When the Foundations Are Shaken - Paperback

by Michael a. Milton (Author)

When the Foundations Are Shaken: Pastoral Care for Catastrophic Painby Michael A. Milton, PhD

Catastrophic pain does more than wound the body or the emotions. It invades the deepest architecture of the soul-shaking the foundations a man has built from experience, trusted teaching, and the Word of God. Beliefs once settled become unsettled ground. The outer self (the persona that must still function at work, in the congregation, and at the dinner table) is forced into costly, irregular adaptations while the inner self wrestles in silence. When this disruption enters a marriage, isolation can grow even under the same roof.

In this clear and practical pastoral essay, Michael A. Milton equips pastors-both young and seasoned-to recognize, assess, diagnose, and carefully treat the effects of catastrophic pain. Drawing on the ordinary means of grace (Word, sacrament, and prayer) and a proven Spiritual Diagnostic Model of Assessment-Diagnosis-Treatment, he shows how to care for the wounded inner man without damaging the fragile outer life that must still be lived. The book addresses the distinct "calibers" of pain that arise from the world, the flesh, and the devil; the three foundational structures of the soul; the relationship of persona and shadow under stress; and the unique pressures placed on marriage and family.

Written from within the Reformed confessional tradition and grounded in Scripture, this resource offers both theological clarity and hands-on pastoral wisdom for those called to shepherd people through life's most severe trials.

Approximately 50 pages.