September 2024

According to the American Psychological Association, trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster, abuse, neglect, violence, death of a loved one, or war. Everyone experiences trauma to some degree, but some cases are more severe and damaging. Immediate reactions include shock or denial, while longer-lasting effects can involve unpredictable emotions, strained relationships, flashbacks, and harmful coping strategies such as drug use, sexual exploitation, and self-injury. In the midst of trauma, it’s easy to lose sight of hope, self-worth, and purpose because we often focus more on what harmed us than on what helps us survive.

As we look at the last part of Matthew 14, Jesus sends His disciples out on the Sea of Galilee to go to the other side as He sent the crowds of people He fed away. While the disciples were far from land, the wind began to toss and batter the boat. In the heavy winds and raging water, they were terrified to see Jesus walking on the water.

They cried out in fear and thought it was a ghost, but Jesus answered, “Take courage, it is I. Do not be afraid.” Then the following happened, Peter responded and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped.

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Peter trusted Jesus enough to step out of the boat and walk on water when Jesus called him. All he had to do was keep his eyes on Jesus. However, the moment he noticed the wind and waves, he realized the impossibility of his actions and began to sink, crying out for Jesus to save him. Even when Peter focused on Jesus, the wind still howled and the waves still tossed, but his trust in Jesus kept him above the water. How Peter handled this situation and was called out by Jesus saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” is exactly how we might react in the trauma and chaos around us.

So, here’s the kicker, as we keep a close eye on Christ, that does not mean the storm will automatically cease. There will still be wind and waves tossing us around, but through the worst of it all, He can carry us through if we trust Him.

At TRM, we are blessed with a team who felt the Lord’s calling to step into the chaos and trauma of our homeless neighbors. From 1995 to 1997, the original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study was conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the CDC, focusing on abuse, neglect, and household problems before age 18. The study showed that such experiences lead to physical and mental health issues later in life.

In 2022, Kourtney Barr and Kodee Bloom conducted their own ACE Study, noting that the original study lacked data on the homeless population. From May to October 2022, one hundred anonymous homeless individuals participated in TRM’s ACE Study, revealing that the homeless population was five times more likely to score higher on the ACE scale than the original findings. This prompted Kourtney and Kodee to raise community awareness and address these gaps to help our homeless population.

Partnering with the Department of Psychology at Washburn University, the study was further developed and is on its way to being published. It was presented to the American Psychological Association in Seattle from August 8-10. These findings highlight the importance of identifying the trauma our neighbors have faced and building trust and rapport to help them overcome their challenges.

Kodee shared that while 100 participants may not seem like a large number, it is significant for our population. She noted, “We got these numbers because the study was conducted with individuals we had relationships with. Trust and rapport allowed us to have difficult conversations.” Kourtney emphasized, “Trust is vital for seeing changed behavior. It shows that we care, not with the motive of ‘I’m doing this for you so you can change,’ but rather, ‘I’m doing this for you because I care about you.’”

By building healthy relationships with our homeless neighbors, we build resilience in their hardships and help them realize they are not alone. This goes for what we do at TRM and it is just as useful in our daily lives. What can we do to trust more and face the trauma in our lives? We need to get out of the boat and step into the water just like Peter did.

Our focus on Peter comes full circle after the resurrection of Jesus in John 21. One morning, Peter and some disciples were fishing but caught nothing. Jesus, whom they did not recognize, called out to them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. When they did, they caught so many fish they could not haul them in. At that moment, the apostle John cried out, “It is the Lord!” Upon hearing this, Peter dove into the sea and swam to Jesus, while the other disciples tried to bring the boat back to shore.

The man who once walked on water with Jesus and lost sight of Him in the chaos now wholeheartedly threw himself into the sea, engulfed in the waves, to reach Jesus. Why did he do that? He had his eyes set on the only thing he trusted – the Lord. That’s what trust can do. When it is built, it becomes resilient through hardships. We all face those waves in our lives, but by seeking Jesus, we can break through the chaos and trauma and allow the Lord to work in us and through us. That is why we do what we do in our own lives and in the lives of our homeless neighbors. Trusting in Jesus through the chaos and trauma helps us and our homeless neighbors find resilience and purpose. †