God is worthy of our constant thanksgiving. Living with a grateful heart enables us to fulfill our destiny of “glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.” David gives us several compelling reasons to thank God in Psalm 138. Continue Reading →
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Grief counseling is an especially sensitive form of counseling. Counseling wisdom includes several things to remember and do, but none is more important than gently pointing and leading grieving counselees to “Jesus, the Wonderful Grief Counselor.” We see Jesus in action, engaging with the grief of Martha and Mary in John 11. Continue Reading →
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Taking sabbaticals, a period of time away from normal work so that an employee might pursue things like study, travel, or general personal growth, is a modern application of the biblical sabbath year. Having been on staff as Director of Counseling Ministries at University Reformed Church for fifteen years, I just took a brief sabbatical this summer. In this blog, I will share a few thoughts on what I did and why breaks from normal work or ministry are beneficial. Continue Reading →
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John Calvin wrote, “…true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves…” This two-fold knowledge has profound implications for wise and effective counseling. David wrote about this need for knowledge of God and knowledge of self in Psalm 40:11 (“as for you…”) and verse 17 (“as for me….”). This blog discusses what David says every struggling sinner and aspiring saint needs to know about God and self to grow and flourish. Continue Reading →
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Benedictions are found in almost every book of the New Testament. Most are quite brief (e.g., “Grace be with you all” from Titus 2:15), but some are more substantial. One beautiful benediction is Hebrews 13:20-21. It briefly highlights God’s character, saving plan, sanctifying purposes, and ultimate goal. This benediction can be used in counseling as a passage to study with the counselee, a guide for prayer, or a homework assignment. Continue Reading →
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