One of the things I have enjoyed in my life is camping. I would often take a few days here or there and go tent-camping at a State Park. And wouldn't you know it, I somehow got Lyme disease. I saw a doctor in Mobile, Alabama for it. He helped me in many ways. However, when he changed one of my medications, I found myself in the psychiatric ward of a local hospital. I was under a Dr's and a psychologist' s care after leaving the hospital. I still am. The psychologist I am seeing now diagnosed the PTSD. Because of what JM did to me, the feelings and effect of my childhood abuse came roaring back. I am seeing my therapist weekly for very intense counseling, and EMDR ( Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). Again, I turn to Wikipedia: EMDR ) is a psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro, which emphasizes disturbing memories as the cause of psychopathology and alleviates the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR is used for individuals who have experienced severe trauma which remains unresolved. When a traumatic or distressing experience occurs, it may overwhelm normal cognitive and neurological coping mechanisms. The memory and associated stimuli are inadequately processed, and stored in an isolated memory network. The goal of EMDR therapy is to process these distressing memories, reducing their lingering effects and allowing clients to develop more adaptive coping mechanisms. This is done by having clients recall traumas while following the therapist's hand movement.

When I was asked to leave MBBC, all that I had worked for in my life was over. Everything was taken away from me. My identity, my passion, my calling, was taken from me. I tried to find new places of service in a few churches, but it is hard to find a church job if you don't have one. The churches I was talking with wanted to know why I wasn't presently serving a church. I told them what I could, but I know they must have had questions in the back of their minds wondering why I wasn't employed by a church.

When I turned 50, I had my mid-life crisis. What would I do with my life now? All I ever wanted to do since I was a young teen was to be a minister in a church. Now that was taken away from me. So I thought about what I enjoyed doing: research, public speaking and helping people. Ever since the time I spent with the lawyer during the lawsuit at the church in Jacksonville, I had the idea of pursuing a career in law in some way. So I made up my mind to go to law school. I had already had my share of degrees, a bachelor degree in religion, a master's of divinity in biblical languages and a doctor's degree in pastoral ministries. Even though I had been in school for much of my life, I decided to go to law school. At 50, in the summer of 2008, I began my studies at The Birmingham School of Law. At the time I was employed as a hospice chaplain during the day and attended law school 3 nights a week. It was difficult going back to school. I received my Doctor of Ministry degree in 1993. Now, some 15 years later I was once again a student. I can't tell you how many times I asked myself what on earth was I doing. People don't usually begin law school at 50. But I did...and I actually graduated in 4 years. I wasn't in the top of my class and still have to pass the Bar, but I have my Juris Doctor degree.