Our Ministry to the Broken Hearted
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Using Hope's own journals, writings, and our story of tragedy to healing, we are becoming a voice of hope to her generation and beyond. Our heart is to minister to the broken hearted, to bereaved parents, to those who have suffered traumatic loss, to parents who are fighting for a son or daughter who is suffering with suicidal thoughts and depression, and to a generation of youth and young adults who suffer from hopelessness, pain, and confusion at the hand of the enemy.
We are not counselors or a personal on-going organization of help for suicide, but planters of hope through the power and presence of Jesus, the word of God, and the love of the Father that breaks the yoke of bondage that has found power in the silence, shame, and suffering of God's children. It is our overarching mandate to teach a generation, both young and old, how to suffer with Christ that they may be resurrected with Him in victory. |
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What Does Our Events Look Like to the church?
Youth/College Student Service
| there_is_hope_youth_service__2_.pdf |
Suicide is a spiritual battle make no mistakes. It is a battle between darkness and light, good and evil, the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of Hell. It is a battle for the sons and daughters of God. The heavenly Father’s heart is ultimately to bring His kingdom to earth through His children. Every son and daughter have been called for this purpose, and just like in the time of Jesus’ birth, there is an all-out war killing to abort that purpose. Satan knows his time is short and through the spirit of deception, confusion, suffering, and hopelessness, he has increased a spirit of suicide of this generation. A generation must be saved, and the only way to do that is through the power of the Holy Spirit, the blood of the Lamb, and the Word of life. A generation must encounter love Himself. Through our testimony and the words of our daughter, Hope, herself, we are depositing hope to a generation to live and not die.
Addressing suicide to students in the walls of our churches is not about speaking to those who want to physically kill themselves, it’s about the "Garden Moments" happening within the soul of an entire generation. It’s about a generation who walks with God and talks with God, but beholds the voice of seduction and the fruit of deception in front of them. It's a wrestling in the soul of our youth who know where they will live in eternity to come, but do not know how to live in the life of today. When we speak to students we address these two "Garden Moments" that get to the heart of the matter and infuse hope for them to live the abundant life Christ desires for them.
1. Garden Moments that bring identity crisis. Saved yes, but confused and anguished in their soul over who they are in Christ and the purpose of which they were creator for. Without purpose, there is no hope. This generation has be labeled the most hopeless generation that ever was, Satan's fruit of deception has left them walking aimlessly without any footing or foundation to stand on. Like Adam and Eve, they carry shame and guilt and hear the whispers of Satan defining who they are. If we can get a generation to hide inside of Christ, dyeing to self, they will find their purpose to live. They will find fullness of life.
2. Garden Moments that come out of suffering. In this world we will have pain and suffering, but this generation today does not know how to walk through suffering well inside of Christ. They desperately are seeking relief from the pain in all the wrong places. One of the key ideas we discuss is how to suffer well inside of Christ, that hope and victory may be found. The culture all around them is shouting the ideology of worldly peace, love, and self-preservation creating self-gods. While temporary peace may come, so will suffering, and without God exalted to His highest place in their life, hopelessness will be the fruit. A generation must learn how to suffer well inside of Christ that they may obtain the resurrection power of Christ to become overcomers.
This night of ministry is for youth, young adults, and parents. Our message is powerful and extremely impactful. It catches the attention of every person in the room, tearing down walls and enabling the Spirit of God to heal and deliver with His truth and love. Help starts with a cry; it is our call to initiate that cry and pierce the silence where Satan is most powerful. We create an opportunity for Jesus to minister to the suffering and for the suffering to break the silence and use their voice to cry out "I need help." This is our altar ministry time. We strongly encourage parents to be included in this night, as we make time in this atmosphere of freedom and love for them to affirm their children, ask the hard questions, and give permission for their children to share their struggles.
During these nights of ministry we also encourage the church to provide counseling resources and helps if needed for continued care of students and families.
Addressing suicide to students in the walls of our churches is not about speaking to those who want to physically kill themselves, it’s about the "Garden Moments" happening within the soul of an entire generation. It’s about a generation who walks with God and talks with God, but beholds the voice of seduction and the fruit of deception in front of them. It's a wrestling in the soul of our youth who know where they will live in eternity to come, but do not know how to live in the life of today. When we speak to students we address these two "Garden Moments" that get to the heart of the matter and infuse hope for them to live the abundant life Christ desires for them.
