September 2020 Newsletter
The Four Areas of Self-Care
Battlefield Ministries, Inc. has enjoyed the privilege to minister to people, couples, families, and teams here in Rome, GA, across the country, and around the world. We have a special place in our hearts for the pastors and missionaries we have served over the years, many of whom have found their way to us here in Rome. When we have the opportunity to go where the missionaries serve and meet them where they are it is a rich and humbling blessing. As we come alongside these missionaries and make provision for them to retreat, refuel, and refresh, we encourage them to pay attention to the “as yourself” part of the Greats.
God invites us to come to Him with what we have emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically. We have the opportunity to attend to these four areas from the first and greatest commandment. Whether at home or abroad this informs the direction of Battlefield’s teaching when talking about the importance of taking care of ourselves, or, self-care.
The four areas of health mentioned in the Greatest Commandment are; emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical.
Jesus models investing in these four areas in preparation for ministry. In Luke 2:52 , the only verse we have in Scripture describing what Jesus did from the age of twelve to the beginning of His earthly ministry, we see that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
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Jesus models investing in these four areas in preparation for ministry. In Luke 2:52 , the only verse we have in Scripture describing what Jesus did from the age of twelve to the beginning of His earthly ministry, we see that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
The four areas of health are seen again when the Holy Spirit moves on the believers at the birth of the church in Acts 2. The followers of Christ devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer.
These four areas are the biblical context of loving, growing, and devotion, among other things. In other words, they are the four areas of health, growth, and thriving.
In the context of missions, as with all acts of service, it is vital to tend to these four areas while attempting to serve others. Love your neighbor as yourself not before yourself. If you have ever been on an airplane you have experienced a similar instruction. In case of an emergency, be sure to put on your own oxygen mask first before helping your children or anyone else around you. You won’t be of any help to anyone else if you pass out! As God did with Abraham He will do with you. He will bless you and then, through you, He will bless others.
Pushback is common when teaching about self-care. We often hear verses quoted to us about dying to self and putting others first. Yes, there is a part of each of us that must die. It is our spiritual journey to put our sinful flesh to death. There is also, however, a part of us that God wants very much alive. Remember, Jesus came and died so we might have life and have it to “the full” (John 10:10b). Philippians 2:3 is one of the oft quoted verses about putting others first. Paul instructs the believers to, “in humility, value others above yourselves.” This verse from Philippians is treated like a blanket statement instead of an “if-then” statement. The “then” begins in verse two and continues in verse three. The “if” portion is in the first verse and there are actually, wait for it… four “if’s”;
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by…
If you are wondering whether all of these passages are being force-fitted into this whole “four areas” thing, listen to the words of Jesus from Matthew 22:40: “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Everything hangs on this. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is a reason these four areas keep showing up throughout Scripture: Your health and well-being matter to God.
Battlefield International-Did You Know?
Battlefield Ministries exists to expose the enemy and make provision for the Body of Christ to thrive for the Lord’s name and His renown. Whether you feel you are thriving now or have known a time of thriving in the past, what does it look like for you to thrive? Where do you feel safe? When you recognize the efforts of the enemy to rob, kill, and destroy, what do you do? Chances are you could make a bit of a list of all the things that you like to have around you to make your efforts successful. Now, how about finding those things in a third world country? Do you think you could find safety and thrive in a mud hut, a cinder block house, or a tiny apartment in a city of 12 million people?
Read more about our international ministry
Nathan and Jane Phillips served overseas for three years and when they arrived on the mission field they were warmly welcomed and advised, “If you think of something you need, call me and I’ll tell you how to live without it.” This is the reality of many missionaries serving in unreached areas. It is why we arrive in their region with chocolate chips and taco seasoning mix. We bring them together and provide opportunities for fellowship, rest, fun, healing, and meaningful conversation because these are usually on the list of things that help us thrive.
When you think about the biggest challenges you face, what would you do if you didn’t have family and friends nearby? What would you do if you couldn’t call 911 when your family was in danger? Whether you are talking about raising a family, stress at work, finances, or connecting with friends, missionaries face all of these challenges while navigating third world limitations. Even when you aren’t in a foriegn country finding a counseling opportunity that is clinically sound, spiritually minded, and gifting oriented is a challenge. So, while chocolate chips, fun, and fellowship are awesome, Battlefield also includes licensed, degreed counselors on each international team. We find that when we arrive with the Ephesians 4:29 mindset of ministering according to the need there are those who eagerly tap into the resource of excellent care through counseling.
The results we see on the field make us incredibly thankful for those who make provision for everything from plane tickets and hotel rooms to chocolate chips and gifted team members. Because of your faithfulness there many missionaries who remain on the field who would certainly have come home.
Celebrate What God is Doing
One of the exciting things about Battlefield is getting to see people discover their God-given abilities. We encourage our staff to explore their vocational calling similar to the way we encourage clients. We enjoy the experience of an individual joining our team in one capacity, then developing their skills to the point of shifting into another role for which God has fashioned them.
MORGAN GREEN, LAPC
MORGAN GREEN, LAPCMorgan joined the Battlefield team as an intern in 2015. We have had the privilege to see Morgan transition into her calling as a Christian counselor after receiving her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. She now walks alongside women of all ages helping them process their story as they work toward healing. Her professional experience working with clients in both the private practice and collegiate mental health settings has allowed Morgan to help many clients. In 2019 Morgan offered over 300 counseling hours to 57 women. The Lord continues to use Morgan to minister to women at Battlefield Ministries.
Read more about Morgan Green
When Morgan joined the Battlefield team, she helped in the front office while completing her undergraduate degree at Shorter University. She helped at a time when we were transitioning to a paperless record-keeping system. She was a great asset to us in the front office, but her passion has been to be a counselor. After graduating from Shorter University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, she decided to pursue her masters in counseling. We were glad to have Morgan onboard as she completed her internship.
