“I know that I have life insofar as I have love. I have no love except it come from Thee. Help me, please, to carry this candle against the wind.” -Wendell Berry As most people know, we have experienced some difficult days in the Flathead over the last month and a half. Death, pain, and … Read More
There has been a scourge of hopelessness in our community lately, and it has led to a large number of people succumbing to the demons pushing them to take their lives. The heartbreak of the survivors after a suicide is immense, and a lifetime of grieving takes a toll no one should have to bear. … Read More
One of the joys I have is teaching Compassion Fatigue to each class of new nurses at our hospital. This seminar helps to equip these registered nurses to take care of themselves while they serve in a high-stress career that too often leads to burnout within their first year. Those who work in the caregiving … Read More
By Chaplain Chris Messenger A couple of weeks ago, I received a call from Drew Buckner, the head chaplain at Braveheart Ministry, and he asked if I wanted to go on a call with him concerning the death of a teenager in downtown Kalispell. Though internally not knowing what to expect, my desire to help … Read More
Getting hit hard hurts! Whether it is in sports, a surprise business downturn, the dissolution of a significant relationship or an unexpected tragedy, it causes pain! Around 8:30 a.m. last Thursday, I was contacted by a shift leader of an emergency responder agency. He and his crew were on the scene of a young person’s … Read More
Holiday recipes are for the purpose of creating something tasty to eat! Most families experience these traditions and joys every year. For some people, these same holidays can be a recipe for painful circumstances. In the emergency responder world, this is basically expected each year. This year was no different as Christmas afternoon was interrupted by … Read More
This is one of the most difficult type of emergency calls to respond to for all responders. Anytime children die, it brings about piercing screams, severe shock, and other adverse reactions. These screaming sounds and the expressions on parent’s faces are not quickly forgotten. In a sense, they go with us. Standing beside families as … Read More
It’s the phone call-page out that no one who works in the emergency responder world wants to receive. It almost automatically raises one’s heart rate, blood pressure, stress level and more. It’s that of an infant not breathing or having died. When I was called by dispatch, it was not quite mid-morning and the infant … Read More
Tears of sadness fell from the eyes of the young adult whose friend lay dead inside of the house. As this mourning female sat in the back seat of a law enforcement truck, she was in need of consoling. Prior to arriving on scene, I had been making a routine, late afternoon visit to the … Read More
“The tow truck driver and I both admitted that neither of us had ever seen a car’s engine end up 50 yards from the vehicle it belonged in.” On Wednesday morning, a new volunteer chaplain candidate with a law enforcement agency had completed his interview. He requested that if I had a call which he … Read More
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