ChristianMilitaryWives

*Warning: Before reading this article, please remember these thoughts are only the thoughts of Patti Katter and her thoughts do not reflect the thoughts of every military wife in the world... just quite a few of them. ;)

It's so easy to look at the downside of deployment.  Deployments can be like a lemon.  The outside of a lemon is bitter and the inside is sour, not much good about that unless you use something to sweeten it up!

Dreading deployment is very common.  I've never met a woman or her military man that did not dread deployment. 

Quite a few wives have told me that weeks before deployment their husbands become distant to them.  A wall begins to form in their marriage.  Civilians may not understand, and if you are military and have not yet been through deployment you may not quite understand.... but the majority of our CMW members do understand due to multiple deployments, and they understand all too well.  

Not all marriages have difficult times before deployments, there may be that woman someplace in the world that is not effected.  I have yet to meet one.  If you are that woman, PLEASE let me know who you are - I would love to meet you! =-)

Pre-Deployment:
Just when you think husbands and wives would grow closer to one another, knowing that many months will go by until they see their loved ones again... something happens. Kah-Pow! The world spins out of control and one of three things happen.

1.  The words stop, your husband feels like its better to stop "being attached" to you - just "incase" something happens to him - you won't miss him as much.

2.  Arguing kicks in along with frustration.  Your husband may think, "if I am a big jerk to her... she will not be so sad if something happens to me."

3.  With the frustration your husband is going through, and his work-load he may not even realise he is releasing his frustrations out on you.

And do you know what? I think many wives go along with the first two scenarios.  As a wife, you may be afraid something horrible is going to happen to your husband at some point in the deployment.

I think it must be a built in defense mechanism our minds use to rationalise things.  I think its a wrong defense mechanism  though.  I know it's not Godly thinking at all... that's where it comes to play that we are all sinners - if we were all perfect we would not have sinful thoughts.

As a military wife, I understand how we "military wives" think.  We like to be in charge of things.  If you think about it, we are pretty much in charge of everything.  Paying bills, making sure the oil is changed in the car, grocery shopping, maybe holding an outside job, taking care of the kids and the list goes on.  The fact is, we are a take charge type of person.

We like to be in charge of our thoughts, our emotions and that includes the safe return of our husbands.  When being forced to really think about it, we cannot be in charge of our husbands safe return.  No one really can... and, that can be scary. 

We don't like to think about things, let along talk about these things.  I mean, what wife in her right mind would tell her husband that she's afraid he may not make it home?!   Not this wife.  I would never tell my husband such a thing, especially before he went off to fight the enemy.  It's an unspoken thought... it's scary and there's only one who we can really take it to and that is Jesus Christ.

God is there for us in all times.  When we are alone, when we are afraid... God is there.  God knows our thoughts and our hearts.  It's so easy to take the frustration of deployment out on our husbands, but that is just not fair to them.  Our husbands are brave, they are ensuring our freedom, they are doing their job.  Our husbands also have internal battles that makes it very difficult to talk about things before they leave for war. 

Your husband is married to you for a reason, he loves you.  I'm sure your husband has thoughts inside of his head that he feels like he cannot talk to you about, just as you have things you don't want to burden him with before he leaves.

Here are a few ways to keep your mind busy before your husband leaves for his deployment.  I find that keeping my head clear and keeping busy with productive projects are very helpful, and these tips will help sweeten up that lemon mentality.

1.  Write love notes, and hide them in your husbands luggage so when he gets where he is going... he will have quite a bit of literature to read. ;)

2.  Keep a prayer journal, I cannot stress this enough! When having your sour and sometimes bitter days - fill your prayer journal pages with prayers for your husband.

3.  Talk to other women in your area, find a Christian based support group.

4.  Talk to God, He's always there - He's your best friend.

5.  Be still, listen to the Lord speak to you... He will comfort you.

Don't let your sour, bitter thoughts get in the way of your relationship with Christ or your husband.  Don't let pre-deployment jitters get you down! You are armed with something that non-Christians do not have.  You have God on your side, "if God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

Our actions fuel our husbands actions, if we can remain calm in Christ - and your husband can see that... it will make for a much better pre-deployment time on the homefront. 