1. Garden Moments that bring identity crisis. Saved yes, but confused and anguished in their soul over who they are in Christ and the purpose of which they were creator for. Without purpose, there is no hope. This generation has be labeled the most hopeless generation that ever was, Satan's fruit of deception has left them walking aimlessly without any footing or foundation to stand on. Like Adam and Eve, they carry shame and guilt and hear the whispers of Satan defining who they are. If we can get a generation to hide inside of Christ, dyeing to self, they will find their purpose to live. They will find fullness of life.
2. Garden Moments that come out of suffering. In this world we will have pain and suffering, but this generation today does not know how to walk through suffering well inside of Christ. They desperately are seeking relief from the pain in all the wrong places. One of the key ideas we discuss is how to suffer well inside of Christ, that hope and victory may be found. The culture all around them is shouting the ideology of worldly peace, love, and self-preservation creating self-gods. While temporary peace may come, so will suffering, and without God exalted to His highest place in their life, hopelessness will be the fruit. A generation must learn how to suffer well inside of Christ that they may obtain the resurrection power of Christ to become overcomers.
This night of ministry is for youth, young adults, and parents. Our message is powerful and extremely impactful. It catches the attention of every person in the room, tearing down walls and enabling the Spirit of God to heal and deliver with His truth and love. Help starts with a cry; it is our call to initiate that cry and pierce the silence where Satan is most powerful. We create an opportunity for Jesus to minister to the suffering and for the suffering to break the silence and use their voice to cry out "I need help." This is our altar ministry time. We strongly encourage parents to be included in this night, as we make time in this atmosphere of freedom and love for them to affirm their children, ask the hard questions, and give permission for their children to share their struggles.
During these nights of ministry we also encourage the church to provide counseling resources and helps if needed for continued care of students and families.
Faith-Based Mental Health Crisis Equipping Workshop
| faith-based_workshop.pdf |
This workshop was birthed out of a need I saw within churches as we began to speak to youth groups and parents. Church leaders were torn between wanting to address the epidemic of hopelessness and suicide with the youth and young adults of their congregation, yet feeling ill-equipped to handle the “what’s next” if they did. Tragically, that battle, more times then not, brings fear and silence, enabling them to engage. Myths and false perceptions about such topics being left to the professionals of the mental health organizations, only affirms and fuels the silence, and silence is where Satan has done his best work. Hopelessness and suicide are just as much, if not more, a spiritual issue then they are a mental health issue. Thousands of Jesus-loving, church-going, youth and young adults are in a battle for their life, and the church has set back, quiet, and in fear that they don’t have what it takes to win the battle for this generation. When the truth is, the church has the ONLY answer and weapon to see a generation healed, delivered, and set free from the spirits of this age.
In this workshop, I use our own testimony of losing our seventeen-year-old daughter, Hope, to suicide in 2020, and what we have learned on the other side of that tragic loss, to equip and prepare the church for the battle against the epidemic of hopelessness and suicide upon a generation. Everywhere we have been able to speak to youth groups, countless of broken teens and young adults have cried out for help. It is my heart the silence will be broken, the church will be equipped and ready, and this generation will be freed from the spirit of deception bringing death and torment to their souls.
In this workshop, I use our own testimony of losing our seventeen-year-old daughter, Hope, to suicide in 2020, and what we have learned on the other side of that tragic loss, to equip and prepare the church for the battle against the epidemic of hopelessness and suicide upon a generation. Everywhere we have been able to speak to youth groups, countless of broken teens and young adults have cried out for help. It is my heart the silence will be broken, the church will be equipped and ready, and this generation will be freed from the spirit of deception bringing death and torment to their souls.
What does our Public school assembly look like?
| school_assembly_brochure__2_.pdf |
In January of 2020 we tragically lost our daughter, Hope, through suicide. It was life shattering and completely unexpected. Although we knew out daughter struggled with low self-esteem, as many young teens do, we had no idea the degree of which she was suffering. She hid it well.
As we began to walk through the healing process, we began to reflect on what had happened and what brought her to that place, space, and time to make the decision to end her life. They say hindsight is twenty-twenty. As in the case with most suicide bereaved, we do not have all the answers, but what we do have is Hope’s story, and a story of hope, to share to her generation and beyond, that her story would not become theirs.
Hope left behind over thirteen journals, most full of her beautiful artwork, poems, and words of hope and wisdom penned on paper. These journals offer a very unique opportunity for Hope herself to speak to students. What if she could come back into the room? What would she say to her peers? What would she do differently if she could undo what she had done?
In the School Assembly I share many of her own journal entries of hope. I also discuss some of the things I know she would do differently if she could, that may have been the difference between life and death. This approach grabs the attention of every student in the room and infuses into their heart and mind a rare perspective that has the power to break the silence of shame, bringing the first steps to a healthier mental perspective, and many times, saving a life of someone who is struggling to live.
