Spiritual Development

Coping with Grief: Scriptures About Loss to Help You Grieve

, 2024-12-20T11:35:27+00:00November 18th, 2024|Featured, General, Grief Counseling, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

The world we live in is a broken one. That brokenness manifests itself in diverse ways, from relationships mired in conflict, rifts between loved ones, having those you love taken from you by illness or some other calamity, and so on. There is much weeping and sorrow that accompanies our sojourn. Scripture reflects this reality and gives us the language to process our experiences and grieve the various losses we go through. In this article, we’ll consider some encouragement and tips for coping with grief. Grief comes to us all, and it does so in different ways. Rather than denying our grief, the healthy thing for us to do is to acknowledge that we have indeed experienced loss and to deal with that loss by grieving. For a believer, that grieving process is aided by resources such as a community of believers that mourn with and comfort them (Romans 12:15; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5), prayer, and Scripture. Grieving as a Process Grieving is how we respond to a loss. There are different types of loss, such as the death of a loved one, significant changes in your health, life changes such as achieving certain milestones or moving house, relationships coming to an end due to separation or divorce, and the loss of identity resulting from life transitions. These different forms of loss trigger an emotional and mental response known as grief. We don’t all experience grief in the same way. While grief is often associated with sadness, there aren’t any hard and fast rules about the kinds of emotions a person experiences when they are grieving or the duration of those emotions. Some people feel sadness, while others experience denial, anger, shock, regret, guilt, relief, a sense of acceptance, longing, or numbness. Grief is a complicated and highly individual process. [...]

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Make Your Garden Grow: Navigating Relationships and Personal Development

2024-11-27T12:46:25+00:00July 25th, 2024|Family Counseling, Featured, Relationship Issues, Spiritual Development|

Nature reveals that progress grows under the right conditions. Similarly, the seeds we plant in our personal development or relationships flourish as we invest authenticity and effort. We cultivate meaningful connections when we spend time, listening, and talking with one another. Giving to others and gathering what we need is a bonus of abiding interdependently in a life-giving community, whether comprised of one individual or an entire tribe. A relational transaction isn’t the specific aim, but mutual exchanges do sustain our relationships, blessing us through the Biblical principle of sowing and reaping. We harvest what we plant, and receive what we give (Galatians 6:7). It may not return to us in the same way or from the same place, but God stands by His Word. He ensures that we will reap benefits as we release blessings into others’ lives. The Father created us for community. It happens both deliberately and organically as we offer what the Father has given to us and enjoy what He has placed in others. Hidden Treasure God placed value for each of us in someone else. We weren’t created to remain in isolation, but rather to thrive in a healthy community. Though we may value relationships, they invoke challenges. We don’t have to look far to notice the toxic evidence of people maligning and gaslighting one another. Often, people are absorbed in their own pain and resistant to the idea of embracing solutions to work through challenges. Evidence of soul wounds often reflects the areas where a small relationship issue evolved into a stronghold that can negatively impact how we view others or ourselves. We may be able to recognize traces of unresolved relationship issues in our own lives. They often manifest in how quickly we become offended or angry and remain embroiled in resentment, [...]

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Using Christian Meditation to Reduce Stress

2024-12-19T10:31:13+00:00March 27th, 2024|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

Life is full of stressors. From work pressures to family challenges, personal anxieties, and life changes, the list of things that cause stress can feel endless. While we often hear suggestions for managing these stressors, it can be hard to put them into place. Often, these things feel like one more thing to add to an overwhelming list. Instead of focusing on a big list of things to change, you can start with one thing. Simply start small. You don’t need to make sweeping changes all at once. Those often don’t work because they are too difficult to maintain. Instead, you can choose one thing and implement it slowly. The results may not be immediate, but they are more likely to last. Meditation is a great skill to begin introducing into your life to manage and reduce the effects of stress. Meditation is a way to “be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). What is meditation? There are a lot of misconceptions about meditation. Upon hearing the word meditation, people have preconceived notions about what it is without having any personal experience or education about it. The simplest concept of meditation is a settling of the mind. While meditation can involve deeper ideas like awareness, mindfulness, training, perspective, and clarity, all these ideas go back to the root concept of intentionally settling one’s mind. Does meditation align with Christian beliefs? Meditation is used in many cultures and religions. This has sometimes caused people to be concerned about Christians using meditation. When people consider how a different culture or faith tradition uses meditation, it may not align with Christian beliefs. However, when we take the definition of meditation described above and use it in a context that applies to being a Christ-follower, we discover that it supports [...]

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Sneaky Self-Destructive Habits to Eliminate from Your Life

, 2024-11-14T12:31:39+00:00January 30th, 2024|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Professional Development, Spiritual Development|

We all have things we do in our life that don’t serve us well. Sometimes they are big, obvious things and other times they are seemingly insignificant. Even the things that seem small and insignificant can have a major impact on your well-being. Whether they are big or small, self-destructive habits can wreak havoc. For many people, these habits will seem benign, and we wonder if they make that much of a difference. In reality, doing these things once in a while may not cause any issues. The problem comes when these little actions become habits. Engaging in these things repetitively is what causes changes in how we feel, what we think, and even how we interact with people. As you read through these habits, thoughtfully consider whether they characterize your life. Just because they are on the list doesn’t mean these are inherently bad things. Consider each one and ask yourself these questions: Do I do this? How often? How do I feel when I engage in this? How does the idea of eliminating this feel? Each of these questions gives insight into whether it is a habit in your life and how self-destructive it may be for you. The last question about eliminating the habit can provide a lot of insight. If the idea of eliminating the behavior feels uncomfortable, difficult, or scary, chances are it is a deeply ingrained habit that is not serving you well. Self-destructive habits to avoid. Consider each of these sneaky self-destructive habits and the role they play in your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Endless scrolling. Phones have made it so easy to get information, connect with people, get work done, and be entertained. The danger, however, is that people spend too much time scrolling. Seemingly endless scrolling without purpose [...]

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Hope in the Dark: A Reflection on Coronavirus and Easter

, 2024-11-14T12:38:01+00:00July 5th, 2022|Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

Are you struggling to find hope in the dark? If so, I can relate. The day before Easter this year, I awoke at 6:30 with a sense of urgency. I sensed stirrings deep within my soul. I told my husband I needed to walk and process. Something was rising to the surface that I needed to heed . . . Off I walked, not quickly, but purposefully to nearby Green Lake. As I methodically moved my feet, one after the other, my heart was just as steady and focused. As my feet dodged goose droppings and tree roots, my eyes scanned the scenery. The atmosphere was dark, still, and silent. The sky opened with occasional and dramatic sun peeks through the moving clouds. Even the birds seemed subdued. I was meditating on Good Friday and considering the utter desolation Jesus’ followers must have experienced on the day between Jesus' death and resurrection. Even though Jesus had told them that He would come back, they had not understood nor had they expected Him to die in the way that He did. They were most likely traumatized, as evidenced by the way many of them hunkered down in fear and sadness in that upper room. They had watched their King die a cruel and slow death. Jesus had died. How disoriented and confused, and maybe still in shock, they were on the day after His death. I feel nauseous even as I think about it. I have lost two significant people in my life -- one I was with the moment she passed. As she took her last breaths, what was about five minutes seemed like hours. It was so excruciating to watch, even with the hope I will see her in heaven. I can't imagine what this like for the [...]

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