Today we’d like to introduce you to Chaplain Lisa Lerner.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I married a cop, I had no idea what that life would entail. My story was very different from anything I would soon be living. (I actually wrote a book about that!) Once we married, I quickly discovered how difficult the Police Life was, and trying to get advice from family and friends about it was not helpful. They didn’t live what I did and couldn’t understand. I began to reach out to other Police Wives and we soon began a small group to help support one another through the shift changes, trauma our husbands endured, and the negativity from society. Of course, this was back in 1991, so there were no cell phones, social media, or the far reach of the biased news media yet.
Through the next 30 years, my husband served in Law Enforcement we were educated on ways to navigate our unique life and learn to thrive in the “abnormal”. The divorce rate among Law Enforcement averages 75% and currently, there are more Officers committing suicide than losing their lives to their call of duty. What does their call of duty look like to those who don’t live it? Great question, glad you asked! For an Officer, it is a brutal balance of standing between the evil for the good. Witnessing the worst that human beings can do to themselves and one another on a daily basis. Then, try to manage the damage that does to their minds, their hearts, and their families.
For us, their support system, we try to ignore the rhetoric from the society that believes our partners are out there with the mindset to murder and hurt people without cause. We try to help them work 12-18 hours days in a Hyper-Vigilant state that causes their bodies and minds to race with chemicals that never get to come back to normal because before the body can recover, they are back at work. We struggle with helping our kids when they are bullied because their parents chose to protect and serve their community at a great personal cost to themselves and those who love them.
Because of all the Police community chooses to struggle through every day, we decided to dedicate our lives to serving them. We created Bless The Badge in 2001 and have been reaching out to Law Enforcement Families in several ways since. We have had the privilege of learning successful tools and techniques that help us to successfully navigate what we cannot control or change. My husband Chuck retired after 30 years of street patrol in 2016. Since then we have traveled nationwide teaching conferences and workshops free of charge. We also provide free individual and couple coaching as well. Our passion is to help society understand the human being and family behind that uniform, and to equip, encourage, and support those who choose to wear it and stand beside it,
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been an easy journey! The introduction of cell phones, internet, social media have drastically changed everything. It’s a two-edged sword in many ways. The development of body cameras was a lifesaver literally for many Officers. On the other hand, they never get the opportunity to have any private conversations for their entire 12-18 shift. The Law Enforcement Community is tight and well-defended, for good reason. we don’t trust easily if we do at all. Even among them, we have to earn credibility and build relationships before we have the right to speak into their lives. Our biggest struggle has always been raising funds to support our mission. Believe it or not, Cops don’t make much money! As retired ones, we certainly don’t, so we depend on businesses or organizations to support our cause as a 501c3 Non Profit. As you can imagine that’s a tough ask. If people only understood how much our Police need what we provide to help them restore their relationships, by learning to be resilient to the stress. and navigate their impossible jobs, the benefit to society would be incredible! Who wants an exhausted, traumatized Cop that is going through a divorce and losing his kids to show up when you need help?! How much better would it be to have a healthy, happy, and resilient Cop show up to help you with your problem?
Please tell us about Bless The Badge – what should we know?
Bless the Badge is a 501c3 Non Profit that is on a mission to educate, equip, and encourage Law Enforcement Officers and their support systems on how to successfully navigate the stresses and challenges of this calling.
We teach our trademarked Tactical Relationship Training nationwide through conferences, agency-specific workshops, and couple based coaching.
If we are to boast in anything it is that through our traumas, tragedies, and triumphs our God has always been more than enough and shown Himself strong. We have learned to persevere and allow Hope to reign in the darkest of days.
I believe what sets us apart is our experiences, our passion and commitment to see our Police family whole and well without a price tag.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
We could not do what we do without the support of our team and many mentors along the way. When we first started, it was just Chuck and I for the first ten years. We were attending Bethel Temple Church in 2001 when Bless The Badge was created. We were supported and encouraged by Mike Mizell the Pastor. I also met one of my greatest gifts there, an amazing woman named Ruby Johnson. she taught me how to pray, be a better wife and mother, and how to love unconditionally. In the next decade, we begin to assemble an amazing team of law enforcement families that began to teach with us and pursue our passion together. The first addition was Allison Uribe from San Antonio Texas. Her and her husband Joe have been a huge asset to us. Allison has an online ministry “Wives On Duty” and she speaks nationally in that capacity as well. Our Next addition was Melinda Merritt. She worked tirelessly getting us off the ground with conferences while working full time, raising 2 boys, and all the stress of the police wife’s life. We added another couple Caleb and Kendra Hale, who has a powerful story that is life-changing. In 2017, we were granted an amazing gift with the addition of Sara Valline. She is our Executive Director and an indescribable blessing to us. Bless The Badge would truly not be what it is today without her. We have searched out and added many law enforcement families that have stories that teach, We are at Victory Family Church in Burleson now and that house has been a safe haven for us. Pastor Mark Greenroy and his wife Leisha have been mentors to us for the past 9 years. Their wisdom and support for us personally and for our mission is without a doubt one of our greatest blessings. They have been rock steady throughout all of the challenges and traumas we deal with. Gotta give a shout out to Cyndi Doyle with Code4Couples and Kim Knight with Relationships First who has been a great support for our mission.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blessthebadge.org
- Phone: 817-422-2799
- Email: lisa@blessthebadge.org
- Instagram: blessthebadge
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlessTheBadgeMinistries/
- Twitter: @blessthebadge
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