I had the opportunity this week to share with a group of upcoming school counselors in their graduate program, and one of the questions I was not surprised for our panel to receive was wondering how our theoretical framework impacts our daily work with students. (Have no fear — I will not delve into counseling theories here.) This was the response from the seasoned school counselors: every decision we make and the entire way we approach people is a dynamic representation of our beliefs and values. How I view each individual with whom I work, even how I view myself and the world around me, influences the type of support I offer. There are many challenging topics I encounter, in the midst of crazy situations and plenty of suffering — and this all being fairly common on a day-to-day basis in both school and ministry.

As a practicing school counselor with a career now just shy of a decade, I have noticed an increase in my younger students discussing mental health, self- or family-diagnosing mental health conditions, and freely using language surrounding trauma and being “traumatized.” I remain a firm advocate of precise, direct, open communication about ANY topic — that is how I was raised, that is how I live my life, and it is Biblical (See James 5:16 and Psalm 55:10-13; Hebrews 10:25; Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8; Revelation 12:11; Psalm 71:15-24). There is nothing that cannot be discussed. But that doesn’t mean every line of logic is beneficial.

“You are a victim,” is the message the world offers.

You experienced trauma? Witnessed or were involved in a traumatic event? That means you are traumatized. That’s it. That’s your new identity. You will always be the person who was hurt, discarded, grieving, broken, abandoned. Not enough. Too much. Used. Unlovable. Unworthy. Some pain came from your own choices; some from the soul-crushing choices of others. And thus we allow a re-branding: “You are a victim,” comes the insidious whisper from society, from social media — even from the depths of our fears.

“You are a victim,” said many voices around me as I came through an ugly situation in the past year. They let me know how they’d been victims of abuse, adultery, and abandonment as well; they told me how hard it would be to walk free, how long it would take me to become whole. (Funny, but I recall being told the same things about the death of my son and a few other terrible situations….) Part of me wanted to yield to the false validation: I HAD experienced trauma, and recovery is a unique journey. But instead I looked each person in the eye and said, “I’ll let you know when it gets hard.” (Just in case you wondered, walking into the full freedom of healing, wholeness and wellbeing was the easiest choice I ever made again after receiving Jesus as Savior.) I had my moments where it was easy to fall prey to the soothing pity of victimization, but Jesus and my loved ones, my armor-bearers, wouldn’t let me wallow. Zero wallowing allowed. I am honored to be the holder of many tender stories, and I honor each story-giver — yet still I know that only the Story-Teller has written the endings (Psalm 139; Revelation 21:1-7).

‘”Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you know so much,”‘ the Story-Teller reminds us with completely honest and humbling love (Job 38:4, CJB).

It could be all too easy to flounder in the seeming ethical dilemma of balancing my faith — my beliefs, my values, and the core of who I am — with my profession in the field of mental health. It could be, yet I find that it isn’t. “Trauma” has been a buzzword in the educational realm alone for over thirty years, continuously evolving from merely being aware of trauma to being “trauma-informed” to becoming “trauma-sensitive.” Then one beautiful soul spoke at a conference I attended. She shared the words of my heart: it is time to take our communities into the space where we embrace a trauma-healing approach. Every part of my being raised a powerful “yes!” Healing is always on my agenda. There is a reason the idea of restorative practices have spread from the Church into the education and business worlds — shockingly enough, into spaces where humans and human relationships exist. Imagine that.

While the full Gospel message is not always requested by my students, it undergirds my every action and informs my every word. It consumes my every thought — for where else would I go apart from Him, when only Jesus has the words of eternal life (John 6:68)? Beloved, you were never designed to be a victim. You were designed to be victorious.

‘”I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world.“‘
~ the words of Jesus, John 16:33 NIV

It is okay to hurt but not okay to stay hurting. It is okay to be angry but not okay to stay angry. Trauma happens. We hurt. We grieve. We weep. It happens in a world craving the reality of all things made new in the dominion of Jesus Christ, the Living Word and the ultimate Story-Teller. So by the blood of that perfect Lamb and the word of our testimony we overcome and walk in victory to receive every spoil of war held in His dominion (once again, Revelation 12:10-11, 21:1-7). We are never forced to choose victory. We are not required to choose wholeness. We can live an entire earthly life without either. We can also sit on hard-won battleground, soaked in the blood Jesus already sacrificed, and cry in the debris of what has passed. Or we can choose to arise in glorious victory and revel in the spoils of war — because we know that the more we seek Jesus, the more we find true reward in every sense of the term (see Hebrews 11:6).

