The IPFCA is committed to helping and answering hard questions that impact your life and your spiritual life. We are trying to help answer real life question in hope of reducing stress and obtaining peace of mind resulting in a happy joyful life in the course of what God has called you to do in service to Him, your Country and your community.

You as a First Responder, Police Officer, Fire Fighter, EMS or military personnel may have many questions concerning you and God. Questions like the following:

• Does the Bible mention my profession and me?

• Where do I go if I am killed in the line of duty?

• Will I go to heaven? Does God care about me, and the Stress I go through?

• Where does my authority come from?

• When I am tempted about taking my own life, how can I overcome Suicide?

• How do I overcome stress?

Lets look at God's word to help answer some of these tough questions. Remember if you are struggling with these situations or thoughts, please feel free to contact us. We can pray with you and help you with good solid answers.

Q: Where does my authority come from?
Q: Does the bible mention my profession and me?

A:
These two questions are answered in Romans 13:1, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” {Ordained: or, ordered} Look you and your Profession is Ordered by God, wither you are Military, Police, Fire, or EMS, and or any type of First Responder of any Kind, remember God establishes Government, and power, this power is Ordained or Ordered by God Himself. And puts the Call of your profession in your heart.

Romans 13:2, Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

The Bible is clear here, people or groups of people who resisteth his power and Ordinances, go against his laws. In short America Laws are based off the Ten Commandments. Plus crimes against Humanity are based on Godly principles.

Romans 13:4, For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Look closely at this, God Calls you, a Minister of God, to do Good, and you are Gods revenger according to the law, as a police Officer or Military personnel you are stopping Evil and protecting the innocent, and Firefighters and EMS emergency workers are saving lives and destruction. It goes on to say:

Romans 13:6, For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Romans 13:, Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

God calls First Responders, his own Ministers, (sounds great. you are a Minister of God, why? (Because you minister to people in trouble) because you continually work at stopping evil, and traumatic events, and you are attending to the needs of others. God also says in verse seven. God says, that you deserve tribute and honor for the service you do. God loves you, and cares for you, and highly esteems you.

Q: Where do I go, if I am killed in the line of duty?
Q: Will I go to heaven? Does God care about me, and the Stress I go through?

A:
These two questions are the most common asked questions, thoughts and concerns of First Responder emergency personnel. When you are putting your life on the line, and face death continuously, most people think working in a Godly or worthy profession that by doing good and being good morally they will automatically go to heaven. And this is the furthest thing from the truth. Lets see what God say’s:

Bible says in (John 3:36). (Red letter, Jesus is speaking)

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life". You must put your trust in Christ.

You will not enter heaven no matter who you are, unless you accept Christ! The question is, is there a hereafter? Yes there is, (Hebrews 9:27) "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment". Yes. Every man & woman will stand before Christ and be judged by what they did in this body, while on earth. It would be horrible for anyone to die and go to hell. Even you, an ordained police officer fighting evil every day laying down your life for others! God gave His only son, so you as a person, a First Responder, could have eternal life. Romans 10:9 Says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved".

Yes, you have been given the ultimate gift, Eternal life through Christ. All you need to do is call upon him. Romans 10:13 states, "who so ever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved"

Who so ever is you, calling upon the name of Jesus Christ. Just confess your sin to him alone and except him as your personal savior. In the last book of the Bible; Revelation 20- verse 11-15, it states that the dead, small and great stand before God. The books where opened. When you accepted Christ your name was written down in the lamb’s book of life. Then you will have eternal life in heaven through Christ. You can have peace in your heart and peace on the job. Surrender all your problems and cares to Christ. Just trust him.

Pray this simple prayer from your heart and really mean it, "Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, I confess my sins to you, and I believe you, (Jesus) died on the cross for my sins. I believe your Father; God raised you from the dead. I accept you Lord and Savior"

Q: When I am tempted about taking my own life, how can I over come Suicide?

A:
First we must understand why, or what would lead a highly trained emergency personnel to get to this point, (Suicide) In short the lack of training in Critical Stress Management, and the extreme need to rely on God first, and our peers, through proper training, and trying to understand and spiritual, and mental images and feelings that you are going to experience in your profession.

This area is extremely tough; when stress factors build (everyday Life) build to the breaking point, ending the pain and individual is going through, that person just wants the pain to stop, so self-medication by alcohol, drugs, elicit sex, seems to numb the pain temporally, but eventually wears of, or over time does not work anymore, all they know at the time is stop the pain, or the images stuck in their head to stop at any cost. Images of horrible accidents, remembering and experiencing traumatic events, like seeing people die, or the loose of a partner or co-worker.

With the added stress of Marriage, or family problems, and other work related problems, can lead one to start by thinking if I were dead I would be much better off. Everyday people do not realize the stress of First Responders, what Police officer face each day, or what Firefighters face. How can I stop the pain? Critical incident stress is the number one leading cause of health related disease, substance abuse, and suicide.

Signs to watch for in yourself and fellow First Responders:

Early Warning Signs

• Vague anxiety

• Boredom

• General fatigue

• More boredom

• Mild rashes

• Headaches

• Withdrawal from others, etc.

