This is the Day: A 31-Day Journey to PTSD

By Kevan J. Fortier

Where is your focus today? If we are fixated on the pain, it will constantly be our focal point. When we recognize the hope we have in Jesus and set our eyes on Him, we can be set free from those things which hold us captive, including PTSD.

Many suffer from a silent "disorder" called PTSD. This is debilitating, where the individual suffe

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Jul 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685564117

Kevan J. Fortier

Kevan Fortier is an ARNG chaplain, prison chaplain, and pastor who has earned his Doctor of Ministry with a focus on PTSD. He has studied this area with personal and professional interest, having walked his own journey through PTSD. His desire is to share his faith in Jesus, his heart for others, and knowledge of this subject with others who may be walking a similar path.

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Dedication

This devotional is dedicated to the Lord Jesus, in whom I find all hope. It is only through Him that I am able to surrender myself daily, giving Him all of my fears, anxious thoughts, and trauma. He set His face toward me upon the cross of Calvary to remove my shame and guilt through the sin I once wore as a garment, and He covered me in His precious blood.

He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30, NKJV).

This is also dedicated with love to my amazing and patient wife, Amanda, and our beautiful daughters, Autumn and Phebe, who have been long-suffering with me through all things; since Jesus is the strength of their life, this is possible.

There are many to whom I want to express thanks to for believing in me, being understanding and kind to me, seeking to understand me in my grief when I could not get out of my own way. I am more than blessed by my family, immediate and extended, from my dad and mom, my sister, her fiancé, and to those already mentioned, Amanda, my helpmate given by the Lord, and my amazing daughters, who have all the good characteristics of their mom, taking on the beauty of their Lord daily.

This text would not be complete without thinking of those who struggle with PTSD, and it is for this reason this devotional was crafted. May the Lord bless and keep you in His charge and care.

May this devotional bless you all as you read through it; may you find peace and hope in the words of Jesus.

In Christ,

Kevan

Is This the Day for You?

What do I mean by that question? This devotional is being written to those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation, their transference from the kingdom of darkness into the light of Christ (see Colossians 1:13), who died on the cross for their sin, and gave them new life.

This is also penned for those who are not saved or born again into a relationship with God through Jesus alone.

Nicodemus went to Jesus at night and said, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:2–3 (ESV)

If you are unsure of your eternal destination after this earthly life, the place to begin is with the saving work of Jesus in your life through the rugged cross. The Bible is the living, breathing Word of God (see 1 Timothy 3:15–17, Hebrews 4:12). In the Bible, God lays out His purposeful plan for mankind to be redeemed (bought back) from sin and death. Jesus came to earth, healed many people, and taught about the kingdom of God. He not only came to this earth, but He also created it (see John 1:1–5).

John 3:16 (NKJV) shows the love of God the Father in these words, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God does not want any to perish eternally (2 Peter 3:9), so He provided the perfect sacrifice for our sin. The Bible says, And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation (Hebrews 9:27–29, NKJV). If you are not sure of your eternal destiny, know there is a day coming when our life here will end, and we will face judgment. In John, we read these words, For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:17–18, NKJV). The Bible is clear, through the heart of our loving God, who knew mankind would rebel against Him, as we are seeing today in the world, and yet He provided the only means of salvation for us, Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’ (John 14:6, NKJV).

The apostle Paul declared these words, As it is written, ‘none is righteous, no, not one’ (Romans 3:10, ESV). We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23), and the wages of sin is death, but the gift from God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (see Romans 6:23).

We are sinners, fallen short of the glory of God; we have all broken the law, the commandments of God, in our hearts, and even in our thoughts and actions. God is righteous in judgment, and we deserve eternal death and separation from Him in hell. The separation away from God is not something He wants for us, but when we reject His gift of salvation, which cost Jesus His life, we reject God and rebel against Him.

Think about what is being offered—what is at stake here. Jesus came to die on the cross for you so that you could live eternally with Him. It was my cross and shame, not His, but He willingly and for the joy set before Him went to that mercy tree for you and for me, and for all who call upon the name of the Lord—they will be saved (Romans 10:13).

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews