A few days ago I was rushing to get some time in with God. I have a lot of reasons excuses for that important time not happening. As some of you may know, I type my prayers. So I have this indelible reminder—for good or for ill—of what I’m saying to God. When I prayed [...]
Are you friends or enemies with the truth in your life? Very often when we face trials or long-standing problems, we become enemies of the truth. We feel that to know the truth is to know pain. But when we make truth our enemy, we invite denial into our lives—which only makes our situation worse [...]
When I was in my twenties and early thirties, I really had a hard time seeing my wrong behavior as . . . wrong. Or maybe it was just that I couldn’t bear to admit to myself that I was weak. I’d say, probably a little bit of both. Unfortunately, that meant that I rarely, [...]
I’ve been resisting God in a certain area of my life. I feel like I’m wearing boxing gloves and I’m stupid enough to take God on. So I dance around the ring like I’m Muhammad Ali who, “Floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.” And the ugly truth is, I feel just about [...]
I have a unique vantage point as a counselor that many never get to see. I get to take a step back and “see the forest for the trees” whenever I’m dealing with a couple in crisis. The couple probably came to me because they feel like they are on different wavelengths and the frustration [...]
When empathy has been shown to me, I’ve felt as if someone has wrapped a warm blanket around my shivering cold shoulders. But when I’ve had to share that same warmth with others, especially those who’ve hurt me, it hasn’t been so easy to achieve. I see many in my counseling office who struggle in [...]
Is there someone in your life who drives you crazy? If so, I can relate. Here are 10 tips that I hope are helpful to dealing with that crazy-maker in your life. 1. Pray about your attitude. Tell God exactly how you feel about this crazy-maker. He already knows, so you might as well be [...]
Love is . . . Developed in times of difficulty Infatuation is . . . Spoiled in times of difficulty Love is . . . Empowered by what is good and true Infatuation is . . . Fueled by good times Love is . . . A result of intentional and sacrificial choices that eventually [...]
Sandra Bullock’s been in the news quite a bit lately. I think I can speak collectively for most Americans that she has our sympathies due to her husband’s betrayal. We all seem to see her as a victim and feel terribly sorry for her. If not, you’re either a Nazi sympathizer or really into tattooed [...]
“Being listened to is so close to being loved that most people don’t know the difference.” David Augsburger Most people think of listening as a tennis match where you volley the conversation ball back and forth, back and forth. I listen to what you have to say, think about how it relates to me, then [...]
