By Clint Hatch
My new book, “Keeping the Peace Within: Following Jesus as a First Responder,” has been a three-year process of God working in my heart what He wanted to say to first responders and their families. It was born out of a deeply personal journey shaped by more than 20 years in law enforcement and a profound spiritual awakening. The book is a result of my firsthand experience as a first responder who has witnessed trauma, violence, and human brokenness on a regular basis — and the realization that professional strength alone is not enough to carry that weight.
I grew up in church and knew about God, but lived far from Him. Early in my career, I rooted my identity in being a police officer, finding belonging and purpose in the tight-knit first responder community. Over time, however, the cumulative stress of the job, unresolved personal struggles, and unaddressed sin led me down a dark and destructive path. Despite outward success, I was internally unraveling. I eventually reached rock bottom early in my marriage and career and contemplated ending my own life; I felt completely hopeless and overwhelmed.
That crisis became the turning point where God powerfully intervened. The Holy Spirit drew me to honest confession, repentance, and a genuine reliance on Jesus alone rather than on self-effort or professional identity. What had once been a surface-level, hypocritical faith became a lived reality marked by grace, forgiveness, and transformation. This change was not the result of moral improvement, but of surrender — trusting fully in Jesus’ death on the cross, His resurrection, and the ongoing power of the Holy Spirit.
I decided to write this book because I recognize and relate to the unique and often unspoken spiritual and emotional burdens that we first responders carry. It is a heavy weight that sometimes we don’t realize we’re carrying before it’s too late. While conversations about mental health have grown, I believe they remain woefully incomplete without addressing faith, sin, and the condition of the soul. For these reasons, I was compelled to speak directly to fellow first responders. We are trained to manage crises for others but tend to neglect our own. Our first response should be to run to God rather than rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms.
I don’t write these things as an expert, or one who has life all figured out, but as someone who has been broken, rescued, and changed. The hope and prayer is that God would use my story as a wake-up call, helping others find lasting peace, true identity, and restoration through a relationship with Jesus. Ultimately, “Keeping the Peace Within” is a testimony of redemption and an invitation for others to experience the same inner peace I discovered only after surrendering my life to Jesus.
Clint Hatch lives in Mississippi with his wife, Amanda, and their two children, Noah (11) and Aniyah Grace (7). A paperback and digital version of Clint’s book can be purchased online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, etc.
