Acacia Outreach Ministries

Being the Illustrious Social Media Inept that I am, it was no mystery to me that my birthday was splashed far and wide throughout the "digisphere." Anyone who knows me, even a little, is familiar with how cheeky I can be. Almost no subject is off limits to my so called sense of humor; including my birthday. This year, like any other, the visibility of my birthday was amplified by my self-deprecation and feeble attempts to gather twenty dollar bills.

I was amazed at the number of birthday kindnesses tendered to me from all over the world. So many in fact, that if I were to respond to each kindness, I would be busy for weeks. In grateful attempt to ensure no kind wish goes unpunished, I have decided that a mildly syndicated blog post would be in order. It is my hope that all who were kind enough to think of me this year, will receive my dearest gratitude and wishes for God's blessing upon them and their dear ones.

This year has been one of reflection. For some odd reason, of which I do not know, forty-nine has been an age of some trepidation. As I peered into my past through the murkiness of my prodigal seasons and the haze of post-traumatic stress disorder, I sought out to make some accounting of my life. There is much of which to be both grateful and proud in these past forty-nine years. I have an incredible wife and three quite young boys. I spent twenty-six years serving the noble purpose supporting and defending our Grand Republic as an active duty Airman, civilian contract employee, and Civil Service Certified Occupational Master Instructor. While I stumbled into times of distance from God, I look back with fondness the honor of serving the Lord in many capacities.

In late 2009, I had to make the crushing decision to medically retire from Civil Service. It seemed as though all I was meant to do in life had come to a screeching halt. I then came to recall a time in my teen years when God put a burden on my heart to serve Him. The desire was great, but at the age of seventeen, I had no idea of ways to enter the ministry. We had no money for me to go to Azusa Pacific University and all my financial aid had been denied. It was time for Plan B; join the Air Force. It was then that I began my thirty year journey to the present. I now feel the calling more than ever. But, this time God has refined His vision in my heart.

So, here’s to another year of focus on God, family, and ministry. Thank you to all two-hundred some odd of you that thought enough to take a moment out of your time to make me smile by wishing me a happy birthday.

God bless you and be safe.

Chaplain Jeff

I'm not going to be real wordy in this post. My main objective is to get the word out about Police Chaplaincy. I'm sure many of you over time have wondered just exactally am I trying to do with my ministry. Maybe you have even wondered if you should support it. Here is an effort to inform you about Police Chaplaincy. As an affiliate member of The International Conference of Police Chaplains, I have learned much and beleive their video below is an excellent introduction to police chaplaincy for the community As you watch this eleven minute video, please understand that this is what I am trying to acheive here in my community.

I have also included a list of what Police chaplains can do for a law enforcement agency below:

International Conference of Police Chaplains seek to maintain professionalism in law enforcement chaplaincy

What Law Enforcement Chaplains Do...

• Counsel members of the local law enforcement community, sworn and non-sworn
  
• Counsel officers in areas such as Stress Management, Post Shooting, Burn-Out
  
• Serve as part of a department's Crisis Response Team
  
• Assist the department in making death notifications
  
• Assist at suicide incidents
  
• Provide guidance should a Line Of Duty Death occur within the department or community
• Provide assistance to victims
  
• Counsel with the families of law enforcement officers
• Counsel with other members of a department and families
  
• Visit sick or injured officers and departmental personnel in homes and hospitals
• Offer prayer at special occasions such as recruit graduations, awards ceremonies, dedication of buildings, retirement ceremonies
• Serve as liaison with other clergy in the community
• Serve on review boards, award boards, and other committees Assist with transients and the homeless
• Provide for the spiritual needs of prisoners as request

I hope that after veiwing the movie and reding this post, you have a better understanding of what God has called me to do for Him.

Blessings!

Chaplain Jeff

I know this is way off topic, but it's an epiphany that cannot be left unsaid. It is not meant to slight or to mock. It is meerly an idea that came upon me in a rare and uncommonly lucid state of mind.
In the area where I live, there are many different ways the traffic is controlled. In traffic school, key is the color, or so I am told. Traffic control devices fall into three categories. They are informative, cautionary, and regulatory. Each type has a color, or set of colors as a theme, so to speak. The informative colors are blue, brown, and green. The cautionary color is yellow with black letters. The only regulatory devices are colored with black, white, and red. The lettering is generally black or white.
Imagine my confusion when I suddenly realized that every traffic light in this area is manufactured in a yellow housing. A green light in yellow housing we take for "go." A cautionary color combined with that which is informative. When the light is almost ready to tell us we must stop, the green light changes to yellow. No mysteries here. Caution. Be prepared to stop and clear the intersection. This all makes sense for the orderly and safe flow of traffic.
The chaos mounts when there's red and yellow. The colors ascribed to the United States Marine Corps. So, how are we to take this to mean stop? I submit that a logical conclusion is to storm and take the intersection much like Iwo Jima.
Just me thinkin'.
Agapé,
Chaplain Jeff