I am lifting all of the wives up in prayer who have husbands that are getting ready to deploy.  May you allow the Lord to use this experience in your life to allow you to grow closer to Christ.  Please always remember you can go to the Prayer Warrior group and post prayer requests.  You can also always email me with any questions or comments you may have.

In Christ,
Patti Katter

My children and I have recently had the privilege & blessing of spending several weeks with my cousins-in-law. Throughout the last two weeks or so of our stay, our twelve-year-old cousin, Josh, and I sort of battled it out between surprise attack tickling/wrestling matches (initiated by Josh) and ice fights (presumably where he would daily put large pieces of ice down my back at the most unexpected and inopportune moments!)

So, I began planning my counter attack. I just let the wheels turn, and gave no sign of what I was thinking. Once I came up with a plan, however, I did give him a simple warning: “I’ll get you back; don’t worry. It’s coming, and it will be good, and it will be unexpected.” Daily, Josh would ask me countless times what I was up to. He would smugly remind me, “You still haven’t gotten me yet”, but as the days wore on, I could see him relax, thinking I’d forgotten all about my plan for revenge. Little did he know…

I set my alarm for VERY early on my last morning there. When it went off, I got up and began filling a large pitcher full of very cold ice water. Josh’s parents, Cam & Marilyn, and his sister, Jessie, all knew what was coming (I’d asked their permission to do this ahead of time), so they got up with me (Apparently, Josh is quite the prankster, so they wanted to see him put in his place as well, haha). We snuck quietly into Josh’s dark room, and I tiptoed over to his bed where he was sleeping so soundly, bundled up in his nice, warm, cozy blanket. Jessie had the camera rolling, and Cam was in charge of the lights, so I pulled back the covers slightly, careful not to pull them all the way off ~ we didn’t want him to wake up too soon ~ and whispered, “Turn on the light”… Suddenly, the room was lit up, bright and almost blinding, when I ripped the rest of the covers back and doused Josh in the icy water! He awoke startled and screaming, scared and shocked, unsure of what was happening. It took him a minute or two to calm down, as Marilyn sat on the dry corner of his bed quietly telling him, “Josh, it’s ok. It’s us. We’re here” as he sat there trembling with teary eyes as he began to realize what had happened.

I realized something myself this morning… This is often how Satan works in our lives. See, Satan does not know all things as God does, so he has to use other methods to get to us. He observes us and he learns what and where our weaknesses are, as well as our strengths. He studies us as intricately as necessary, in order to figure out the best way to get at us… the best way to trip us up, and when he figures that out, he keeps at it, mercilessly trying to succeed in hindering, and even stopping, our walk with God.

Sometimes, he (Satan) will lash out as Josh did. He will plan surprise attacks that can come out of the blue, sometimes knocking us down, other times, we are able to fend them off fairly easily. Sometimes, we see them coming, or even if we don’t see them or know exactly when they’re coming, we are alert because we do know they could happen at any moment, so we keep our guard up and say, “Get thee behind me Satan” (Mark 8:33).

Then, there are those times when we let our guard down. We either haven’t been attacked much lately, or we’ve had no problem fending off the attacks, so we gradually become complacent, even proud or smug, in a way, and we forget that, at any moment, an attack could come and if we aren’t ready for it, we could lose the battle.

Though Josh and I were just playing a game, it’s just like my strategic early morning attack on him. It wasn’t that I’d forgotten about him; instead, I was waiting for the right moment to “attack”. I had to wait until he was not on guard, and would not be able to do any change-ups on me, possibly deterring my plan of action.

Satan does that same thing. Sometimes, he will step back, he will sit, and wait, and watch, allowing us to “recover”, thinking that we have “finally succeeded” in fending him off for good; he lets us think that we are so good that he couldn’t possibly get one over on us. He leaves things alone, allowing us to not only enjoy, but get used to, how good (by our standards) things are. He gives us just enough time to “forget” (or at least, put on the back burner) all of those little attacks from before… And as he waits, he is planning something major; something that will hopefully (in his eyes) shake us to our core. He will choose just the right moment, when we are complacent, unexpecting, and as unprepared as possible, and he will attack, without warning, without concern, without mercy. He will do whatever he can to leave us shaken, feeling helpless and unprotected, scared and alone.

