The southern preacher powerfully concluded his sermon on marriage, “Nearly every marriage problem I see in my office is a failure of married couples to ‘leave and cleave’ – and ignoring this biblical principle simply ends in disaster.” It shook up my counselee because he listened carefully and took complete notes. The preacher even created a “warning checklist” – “living … Read More
Christmas Hope for Heavy Hearts
Many entered 2023 with optimism that a hard season of suffering was behind them and that better days were ahead. For some, this optimism was centered on personal concerns, perhaps in your own family or your soul. For others, it was for matters of global concern, that the dangers of plagues and politics seemed to be moving in a better … Read More
What Does the Bible Say About Work?
This is the first article in our mini-series on biblical wisdom for the workplace. There is a lot of discussion right now about the future work. We’re regularly hearing about the new capabilities of A.I. and how that will impact the internet, education, jobs, and everyday life. We’ve also recently experienced a phenomenon called the “Great Resignation” where tens of … Read More
Good Counseling Needs a Biblical Theology of Creation and Identity
A young man walked into my office frustrated that he failed again and had another bad breakup after another instance of wandering eyes. “Why can’t I just be satisfied with my partner? She was a quality girl, and I blew it up!” What kind of counsel or advice is helpful to a young man in this situation? Consider the different approaches that … Read More
Do All Types of Counseling Improve People’s Lives?
In most counseling situations, there is a desire for life to be different. With the help of a counselor, individuals seek a life where issues are resolved or they respond better to difficulties. Whether your counselor is a friend, a professional, a pastor, or someone employed by an online telehealth platform, they should help bring hope for change and a … Read More
How Physical Health and Mental Health Affect Spiritual Health
If you grew up in a church like mine, you often heard about the need to pursue a healthy spiritual walk. This was often defined by actions such as reading your Bible, participating in church, living a generally moral life, and sharing your faith within our modern culture. Rarely did we ever hear that caring for our physical health was … Read More
Joy in Trusting God’s Promises
In our first post and second post for Christmas, we examined two scenes of great joy from Luke 2. Today, we’ll look at the third scene that occurred in the week right after the birth of Christ. Simeon, a leader in the temple, experienced great joy coming face to face with Jesus and knowing that God had kept His promise. Years … Read More
Joy in Treasuring God’s Provision
Early in Luke chapter 2, we find the scene where God announced the miraculous birth of Christ with a heavenly pageantry of angels. Rather than the earthly royal announcement of King Jesus with all the expected pomp and circumstance due to a king, God let ordinary people in on the arrival of Christ. We see ordinary Shepherds, people like the average … Read More
Finding Joy at Christmas
While Christmas is supposed to be a season of “great joy,” at times it can be hard to feel happiness and embrace joy. When we are experiencing a leaky roof, years of infertility, a difficult breakup, or another round of chemotherapy, joy is often hard to find. It takes great trust to keep a positive attitude in the midst of … Read More