Spiritual Are Described in The Bible and Therefore Knowable In order to experience the supernatural one must allow that reality includes the spiritual. One must transform one’s world view to experience the reality that the spirit world is everywhere present. We only accept knowledge and wisdom about the spiritual if we think it true, real, helpful and necessary. The Supernatural World The supernatural world is divided into two distinct areas. There is that which is good, strong, kind, productive, nurturing, forgiving, loving, loves truth, is trustworthy, protects and perseveres to the end. This is of God and the Bible. The other part of the supernatural is ruled by Satan, demons, spirits of the dead and workers of iniquity. It is mean, filled with envy, malicious, arrogant, disrespectful, rude, easily angered, rageful, trusts few (if any), keeps record of every wrong, hates, seeks ways to retaliate, does harm and murders. This spiritual power base is quite often immoral, jealous, selfish and given to drunkenness, orgies, selfish ambitions, creates discord and creates factions which set us against each other. Modern Day Satanism and Paganism Most do not see the spiritual manifested in human behavior. They are blind and unaware of the consequences of their sinful behaviors. Two men make it clear: Carl Jung, who reinterpreted the evil spiritual as good, healthy and desirable [1] and Anton LaVey, who founded the Church of Satan, complete with satanic teachings and rituals. In LaVey’s Book of Satan he states “right and wrong have been inverted too long”[2] and challenged readers to “rebel against the laws of Satan and God.” [3] In both Jung and LaVey, Satan, demons, evil spirits, evil, wickedness, corruption and violence are assigned a positive role in the affairs of men. Immanuel Kant paved the way to Paganism. The reality of this is never considered in many of those who follow Pagan ways. Whatever their role, teachers, priests and priestesses, philosophers, writers, executives, news and media play rights, actors and politicians lend themselves to the spirit beings who use them for Satan’s purposes.It is written in the Bible, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood (human beings) but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12, NIV). Paganism and Judeo-Christian religion represent the two main world views in world religions and civilizations. Pagan is not Christian. They are always at war with each other. At best, they tolerate each other like wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24–30). Their spiritual structures are absolutely opposed to each other. Both worlds have a spiritual structure that makes up their respective kingdoms. The Judeo-Christian kingdom is composed of: 1. The Lord—God the Father, God the Son, our savior and redeemer and God the Holy Spirit, the indwelling Spirit of the Lord that empowers us to live a holy and good life. He rules overall. 2. The angels of the Lord that are mighty and do His bidding. They obey His Word. 3. The heavenly hosts—the redeemed, spirit indwelt human beings who were saved by grace through faith before they died and went to Heaven. They do His will. 4. You and I who have been created by Him. We are workers of righteousness, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do (Psalm 15:1–5; Ephesians 2:10). The outline of the above is taken from Psalm 105:19–22. The pagan structure is a demonic structure over which the prince of the power of the air, Satan, rules, to which we all belonged at one time as we gratified the cravings of our sinful nature and followed his kingdom’s desires and thoughts and were objects of the wrath of God (Ephesians 2:1–3). Satan’s pagan structure is described in God’s Word. The Satanic world structure is made up of Satan, fallen angels (demons), spirits of the dead and workers of iniquity: 1. Satan, a fallen angel who was cast out of Heaven because he wanted to be God. He is the ruler of this dark world of sin (Isaiah 14:3–23; 14:12). 2. The fallen angels, called demons, who obey him and work against us, were cast out of Heaven by Michael and the angels of the Lord (Revelation 12:7–9). 3. There are the spirits of the dead, some of which are our relatives, familiar or ancestral spirits, who have never been saved by grace through4. faith. They do Satan’s will against us. These are the unredeemed of all the ages. 4. There are workers of iniquity, living human beings who do evil, wickedness, corruption and violence (Genesis 6:1–4; Psalm 5:5,6; 14:4; 28:3; 92:7; 94:4, 16; 141:9). “Workers of iniquity” is a King James Bible term in the Old Testament. These individuals are called Belial , (meaning “worthless”) men and women who work wickedness and destruction (Deuteronomy 13:13; Judges 20:1–13; I Kings 21:1–18 KJV). In the Greek they are called “reprobate”, depraved and rejected by God, because, over time, they had done wickedness to a point where they had corrupted themselves (by continually doing evil) until they themselves became controlled by the evil they did and they came to approve and applaud those who hate righteousness (Romans 1:18–32). Hidden Places Inside Us The most common place where demons hide and do evil is inside us. Jesus said, “It is not what goes into a man that defiles him but what comes out of his mouth that makes him unclean”. The things that come out of the heart make him unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony and slander, these make him unclean (Matthew 15:10–20). Evidently, there was a commonly held teaching of which the Jewish believers were quite knowledgeable. Paul and the Jewish believers of the early church understood that our sinful nature and the lusts of the flesh fight against us. In Romans 7:14–25 Paul describes, …I am sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing…. