Call Summary: Ministry to At-Risk Youth and Spiritual Adoption

Overview

Morning phone call between Gary and Ida discussing her counseling work with suicidal students, spiritual warfare in education, and plans for youth ministry. Ida and Jesus spiritually adopt Gary as their son and invite him to Thanksgiving - the first non-family member ever invited. The conversation covers supernatural healing, deliverance ministry, and finding God's direction for career and calling.

Key Topics Discussed

Current Counseling Crisis Cases

• Suicidal Student with Speech Impediment: Young man spent 5 days in mental hospital after suicide attempt by pills. Has multiple diagnoses (bipolar, depression, ADHD, anxiety) since youth, but Ida sees it as unresolved trauma and PTSD. His birth mother abandoned him at 14, leaving guardianship to an unrelated friend. Has noticeable speech impediment making him sound like a 10-year-old. Kids were bullying him, triggering the attempt.

• "Sarah" - Rejected by Educated Parents: 15-year-old girl whose parents are both school principals. Has been sent to hospitals and treatment centers since childhood. Parents reject her - administrators tell Ida "keep her out of my face." Previously lived with the school's pastor and his wife. Former student of the Christian school before it became a charter. Told Ida: "All schools need to have chapel. This world is so crazy."

• "Isaac" - Previous Suicide Survivor: Another boy who attempted suicide a week and a half before the first student. Now appears transformed - Ida believes he's become a Christian and is "on a different path."

School Environment and Legal Constraints

• Charter School in Former Christian Building: School operates in a former Christian school building with sanctuary still active
• SB12 Consent Requirements: Cannot provide official mental health counseling without parental consent forms - violation could result in certificate removal
• Trauma-Informed Teaching: Texas schools requiring teachers to be trauma-informed to understand students' histories of "painful situations" and "torment"

Ida's Ministry Vision and Calling

• Youth Revival History: At 18, organized "Night of the Living Dead" revival at an athletic club

  • Drew 2,000 youth from across Rio Grande Valley (McAllen, Edinburgh, Mission, PSJA)
  • Rented venue for $4-5,000, signed for it herself at 18
  • Hundreds came to know the Lord, including her 11-year-old brother
  • Featured drug/alcohol presenters, pastors, Christian bands

• Current Ministry Calling: Has felt called for 2+ years to minister to youth

  • "I just need to pour into them. I don't want to tell them what they're doing wrong. I just want to tell them how much God loves them."
  • Husband willing to rent space for ministry
  • Son Carlos initially objected based on Biblical view of women ministers
  • Solution: Carlos would be the minister, Ida would be "exhorter" and prayer warrior

Spiritual Warfare Perspective

• Workplace as Battlefield:

  • "I literally imagined myself rolling up my sleeves and walking into hell"
  • Prays full armor of God before entering workplace
  • Brings light to people in "complete darkness" with no experience of truth, love, or being seen
  • 30+ years in this ministry approach

• Misdiagnosis of Spiritual Issues:

  • Believes many mental health diagnoses mask spiritual problems
  • Children diagnosed with ADHD/disorders immediately after trauma (parent in jail, witnessing violence)
  • Society doesn't allow people to grieve - "expected to move on for everybody's comfort"
  • Example: "Selective mutism" in kindergarteners who witnessed violence is actually trauma response

Carlos's Spiritual Progress

• Daily Kitchen Conversations: Carlos talks with Ida for 1-3 hours daily about "spirit, philosophy, psychology, everything"
• Prayer Development: Now praying conversationally rather than just repetitive prayers
• Witnessing to Friends: Encouraging Christian friends who feel guilt/shame about backsliding
• Scripture Engagement: Reading scriptures Gary sent about spiritual warfare and daily faith declarations
• Driving Issues: Has driver's license but doesn't drive due to past visions causing fear of accidents

Spiritual Adoption and Thanksgiving

• First Non-Family Guest: Gary is the first person outside family ever invited to Thanksgiving
• Spiritual Adoption: "We're adopting you, me and Jesus. You're our son."
• Other Invitees: Planning to invite multiple mentees including:
  • Bethany (20+ year relationship)
  • Karen (UT Austin graduate with 3 degrees, needs deliverance)
  • Ashley
  • 18-year-old first-gen Mexican student (top 10 of class, presidential scholarship)
  • Possibly Ida's nieces from Florida and Austin

Gary's Spiritual Identity

• Ida's Perception of Gary:

  • "You carry heaven with you"
  • "Your transformation is going to change millions of minds"
  • Felt spiritual "pull" when first meeting Gary at revival
  • "Wherever you walk, where we tread that ground is Holy"

• Career Discernment:

  • Gary seeking spiritually-aligned work opportunities
  • Doesn't want to compromise for a paycheck
  • Ida's encouragement: "Whichever way you go, God is going to be with you"
  • "You can do absolutely anything on earth that you want to do"

Key Quotes

Ida on trauma vs. diagnosis: "What they're experiencing is one, PTSD, which in this current age, PTSD is more likely than ADHD, but kids are being diagnosed with ADHD and they start them on the medication."

On selective mutism: "They're not selective mute. Their body responded fight or flight in a tiny itty bitty baby body. And their brain just shut down certain areas so that they could live past seeing their dad stab their mom to death."

On spiritual warfare at work: "I literally imagined myself rolling up my sleeves and walking into hell, knowing, praying the whole armor of God upon me, knowing that there were things that were going to come against me, but I was there to bring the light to people that were in complete darkness."

On repentance: "Where do you want God to find you when it's your last breath? Only God knows the hour of your death. Where do you want him to find you - in obedience or separated from him?"

On Christians who deny the supernatural: "A lot of Christians... they're saved and their family's saved and that's all. They're not heeding the call or the commission, which is to do the supernatural."

To Gary about his calling: "You carry heaven with you. We carry the kingdom with us, but not everybody accepts it... When you accept your position, you're on a different plane."

On youth needing to hear from survivors: "I want people to share their stories with each other, to be empowered by what the Holy Spirit has done already for people and what he can still do."

Carlos's message to backslidden friends: "Who cares how your mind's making you feel? Just keep asking God, keep praying, keep going, get up... God knew what you were going to do. God knows what you're going to do. And the things that don't line up, he still loves you."

Action Items / Takeaways

• Ida planning to pray over the suicidal student if he allows it
• Meeting scheduled with Sarah's mother to sign consent forms
• Gary invited to Thanksgiving with pickup arranged from downtown
• Ida inviting multiple mentees to meet Gary and share testimonies
• Carlos continuing to develop in prayer and witnessing
• Gary discerning career path that aligns with ministry calling
• Potential collaboration on youth ministry vision with Carlos as minister

Closing Prayer

Ida prayed for Holy Spirit anointing, kingdom decisions, and using their lives to advance God's kingdom, acknowledging salvation by grace alone while seeking to honor God in all decisions.