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
Being Thankful for Family
This article is part of our new series on the family. In this series, our counselors examine various difficulties of family life and share ways to pursue healthier family dynamics. A viral video in recent years captured the spontaneous tears of a teenage boy receiving a beautifully decorated birthday cake. Because this boy was adopted from Sierra Leone in Africa, birthdays … Read More
How the Bible Speaks to Family Problems
This is the first article in our new series on the family. In this series, our counselors examine various difficulties of family life and share ways to pursue healthier family dynamics. Every family has problems, and the families in the Bible are no exception. The Bible paints family life in vivid colors, pictures of families just like ours. In the … Read More
Surprising Research About Controlling Anger
Over the past few weeks, I have been reviewing some of the recent research about anger. It’s fairly obvious to even the most casual observer that anger seems to be on the rise in our everyday situations. At a basic level, we know that we all get angry, but that observation isn’t very helpful. Controlling our anger is usually the … Read More
How Friendships Bring Hope to Mental Health Struggles
This article is part of our new series on Mental Health. In this series, our counselors hope to call churches and Christians to re-engage with the discussion and care for mental health struggles. Many professional counselors would prefer that “church people” not get involved in helping people with mental health struggles. Perhaps they have heard horror stories of uninformed friends … Read More
Mental Health, Theology, and Why the Heart Matters
This article is part of our new series on Mental Health. In this series, our counselors hope to call churches and Christians to re-engage with the discussion and care for mental health struggles. A 50-year-old successful businessman named “Joe” is spiraling out of control, and everyone around him seems to know it, except him. He sold his company during the … Read More
How the Gospel Shapes Mental Health Conversations
This article is part of our new series on Mental Health. In this series, our counselors hope to call churches and Christians to re-engage with the discussion and care for mental health struggles. Whenever our counselors speak or write about mental health in a Christian context, we expect to disappoint some people. We’ve even come to find out that some … Read More
Why Christians Don’t Talk About Mental Health Struggles
This is the first article in our new series on Mental Health. In this series, our counselors hope to call churches and Christians to re-engage with the discussion and care for mental health struggles. There has perhaps never been a more confusing time for Christians and church leaders to address the topic of mental health. Corporate America and the media … Read More