As we began to walk through the healing process, we began to reflect on what had happened and what brought her to that place, space, and time to make the decision to end her life. They say hindsight is twenty-twenty. As in the case with most suicide bereaved, we do not have all the answers, but what we do have is Hope’s story, and a story of hope, to share to her generation and beyond, that her story would not become theirs.
Hope left behind over thirteen journals, most full of her beautiful artwork, poems, and words of hope and wisdom penned on paper. These journals offer a very unique opportunity for Hope herself to speak to students. What if she could come back into the room? What would she say to her peers? What would she do differently if she could undo what she had done?
In the School Assembly I share many of her own journal entries of hope. I also discuss some of the things I know she would do differently if she could, that may have been the difference between life and death. This approach grabs the attention of every student in the room and infuses into their heart and mind a rare perspective that has the power to break the silence of shame, bringing the first steps to a healthier mental perspective, and many times, saving a life of someone who is struggling to live.
Ministry to the Broken Hearted
Once a year we host our own ministry night where I share the deepest parts of my pain and suffering and what the Father has taught me through it. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit we ministry to the bereaved or parents who are contending for a prodigal, suicidal, addicted child, or broken family.
"Just wanted to say thank you so much for your ministry. Saturday night was so healing for me. Your words hold so much value and meaning and I know it pierced the hearts of every person in that room. Thank you for saying yes to God and allowing Him to work through you after such tragedy. I know that your ministry is changing lives."
Testimonies
Hi Alicia and Jason! This is (Youth Pastor's Wife). I know I got the honor to talk to y’all at the end of service this evening, but I wanted to reach out again and just tell you how thankful, and truly honored we were to have you share your story & Hope’s story with our students at Oasis. The parents are so thankful, the students are texting me like crazy, I cannot even explain the massive impact this has had. That being said, after hearing you say you could’ve gone the “easy way” and not shared her story all the time, but CHOSE to share and spread hope and the love of Jesus, I just truly wanted to THANK YOU for choosing the hard thing so that our students and I’m sure so many countless others can know that there is HOPE!!! I cannot imagine how difficult that must be. Jesus just shined through you in every way possible, I’m not sure if it feels like that to you when you speak, but I felt a healing anointing as you spoke to our students and the parents, it was something I’ll never forget. This will forever impact Oasis and I am sharing your website with many pastor friends now!
Good morning, I just wanted to share with you, I was at Stratford Heights last night and had the pleasure of you speaking. My daughter brought 3 friends with her and 1 of them had just been to the doctor YESTERDAY battling depression and anxiety. I didn't know she was dealing with this and neither did my daughter. When we invited her we didn't know you were going to be there and what you were speaking about..... but GOD, he did. As you were speaking the tears just kept coming and coming from her, as I was sitting there I could feel the Lord working in her. During the sharing time I stepped in for all 4 girls and prayed with them and she shared what she had been experiencing...... it was so AWESOME to share with her the ordained, divine appointment she had with GOD. I spoke to her mother this morning and she said it was like a different kid came home last night. Thank you for being obedient and sharing your story, with GOD you are touching so many lives!! I pray strength, peace and blessings over you and your family in Jesus's name.
Your message is filled with hope… hope for the youth of today, but it is a message that transcends age. Hope is for everyone, and you made that clear last night. I loved what you said about all things of this world are temporary and always changing, which means so do our situations. Don’t make a permanent decision based on temporary problems. Trust that our Father goes before us, working all things together for our good because we love Him and do His will.
Thank You for speaking to Calvary Church.
I love and appreciate you!
I am so grateful that Kylie and I could attend last night. There aren’t the right words to articulate all the emotions I felt leaving last evening. The anointing and presence of God was so powerful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so vulnerable in sharing your loss and pain to reach so many in need. Hope’s story and testimony is bringing life, restoration and healing to a generation in such need. Hell is losing its grip on our teens, and I believe many teens were set free last night. God Bless you always Alicia.
“I was SO encouraged by your talk yesterday. Man, you do it so beautifully...tactfully talking about a personal and difficult topic and pointing the listeners towards their true hope and identity in Jesus. I can't express how much that means to me. The parents in our community were SO grateful that this was being talked about. I received an abundance of "thank you's" and encouragement...parents stating that they were both proud of and encouraged by us tackling "hard things", some of them referencing their own hardships.”-Cincinnati Christian School
Your message is filled with hope… hope for the youth of today, but it is a message that transcends age. Hope is for everyone, and you made that clear last night. I loved what you said about all things of this world are temporary and always changing, which means so do our situations. Don’t make a permanent decision based on temporary problems. Trust that our Father goes before us, working all things together for our good because we love Him and do His will.
