The Overlooked Value of Sequencing
When we remodeled our house a few years ago, I did the general contracting. Much of that work involved taking an existing house, comparing it with a model of how that house should look and then sequencing all the activities and materials needed to finish.
Even such a simple task as sequencing the arrival of a load of wood or concrete could make a permanent difference in the outcome both for costs and craftsmanship. Sequencing important activities is both a matter of the order and the timing. If the materials arrived three hours early (3 AM) or three hours late (9 AM) there were problems.
Whether you are a wedding coordinator or a farmer you know that the sequence and the timing are the difference between a wonderful yield and a disaster. Take a shot at sequencing the following:
- Warm weather
- Wet weather
- Cold weather
- Planting
- Harvesting
- Fertilizing
The Sequence of Maturity, Trauma and Healing
Our book Living From the Heart Jesus Gave You demonstrated how a persons own maturity follows a sequence. We’ve seen people apply these tools to “grow up themselves.” We’ve also seen churches and organizations as diverse as the Salvation Army in the Netherlands and Youth With a Mission (YWAM) use them to develop more mature members and leaders.
In the same book, as well as in Restarting, we’ve demonstrated the sequencing of trauma healing. The brain processes trauma in a specific order. God’s presence is healing! We developed a method to help people bring their pain to God, and do so in the sequence that best engages their brain.
With this sequence and minimal training, we’ve seen people and groups experience healing. The word “Immanuel” means “God with us.” This process helps people know and experience God’s presence in their pain, and has become know as “Immanuel Healing.”
Immanuel Healing has spread through the work of Dr. Karl Lehman, a major contributor to sequencing the brain functions. Kim Campbell and others have taken Immanuel sequencing around the world. The process of Immanuel Healing is proving simple to propagate to groups with high need and few resources.
Along the way, we realized that maturity, healing and community are interrelated. A few mature individuals who understood the Immanuel approach were able to help spread healing through an entire community.
We’ve applied the same process of sequencing to relationships. Chris and Jen Coursey developed two training programs, Thrive and Joy Rekindled. They have seen how, with the proper sequencing, a bonded pair (such as a married couple or prayer partners) can develop a world class, brain-science based, relationship skills.
Continued Research
We are continuing to expand our research on this topic. Ed Khouri is currently experimenting on developing sequences for those whose whose community structure is disrupted or very unhealthy. This sequencing process is about half completed at the present time (2014) and a good deal of experimentation and optimization is still ahead.
We believe that continuing to develop this processes is essential to our families, communities and our world. Mature people, healed of their wounds and equipped with relational brain skills, will give us the way to “reseed” areas of the world decimated by crime, AIDS, ethnic cleansings, war, greed, human trafficking, evil and hunger.
This “reseeding” of life should be the natural function of the church.
The structures of the human community are rapidly shifting. The ingredients for healthy, mature, joy-filled communities are all well-known and often used. However, like scurvy of old, gaps in the sequence of life have left us weak. What should be natural requires more effort than ever before.
We hope you’ll join us in this effort, either by attending an upcoming event, training or by learning these practices in your church community.
If you’ve already benefitted from the Life Model, we hope you’ll share you story in the comments below!
Download a Free Chapter of Joy Starts Here!
