In the 1960s, British Christian psychiatrist Frank Lake noted in his book Clinical Theology that, “pastoral care is defective unless it can deal thoroughly both with the evils we have suffered as well as with the sins we have committed” (emphasis added). The modern biblical counseling movement has made tremendous strides in the past several decades in addressing both sin and suffering. Most...
Every human is born in a prison. The important questions are: can we and will be set free? These are not only issues for us today. They were critical to address for the original hearers of Jesus’s Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector in Luke 18:9–14. In this text, Jesus provides the key we need to unlock our chains. The Pharisees were a prominent Jewish sect known for their strict, outward...
It’s time for another reading suggestion for your middle graders and pre-teens. We are sharing a preview of A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue by J. A. Myhre, the second book in The Rwendigo Tales series. The author is a missionary with Serge and doctor living and working in East Africa. The four books in the series teach readers of all ages important truths about justice, overcoming evil, and the...
Building meaningful friendships can be difficult, especially in a culture that is lonelier and more disconnected than ever. In Transformative Friendships: 7 Questions to Deepen Any Relationship, counselor Brad Hambrick encourages readers to develop new rhythms, habits, and lifestyles that will shape and grow their relationships, both with casual acquaintances and closer friends. In...
When one of my daughters was three years old, our extended family gathered for a large reunion. At some point, my daughter had a mishap that ended in tears, and she was on the lookout for someone to comfort her. As she walked through a room of adults, Uncle John rescued her. He picked her up and said, “Sweetie, I am so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?” Compassion, of course, makes a...