But in those times, God is there. Even when we fall under attack, God is right there beside us. He knew ahead of time what was coming, even when we did not. In fact, just as I went to Cam and Marilyn for permission before launching my surprise attack on Josh, Satan must go to God for permission before he can do anything to us (i.e. Job 1). God “will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews  13:5), and just as Marilyn sat by Josh on his icy, wet bedside, God is by our side saying, “It’s ok, I’m right here.” It’s just a matter of listening to Him. You see, when those attacks come, we have a choice to make: we can either get caught up in the moment of the battle, and find ourselves lost in the minefield Satan has set before us, OR… we can choose to keep our eyes on Jesus. We can choose to “be still, and know that [He is] God” (Psalm 46:10). When the battle is raging around us, and we are disoriented, unsure of what to do, not knowing what is coming, or even, at times, what is happening all around us, and we feel completely shaken to our core, we can focus on that “still small voice” (I Kings 19:11-13). You see, as the battles ~ the winds and the rains, the earthquakes and fires ~ rage around us in our lives, God is there. He is not in those things, but He is in us, His children, and if we listen with our hearts, we will hear his “still small voice”, reminding us that “it’s ok” because He is there, and we are His.

I believe that many times, God allows Satan to attack us in our lives in order to bring us closer to Him (God). Sometimes, we get so caught up in everything else, that we forget about His “still small voice”, just as Josh didn’t hear my whisper in his room, and we tune it out… When we stop listening to God in the small ways, He uses/allows bigger things to get our attention. It’s like the refiner’s fire: sometimes, we have to go through the fire to burn away all that extra “stuff” that builds up, gradually blocking our view of God, separating us from Him, and His hand in our lives. In order to get rid of all the junk, all the little things that we hold on to that keep us from seeing Him and hinder us from walking with Him regularly, He has to allow it to be burned away. It’s not always easy or fun or pleasant; sometimes, it’s shocking, and painful, and hard. But in the end, it’s what is best for us because it puts us in our place ~ in the place and the condition that God wants us to be in.

So, the next time you find yourself under attack – expected or not – keep your focus on God. Remember that He will only allow these attacks if there is a good purpose for it. James 4:8 says, “Draw close to God and He will draw close to you”… take heed of that and draw yourself close to Christ Jesus, the King of Glory (Colossians), and let Him strengthen your faith. Let Him lead you to victory. Don’t forget that the war is already won; we are just making our way back across the battlefield, and Satan is there, throwing fits of anger and fury, refusing to accept The Truth.

But, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test,

he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him"... ~

James 1:12. I'm praying tonight for God's strength in overcoming the trials and

temptations that seem to crowd their way into our daily lives. May we choose to trust in

and rely on Him, Christ Jesus, the King of Glory, for He will see us through. He is there,

right beside us, just waiting for us to acknowledge Him and let Him lead us to victory.

Recently, I have had an influx of women sending emails to me asking if I have any information to help them cope with a husband who has PTSD.

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Patti... my husband has PTSD. 

PTSD is not something our men like to talk about.  It's not something we as wives want to think about either.  But, the truth is there are many military men coming back from deployment only to face a mental war inside themselves.

First and foremost, let me say... PTSD is not something you should be ashamed of.  If you think you have PTSD, or your husband has PTSD, it is very important that you go and find help.  The military offers free counseling for those who need it. 

I understand that some may not want to go on post for counseling.  There's another great resource out there... Give An Hour.  Give An Hour is a private organization that offers not only free counseling, but confidential counseling. 

Not only does PTSD effect our military men, but it effects families and can effect friendships.  If you suspect your husband has PTSD and he will not admit it, you should still consider seeking guidance for yourself.

The more you know about PTSD, the better you will be able to cope with someone who has PTSD.  Many military wives have secondary PTSD.

Pattis Top 10 on living with a combat injured, PTSD Vet:

1.  Seek Godly counsel

2. Educate yourself on PTSD; you can visit CNN Health, they offer an array of information on PTSD.  You can also GOOGLE PTSD and many results will pop up in the search engine.

3.  Learn what your husbands "triggers" are and how to defuse situations (example: anniversaries of difficult situations; death of commrads, extreme firefights etc).  If you know it's the anniversary of something difficult your husband experienced while your husband was away, you may know why he's having an exceptionally bad day, week or sometimes even month.