Behold, the ministering work of Jesus Christ, the pure and complete Gospel message — and you are about to deliver it. Then you are going to collect all the spoils of the victory. This is not a collection of my best ideas; this is simply what the Word of God says. Perhaps you have time to waste being miserable, broken, traumatized, victimized, and marginalized. I do not. I ran out of time for those things long ago. I only have time for healing, wholeness, and wellbeing. I only have time for Kingdom business. I am not a victim; I am a victor. I am defined by the blood of Jesus; I was made to testify of His goodness in my life. I am always and only defined by His definition of me. And He tells me that He cures incurable wounds (Jeremiah 30:12-17). Traumatized? Victimized? Not who I am. Here is what Scripture says in Micah 4 (TpT) instead:

‘I, Yahweh, declare: “In that day of hope I will gather the lame and bring together the wandering outcasts
and those whom I have bruised. I will make a new beginning
with those who are crippled and far from home.
My remnant will be transformed into a mighty nation.
And I, Yahweh, will reign over them on Mount Zion from now and throughout eternity.‘ (v. 6-7)

I am not left abandoned. He didn’t forget. What has passed is in the past.

‘And to you, Tower of the Flock, where the daughter of Zion is lifted up,
your royal dominion will arrive. His kingship will come to you, Daughter Jerusalem.
Why are you wailing? Why are you writhing like a woman in labor?
Have you no king to help you? And your wise leader, has he perished?’ (v. 8-9)

So much I didn’t choose. So much I did choose. But my King of kings has redeemed all of it (v. 10), and He brings me back.

‘Many nations have now gathered to attack you.
They say, “Let’s destroy Jerusalem so that we can gloat over capturing Zion.”
But they do not know Yahweh’s plans, and they do not understand his strategy:
he has brought them together to punish them,
like grain is brought to be beaten on the threshing floor to separate the good from the worthless.’ (v. 11-12)

The enemy of our soul, the Adversary comes only to steal, kill, and bring destruction — but Jesus came to give me life, and life to the fullest measure of abundance (John 10:10). The justice of the Lord is far better the justice of man, because His ways are not only better but perfect (see Isaiah 55). In light of His justice, hear His call to a victorious life:

Stay alone and be lonely. Mourn what has been stolen.
Consider what you have lost and let it torment you perpetually.

That is not the message of the Gospel — so why do we build our life on those lies? The next verse of Micah 4 is my favorite in the King James translation:

“ARISE AND THRESH, O DAUGHTER OF ZION: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.” (v. 13, KJV)

In the Passion Translation, it reads: “…And you must devote to Yahweh what they have stolen and bring their wealth to me, the Lord of the whole earth.” ARISE AND THRESH. It burns deeply within my spirit. This is not a weak response of a victim but of a powerful warrior rising up in the victorious grace of the One who has already claimed total victory. Does it hurt, dear one? He knows. He holds every tear (Psalm 56:8). Was it your choice, beloved? He knows. He removes it as far from you as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). Is the wholeness journey long, or will it happen in an instant? Maybe it has always been both-and: forever and a single moment with the One who created time for us in the fullness of eternity. I do not have time for anything that isn’t Jesus, for anything other than Kingdom business, for anything other than healing, wholeness, and restoration.

Jesus asked me recently if I wanted to know more about the depth and breadth of some actions that had deeply hurt me. (Not if I needed to know but if I wanted — He gave me the option, yet He knew what would be my response. He is so wonderful in the free choice He gives to us.) Without hesitation I said, “No, thank you, Jesus. I’m good.” He replied, “Okay.” Now He and I do not speak of it — not because it never existed or because the subject is taboo but because those circumstances have no bearing on my identity. They hold no sway over my victory. I am whole — period. The end. I will not know all the whys and hows. I will never know the reasonings behind those painful decisions. This is what I do know:

Time is short.
Too short to choose to be the victim. Too short to cling to suffering. Too short to waste my time on questions to which I do not really need the answers.
The only Answer that brings true healing, freedom, and wholeness is Jesus.

As a highly-trained mental health professional but more importantly as an avid, all-in lover of Jesus, there it is. Therapy can offer incredible tools. Time can bring space for reflection and perspective. Kindness can meet the needs in raw moments. Only Jesus will heal you totally and completely. You may choose the extent of your testimony. As for me, I do not have time to waste. I am going to ARISE AND THRESH for every day that Jesus gives me. As a warring daughter of Zion, I am claiming the spoils. The now-prayer of my heart is that you live bravely, dear hearts. Let today be your day to arise and thresh.