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law, but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members… I’m wretched…who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, [I am rescued (author’s addition)] through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our unseen sinful nature and our visible flesh are destructive to us. However, we struggle with them all the days of our lives. For those who go to Heaven we get a new nature and a new body. We will not have to struggle with these sins anymore (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10; Romans 8:28–30; Colossians 2:28, 29; I Corinthians 15:50–54). During this life the Lord Jesus Christ gives us victory over our sinful nature and the flesh (Romans 7:24), the Holy Spirit helps in our weakness as He intercedes for us (Romans 8:26, 27). By His power we deny ourselves, take up our cross (an instrument of death) and crucify our flesh and our sinful nature every day, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, follow Him (Luke 9:23; Galatians 2:20, 21; Romans 6:8–10). Evil, Suffering and Pain By sin all men and women fall into sinful and corrupt ways (Isaiah 53:5, 6). It produces death in us. (Romans 7:13) After the Fall, when Adam and Eve were separated from God by their disobedient choices, the war between God and Satan came into the human race. There was war between Satan and his offspring and the woman and her offspring. The child born of the woman would kill Satan and sin (Genesis 3:15). In Genesis 6:1–18 Satan’s counterattack is recorded. He sent fallen angels (demons) to cohabit with human females in order to destroy our humanity (Genesis 6:1-8). The children born to them were called Nephilim. Genetically, they were 50% demon genes and 50% human genes. They showed hybrid vigor, were physically big and strong, heroes of old, men of renown. However, their character was corrupt beyond redemption. Every thought of their hearts was only evil all the time. Noah, a preacher of righteousness, preached repentance for a hundred and twenty years, but there was no repentance in them (I Peter 3:19, 20). Their unrepentant character was marked by evil, wickedness, corruption and violence (Genesis 6:5-19). In that day all died except those in the ark, Noah and his family. But the Nephilim were on earth in those days and also afterwards, that is, after The Flood. The character of the Nephilim survives to this day. Every news program attests to it. All news programs are about evil, wickedness, corruption and violence. Their evil character survives in us—in our flesh and in our sinful nature—Nephilim genes survive in us. Noah was completely human. His wife was Nephilim (50% demon genes, 50% human genes). Their offspring, their three sons, would be 75% human genes and 25% demon genes. Their wives 50/50. The genetic structure of humans was dominant enough toovercome the demon genes. The result is that Jesus, the God/man was 50% God by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18) and 50% of the line of David. Noah redeemed the human race. The Lord Jesus redeemed all who believe unto God by grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). All these inherit eternal life (I Corinthians 15:2-11). The Dissociated Part of Each of Us The most hidden destructive part of us is the dissociated alter. They do not have the Holy Spirit. They are dominated by their sinful nature and the flesh. They are controlled and used by Satan to do his works. They are powerless before the demons, spirits of the dead and ancestral spirits. The evil ones force them by coercion to do evil, wickedness, corruption and violence. The first researcher into dissociation was Pierre Janet (1859–1947) who used hypnosis as a clinical tool to open up the hidden part of us.[4] His findings include: 1. Hysteria (dissociation) is a pathological form of dissociation that functions independently within the personality, which disturbs the individual’s everyday life.[5] 2. This condition he called Multiple Personality in which two or more dissociated states function with distinct differences of behavior, mood and intention and are unaware of each other.[6] 3. These personalities accepted bodiless beings to interact within them though they existed externally to the individual.[7] 4. There is a barrier of amnesia between the dissociated personalities and the conscious part of the individual.[8] 5. Hypnosis revealed the condition but was not likely to bring about long-term change.[9] 6. The personalities held parallel memories quite different from the conscious part of themselves.[10] 7. These individuals were persecuted by something and held shamefulsecrets of pathological behaviors.[11] 8. They must be believed until proven that it is untrue.[12] All of this has been verified true by the present author by many hundreds of dissociated clients. Sigmund Freud (1859–1939) affirmed these findings and added Jean-Martin Charcot’s finding of traumatic events as the cause of the dissociative response.At this time, only the therapies based on biblical teaching of deliverance and the biblical world view are able to reverse and heal the dissociation. The process is incremental. The personalities (here called “alters”) must be found, cleansed of the evil spirits, healed of the wounds and trauma memories, then led to Christ in a transforming, sanctifying salvation experience by grace through faith. These hidden places that have been described constitute major challenges for biblically based counselors. They are the best prepared spiritually to work with and care for these afflicted individuals. The psychological community has the deepest understanding of the workings of personality. They dominate treatment of all psychological problems. These two camps of caregivers need to receive each other so that the needs of the individuals are met. End Notes 1. Jung, C.G. Four Archetypes; Mother, Rebirth, Spirit, Trickster. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. (Contained in Collected Works Vol. 9. part 1), 1970. 2. https://archive.org/stream/pdfy-S7Va9xWFV5XFybhK/The Satanic Bible_djvu.txt . 3. Alex Constantine. Satanism and Ritual Abuse: Case by Case Documentation, February 14. 4. N.L. Coad. Historical Roots of Dissociation , www.coadwordbooks.com/articles/ . 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid. 8. Ibid. 9. Ibid. 10. Ibid. 11. Ibid. 12. Ibid. For more information and help check out Dr. Coad’s book, The Divided Soul in the Book Store. Category: Norman's Place Tag: Multiple Personality Disorder

