What is a CAMI Guide and why should you purchase it?

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What is CAMI? The name stands for Christians Afflicted with Mental Illness. CAMI is an organization of Heartfelt Counseling Ministries, which conducts seminars, provides counseling and advocates for the evangelical, biblical and clinical treatment of persons suffering from mental illness. Mental Illness is a disease that begs for community and it is often more subtle and much more prevalent than we could imagine.

Our first book which was published by Kregel Publications was Broken Minds Hope for Healing When You Feel Like You're Losing It. It has helped many people understand a biblical, clinical, and technical approach to mental illness.
http://heartfeltmin.org/author-page.html http://heartfeltmin.org/author-page.html


When I was first depressed in 1985, I longed for a support group.  But at that time there were none to be found!   Robyn and I decided to write material that would help people start their own support groups. We have written it and now we  help churches start their own group. We also have a group in  our home church, Boca Glades Baptist Church in Boca Raton, Florida.  The group is made up of Caregivers of the mentally ill and those who suffer from  these awful diseases of the mind and mood. If you wish to  start a group in your church; it is best if you have your pastor(s) backing.  You can also start one off site.
One way to assist your pastor(s) that Heartfelt has a biblical  approach is by giving them a link to our website. I would suggest that you would give him a link to our doctrinal statement. 
 This will assure them that we teach sound doctrine. 
http://heartfeltmin.org/doctrinal-statement.html








This Biblical-based support group material includes a Leader’s Guide and Student Guide/workbook. These guides will help create cohesion and mutual support among those who are born again and affected by these horrible diseases of body, mind and mood.  Depression, bipolar, panic and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are some of the most painful of all disorders in this cursed world.  Many mentally ill Christians have experienced what we call “shaming” from their own brothers and sisters in Christ causing further and unnecessary suffering. The church of Jesus Christ not only misunderstands the mentally ill, she also provides no ministry for them. 

These provocative and interesting manuals inform attracted parties how to start and maintain mental illness support groups.  Each lesson has sections entitled Key Verse, Theme of the Week, Talking Points and The Crux of the Matter. There are six lessons in each workbook with approximately eight questions each. The Leader’s Guide has an additional section which has all the answers to the questions in the Student Guide. 

The subjects for the lessons in the first series are as follows:

•   The Providence of God and Mental Illness
•   Breaking the Stigma of Mental Illness
•   Elijah,the Depressed Man 
•   The Lethality of Mental Illness
•   The Consumer and Links to Help  
•   Shepherding the mentally ill  

Our books will teach, exhort, comfort and validate mentally ill Christians and also train leaders to run related support groups.  CAMI Group material has been used in on-line support groups and also groups in local settings. Some people buy the Leader's guide for its scriptural doctrines to read by themselves. CAMI study/starter guides can also be used in Adult Bible Fellowships, growth groups and for those who suffer from dual diagnosis. 
 
You should buy it for the following: because it is scriptural, affordable, easy to read, stimulates discussion and tells you from A-Z(ed) how to start a support group. I Thessalonians 5:14, states,” We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” 

The material and the concept of CAMI are copyrighted. You should not run off any of the material. You do not have to consult us for training (to start a group) but we do have training available for a reasonable price. This training will be by: Curriculum online, CD and by phone consultation.  If you do start a group and use the material we ask that you put CAMI somewhere in the name.





Here is how you can purchase our Leader's and Students' Guides. The cost for the Leader's Guide is $14.50 and for the Student's Guides, $8.50. As I have said, you can be trained to start a group by reading the Leader's Guide which will instruct you step by step.
All you have to do is go to our Author's page on our website. If you wanted one Leader's Guide and one Student Guide that would be  $23.00.  Here is the page to buy them. 
http://heartfeltmin.org/how-can-i-get-involved.html


If you would like directions to our church's support group, and other details please go to 
http://www.heartfeltmin.org/how-can-i-get-involved.html  At the church, we have the meeting place easily marked for you. Park in the southwest parking lot and you will be directed by our easy-to-see signs in our education building.

Look for this sign!

 561-483-4228
10101 Judge Winikoff Road
Boca Raton, Florida 33428

Horrible atrocities, a twelve year old boy is crucified by Isis.

 From China Aid

Matthew 16:18  (King James Version)
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
 

 Christians in Syria have suffered at the hands of ISIS because they have refused to denounce their faith. They’ve endured being robbed at checkpoints, many have been tortured, raped or sold to the sex slave market. On August 28 in a village near Aleppo, Syria, twelve Christians were brutally murdered including a 12-year-old boy and his ministry leading father. The verses selected are mine. SB

 And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God (Luke 12,:8,NASB).
'These are the words of Jesus Christ the Son of God.


Christian Aid wrote,

 “The relatives said ISIS militants on Aug. 7 captured the Christian workers in a village whose name is withheld for security reasons. On Aug. 28, the militants asked if they had renounced Islam for Christianity. When the Christians said that they had, the rebels asked if they wanted to return to Islam. The Christians said they would never renounce Christ.