4.  Take care of yourself.  For the past couple of years, I have let myself go to take care of my husband and his injuries.  I am finally getting back on task when it comes to taking care of myself.  It's been a long road, and if you can avoid going down the road I went down - trust me, it will be best for you! Exercise, eat right, try to sleep good.  Its so easy to get wrapped up into worrying about your husband.  If you don't take care of yourself, you will eventually crumble.

5.  If your husband is also suffering from other mental conditions such as depression or self harm, allow them to feel the way they do - BUT - watch for warning signals that things may be getting worse so that you can help them by alerting a mental health team or doctor.

6.  Don't be hard on yourself! Do not blame yourself for your husbands PTSD, do not think you "should have" done this or that.  We all know that the horrific events of war are what caused your husbands PTSD, don't start questioning yourself.

7.  Keep a journal or have a mentor you can "vent" to.  As women, most of us are external processors.  This means, we need to release so many words to express our feelings and emotions.  You will feel better after releasing these thoughts/words.  You can either keep a journal or talk with a mentor.  Sometimes, as women - we just need to "get it all out."

8.  Marriage counselling with someone who understands PTSD would be very benifical.  I'm not saying this is going to "fix" your husbands PTSD, but it will hopefully allow you both an avenue to express yourselves on how you are both feeling, why you are feeling the way you do and what techniques may help you.

9.  Find a PTSD support group in your area.  If you cannot find a support group, maybe you will think about creating a support group yourself.  There's a very big need for PTSD support groups, and it's always good to know you are not traveling down that road alone.

10.  Don't be afraid to admit that you need help.  There are resources, organizations, support groups, books and so much more that are out there to help.  We should be very thankful these resources are in place for us in todays day and age. 

Resourses I have found helpful are:
Family Of A Vet




--------------------
God bless you all,
Patti Katter

My good friend, Lorie Southerland (Gold Star Mom to SPC Michael Rodriquez) has asked me to pass this information along to those living near Fort Bragg.
---

Amy Ball from "Friends of Kurdistan" would like to come speak about the changes that have been made possible by our loved ones serving in Iraq. 

 

Amy and her family will be here in North Carolina mid March, and would like to meet on Saturday the 20th. We could meet in the afternoon giving those who have to drive time to come to Fayetteville. I'm not sure where we will meet, I will need to get a head count. If you are interested please e-mail me and pass this on to anyone you think might be interested. Our loved ones did not die in vain and those serving are making a difference.

Here's a letter from Amy:

 

I have been searching for a US military family connection since my first trip to Iraq in January of 2009 as an election observer.

 

During my trip, I met with many Ministers of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Northern Iraq and I was surprised by the continued outpouring of gratitude and appreciation for the US liberation of Iraq that effectively saved them from a genocide that the rest of the world had turned a blind eye to.

 

The Minister of Culture's comments have stuck with me, he said,

 

"Our people do not have the words to express the gratitude we have for their contribution and our sorrow for the families who have lost their children in an attempt to save us.  We will not forget their contribution and I would very much like to have the opportunity to express these feelings to them personally, to welcome them into our home, to embrace & grieve with them as family and let them know that their child's sacrifice was not in vain."

 

To that end, I would like to discuss this with you and let those who lost their children know that they did not do so for nothing.  That children are able to play in the streets again, that women have rights they have never had before and that they are working on building a truly democratic system so that this never happens again.  

 

As a parent, I can not begin to imagine the heartbreak you have experienced, but on top of your loss, I did not want you to think that they have died in vain or that their sacrifice is unappreciated.  That simply could not be further from the truth.

 

I made a promise to each kurds that shared with me their gratitude for the sacrifices of your sons and daughters, that I would tell their families.  In March, if you and are group are open to this, my family and I could travel to visit your group and share this message with you.  I have discussed it with my husband, and being March break for the children we could build our holiday around the meeting.    I look forward to hearing from you.  You continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. Amy Ball

Ladies, we are pleased to announce that CMW has joined forces with The Girls Get Away Cruise... we are going to set sail October 14 - October 18.

We are still working the details out - they are working with us to give us the best price possible. They will offer monthly payments... without interest, which is wonderful.

What is the Girl's Get-A-Way Cruise?

