Christianity Will Take You Into the Heart of the World's Brokenness: Fire Chief Dan Andrus, Part Two
Our conversation with Dan Andrus, fire chief of Concord, the capital of New Hampshire, touches on PTSD in first responders, depression and suicide. Here is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
The Lifeline phone number is: 1-800-273-8255.
Also, in part one of our conversation, Dan mentions 3 firefighters who have faced the life-draining forces of traumatic stress, and the mental health costs in doing so. Those people, and links to their stories, are:
Mike Stevens, Salt Lake City: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/05/18/once-suicidal-a-salt-lake-city-firefighters-got-help-now-hes-urging-other-first-responders-to-consider-therapy/
Todd Donovan, Derry, New Hampshire: https://www.wmur.com/article/event-aims-to-end-stigma-around-mental-health-issues-of-first-responders/24416188
Scott Geiselhart, Frazee, Minnesota: https://seeingincoloragain.wordpress.com/
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Here are timecodes to help you navigate through today’s show:
03:42 Chris asks Dan how he has managed his own exposure to trauma. In what ways can spiritual grounding and spiritual connection aid our mental health? Our physical health?
04:28 “Christianity is a faith for the broken.” Discuss. Why would anyone want to be taken into “the heart of the world’s brokenness?”
08:21 Recognizing Dan’s public role as Fire Chief, Chris wonders how free Dan can be with his faith, in his work. Can we preach without words?
10:00 Again the question: what does it mean to be a man in this culture? Chris and Dan explore emotions, strength and weakness, and shame.
12:38 What In God’s Name is having a funding campaign: support the core values of curiosity, depth, and shining light into the public conversation by going to our website www.whatingods.com, and making a donation through Patreon, or through Filmmakers Collaborative.
14:52 What kind of people are seeking to be firefighters today? The conversation returns to vocation: the sense of meaning and purpose in work.
18:04 What does it mean to “save” people? Dan suggests that giving people a second chance has something to do with saving. Could it be that giving people a second chance by resuscitating them from cardiac arrest, can help us understand what Christians mean when they say they have been “saved” by Jesus?