 The 41-year-old team leader, his young son and two ministry members in their 20s were questioned at one village site where ISIS militants had summoned a crowd. The team leader presided over nine house churches he had helped to establish. 

His son was two months away from his 13th birthday.

 

 

 In front of the team leader and relatives in the crowd, the Islamic extremists cut off the fingertips of the boy and severely beat him, telling his father they would stop the torture only if he, the father, returned to Islam. When the team leader refused, relatives said, the ISIS militants also tortured and beat him and the two other ministry workers. The three men and the boy then met their deaths in crucifixion.”“All were badly brutalized and then crucified,” the ministry leader said. “They were left on their crosses for two days. No one was allowed to remove them.”
  'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life,( Revelation 2:9, NASB).

The ministry director had asked the ministry leaders to leave for their safety, but they all insisted on staying. They felt like God wanted them to stay and share the gospel.




“The martyrs died beside signs the ISIS militants had put up identifying them as “infidels.”Eight other ministry team members, including two women, were taken to another site in the village that day (Aug. 28) and were asked the same questions before a crowd. The women, ages 29 and 33, tried to tell the ISIS militants they were only sharing the peace and love of Christ and asked what they had done wrong to deserve the abuse. The Islamic extremists then publicly raped the women, who continued to pray during the ordeal, leading the ISIS militants to beat them all the more furiously.
 As the two women and the six men knelt before they were beheaded, they were all praying. “Villagers said some were praying in the name of Jesus, others said some were praying the Lord’s prayer, and others said some of them lifted their heads to commend their spirits to Jesus,” the ministry director said. “One of the women looked up and seemed to be almost smiling as she said, ‘Jesus!'”

 And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me (Luke 9:3, NASB).

 After they were beheaded, their bodies were hung on crosses, the ministry director said, his voice breaking. He had trained all of the workers for their evangelistic ministry, and he had baptized the team leader and some of the others.”

 


Syrian Christians and indigenous missionaries are in great danger every day. Pray for surviving families, for the work of the gospel and for the safety and hope of Christians and missionaries. By Esther Laurie is a staff writer at Church Leaders.com.

I did not want to get old but it just happened.  The older that I get the more I think about Heaven. It was just yesterday when I was in a unique trial, I turned to Psalm 90:10-17
Moses wrote this psalm over a thousands year ago and what he says continues to be true.

"... for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away. Who understands the power of Your anger and Your fury, according to the fear that is due You? So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Do return, O LORD; how long  will it be? And be sorry for Your servants.

O satisfy us in the morning with Your loving-kindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us, and the years we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

The average life expectancy for men in the U.SA. is  76.1% for men and 81% for women.  I checked all the countries in the world and for the most part life expectancy was between 70 and 80 years of age. We should not be deceived by advertisements which seem to almost guarantee that one can beat cancer and other diseases.  And then if you are given long years of life yet have no purpose, you won't even have a reason to live longer.  As believers in Christ we have the joy of the Lord and we find purpose in our suffering; it is to conform us to the image of His Son and prepare us for eternal, undiluted bliss and worship.

According to the Bible there will be a tremendous drop in life expectancy in the tribulation period.  God will be pouring out His wrath on the world and on a disobedient Israel.  Most theologians say that the last three and a half years are called the time of Jacob's trouble.  But at the end of this period He will save the whole nation by coming again during the battle of Armageddon and by destroying all the nations under the anti-Christ by the word of His mouth.


The phrase "he fell asleep in the Lord" is very encouraging.  Not all Christians have easy deaths. Spurgeon said that sometimes God puts His children to bed in the dark but even if that is the case,we still just die once and then immediately pass into eternity forever to be with the Lord.
The unbeliever will eventually end up in the lake of fire which is known as the second death.
Life Assurance is much more important than Life Insurance. Trusting in Christ alone for your salvation is the only way to get to Heaven. It is great news that the Son of God would leave the court of Heaven and pay the price for our sins once for all.  If you do not know Him, be saved today, for tomorrow is not promised to you.  SB

 

There are two important principles when it comes to grief and the Christian.
The first principle is, when faced with death, the born again believer has sure hope, because the Captain of his salvation has conquered the greatest enemy—death. In fact, the Bible proclaims that the death of saints is precious in the sight of the LORD, (Psalm 116:15). When he dies, a born again believer immediately sees Christ, (2 Corinthians 5:1-9). All sorrows are forgotten. There is no pain or grief in Heaven. There is no more curse or sin. The saved one at death is reunited with saved loved ones who have died in the Lord before them. These things are sure because of the death and resurrection of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), (1 Corinthians 15:12-26).

The second principle is that Christians, as humans, experience the overwhelming sorrow of grief, but not as others who have no hope, (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17(  Christians can be guilty of playing down the human nature of Christ (He is our great example) and also of “sanitizing” the death of a believer. Those left behind can be in severe grief for a long time.  Their humanity must be validated. Their hope of reunion must be proclaimed and made clear. A funeral of a Christian is a celebration of his life, and also a mourning of his death. The Christian believer is not immune to grief but participates in the mourning process; I Samuel 30:3, 4; John 11:33-35; Acts 8:2.