The Girl's Get-A-Way Cruise is a cruise for women featuring today's top Christian speakers and artists. It's a cruise for all ladies from mothers and daughters to sisters and from good friends to church groups! There's something for everyone on the Girl's Get-A-Way Cruise. You'll enjoy morning devotions, meet and greets, two beautiful ports of call, shopping, exquisite dining and so much more!

What is included in the price of the cruise?

*all meals (there's gourmet fare in the formal dining rooms, casual indoor and outdoor grills open for meals throughout the day and 24 hour room service)
*non-carbonated beverages (i.e. tea, juices, coffee)
*all concerts, speaker sessions, etc. put on by Premier
*use of the ship's beautiful pools
*use of the ship's health and fitness center
*taxes, fees, and gratuities, are pre-paid and added to your reservation total ($225 per person)

What is not included in the price of the cruise?

*items of personal nature (phone calls, internet, laundry, etc.)
*spa & beauty salon
*soft drinks (however, cards are available for a low price which get you unlimited soft drinks throughout the cruise)
*any meals, events or excursions while in Port
*airfare (although you can take advantage of discounts offered through the Orbitz link on our website)
*ground transportation
*cruise insurance (available through Premier for an additional fee)

Who may sail?

Please make sure that everyone in your cabin is eligible to sail.

*Infants who are at least 6 months old on the day of departure may sail.
*Women who will be less than 24 weeks into their pregnancy on the day of departure, and for the duration of the cruise, may sail. This policy is due to the risk of premature labor. Pregnant women must have a letter from their doctor stating how far along (in weeks) their pregnancy will be at the beginning of the cruise, that mother and baby are in good health and fit to travel, and that the pregnancy is not high-risk.
*Adults aged twenty-one or older may sail. The Cruise Line shall refuse boarding to any guest under the age of twenty-one unless the guest is:
*traveling in the same stateroom with an individual twenty-five years or older;
*traveling in the same stateroom with their spouse (Proof of age and/or proof of marriage are required); or
*traveling with a parent or guardian in an accompanying stateroom.
Guests not conforming to these policies will be denied boarding and no refund of the cruise fare (if applicable) will be issued. Sorry, there are NO EXCEPTIONS to these policies.

Will there be a concert schedule available for the cruise?

Yes. You will receive a copy of the official "Cruise News" newspaper in the Port Terminal before we embark. This will give you a list of all the events for the trip.

Pricing:
If you book your reservations in January, prices begin at $100 down!

Prices booked on occupancy and room type:
We have cabins set aside for CMW.  The prices below include our CMW discount and are in Category M (Interior Stateroom).  You can invite all of your friends.  Civlians women welcome!

The following payments are set up per person, for the next 8 months if scheduled in January.  As you see, the more you have in a room, the less expensive. 

$100 down-payment
$77 per month - four per room
$81 per month - three per room
$84 per month -  two per room

You may choose how many people you would like in your room with you.  If you do not have anyone you can think of to share a room with, don't worry! We will work with you to try to partner you with another military wife.  Also, The Girls Get Away Cruise has a feature on their website to help you find a roommate.  You can register to find a roommate HERE.

Prices include port fees, taxes and tips. 

Interior Stateroom

CMW Newlywed Group Valentine's Day Giveaway

“Date Night”

One thing I have learned that is very important in any relationship is dating...especially the dating that comes after you marry your spouse, although the dating before marriage is important too!

With Valentine's Day coming up next month, the CMW Newlywed Group is having a free giveaway to one special military wife. This contest is open for participation for any military wife married 5 years or less.

Participation is easy:

1. Become a member on christianmilitarywives.com. Once you have joined you can find the newlywed group under the “groups” section under the “socialize” tab. The group is entitled “Newlywed Military Wives” and the direct link for the group is here: http://www.christianmilitarywives.com/groups/profile/94

1. Once you are on the group page, scroll down until you see the section entitled “forum.” You should see listed the most recent forum topics. Click on the one entitled **DATE NIGHT** Valentines Day Contest

    

2. Respond to this topic with a post about a special and memorable date you have had with your husband...It can be before you were married, or since. It can be as special as your proposal story or as simple as "Dominoes pizza in the candle light..."

    

The prize: A "Date Night" couples basket...contents valued at over $100, including the following: candles, girly bath stuff, popcorn, two devotional books for couples, a Blockbuster gift card, and more.

