Only Jesus Can Heal the Invisible Wounds of War
“I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.”
Jeremiah 31:13
Every day 21 U.S. Veterans succumb to Post Traumatic Stress and take their own lives in a desperate attempt to put an end to their turmoil and suffering.
Joni and Friends is dedicated to doing everything possible to give our servicemen and women hope in their hardships while saving more lives – and souls – for Christ! We do that through our Warrior Getaway program, and we do that by bringing awareness to the invisible but very real wounds of war.
While Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) can be experienced by anyone who has survived traumatic events, as a group our combat Veterans wrestle with PTS in alarming numbers.
“The transition from war to civilian life can be excruciating, as combat zones have a way of traveling home with us. Even when the Warrior comes home, war is ever by his side,”
It comes in the form of Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and moral injury – which is the guilt and shame that follows Veterans home from active duty. Whether there is a physical disability or not, these invisible disabilities become the enemy our Veterans – and their families – must battle each and every day.
As one Army Veteran explains, “I feel like I never came back.”
That soldier returned home from the war over ten years ago.
Another Veteran said it this way, “My body is back, but my soul stayed over there.”
When asked why he came to Warrior Getaway, yet another Veteran confessed, “I don’t want to end up another casualty.”
But while the anguish of PTS can be debilitating, the miracles found at Warrior Getaway bring deep peace and emotional freedom.
One Veteran explains it like this, “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has been a wound to my soul, but here at Warrior Getaway you can actually see miracles taking place because you can see the healing process at work.”
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
2 Corinthians 3:17
That’s exactly why our Warrior Getaways are so critical to a Veteran’s re-entry and healing. During their five days at the Warrior Getaway, Veterans and their families experience rest and restoration through worship music, biblical teaching, support groups run by professional therapists, recreation, and fellowship with other military families.
“It’s so good to be surrounded with other Warriors who get it. No one else can relate to what I’ve been through, but here we stand on common ground. The walls come down and healing can begin,”
And our Veterans aren’t the only ones being served at Warrior Getaway. At Warrior Getaway, the entire family receives healing.
One of the military wives summed it up best when she said, “When my husband returned home from war, I never felt less loved, less needed or less important to him. But the love we experienced here at Warrior Getaway has inspired us to love each other again.”
“Warrior Getaway is the best respite, healing, fellowship and fun we’ve had together as a family in years,” shared one Veteran’s wife.
At Warrior Getaway, her husband was finally able to find friendship, hope and healing.
Another Warrior wife said it best, “Nothing else ever worked. Nothing else was ever able to get through to my husband. Here at Warrior Getaway, we have found peace. And we realize God has so much more for us.”
“The Warrior Getaway taught me how to trust again,” confessed her husband. “Here at Warrior Getaway, I have come back to Christ. And I have learned that I have value as a father, husband, and friend.”
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1
The love of God is shown strong at our Warrior Getaways, and for many of these broken military families, it’s the only place they see and experience Jesus. That is why Warrior Getaways are so transformative, and it’s also why so many of the Veterans we serve at Warrior Getaways return again in the future as leaders.
“God has brought me so far in my healing here at the Warrior Getaway. Having Christ at the center of it all is everything. And now that I’m on the other side of my depression, I consider it my ministry to encourage other Warriors so they can begin their healing journey, too,” shares one Veteran who found the healing power of Jesus at Warrior Getaway.
There are 3 million Veterans suffering from the devastating symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress in the United States. As a result, 80% of these military marriages end in divorce.
Joni and Friends will not – we cannot – sit by and do nothing while our brave Veterans and their families suffer.
We consider it our honor to bring the good news of Christ to these families who sacrificed everything to defend our freedoms because we see God’s faithfulness in one family after another.
So often their testimony is, “Warrior Getaway has changed our lives. Our marriage has grown, and our children are thriving, and we have experienced God’s love in ways we’ve never felt before.”
“Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13
Warrior Getaways are a safe place where the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guards the hearts and minds of our courageous Veterans and their families.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7
Be it in Vietnam, Afghanistan or Iraq… the darkness and depression that follows our Veterans home begs for the light of the Gospel. And at our Warrior Getaways, the Good News of Jesus flows as freely as the healing tears coming from Veterans, their spouses and their children.
Joni and Friends Warrior Getaway
Thank you for partnering with us as we serve those who so sacrificially served our country. Through Warrior Getaways, we are pointing these very special families to Jesus – the only one who can truly heal the invisible wounds of war.
