During the 1990’s Shepherd’s House undertook a careful review of why some people with the same level of trauma and treatment recovered while others did not. One visiting psychiatrist commented that the average case at Shepherd’s House was worse than the worst cases he saw in the hospitals where he consulted. The group ranged from victims of government torture to terrorism and multigenerational cults. Even with support from their churches most could not raise the fifteen million needed for a full professional recovery program. Some were healing with what they received and others just kept relapsing. The results of the study at Shepherd’s House resulted in the Life Model describing the five elements it takes to thrive. The staff wrote an introductory version called Living From the Heart Jesus Gave You that is now in five languages and in its seventh printing.

By the 2000’s Shepherd’s House was training internationally and focused on developing the brain skills and prayer healing needed to live in joy. Recently published research indicated that to recover, heal and grow as an individual or group all required heightened experiences of joy. Joy was the engine that drove thriving, recovery and even the prevention of trauma and addiction. While all the program development funds up to this point had come from counseling fees, it seemed unfair to “tax” the most wounded to develop a recovery program for the church and the world. Instead, Shepherd’s House developed books, tapes, videos and conferences that would teach the full range of thriving – from the brain skills to prayer ministry to multi-generational community growth. These programs, called THRIVE: Changing My Generation and Thriving: Recover Your Life, are probably the next step you, your family and church need but didn’t know about until now. Isn’t it time you experienced the solution? Are you ready for some brain training? Have you tried the easier, cheaper and quicker solutions and you still need to thrive? Come experience the joy!