Thank You for speaking to Calvary Church.
I love and appreciate you!
I am so grateful that Kylie and I could attend last night. There aren’t the right words to articulate all the emotions I felt leaving last evening. The anointing and presence of God was so powerful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so vulnerable in sharing your loss and pain to reach so many in need. Hope’s story and testimony is bringing life, restoration and healing to a generation in such need. Hell is losing its grip on our teens, and I believe many teens were set free last night. God Bless you always Alicia.
“I was SO encouraged by your talk yesterday. Man, you do it so beautifully...tactfully talking about a personal and difficult topic and pointing the listeners towards their true hope and identity in Jesus. I can't express how much that means to me. The parents in our community were SO grateful that this was being talked about. I received an abundance of "thank you's" and encouragement...parents stating that they were both proud of and encouraged by us tackling "hard things", some of them referencing their own hardships.”-Cincinnati Christian School
There is Hope Initiative Resources
Read Now:
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| there_is_hope_introduction.pdf |
If Hope could come back now, knowing all truth, what would she say to a generation of youth who are struggling with the same things she did?
THERE IS HOPE, EVEN If YOUR BRAIN TELLS YOU THERE IS'NT!
On the first year mark of Hope's passing I spoke to the youth and parents of our home church. Using Hope's own words and journals, I planted seeds of hope to live beyond the moment, situation, or feelings they were having. I did not water down what Hope struggled with, but was raw, transparent, and real to a generation about the battle for our minds. There is a very real and aggressive enemy, Satan who is after the minds of a generation, but there is also a very real and loving Father who has called a generation's identity to be in Him.
Out of this moment the Father gave me two books for youth and young adults. The first one is called, There is Hope-Even When Your Brain Tells you There Isn't. Named after one of Hope's own journal pages, It is a combination of Hope's writings and artwork, along with my plea to a generation to allow the Father's voice to be louder then the accusers. Their story does not have to end like Hope's did, and through her own voice penned on paper, the hope of God will arise to deliver, heal, and save them.
THERE IS HOPE, EVEN If YOUR BRAIN TELLS YOU THERE IS'NT!
On the first year mark of Hope's passing I spoke to the youth and parents of our home church. Using Hope's own words and journals, I planted seeds of hope to live beyond the moment, situation, or feelings they were having. I did not water down what Hope struggled with, but was raw, transparent, and real to a generation about the battle for our minds. There is a very real and aggressive enemy, Satan who is after the minds of a generation, but there is also a very real and loving Father who has called a generation's identity to be in Him.
Out of this moment the Father gave me two books for youth and young adults. The first one is called, There is Hope-Even When Your Brain Tells you There Isn't. Named after one of Hope's own journal pages, It is a combination of Hope's writings and artwork, along with my plea to a generation to allow the Father's voice to be louder then the accusers. Their story does not have to end like Hope's did, and through her own voice penned on paper, the hope of God will arise to deliver, heal, and save them.
Read Now:
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TBN PublishedAt the Cliffs of AbandonmentAfter the suicide death of our daughter, my heart became a battlefield between seeking answers that could put all the pieces back together again, finding peace and courage that enabled me to forgive myself, and even God, to move forward. This is my journey at the cliffs of abandonment. It is a place of death, loss, hopelessness, and fear. It is a place of wrestling with who the Father truly is and who I am in Him. It is a place of courage to embrace the Father's cup of suffering He has permitted for me until all that remains is hope and resurrection life.
Seeds of Hope Journal
The second book is a journal created from the compilation of Hope's artwork and journal entries called Seeds of Hope. I have struggled with what I did or did not do right when it comes to Hope. But outside of the Father reassuring me that Jason and I lead her to Him and that was the single greatest thing we could of ever done, there is one more I am so very proud of, teaching her to journal what the Father was speaking to her. Her journals are now my greatest treasure, as it is the eternal voice of the Father deposited into our sweet daughter. Now those eternal words of the Father will become seeds of hope deposited into others, creating opportunity for the Father to speak once again to His children. A perpetuation of truth and identity found beyond this world. |
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The Cup of Suffering 31 day devotional Plus journalingThis thirty-one day devotional is an invitation to seek courage while looking up to see the light of Jesus in your own dark place of suffering. Whatever your cup of suffering is, Jesus desires to share- it with you. May my personal stories of suffering with Christ lead you on a journey to do the same. Every drink from this cup will transform you by resurrecting life and hope into your broken heart and soul. the devotional has journaling for each day. Hard cover only.
A perfect gift for someone you know who has been through a tragic loss | |||
