UPDATE Sept 2021: I have come to believe that Jeff Crippen does not practise what he preaches. He vilely persecuted an abuse victim and spiritually abused many other people in the Tillamook congregation. Go here to read the evidence. Jeff has not gone to the people that he spiritually and emotionally abused. He has not apologised to them, let alone asked for their forgiveness.
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This is a rather unusual blog post, but the urgency of the situation requires it. Please pray for one of our friends, a survivor of long time sustained abuse, who was slapped with a HUGE legal bill by her ex-attorney for a divorce that the abuser dragged out on and and and on in the courts. The attorney, knowing that she could not pay, continued to run up the bill and when the case settled, he took her to court and obtained a lien on her house. He notified her today that he intends to foreclose on the house in 30 days. He will own her house. She and the children will be homeless.
And there, that is our “family justice system” in this country.
Please pray that this evil man’s efforts are thwarted and that the Lord would be greatly glorified in it all.
The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exo 14:9-14)
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A Cry For Justice 
My prayer goes out to her.
This evil swindler has no idea what he has now come up against… He’s a wicked evil man now under the wrath of an angry God. Praying without ceasing!!
Absolutely!
Would you – or someone else – possibly consider setting up some sort of donation site to help her? I am thinking of crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe (which is #1) or others. A Google search brings up the top 10 in about a second. These sites can be used for just about anything. I have seen them for people who have had their homes burn to the ground, so why not this?
I do not know or understand the legalities that might be involved, so it may be best for it to be in another’s name rather than hers, so the evil people cannot get their hands on the money.
I volunteer to help, just tell me what needs to be done.
Praying against that man and for the woman and her family. May we see the hand of God in this appalling situation.
Praying, read the passage this morning and I pray Elisha’s prayer,
Father faithful, gracious, restorer of the broken in heart and crushed in spirit. let your servant see those chariots surrounding her with protection. Blind the evil heart of the greedy that would throw the defenseless in this world into the street. Let this story be a testimony of the wickedness of man running into the wall of Gods power. Let this story testify against the evil in the “justice” system directed toward the defenseless. Let every plot, plan, device inspired by hell be destroyed. Give wisdom to your daughter, supernatural insight, a plan, guidance and peace that passes understanding. Let her see the deliverance of God and bring confusion into the twisted plans of a deceiver. Creator of the universe ,defeat the devouring snake. Stand in all your glory and justice and bring down the arrogance of man. And let joy be your daughters strength.
Because of the blood of Christ, coming boldly to your throne of grace, release, restoration of hope on your daughter. Amen
Abuse heaped over by another helping of abuse. I will pray.
Praying!
Praying for justice, and for God to take good care of her and her children.
Interesting you chose that passage from Exodus. God gave me that passage during one of my legal battles and it graces my wall as a memorial stone. Praying God shows Himself strong on her behalf and turns this man’s evil on his own head! He will, for He is faithful! Remember, “All things work together for good for those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28) We don’t always see it and don’t always understand but one day redemption does come into our lives for our God is faithful. And Job is a great example!! His strength is made perfect in your weakness. He is your shield and defender. He is the one who redeems ALL circumstances and makes even His enemies to praise Him. As Christians, the victory is ours. Praying for peace, faith, confidence. Thanks for sharing this request. We all need each other! The fellowship of believers is a beautiful thing!
Praying.
Praying for this sister of ours and her children.
It is absolutely criminal what attorneys can do – and repugnant that they can do so legally.
I shall pray for her deliverance and that she not only is relieved of that wrongful bill, but that she and her children keep the house and receive the “spoils of the Egyptians” besides, as did the children of Israel upon their flight from Egypt.
I wonder how often this happens? I’ll bet this is another one of those horrible, unbelievable things that takes place more often than we think. Evil is real and comes in human form……praying.
Praying for this dear friend.
I am praying, also.
I have prayed imprecatory prayers on that man and protection prayers for the woman and her children.
This is pure EVIL …. Any wonder why the so-called “Justice” system is what it is! These are the very people who are supposedly working for justice. This kind are true vultures. Will pray!
absolutely praying. GOD WILL PREVAIL and this merciless, wicked man will reap what he has sown.
We live in a culture much like the one described in the book of Isaiah. The justice system is being perverted by wicked men whose souls are filled not only with greed but a lust for the feeling of power they derive from grinding the face of the poor and oppressed into the dust. A quote from a Biblical commentary I am reading, speaks of ” Wickedness receiving the stamp of the law.” We live in such a time. I have been in the court system and I have seen it weigh heavily to the side of iniquity every time. And always it has been within boundaries that were legal but from grossly unjust. I feel so helpless in the face of such a magnitude of injustice but I know our God hears and He sees and there will be a day of reckoning. I am praying for this circumstance. Please keep us updated .
