A surprise

[Anna Marta]

We have been trying to find good counseling and hoped to be able to spend a week away at the national Christian counseling center. The arrangements have not been easy to make.

Suddenly today, the wife of friends who left the church when we did called me. She called the counseling center. She had no idea the person she spoke with was the author of a book I just sent for and the foremost authority on spiritual abuse in Norway! When she conveyed the conversation and I asked his name I almost fell off my chair! He told her that the things we are all feeling are much like those people who come out of a cult experience.

Anyway, he informed her that the counseling center has a paid counselor here in our area and recommended that our little group meet with him. We agreed she should call and try to set up an appointment for the 4 of us and regardless of when we would be there!

She called and was quite assertive. She told him we had left an abusive church that has become a sect and he asked the name. He knew of the church and told her he knew people that went there. Her response to this was priceless. She told him, "You are not the right person for us to talk to then, because you will probably not believe us and we cannot go through not being believed again!" He quickly responded that he only knew these people, but they were not friends and she should not be afraid we would not be believed. He assured her that she would be shocked to know some of the things he has been told have happened to people.

The meeting was set for tomorrow evening at 7 PM at his office. He had the time open as another meeting has just canceled. Usually he does not meet in the evenings because he had children and sets boundaries. She had to call him back a little later because she couldn't get a baby sitter. So, believe it or not, he is coming to their home at 7:30 PM. What a wonderful surprise! We will meet as a group and then if needed we can each make individual appointments with him later on. This is just what we have been wishing and praying for!!!!!!

Now I don't know IF this will amount to anything, but Steinar and I are very excited. He is going into work at 5AM tomorrow so he can come home early that way we will time to rest and talk and pray before we go. I think he is more "up in the air" than I am.

I shall let you know what happens.
AM