You Are Never Truly Alone

By Jamie Warner

Recently, a team from Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs converged, once again, on the Freedom Ranch for Heroes in Wise River, Montana, for another Men’s Legacy Program. This time we had eight new Warriors participating in the Legacy Program.

There was the usual mix of emotions and feelings from the group as we kicked-off the week. We have learned over the years of programming that the number one killer of our Veterans, active duty military, and First Responders is isolation. Why is isolation so dangerous?

“A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgement.” Proverbs 18:1

When we rage against all wise judgement, we do the things we know we ought not to do. We allow our minds to travel paths that lead to pain and hurt and destruction. You see, when we isolate, we purposely separate ourselves from people that care about us, people that can speak wisdom and truth into our dark circumstances, people that can help. We also separate ourselves from our One true help, the Lord.

And here’s the dangerous part: when we isolate, we are not truly alone: isolation is a lie.

Isolation is an implicit invitation to our common enemy, Satan, to whisper in our ear. Isolation grants him access to our thoughts and emotions and encourages him to influence our decisions. Isolation makes us easy prey as we’ve disengaged from the safety of the herd or pack. Isolation creates weakness and vulnerability that the enemy is all too happy to capitalize on.

Is it any surprise that our motto at Mighty Oaks is “NEVER FIGHT ALONE”? Legacy Program teaches the Warriors tools to fight that urge to isolate. They are shown that they are not alone in their struggles. They have Cornermen who will lock arms and engage the enemy and his lies head on… together.

 

That’s the knowledge our eight Warriors in Montana learned and returned home with. They aren’t alone. They can be victorious on the battlefield of life like they were on the battlefields of their service. Armed with a new Brotherhood and the tools of the Legacy Program: Hope, Purpose, Peace, Joy, these eight brave men left at the end of the week running into the battle for their marriages, families, and brothers.