You are correct, Abideinhim. We do live in a time and culture that supports this. Though my husband abandoned us physically and financially, I was told that if I didn’t appear to be supportive of his seeing his child and make efforts to get them together (in spite of his leaving us – I was to make the efforts to get them together), then the judge would likely see me as obstructionist and then he could be made to leave the marital home in order that my then-husband move back in – without me there. In other words, legally a judge could kick me out of my own home to allow the deserter to move back in with our child. I was so scared by this that I essentially kept my mouth shut in judge’s chambers the whole time – even though my understanding was that for ‘visitation’ our child would with him in a small trailer with only one bed. The alternative presented to me by my lawyers was that the judge would kick me out of my house (which still left her alone with him – and he could then steal more than he already had up to that point). When I asked where I would go if kicked out, my attorneys replied, “To a hotel.” I was just supposed to eat those expenses I guess – so living in that fear as well, I shut up.
These are the times in which we live. Evil, dark times where evil men rule.
Praying for God to intervene for this woman and her children.
This sounds like legal malpractice, malfeasance and your friend should seek wise counsel to determine if she can block this lien due to the actions of this scumbag attorney. I would be curious to know if this bottom-feeder has done this before? If there is a pattern of exploitation then someone needs to get in his face and start pushing back. There will be court records and documents and it could all blow up in HIS face while she stays cozy in her own home. Furthermore, most states have “Homestead” laws, which are designed PRECISELY to prevent seizure of your domicile. Someone can sue you for all sorts of things, and maybe even force a “fire sale” of your belongings, but typically they cannot force you out of your home just to pay a bill. Liens against property are typically for work done to the property (i.e.: repairs, roofing, painting, fencing, etc) not for services rendered to a person. So unless this attorney is also a handyman or a contractor, I seriously doubt that he can rip her house our from under her, and certainly not in 30 days!! I smell a rat. A BIG one.
This is almost impossible to think that something so horrible can happen. My heart and prayers go out to this woman and her children.
I am praying.
But also read an article on something like this. Below is a copy and paste of a portion of that article, which pertains to texas law.
But perhaps she has a similar law of protection regarding a homested in her own state.
Also at a time of year when people are suppose to be giving and loving, this is quite the opposite gesture, and if it was me I would contact the tv news stations.
Sometimes exposure creates a resolve.
Your home and wages:
Some collectors will threaten to take your home or wages to pay for a debt. In Texas, if your residence has been declared a homestead, it cannot be taken to pay a debt except for debts taken for the purchase of the home (ie, a mortgage in default), for home improvements, for home equity loans or to pay certain taxes. Wages may be garnished only to pay debts related to court-ordered child support, back taxes, and defaulted student loans. Debt collectors cannot garnish wages for repayment of consumer debt.
You can read about declaring your home as your homestead, for which you will receive certain tax exemptions as well as protection against debt collectors here: Comptroller of Public Accounts (tax exemption FAQs).
praying…
Psalm 123:3-4 ESV
Thank you all your prayers and support. The laws are such in my state that this attorney can foreclose on my home and I have no protection from it. The Judge in my case was ignorant of abuse and an unjust Judge who gave a judgment against me that no other judge in the rest of the state would have given. The wicked attorney charged me four times what the statute would call “reasonable fees”, but this Judge gave it to him anyway. So, it is there and has now also destroyed my once perfect credit score.
The Scripture from Exodus 14 hangs on my wall. I know and believe that God is faithful. Please continue to pray. I believe that God allows the wicked to flourish in their wickedness to bring it to an end. I have been in this battle for many years now. I believe God holds the abuser guilty on all counts for all these things happening to me and the children. It still amazes me that he would make sure his children were homeless.
It is hard for me to see the abuser win in all his wickedness – even though I know his “win” is a temporal thing – but I also believe God is a God of justice. It may not prevail now, but I know it will prevail in the end.
Please pray that God’s will would be to thwart this evil man’s plans for me and my children, and for wisdom for me in decisions I need to make. Thank you and may God bless your lives and your Christmas.
IamMyBeloved,
God has given you much wisdom in this trial. Like you, I believe that God allows the wicked to flourish in these temporal days that are fleeting and that all of these offenses against His righteousness and His children are added to the account of the wicked. I will be praying for you and your children during this time. One thing that I have learned and continue to learn through the ugliness of abuse and divorce in the church and legal system is to throw myself fully and solely on God’s mercy for His sole protection and provision. It sounds as though you are safely in His hands in the same way. Dear sister, if there’s anything you need…. I know we’re all pseudonyms from afar, but we’re real family to you too. If you live near to me, you’re welcome to come here with your children. I’ll email Ps. Jeff….. ((hugs))
Many prayers for you, and especially for your children. I will especially pray Psalm 35 and 58.