Satan cannot create anything. God is our creator, and we are His created beings. For You (God) created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I (David) praise You for I am fearfully (awesomely) and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:13-18). So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God (in God’s likeness) He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful (productive) and increase in number. (Genesis 1:27, 28a) Therefore, God, (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) is creative, fruitful and rules over all things as our creator God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (Yeshua Messiah) was with God (Father God and Holy Spirit of God) in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, without Him nothing was made that was made (1 John 1:1-3). The Word is God and also is the words that God speaks, by which He created the world and governs it. God created you and me, and because we are created by Him, we are precious, of great worth. We are so precious to God that God sent Jesus Christ to suffer, die, and be raised from the dead to redeem us from Satan’s lies and deception. For everything God created is good and it is to be received with thanksgiving and not rejected (1 Timothy 4:4-5). That includes receiving and loving ourselves and, like David, praising God for making us awesome and wonderful. Nothing can negatively change or diminish our value. Solomon wrote: “I know that everything God does will endure forever, nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere Him (Ecclesiastes 3:14). Since God made us of great value and whatever God creates cannot be added to increase our value or taken from us to devalue us in any way. That means that when I sin, my value does not go down, and when I do good things, my value does not go up. It is fixed. It does not change. All (God’s) words are true (Psalm 119:160). The Lord speaking to His disciples and to all believers says, “Sanctify, make them whole, that is holy, by the truth.”  Category:  Norman's Place by  Norman L. Coad D.M.

The missionary anthropologist, Paul Hiebert, defines worldview. Worldview is made up of the basic assumptions about reality. These assumptions lie behind the beliefs and behaviors of a culture. Assumptions are not arrived at by scientific method or research. These we believe to be true without proof, testing, or reason. We absorb these into our belief system from personal interactions with our environment and the prevailing views of those around us whom we use as reference groups to define reality. These assumptions become the bedrock of our understanding and identity. The cultural and environmental mix that we are born into and raised in shapes our worldview. Most of us have been conditioned to believe certain things are always true. For example, when we see and hear a person act and speak, we assume that that is who they are. If they are in a male body, then the person acting and speaking is male. If they are in a female body, then the person acting and speaking is female. However, for those who are multiple personalities, this may or may not be true. These preceding statements will make no sense at all to most of us because our worldview precludes this from being true. However, it is absolutely true. It has been well documented and is now an established fact within the psychiatric community. To be sure, this was not an easy truth for the professional to accept. In the early Nineties, this author sat in state conventions and heard highly credentialed people speak error. They refused to believe that there were many personalities in some people. Their denials centered around two issues: there is only one personality, not many personalities, resident in an individual, and there are no “bodiless beings” in certain troubled human beings. The latter issue has still not been accepted as truth. To believe these truths would require a change of worldview. Therefore, many fight and resist the reality being presented on many fronts. They fight the change. That is the usual response when one’s worldview is challenged.  For those of us who are biblically-based evangelicals, multiplicity presents a different problem–is it biblical? Does it contradict our biblical beliefs? The answer to these questions is a resounding NO! To believe that there are many personalities in an individual does not deny individual responsibility for our life, attitudes, emotions, thoughts and behaviors. Nor does it deny that each will give account for every idle word. Every individual part of us is responsible to our Creator God. What multiplicity does is force the believer to rethink the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. That process we call sanctification. While regeneration happens in a moment of time, sanctification is a process that continues throughout our lifetime. The personalities or alters are completely human. They are made up of spirit, mind, emotions, and will. Like everyone else, they are responsible for what they think, feel, and do. Each individual alter must call on the name of the Lord to be saved. If not, they will die and go to hell. Therefore, it is necessary for each individual personality to believe the gospel and be saved. Salvation for the whole and salvation for the alter, a part of the whole, is the identical process. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, all of them. As the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, our sin debt is completely paid in full. However, the Messiah’s work on the cross must be individually applied by grace through faith. My salvation does not cover my children and grandchildren. Each one must call upon the name of the Lord himself. What is true of my children and grandchildren is true of each individual alter. Therefore, the process of salvation is the same for all: to the Jew first and also the non-Jew, to the person who does not split and to those individual personalities of the person who suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder. Category:  Norman's Place by  Norman L. Coad D.M.