Along these lines, Robyn and I would greatly appreciate your prayers as we continue to work on our book based on the death of our daughter, Lindsay and granddaughter Emily Hope on September 11, 2001. It is difficult to write in some respects as we relive the trauma and deep sadness but we feel we have a story and testimony of His grace in grief.

Note if you would like to see statistics about all the countries of the world please go to this informative link at
http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/world-health-rankings

Marine Corps Refuses to Remove ‘God Bless the Military’ Sign Following Complaint

 

 

Please pray for the persecuted Christians mentioned below.  Thanks, Steve Bloem

Our great example the Apostle Paul.

Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. 
Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Remember child of God. The world and the devil hate you but our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned about every hair on your head.  He numbers them all.  He is at the right hand of God and intercedes for you before Father's throne.  He will not fail nor be discouraged.  He is more than able to strengthen you in your hour of trial and need..

Marine Corps Refuses to Remove ‘God Bless the Military’ Sign Following Complaint

Tuesday, October 13th, 2015

As previously reported, in September the Military Religious Freedom Foundation issued a complaint regarding a sign reading, “God Bless the Military,” on a Hawaii Marine Corps base. The group stated that the presence of the sign is unconstitutional and demanded that it either be removed entirely or relocated to the chapel. However, along with the support of Alliance Defending Freedom, the commanding officer of the base recently responded to the complaint, stating that they refused to remove or relocat2e the sign.
 Be ready America!  Persecution is already here - Voice of Martyrs, October 13, 2015.

1 Peter 3:11-15 (NASB)  "HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. "FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL."Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?  But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.heartfeltmin.org

Canadian psychiatrists fear patients with severe depression could qualify for assisted suicide

In our CAMI  support group (Christians Afflicted with Mental Illness) which meets every Thursday, we often speak about living in a society that less and less recognizes the truth of the sanctity of life.  In our present time, so many believe in abortion which is clearly taking the life of a baby in the womb.  Our present culture believes in assisted suicide which will easily go  from your right to die to your duty to die.  
Mercy killing is becoming more acceptable than ever in many countries.  As a group which is composed of families of the mentally ill and those who have a mental illness, we especially take note of laws and agreements that talk about society creating the enabling of suicides. Heartfelt Counseling Ministries in all of our literature (which includes our book Broken Minds Hope for Healing When You Feel Like You're Losing It) and our CAMI Study Guides, does the opposite of enabling suicide. We fight it!

 I have been so depressed that if you gave me an out, I may have taken it.   The grace of God has helped me stay alive and he has used Christians to help. Society more and more believes in an ethical hedonism that says the avoidance of pain and suffering is our goal. The Bible talks about purposeful suffering.  We have discussed in our CAMI support groups the possibility of living in a society which would actively recruit  mental health professionals to help end lives. It would come under the rubric of showing mercy toward their patients by helping them commit suicide. 

 

I am reminded of Adolf Hitler's philosophy of Eugenics (the science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics). It was developed largely by Francis Galton as a method of improving the human race. It fell into disfavor only after the perversion of its doctrines by the Nazis. Hitler, after invading the Netherlands,ordered that Dutch physicians kill those persons with mental afflictions, deformities, etc. Many would not comply so he killed the doctors and then killed the "challenged" "misfits."
 The slippery slope of assisted suicide is beginning to be realized in the mental health arena in Canada and in the United States



Canada's historic criminal code provisions allow doctors to aid and abet suicide After practicing for generations to prevent suicide, psychiatrists across Canada could soon be asked to help some people kill themselves — thrusting the profession into what some of its members are calling the untenable role of “suicide enablers.” In its historic ruling striking down the Criminal Code provisions prohibiting doctors from “aiding or abetting” suicide, the high court granted adult Canadians suffering a “grievous” and “irremediable” condition the right to die a doctor-hastened death. 

“I have been approached by many psychiatrists who have serious concerns about physician assisted death being applied to mental illnesses,” said Dr. Padriac Carr, president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Alberta.

“Legal definitions are extremely important here,” he said.  “Remediable” could be defined as treatable, or curable. In psychiatry, he said, “complete cures are quite rare.” Most treatments are directed at relieving symptoms.
“If ‘remediable’ implies a cure, then almost all psychiatric illnesses could be considered ‘irremediable,’” he said.
If, on the other hand, “remediable” is defined as treatable, most psychiatric illnesses wouldn’t meet the standard, “because there are almost always treatment options we can try,” Carr said.

The ruling is creating deep discomfort in a field of medicine where “cures” are rare, and where many worry there is every possibility severe depression and other mental illnesses could meet the test for assisted suicide, or even euthanasia — death by lethal injection — as set out by the court, as long as the person is competent and can provide free and informed consent.
The United States is not immune to this type of adjustment of the criminal code regarding the sanctity of life. 


http://news.nationalpost.com/health/0914-na-suicide