Ministry Counseling

Throughout history we have tried to make sense of the world that we inhabit and how we can navigate through the tension of all that is good and broken in this life. Yet most of our attempts to avoid loss simply lead to greater anxiety—an unresolved fear that we will eventually lose what we most love and need. Weaving a rich tapestry of Christian tradition and personal illustrations, Hyun offers Christianity as a true and compelling vision for life that faithfully points the way through loss to true beauty.

For anyone who has lost a career because of chronic pain.... For anyone who has ever felt devastated, confused, or less-than because your health prevents you from working a formal job.... For anyone who have ever said to God, "This doesn't make sense. Wouldn't I be more useful to you if I were healthy?" This book is for you.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, even those who have never struggled with mental health have found themselves reeling, looking for answers they don't know how to find. For Christians, especially those who've despaired of help from a church that has too often stigmatized poor mental health as a lack of faith, the way forward can be particularly difficult to see. Jonathon Seidl aims to fix that. Having fought his own way through crippling anxiety, life-altering OCD, and suicidal thoughts, he knows the value of concrete advice grounded in strong biblical truth.

We all have both good and bad habits in our life. Creatures of Habit reveals how to remove bad habits and replace them with godly ones. But it's not a matter of working hard, of "pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps." That approach simply doesn't work. True transformation is God's work - our job is to listen, obey, and put into practice what he's already directing us to do. Steve Poe has pastored large, growing churches for more than 34 years, and during that time he has counseled hundreds. He's seen that poor choices often become bad habits that in turn cause problems.

Are emotional and mental health issues unacceptable to Christian conversation? Light in a Dark Place: Encountering Depression is an attempt to bring the experience of depression into the light of day. Those who experience major depressive disorder need to have their difficulty validated. Family members, friends, leaders, and pastors need to know what depression is. Finally, we need artillery to help to fight back against depression. Light in a Dark Place accomplishes all of this and more!

Let’s face it. The trauma of life can crush our souls. Some pain feels like it won’t ever go away. But no matter how devastating it might feel, our pain is never greater than God’s ability to sustain us. Frank Friedmann confronts the issue of pain honestly, without hollow clichés and pat answers that help no one. He writes so that hurting people can find God in a way they never knew him...so they can get through what they can’t get over.. Are you hurting? Finding God in the Gray was written with you in mind.

Open the Door to Lavish Love Have you struggled to love yourself? Do you wonder what people think about you? Does fear keep you from moving forward in relationships? Author Lindsay Morgan Snyder explains how your Inner Critic may be holding you back and how you too can walk in love, joy, and freedom. A recovering self-saboteur, Lindsay endured the enemy's debilitating taunts for decades. Through personal stories and spiritual revelations, Lindsay shares how she evicted her Inner Critic and accessed renewing conversation with the Holy Spirit. She invites you to join a conversation with your ...

With these practices, you’ll become increasingly comfortable and confident in working through your inner experiences in real time. Instead of burning out, you can follow the lead of Jesus toward a sustainable, fulfilling life.

If you are living under what feels like a curse, or are unable to overcome problems that also plagued your parents, grandparents, or other ancestors, or if you seem to be experiencing more defeat than victory, and you desperately desire to reverse this trend in your life, the message in this book can help you! This book will help you discover the real truth of the source of the curses and strongholds that have been plaguing you, and how to defeat and eliminate them from your life once and for all!

Do you struggle with anxiety or know someone who does? Pierce Taylor Hibbs shows that we've been approaching our anxiety the wrong way. It's not a terror to avoid, but a tool in God's hands. The author draws on his own experience in living with an anxiety disorder to present descriptions, discussion, and concrete resources for fellow anxiety sufferers. It's time for us to focus on the spiritual purposes God has for our anxiety. It's time for us to revel in the amazing truth that the best part of being struck down is realizing that we will never be destroyed, not with God on our side.

Starting from the assumption that Jesus does heal in our day and age, Follow the Healer seeks to answer these questions with a balanced, pastoral, and scriptural approach. This is a call to help you better understand and minister God’s healing to a world that is in so much pain. You'll take a closer look at why Christian healing is still relevant and essential today and how to avoid the many difficulties, disappointments, and distortions that occur in healing ministry. S

Human beings are wired for connection. We long for deep relationships and real intimacy — both of which reflect our fundamental desire to be close to God. But all too often, whether because of our sin or our failures, we imagine that God prefers to keep his distance. In this book, Edward T. Welch shows us the purpose for which we were created: to be brought near to God as a kingdom of priests.

Drawing on decades of counseling experience, Jim Newheiser explores forty crucial questions relating to the complexities of marriage, divorce, and remarriage—unpacking the answers given in God's Word. This useful reference work for pastors, counselors, and personal study can also be listened to straight through for a scriptural overview of the topic or assigned in small sections to counselees.

Are you your own worst enemy? Are you your biggest critic? Do others believe in you, but you find yourself filled with doubt? Do you sabotage the success you long for? Do you turn to addiction to make you feel better? You are not alone. Many people do the same. Why? The answer, in a word, is shame.

Worship leader and recording artist Laura Story’s life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Martin, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Their lives would never be the same. Yes, with God all things are possible. But the devastating news was that no cure existed to restore Martin’s short-term memory, eyesight, and other complications. The fairy-tale life Laura had dreamed of was no longer possible. And yet in struggling with God about how to live with broken dreams, Laura has found joy and a deeper intimacy with Jesus.

The church across North America has struggled to minister effectively with people struggling with mental health issues. One reason for the lack of ministry is the absence of a widely accepted model for mental health outreach and inclusion. In Mental Health and the Church, Dr. Stephen Grcevich presents a simple and flexible model for mental health inclusion ministry for implementation by churches of all sizes, denominations, and organizational styles.

Without a doubt, the quest to attain sexual purity is the number one battle Christian men face in the 21st century. The message of this timely book is that you need not settle for a fear-driven form of freedom when an abundant life of victory in Christ is yours for the taking. The secret to victorious living is to tap into God's great storehouse of mercy for one's own needs, and then act as a conduit for that power, directing it toward the lives of others.

Loss hurts. It's tough to go through, and painful to watch. Do you know someone who's grieving and wish you could help? Are you the one grieving and wonder if what you're going through is normal? Do you wish those around you understood you better? This book has answers. This practical and easy-to-listen-to book provides the answers you need to make a difference - in your own life and in the lives of others. Best-selling author, hospice chaplain, and grief specialist Gary Roe gives you a look at the grieving heart - the thoughts, emotions, and struggles within.

What do you do when someone you love leaves? And how do you pursue someone who has hurt you, who has sinned against you? In Letting Go, pastors Dave Harvey and Paul Gilbert share stories of pain and stories of hope as they reveal how to care for the prodigal who has strayed. Whether you are dealing with an unfaithful marriage partner, a rebellious child, or a wayward friend, the counsel they offer will help you to pursue a gospel-rooted approach, grounded in truth and practiced in the midst of Christian community.

Traumatized and terrified of cancer? Perhaps you have been diagnosed yourself, or you have a friend or family member who is battling with the disease. You know you must face it - but you do not have to face it alone. Praying Through Cancer is a 90-day devotional that includes a collection of stories by women who have faced cancer and, with triumphant spirits, found comfort and sometimes even joy in the midst of it.