Entrenched Symptoms

• Chronic depression

• Loss of joy with life

• Chronic anger

• Increased drinking

• Thoughts of suicide

• Emotional outbursts

• Marital or relationship discord

• Conflict with fellow workers

• Conflict with Supervisors

• Increasing discipline problems

• Increased self-destructive behavior (like smoking)

• Withdrawal from loved ones

• Loss of trust in others

• Increasing paranoia

• Loss of ambition

• (these are just to name a few)

Mild Symptoms (all early warning signs, plus:)

• Irritability

• Chronic tension

• Depression

• Frustration

• Frequent sighs

• Sleep disturbance

• Chronic worry

• Loss of interest in work

• More frequent colds
  

Severe Symptoms

• Rage reactions

• Homicidal thoughts

• Suicidal thoughts or acts

• Easily angered

• Verbally violent outbursts

• Acts of violence

• Threats to others

• Excessive drinking

• Severe depression

• Severe paranoia

• Break up of relationships due to minor issues

• (these are just to name a few)
  

Many biblical characters got discouraged and prayed to die:

MOSES, Numbers 11:15, "And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness."

• Moses was a mighty man of God, but he was just a man, subject to hurts like all of us.

• Moses had seen the height of victory with his own eyes, but then things turned sour.

• That was when the STRESS which normally accompanies responsibility became DISTRESS and Moses became despondent.

• Numbers 11:14, "I am not able to bear all this people alone, because [it is] too heavy for me."
  

JONAH, Jonah 4:3, "Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for [it is] better for me to die than to live."

• Jonah's problem was an unforgiving heart and a vindictive spirit.
  

ELIJAH, I Kings 19:4, "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I [am] not better than my fathers.

Q: How do I overcome stress?

A:
The Bibles says God will walk and strength you.

Philippians 4:3, I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:8, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

You need to renew your mind every day, ask to help you heal, and gain strength, get back to the things that make you happy,

The Encouragement of Christian Counseling

The right word spoken at the right time can change a life. We are continually Involved in conversations with needy people. Imagine a tool so powerful that with it you could lift the level of another person's or officers moral life. You can find many outlets in your Department or unit. Just by Talking to a Chaplain, or a fellow officer. There are a variety of ways to begin the actual Intervention Process. There is nothing wrong with you, getting counseling is perfect normal in high stress situations, and the last thing you want to do is releases negative stress out on your fellow officers, Family or friends.

But those rosy predictions have been replaced by this harsh reality: people today are working harder and longer than ever! In spite of life's demands there are many simple, effective steps that you can take to ease your daily pressures. Remember stress reduction starts with you! You have to be willing to make changes in your own life to begin to reduce the stress.

Stress reduction begins with an evaluation of one's life. Taking a close look at your life and the things that you can control will help with your evaluation. Here are some ways you can reduce stress in your life:

1. Rather than jumping out of bed and rushing to start your day, plan to get up 15 minutes earlier each morning and take time to meditate and pray. Beginning this way provides a foundation for the rest of the day.





2. Live in the present moment. Anxiety increases when we brood about a past event or fret about a future obligation.





3. Approach a stressful event with a positive attitude and it will boost your energy.





4. Remember, you get to make mistakes in life. Don't be so hard on yourself.





5. Give yourself some credit. Each day take a moment to give yourself a pat on the back for all the things that you do. Appreciate the great balancing act that God enables you to pull off daily as you manage multiple responsibilities at home, at work, at church and in the community.





6. Take the time each day to create peaceful images in your mind. During your workday, occasionally pause to imagine yourself in a tranquil setting.





7. Change your eating environment. Get out of the office or your patrol car and enjoy your meal in the park. Occasionally eat by yourself in silence. Eat slowly, and enjoy yourself and be thankful for your meal.





8. Observe your breathing. When we are relaxed, our breathing is slow and even. However, when we are anxious or upset, we tend to breathe irregularly.





9. Take a brisk walk. Exercise burns off the excess adrenaline that fuels feelings of anxiety and stress.





10. Practice hospitality. Greet people with a smile; this will make others feel good and in turn, it will give you a deep sense of ease, calm, and peace.





11. Just say no. You don't have to accept every project, every invitation to become involved, and every opportunity to attend a meeting.





12. Relive a happy memory. In a time of stress look back and remember a pleasant experience or satisfying moment in your life.





13. Settle for good enough. It's amazing how much stress can be completely eliminated when we decide that we don't have to have the cleanest house, the best manicured lawn, and the most well behaved children.





14. Walk in someone else's shoes. Try to see a conflict or difference of opinion from another person's point of view.





15. Don't bring work problems home or home problems to work. When you pull into the driveway, take a minute to orient yourself to being with your family and entering your home.

Most of us aren't able to get rid of all the stress in our busy lives. However, by finding ways to cope with and reduce stress and keeping your live simple, you can begin to start sorting out what really matters in your life.

THE SIX R's FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT

RESPONSIBILITY
You are in control
Establish priorities
Keep it simple

REFLECTION
Know your stress triggers
Be aware of stress symptoms
Check your balance in life

RELAXATION
Do something good for yourself
Schedule "worry time"
Schedule time out

RELATIONSHIPS
Maintain supportive relationships
Manage your relationships
Improve your relationships with yourself

REFUELING
Eat a balanced diet with high fiber, low cholesterol
Be aware of poisons: caffeine, fats, nicotine, fast food
Drink lots of water

RECREATION
Laugh and love
Learn how to have fun with your family
Enjoy your life and treat others the way you want to be treated


If you need prayer or Christian counseling, or some just to talk to, we encourage you to contact us.