Broken Vessel

Andre Dubus is celebrated for his ability to depict the subtlest of human emotions in his characters, and when he turns to nonfiction, the resulting insights are no less illuminative. Especially moving are his descriptions of his children, his wrenching account of the 1986 automobile accident that cost him his leg, and of the ensuing struggle for his spiritual and physical survival. Broken Vessels is a book that, in its scope and sympathy, its grace and courage, never fails to startle with the sudden impact of quiet truths, passionately felt and powerfully expressed.

He was wrongfully convicted, his lifelong career destroyed, and he was sent to a prison 2,200 miles from home, for a crime he did not commit. She lay in a hospital, clinging to life, with only a 50/50 chance of survival. But they hung on to their faith in God through it all. This is only the beginning of the dynamic testimony of Dick and Donna Walls. Having experienced unimaginable pain, broken hearts, financial ruin, and imprisonment, Dick and Donna have been called to Broken Vessel Ministries, a special ministry to the brokenhearted who need healing and a renewed assurance that God does care.

The purpose of this three-part manuscript is to encourage others like myself to believe that God is with them and working all things out to His glory and their good. Beginning by describing my life in a detailed autobiographical section. In this section I relate the circumstances surrounding my pregnancies and children's births; my relationship with an abusive husband, and what followed after his death; a tragic accident and a miraculous recovery; the loss of my fiancée to an untimely death; and my experience as a foster parent. The second part is an exhortation to always walk in love, no matter what; to crucify the flesh and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. I challenge the Church to wake up and do her job, for a dying world is waiting in need. The final part is a series of poems written by me, which describe my walk and relationship with my Heavenly Father.

The Story of A little Broken Vessel's Journey to Find Acceptance, Value and Love. For the child within each of us who longs to belong, to be held close to the bosom and to be valued.

The Broken Vessel is a Story of Greatness. In the book, Augustine clearly shows in no uncertain terms that anybody can attain greatness no matter their present status. All it takes is simple yieldedness to God. He maintained that greatness is a part of our divine design and that only in the hands of God, we are refined, defined and thoroughly processed and prepared as vessels of honor to impact our world more positively.Do you desire a life of purpose and productivity? Do you want your life to touch humanity all over the world? Do you want God to make something beautiful out of your life? If your answer to these questions are "yes" then, The Broken Vessel is for you. In this book, you will discover:how valuable you are to God and humanity,the making of God's vessel,how to go through what you are going through and come through a better person,your God-ordained purpose.

The Broken Vessel is the story of Charlotte, who like many of us, like many scared little girls who grow into adults with past trauma and abuse. She was born to open the discussion of mental and physical abuse we regrettably never discuss. As an adult, Charlie realized her trauma was not her fault, but healing was her responsibility. Can she heal and help others do the same, or will she perpetuate negative cycles? Will she be a victim or a vessel? Join the discussion and learn the answers to these questions in The Broken Vessel.

The process of finding ones self, or self worth becomes tedious, when there is no one there to direct or to give instruction of purpose and destiny; or mainly the identity, of the person with the crisis. Prophet Rodney will testify that when he experienced the disarray of life, there was much unexplained emotional pain. Feelings of repeated rejection, molested at age eight by a very close family member. He became overwhelmed with life and the uncertainty that it brings. Avenues of promiscuity opened and were vastly available. Many times we in the Body of Christ compromise the word of God through conversations with satanic voices of rebellion assigned to us from Satan. Satan has assigned voices to cause us to fall from the will of God in disobedience of the Word known to us. Satan desires to lead you to see opposite of what God wants you to see; and that strips us from position, of such is what happened to him (Satan).

I never intended for this book to see the light of day. As a matter of fact I published a book last year thinking that I would never publish another. When I suffered my stroke in 1991 I kept a diary of my thoughts and feelings. After about six years I sat down and wrote about my stroke. Recently, I was walking at the park as my cardiac rehabilitation therapist had recommended after my heart attack and bypass in 2009. I was talking to a therapist who works at one of the hospitals and also teaches a class at the local college. She asked me if I would speak to her class about my thoughts and feelings when I had my stroke. I agreed heartily, but also remembered I had written this manuscript. As I read this manuscript those feelings came back. I said to myself that all therapist and those in training should understand those feelings I was having. So here it is... I would like to share with you, the reader, my story. It's a story of tragedy and pain, recovery and hope, of a world shattered and broken, and the road to health and wholeness. It is my story. I'm going to try to share the feelings of lying in a hospital, not being able to move, needing help to go to the bathroom. Hating to call the nurse and having to admit my helplessness. Me, a minister, one who always prided himself on being in control of every situation. Here I lay; my whole world had fallen around me. Would my wife stay with me or would she just go away? Could our marriage of thirteen years take the stress? And what of Philip, our nine year old son, could he take the ribbing from the other children about his brain dead dad? Would Philip be embarrassed to be with his father who walked with a limp? What would all those people say since I had made my living keeping people at arms length all these years? How would I face them, or better yet, could I face them? These questions and many others would pop up in the next few weeks, months and years. I learned real quick what depression was and how it would grip me almost any time of the day. This is my story. I am proud of myself because now I can share it with you. It is said the first sign of recovery is when you can talk about it. I have faced a lot of monsters in the past ten years. There is a story of a young man named Shea. He lived in a small town called Shady Vale. One day a wizard named Allanon came to see him. Allanon told Shea that he was chosen to defeat the dark lord who was destroying the world. Shea was to find the Sword of Shinara and go to mount doom and defeat the dark lord. Well, on the way he meets the elves and dwarfs. He was attacked by the dark lord's underlings. One day he finally reached Mount Doom with the sword of Shinara. There he came face to face with the evil dark lord. Shea to his amazement faced the evil one. The sword reflected his doubts, fears and hopelessness (The Sword of Shinara). You see, the monster that Shea faced was himself. This story consoled me at times. When I was asked to do something I would have "no" on my lips. Then I would ask myself, "what monster are you fighting? Will you give up and give in?" My grandmother told me I was a hard headed person. I'll buy that.