ANOTHER STORY FROM THE WORKPLACE MISSION FIELD

Stacey (not her real name) was a pretty young lady, early 20's. She called me from the front door of her workplace as I walked toward my car, preparing to make the 3 1/2 hour drive home. 

"Pastor Mike...!" 

I wheeled around and saw her slowly walking toward me, looking a bit apprehensive, tears already welling up in her eyes.

"Can I talk to you?" she sighed. "I've been wanting to talk to you for three months," she said, with a desperation in her voice - one I've become all too familiar with. Seems most people are feeling quite desperate when they finally come to me for prayer or counsel.

We went back into the building and her Supervisor, a Christian man I knew well, based solely on the looks upon our faces, said, "Why don't y'all use my office?" as he stepped out into the hall. I nodded in gratitude.

Stacey began sharing her story. Three years earlier, while driving with her brother in the passenger's seat, they were hit by another car. He was killed.

"I feel like I murdered him," she cried as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

He'd been a star athlete at the high school and the whole town turned out for the funeral. The burden she'd been carrying since that day was unbearable. Everywhere she went, she felt people were talking about her. Blaming her. She even stopped attending church and, when no one from church reached out to her, that inactivity only confirmed her suspicions.

As I spoke with her, comforting her, she sobbed deeply. She acknowledged she'd probably been listening too much to the devil's voice and not enough to the Holy Spirit. We prayed and she cried some more. It was a 3-tissue session, for sure.

As time went on, she left that workplace. She moved on to attend college and her Supervisor let me know how she'd been progressing. 

I've thought about that meeting quite often over the years. I wonder how many people have experienced trauma they haven't dealt with. How many had giants they hadn't yet slain. How many will carry their burdens to their graves as they ignored the elephant in the living room and re-played the video they wish they could forget?

Help is available. If nothing else - if you can't open up to anyone you know where you live - send me an eMail at miketummillo@me.com. I'm here to help.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work