The contest will close January 31st and I will announce the randomly-chosen winner February 1st. I hope that you all can participate!

 

~Aprille (CMW Newlywed Ministry Team Leader)

Michael Fletcher is my Pastor.  He's a wonderful man of God, and his wife is a great woman of faith.  I am proud to have Michael and Laura in my family life.

Using a fun and free-flowing discussion format, Michael and Laura Fletcher answer some of the most burning and pertinent questions facing married and hoped-to-be-married people today. Each message includes a series of do-at-home assignments for both married couples and single individuals.

Let's Talk About Marriage is a five week study that Michael and Laura are leading.  Last week, Part I was our focus... God Invented Marriage.

Tomorrow, I am looking forward to hearing about Effective Communication.  If you are not in the Fort Bragg area, never fear! You can watch the videos here!

I hope you are blessed by the sermons as much as my husband and I have been blessed.

PART 1: God Invented Marriage (1/10/10)
PART 2: Effective Communication (1/17/10)
PART 3: Roles In Marriage- Pt.1 (1/24/10)
PART 4: Roles In Marriage- Pt. 2 (1/31/10)
PART 5: Rated "R" for Romance (2/7/10)

A large-scale study published yesterday found that 36.6percent of women whose husbands had deployed had at least one mental-health diagnosis, compared with 30.5 percent of women whose husbands had not deployed. Depression, anxiety, sleep disorder and acute stress reaction and adjustment disorder were the most common diagnoses in both groups. 

January 15, 2010 - Claire Shackleford is at it again! We have been blessed to have such a wonderful array of inspiring Christian guests on our talk shows.  The Lord is GOOD! We are happy to announce that Daryl Knudeson and Jody Mayhew will be on the show LIVE 1/15/10 at 9pm EST.  Join our show live, participate in chat... you can join us by going to our main website, ChristianMilitaryWives.Com and just click LISTEN.  It's that simple!

Daryl Knudeson, Women’s Representative

Daryl has been a pastor’s wife for nearly nineteen years, with the past six as an Air Force chaplain’s wife. Daryl ministers with her husband Jason through counseling and teaching adults in the civilian and military communities. She is passionate about leading women in Bible Study, and has written several Bible studies which have been taught mainly within the military community of Protestant Women of the Chapel (USAF), and in her home study group. She has been involved with IRM since 1993, first attending summits, then facilitating women’s and co-ed summits for the past eight years. Jason and Daryl have three children.

 Jody Mayhew, Special Representative

Jody ministers with her husband, Dan, in Summit Fellowships, a network of house churches in Portland, Oregon. During the last twenty years, she has worked as a counselor and teacher to women, as well as a director and consultant for women's ministries. God has equipped her with discernment and a passion for Himself that has been used in a variety of summit contexts. As more communities have expressed a desire for coed summits, Mayhew has played a key role in that arena, often facilitating with her husband. They have three children.

     On January 22, 2010 To Save a Life is opening in theaters nationwide.  This exciting Christian based film confronts many teen issues.  New Song Pictures gives viewers a touching story that will certainly change the way they see people.  The story is inspiring and the way it deals with the issues the characters face is remarkable.

    To Save a Life is the story of a teenage boy, Jake (Randy Wayne), who must make the choice to do what is popular or what is right.  In the past he made the choice to be popular and it cost him a friend, literally.  Now he will not let that happen again.  Jake must also decide what he believes as far as God.  A youth pastor, Chris (Joshua Weigel), comes into Jake’s path and he has a very unique, but effective way of dealing with the teens. Jake’s faith is tested by many difficulties, but the final outcome is inspirational.

     To Save a Life discusses difficult topics such as suicide, cutting, divorce, teen pregnancy, dating, partying, drinking/drugs, depression, abortion, adultery and more.  Although it is very tastefully handled, parents and leaders should know.  This is a very moving film that will help adults to understand what our teens are facing and teens to see what their actions towards others could be saying.

    To Save a Life is a powerful movie.  It is a great film for any teen, parent, youth group, etc.  I do want to warn there are some topics that might be too mature for younger kids; however most teens are aware of these issues.  Please check out the official website www.tosavealifemovie.com to find a theater near you and for resources.  Today many teens are faced with issues and situations similar to those discussed in the movie and this film may be just what is needed, to save a life.