“I didn’t want to move to Illinois. I hate it here, and my dad keeps moving us every time he gets promoted for his stupid job. Sure, we got rich, but I got more lonely. It’s not even worth it to try to make friends anymore. Life was so much better for my family in Tennessee. I find it hard not to hate … Read More
Pursuing Your True Identity in Both Singleness and Marriage
Written by BCC Counselor Theron St. John Editor’s Note: As we’ve been discussing premarital counseling, this post reminds us that our primary identity is not found in our relationship status, but in our relationship with God. “Sweet and sanctifying.” This is my typical response to people who ask me how my first year of marriage to Esther has been. Marriage … Read More
Top Four Questions About Premarital Counseling
Our counselors meet with a lot of married couples in difficult situations. I’ll confess a thought that sometimes goes through our minds is: “Why did you get married??” We probably wouldn’t ask that question out loud, but any experienced counselor will tell you it’s crossed their mind. A common denominator in many of these cases is that the couples had … Read More
Why the Gospel Matters in Counseling (Part 2)
Isn’t it odd that some Christians in the mental health field act like the Gospel and the Bible aren’t needed in the counseling office? The Gospel is good news for every person who chooses to trust Christ and accept the gift He offers: new life in Him. Life change happens when the broken begin living for God rather than self. The … Read More
Why the Gospel Matters in Counseling (Part 1)
Isn’t it odd that some Christians in the mental health field act like the Gospel and the Bible aren’t needed in the counseling office? The Gospel is good news for every person who chooses to trust Christ and accept the gift He offers: new life in Him. Life change happens when the broken begin living for God rather than self. The … Read More
Equipping Spanish Speakers with Biblical Counseling
Written by BCC Counselor & Spanish Training Coordinator Esther St. John I remember the excitement of attending my first seminary course in biblical counseling. Originally from Honduras, I had already completed an undergraduate psychology degree from a college back home. I figured this biblical counseling class would build on the foundation of the secular psychology I had learned. What I … Read More
Understanding the Need for Culturally Aware Biblical Counseling
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
Hope for Hurts in Your Past
“Hurt people hurt people.” Popularized in the 1980s, this phrase has been repeated, tweeted, and “TikTok”-ed thousands of times. Perhaps you’ve used it with someone to help him or her make sense of suffering. Its basic meaning is that people with hurts in their past often hurt others. A Hindu might call it karma. The apostle Paul used the metaphor … 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