Morgan and her husband, Mark, have been married since 2016. They enjoy walking through life together and watching the Lord use their marriage for His glory. A Rome native, Morgan is happy she can now provide care to her hometown community as a counselor.
Morgan believes in the power and importance of creating a safe space for clients as they dive into the hard parts of their story. She considers it an honor to walk alongside clients as they navigate their way through this journey of healing. Many of her clients are struggling with an array of difficulties, including anxiety, depression, and relationship issues that typically stem from past wounds. Rather than simply addressing what is showing up on the surface, Morgan finds it necessary to explore the root of their struggles. She helps guide clients through situations involving stress management, life transitions, self-esteem, grief, and spiritual struggles in addition to other issues specific to women.
Morgan’s passion for helping women is clearly seen in the work she does each week at Battlefield. She walks out her faith in Christ as a professional counselor doing the spiritual work for the benefit of our community. We are honored to have her on our team.
ALI COUCH, LPC
ALI COUCH, LPCAli joined the Battlefield team as a volunteer in 2013. Shortly after, Ali worked as an intern in the counseling office while working on her masters degree. She completed her Masters in Professional Counseling from Liberty University in December 2015. Ali helps women from high school age to the golden years find God’s comfort in healing and freedom of living the abundant life He has planned for them. While being an involved mom of four, Ali served 68 Battlefield clients and put in more than 300 counseling hours in 2019. The Lord has used Ali in this much-needed role with women of all ages for the Kingdom of God.
Read more about Ali Couch
Ali received her bachelor’s degree in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2002. She married Sam Couch in 1998 and they have been blessed with four boys. Together they helped start a church plant in Orlando, FL serving as youth and children’s ministers, then moved to Rome for Sam to minister to families as a physical education teacher. Since living in Rome, Ali launched and directed the Fit 4 HIM Fitness Ministry for four years.
Anyone who spends time with Ali knows that she is a ray of sunshine to those around her. Her optimistic outlook infuses the hope of the Lord in her clients, but she also does the good work of “going to the hard places” when it is needed. This well-balanced perspective is a vital resource for those suffering from depression, anxiety, and relational strife. Having a background in art, Ali allows God to lead, including prompting her to do art therapy with clients. Women, couples, and families have benefited from Ali’s care.
Ali has a passion for helping families thrive. She is currently writing a book about “family-ing” called In This Together. While technically a parenting book, it is for parents and children to read through together. Ali’s whole family has a passion for doing life with Special Needs friends of Rome through Young Life’s Capernaum ministry.
A much requested speaker, Ali shares the truth about God’s love, grace, and freedom at women’s events. Ali leads workshops called “Be Still and Know” utilizing art, meditation on Scripture, prayer, music, and rest. She has served the international body of Christ, meeting the needs of people working on the mission field. On a trip to Croatia, Ali offered counseling to missionary wives and their teenage daughters. While these missionary families are meeting the needs of people on the field, Ali has helped equip, comfort, and encourage them to continue doing their work.
Although Ali works at Battlefield, she feels supported and nurtured by Battlefield to be able to do the work that God lays before her. Battlefield nurtures the nurturer and cares for the caregivers in a beautiful way! We at Battlefield thank the Lord for the opportunity to work alongside Ali Couch and watch how God uses her to refresh weary spirits and bring life to dry bones through the touch of The Great Physician.
Pray for the Challenges at Battlefield
DEEPER ROOTS FOR WIDER BRANCHES
God has grown Battlefield Ministries exponentially over the years. We like to say the branches of ministry have grown wider. We have gone from providing 386 counseling hours to 450 people locally in 1998 to offering over 3900 counseling hours to over 950 people in the Rome and Cartersville areas in 2019. In addition to that, our counselors and staff offer marriage intensives, retreats, and workshops as well as ministering to missionaries overseas.
As the branches of our ministry widen, we are considering ways to meet the need and support the branches. Our efforts to support the branches have always been (and will continue to be) building relationships with people who are passionate about the work we do. Many individuals and families are hurting, both at home and abroad. We fight for families and the Kingdom of God every day. We need deeper roots of financial support to make the tree of ministry strong.
OFFICE SPACE TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR COUNSELING
As our ministry expands the need for more office space, specifically in Rome, has also grown. The growing demand for counseling services and the need for social distancing has created a log jam in the office. We are pleased to announce that God has provided an opportunity for us to grow into the office space across from our current Rome office. This has been an extraordinary blessing as we have invested a good bit into renovating our current space. The bottom line is: We love our building!
As we are looking at moving into the new office space, we have the intention of making the new space as warm and inviting as our current space. We are asking our supporters to join with us in prayer for the Lord to provide the funds for renovating and furnishing the new space.
FUNDING FOR COUNSELING FOR THOSE IN NEED
Many people are surprised to discover that our sliding-fee scale which provides counseling for those in need is NOT fully funded. We realize that we have not well communicated our financial need. The fact is, our funding for the sliding-fee scale is not pacing with the increase of ministry: increased number of counselors, increased number of people receiving care, and increased number of sessions. This represents the blessing of us being able to provide more ministry even in the midst of less face-to-face time during all that is happening with COVID.
God is our source and has always provided for us. We now have an opportunity for those who know and love Battlefield to join us. We want to express our gratitude to our current supporters and ask others to prayerfully consider how you can help. We want to deepen relationships with our current supporters and establish new relationships with others who have a passion for those who would benefit from clinically sound, spiritually minded, and gifting oriented counseling
Join Our Community of Supporters
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.