When respected leaders disappoint us, pastors and counselors must navigate their responses carefully. The article outlines five fundamental principles: remember your need for grace, seek understanding rather than condemnation, balance truth with grace, pursue wise restoration, and rest in God’s sovereignty. The goal is redemption rather than judgment or bitterness. Continue Reading →
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To a large degree, the whole biblical counseling movement began with the concept of putting off and putting on, found in this verse in Romans as well as passages in Ephesians and Colossians. Much has been written about the Ephesians and Colossians texts, but I would like to focus a little closer on this text in Romans because here, Paul is not calling us to remove bad behavior and put on good behavior—he’s telling us to put on Christ. What does that mean? Since context is the only way to ensure we get a correct interpretation, we must look at what Paul wrote before and after verse 14 to see where this sentence is in his argument. Continue Reading →
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Imagine taking a long bus trip (people still do that) and sitting next to someone who actually seems willing to have a conversation. About an hour of chit-chat along the way, the person turns to you and says, “Tell me your story.” What’s the first thing you’d say? Where would you start? Continue Reading →
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The heart of narcissism is self-idolatry. The narcissist inwardly says, “I am god. All should love and serve this god.” This attitude is reflected in the narcissist’s life and is why those who do not conform to this false worship often face mistreatment. Continue Reading →
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God is never the source of temptation to sin. Instead, the cycle begins with powerful desires in our hearts. So perhaps you’re wondering if the devil is involved at all. Yes, he is. Continue Reading →
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When a child anticipates a new sibling will join the family, and that hope is met with the disappointment of reproductive loss, what should you do? Sharing painful news like miscarriage, stillbirth, or failed adoption with your child will require special wisdom and compassion, so prepare yourself before the conversation. Think about how you want to communicate and pray for God to help you. Continue Reading →
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In the aftermath of a miscarriage in their marriage, husbands can find help in the Scriptures to lament well and love their wives. Continue Reading →
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Every woman’s story is unique. The commonality of women experiencing reproductive loss is increasing. Women may carry grief from various types of losses, with some being recurring. “Reproductive loss includes many experiences: miscarriage, stillbirth, infertility, adoption, and more. It affects countless individuals and couples each year.” Some women dream of having children and often believe their value hinges upon marriage and their ability to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:22, 28; 9:1, 7). Even if she doesn’t hold this childhood dream, once married, her longings join with her husband’s, and if his desire is for children, she may feel the burden of creating this hoped-for family is hers to carry. Imagine the effect on a woman when her doctor’s last suggested treatment of care for her reproductive health is to perform a hysterectomy in her childbearing years. Or the finality a woman hears when her doctor explains that a “viable” pregnancy will never be possible. In these cases, she may feel useless as a wife and, ultimately, less than a woman. Continue Reading →
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Our October 2024 mini-series on the BCC Grace and Truth blog addresses the topic of reproductive loss. In this first article, Tricia Lewis considers including reproductive loss in premarital counseling. In other contributions to the series, Tanya Flores offers wisdom for counseling the wife dealing with reproductive loss, Theron St. John discusses providing care to husbands after a miscarriage, and Hayley Satrom provides guidance for counseling siblings after a reproductive loss in the family. Continue Reading →
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Unconditional, undying love. No matter what their children do or how bad they become, parents give their lives for their children and protect them from all harm. Mothers and fathers sacrifice themselves to ensure that their children make it in life and grow and develop to do better than they did. Was that your experience growing up? Have you heard people say that it is malicious to claim that a parent doesn’t love their child when you know that was true in your own life? Continue Reading →
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In an era when many are choosing not to have children, believers stand out as those who choose to fulfill the creation mandate to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28). When many see children as expensive inconveniences, we regard our children to be a blessing from God (Ps. 127). We have high hopes for our children. Even before we were married, Caroline and I eagerly anticipated the blessing of raising offspring who would serve the Lord. Our first mother, Eve, had similar high hopes for her children. Continue Reading →
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Coasting in spiritual neutral, it turns out, is not an option open to us. However uncomfortable we may find it, Jesus puts only two possibilities before us: spiritual progress or spiritual death. Continue Reading →
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