The War Institute

The WAR Institute, Safe House programs, and Thunderbolt Ranch are dedicated to my son Dustin Berg who tragically passed away on June 14, 2023. Dustin had grown up in a Christian household, you might say he was an average Christian. He tried so hard to trust God, but struggled with an addiction to alcohol for many years.

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Pride had always been a downfall for Dustin. He was crying out to God for help...but he always believed he could fight the war and win on his own strength. He was a man who wanted to prove himself strong. Just when I began to see real change in him, his life on this earth ended.

 

As his mother I have to say, Dustin was clearly set apart. He was set apart in two ways.

 

1. He was always thinking of others. Dustin would give the shirt he was wearing if someone needed one. He had a heart for the outcasts, the rejects, the orphans, and the fatherless. When he gave his heart for love, there was no turning back, no back door. He was a man who was fully committed to God and Family.

 

2. Dustin's life was filled with torment. What I witnessed were not just struggles, what I saw was an evil, non-stop, aggressive demonic onslaught determined to take Dustin's life. Unseen entities were determined to destroy him. These were consistent, strategically set up, full-blown spiritual assaults with very small windows of reprieve.

 

At the end of last year (2022) I arrived back in Idaho after a ten-month mission trip to Africa. I again saw Dustin's frustration and tried to get him connected with local churches. We went to three (3) churches in the Boise area. We talked to pastors and filled out visitor cards. We went to meetings, met, and connected personally with pastors and leaders.

 

Dustin needed desperately to be connected with strong and spiritually mature leaders who walked in the power of God. He was struggling, he was wounded and hurt. His heart had been broken repeatedly. He needed close discipleship to gain hope and strength.

 

Over the weeks alarms were going off in me...I continued to seek out Christian leaders on behalf of my son. I was seeing the need and being ignored. I kept reaching out to local pastors...What I got in response from them was silence. I am very sad and grieved to say, the follow-up with these churches and pastors was non-existent.

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After seeing the cycled mess my son was in, and the neglectful behavior of local pastors, I made my son a commitment that I would be the one to take his hand; to walk with him daily, to teach and train him in the weapons of war against the spirits of darkness that were so adamantly after him causing torment.

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I heard the alarms sounding loudly in my spirit, I continued to pray, and I kept in contact with my son. How could I be the only one hearing the alarms going off? I knew it was a matter of life and death. Was I the only one who felt the urgency?

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I knew the answer was to go to him. Meet with him often and talk with him daily. I was keeping in close contact with him! I was beginning to see real change in him. I saw a humbleness I had never seen before.

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On June 14, 2023, I got a call that my son had killed himself.

 

This was NOT supposed to happen!!

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I had just made a commitment to him to step in and do what I had hoped other local pastors should have done. Pastors have the responsibility to GO AFTER the sheep and lambs. Where were these pastors when my son was crying out for help? Why were his cries unheard?

 

Pastors continually want more people in their churches...why have more people if they're going to be neglected? This is NOT the spirit of God.

 

THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM & REHABS

 

Over the years I have been connected with those who work in the Criminal Justice System. My son was sadly one of those who were caught up in the "system" as a repeat offender. He attended class after class, program after program, rehab after rehab, not getting the answers that would set him free. AGAIN...I have been confronted with the tremendous need for those who suffer from addictions.

 

I have had many conversations with those who work in Law Enforcement, the Criminal Justice System, and rehabilitation facilities. I've seen their dedication as well as their incredible frustration with repeat offenders.

 

Most have long ago thrown up their hands and have said emphatically, "WE ARE WORN OUT, FRUSTRATED, AND ADMIT WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO HELP THESE PEOPLE, WE NEED NEW IDEAS!" They do their best with the resources they have, but they are still largely missing the mark. 

 

They incarcerate them, they fine them...they counsel and fight for those who get entangled in the System. They bear the weight of offenders trying to help, but most often see their efforts as minimal and often useless. Caring, dedicated workers involved in a flawed, powerless, merry-go-round cycled system.

 

They know it, they see it daily, and it affects them deeply. Many offenders are angry at the system and yes, there are those that have wrong motives and cruel decisions that have been made against offenders; but for the most part, those who work in the system have good hearts.

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The root of the problem is being overlooked because the problem is spiritual. A spiritual war can not be fought naturally. Governments have been forced to step in because the churches have been powerless, neglectful, clueless, misdirected, and strayed from the teachings and life-transforming power of Jesus. Jesus NEVER told us to go to the systems of the world for answers!

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WHERE IS THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST?

WHERE IS HIS POWER?

WHERE ARE THE PASTORS AND LEADERS WHO ARE WILLING TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES AND FORSAKE ALL....TO GO AFTER THE LAMBS THAT ARE ALONE AND DYING?

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Jesus is and will always be our greatest example in the life of a believer and for those called to Christian leadership! Jesus left his family and all he had to go live among those who hungered for His truth. He left all to meet the needs of those around Him, always placing others before Himself. As a shepherd, He went to the sheep and lambs, He never waited for them to come to Him. This heart to leave the ninety-nine and go after just one is sadly missing in churches today. Jesus, please give us ears to hear the "crying of the lambs".

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Seeing this tremendous need is how The War Institute, Safe Houses, and Lamb Discipleship with the RMI House Churches began. I knew that God was speaking to me...I could no longer stand back and expect someone else to do what I knew needed to be done. Jesus said, "The harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

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THUNDERBOLT RANCH

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My son Dustin and I shared a common vision to have ranch property...a place for family and community to gather. A place of healing, strength, and filled with the power to overcome. A place where youth could come and experience the love and care of true family. Dustin's heart leaned towards the outcasts, the rejects, the forsaken. He also deeply loved children...especially the fatherless.

 

More than anything he wanted a family of his own. His heart was broken for children who did not have fathers. Dustin bore the grief of watching his youngest brother and sisters live with hearts filled with despair after losing their father when they were very young. His brother was tragically killed when he was 17 years old leaving behind a beautiful baby girl "fatherless".  This left a tremendous amount of pain in Dustin's heart.

 

Most people did not know that Dustin lived with a "heart-driven" dream to help fatherless children. His commitment toward these children was intense. He carried a promise in his heart to be the father they never had. He would have taken them all in creating a real home and a family filled with unconditional love. Not many people convey "unconditional" love. Dustin was one of these rare people...he was driven by understanding and compassion.

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Not many knew of Dustin's dreams as he held them as secrets in his heart. As his mother, I knew of them as we shared a love for God and similar dreams. Sadly he did not live on this earth long enough to see this vision accomplished.  With God's help, I will do my best to see his heart expressed and fulfill our combined vision to extend the love of family to those whose hearts have been broken, forsaken, and have suffered loss.

 

As a promise to my son, I have dedicated my life to making sure another lamb is not neglected or forsaken. To leave the masses and go after the weak and forsaken lambs that are crying in silence, then teach others to do the same! 

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Zanild

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(aka: Cindi, Dustin's Mom)