Breaking Strongholds
STUDY GUIDE

Episode 4: Mother Wounds

MEET THE CHARACTERS:

Grace Williams

After years of foster homes and living on the streets going by different names, “Grace” is the name she has chosen for herself. Her childhood and teen years were traumatic, but once she found her aunts, Hazel and Janelle, she has been able to have a stable home and grow into a wise and caring young woman. She is the crisis counselor at the high school and has remained best friends with Lindsey Jordan, the daughter of the woman who helped her find her aunts. Grace blames the trauma of her past on her mother, Ella, with whom she has had no contact since she was four years old. Grace and her aunts have assumed Ella died long ago since she was caught up in a life of darkness. Now, Grace faces her “mother wounds” anew as they try to understand what a mysterious phone message has to do with Lindsey’s disappearance.

Benjamin Maywin

Benjamin is currently a night custodian at Montgomery West High School. He and Ryan have become friends. Although they’ve only known each other for a few days, Benjamin is the only other person who knows Ryan was considering suicide and was ready to act on that until Ryan confided in Peyton. When Ryan learns that Benjamin fought in the Vietnam War, his perception of Benjamin changes from annoyance to admiration. Because Benjamin opened up and shared his heartache about losing his wife and child, Ryan feels he can trust Benjamin; yet, many things about Benjamin remain to be discovered. We see a mentor-mentee friendship developing.

Aunt Hazel, Aunt Janelle and Ella

Sisters Hazel and Janelle have cared for Grace for the last 15 years. Grace is the daughter of Hazel and Janelle’s lost sister, Ella. Hazel and Janelle are believers who have experienced their share of hardships. They have lived their lives walking with God and in fellowship with other believers. They have led Grace to trust in Jesus as savior as well.

Their sister, Ella, however, chose a different path as a young woman. She became interested in the dark arts of voodoo and black magic. Little Grace was born into that world of darkness. Ella originally named her “Erzulie” because she believed her to be the incarnation of the voodoo “Spirit of Love.” The evidence is a birthmark on Grace’s shoulder in the shape of the symbol for Erzule: A sword-pierced heart. Now, Ella has resurfaced through a mysterious phone message.

JOURNAL PROMPTS:

As you watch Episode 4, look for the answers to these questions. Keep a journal of the answers to get the most out of what God may be teaching you through Breaking Strongholds. If possible, watch the episode with others and discuss your answers.

1. As Hazel and Janelle explain the story of Ella to the police, Grace is uncomfortable and conflicted. Her past has come back to haunt her. Why is Grace angry about the message and her mother? How does she feel about her mother, Ella?

2. Lindsey’s voicemail asking for a substitute for her classes seems to indicate that Lindsey is safe. It appears that the message from Ella is unrelated to the case, and the police have no reason to continue searching for Lindsey. What information does the Chief find that shows Grace’s past with her mother, Ella, and Redmond Quinn are connected after all?

3. Guilt and shame are different emotions. Guilt is the feeling that occurs when someone has done something wrong, while shame is the feeling that one is fundamentally flawed or inherently bad. Guilt can motivate positive change and encourage a person to make amends, whereas shame often leads to destructive behaviors towards oneself and others.

COPY IN YOUR JOURNAL, MEMORIZE, & SPEAK OUT LOUD:

Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Writing, memorization, and the spoken word all aid in learning, retaining, and applying the spiritual life lessons found in God's Word.)

4. Grace has trusted Jesus as her savior. She is “in Christ.” Her sins are forgiven. However, she still struggles with shame from her past. The message from her mother, Ella, evokes intense feelings that she has suppressed for years. How do Aunt Hazel and Aunt Janelle help Grace process these feelings?

5. Peyton realizes she needs to talk to Ryan about suicide and bravely reaches out to him. She begins by naming some of the signs of suicidal ideation she learned in the SafeTalk course that she has noticed in Ryan’s life. What are the signs of suicide that Peyton shares with Ryan?

6. How does Ryan respond when Peyton asks him about thoughts of suicide? What did he wish his mom had realized that he had come to know himself?

7. After hearing Chaplain Vic talk to the youth about SafeTalk, Brandon asks Pastor Justin to pray for his friends who are being drawn into darkness and the occult. Vic mentions that the police have seen more occult activity than ever before in the last year. This coincides with Redmond Quinn moving his headquarters to Montgomery and with all his followers moving to the area.

COPY INTO YOUR JOURNAL:

John 1:4-5. “ In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Breaking Strongholds key verse)

As Pastor Justin prays that God would intervene in Montgomery and push back the darkness, what happens to Nick and the priest?

8. God answers prayers. The answer is not always “yes” and not necessarily in our timing. Sometimes it is “no,” and sometimes it is “not yet” because He sees the bigger picture. In this case, God immediately protected His own from harm.

COPY INTO YOUR JOURNAL:

1 John 5:14 – “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us.” (VERY IMPORTANT: The key to this verse is "His Will," not "Your will." The more we focus on Jesus, read the Bible, and spend time in prayer, the more He moves our hearts to become more like Jesus. As a result, when we pray, personal desires diminish and are replaced with His desires and purposes.)

PRAYER:

First, If you have never trusted Jesus as your savior, take some time to watch the Reflective Media Productions short presentation about trusting in Jesus to gain eternal life. Go to ____________________.

First, if you’ve never asked Jesus into your life and be your Savior, there is no better time to do that than now. Pray and ask Jesus to come into your life, and trust that He will NEVER leave you. The minute you ask Him to come in, He sends His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to dwell with you forever. His Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in YOU and will NEVER leave you. How exciting to know that you will live eternally with Jesus in Heaven! If you are struggling with feelings of shame, ask God to speak to your heart and tell you how He feels about you. Romans 3:23-24 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” That is the Good News! Praise God for His GRACE. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17