I am my Beloved’s,
Up until recently I thought my own court experience was the exception. I thought I lived in a unique environment where injustice was allowed to flourish because of mentality of the area I live in. The more I read, the more I learn that my case is not an exception at all. It appears Wickedness has infected the justice system in epidemic proportions. I try so hard not to fret because of evil doers, to realize that our God does see them and laughs because He knows their day is coming…Yet , I can’t seem but to yearn to see a day ,in the here and now, in the land of the living, where mighty God actually steps into a courtroom, or into a circumstance,in all His glory and power and delivers the righteous from the hand of the wicked , leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind who is really in control. I am praying that for you and your children.
Abidenhim,
It’s true. While I lived through the legal process, I thought as I neared the end that I hadn’t managed it well and I that I was really stupid about it all, but the more I read of others’ testimonies, it seems to be the norm that the system tramples wives and children underfoot. I would never have believed it so much had I not lived it and read the same testimony over and over and over and over….
I will pray for this sister. I also hope she follows up with the bar association, as they may be able to help. She may be able to get a para legal, or an attorney who can work pro bono or inexpensively. She may also want to call the nearest women’s shelter to describe the situation and see if any of their women there have experienced the same and might be able to provide good counsel.
I had one additional thought- maybe she could go to the newspaper or tv station. Some of them have a consumer advocate who might be able to help, and the threat of exposure may make this evil attorney back off. I pray the evil attorney’s schemes are confounded utterly.
My heart breaks for this poor woman and her children. I pray that our merciful Lord will shelter her from the legal abuse that is defining her circumstances right now. I have also experienced a similar situation and my attorney is now threatening me after almost 3 years post divorce. I was thrown out of my home with one day’s notice (by a judge) and was left almost $100,000 in debt. Many of my belongings were thrown into a dumpster that my ex had placed in the driveway. He had stolen (removed from my account to “invest” and proceeded to spend) all of my premarital funds. Assets were hidden. All I had coming out of the marriage was what I was able to remove from my home and an 11 year old car. I had been with him since we were 22 years old and I’m the mother of our 2 sons. I was 51 when I lost virtually everything and have been fortunate that I was able to avoid bankruptcy. The attorneys, the judges, the whole family court system -corrupt. My ex, I should mention, is an attorney. I put him through law school. I pray this dear woman can prevail and know that no matter what happens, God will restore what is taken away. I can say that from personal experience and have watched other faithful women soar after such abuse. So sad that the court system can be used as a proxy to further the abuse of an evil man.cy
Cynthia,
You wrote: “I was thrown out of my home with one day’s notice (by a judge) …”
My attorneys forewarned me that this could happen – that though he deserted us (wife and kid), in one fell swoop the judge could decide that he “needs” timesharing immediately and so I could be thrown out of my house legally and he move back in with our child. That had the effect of silencing me before the judge. I hardly said one peep. I was terrified.
Especially since I had looked up if one has legal recourse against a judge’s rule in a case like this (dissolution of marriage) in my state and I found that essentially, at this level, there is no appeal. Even if that were to happen and I sought appeal, how much more time and money would it take to get before yet another judge who could be equally as corrupt? I read on-line that there is nothing you can do if you disagree with a judge about a ruling like that otherwise people would be tying up the courts eternally with disagreements like that.
I found very little truth or justice in the legal system in my case in my state – especially when a target of abuse can be silenced by fear the way I was.
I lived in fear for a very long time. I ended up being homeless for 15 months because of a corrupt judge. It sickens me that our system offers so little protection from abuse that is life-altering. Was I ever naive!
Praying that you and your children have found moments of comfort during this season.
Still praying many of the Psalms for you and against the enemy who is set to take from you.
Also wondering if there have been any sources of help for you, is there anything set up for anonymous supporters to help in any way?
Thank you. Financial help can be made out to Christ Reformation Church and mailed there – 7450 Alderbrook Rd., Tillamook, Oregon. 97141. We will see that the funds get to her.
Pastor Jeff,
Is it 7420 Alderbrook or 7450?
Thanks…
Still Reforming,
Ah, good eye! You are correct – it is 7450 Alderbrook Road, Tillamook, Oregon, 97141
I corrected the address in Pastor’s comment.
twbtc,
Thank you.
He had given it to me earlier, so I wanted to check to make sure that I had it correct.
Many thanks, twbtc!
As I am not from US can you accept / cash international cheques?
Any updates on this situation?