Initiative 99 Launch: Surviving First Responder PTSD with Bestselling Author Jason Sautel

In Luke 15:4, Jesus asks a powerful question: *If a man has a hundred sheep and loses one, doesn't he leave the 99 in the open country to hunt down the single one that is lost until he finds it?* Welcome to the launch of **Initiative 99** on *A Silent War Within*—a dedicated monthly series stepping past standard mental health talk to explore the raw, unfiltered reality of faith on the front lines. This series is built on one truth: the Good Shepherd intentionally leaves the safe majority to pursue the broken, bleeding, and hopeless who are drowning in the dark. To launch this movement, host Kevin Whitsell and co-host Angel Deaton sit down with bestselling author, speaker, and former Oakland firefighter/paramedic **Jason Sautel** (*The Rescuer* & *All We Need Is Jesus*). For decades, Jason was the guy everyone called to save the day in one of the highest-acuity, most violent urban fire departments in the country. But behind national heroism awards and hundreds of lifesaving calls, Jason was quietly calculating the logistics of his own suicide—until radical grace stepped into his darkness and pulled him out. ### 🔍 Key Moments & Topics in This Episode: - **The Vision Behind Initiative 99:** Drawing a line in the sand and opening up about how Christ pursues first responders at their lowest points. - **From High School Dropout to Oakland Firefighter:** Surviving childhood abuse, street culture, and stepping straight into wildland firestorms and high-volume urban response. - **The Jumper on the Bay Bridge:** Looking into the empty eyes of a suicidal man and recognizing the exact same darkness in his own mirror. - **Exposing False Refuges:** Identifying the three biggest idols high achievers and first responders run to when bleeding out internally: work, relationships, and financial security. - **Identity Beyond the Badge:** Surviving a career-ending injury after 26 years on the line and learning that your job does not define your worth. - **Sanctification & Mental Health:** Why turning to Christ doesn't magically erase street trauma, but provides eternal hope and the practical tools of perseverance. ### 🌐 Connect with Our Guest (Jason Sautel): - **Website & Books:** jasonsautel.com *(Order "The Rescuer" and "All We Need Is Jesus: 90 Days of Seeing the Rescue and Love of God")* - **Social Media:** Follow Jason Sautel on Facebook and Instagram for daily encouragement. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: CL6FEEC8J077OLFE, 7XOKWBYZSJ8F8W0X, CBI1US6YW40DU1X0