In a recent conversation, a parent from my church recently gave words to an unspoken fear that I’ve heard from an increasing number of parents: “I feel like I’m sending my kid out into the world, just them against the culture.” We as youth workers often wrestle with that same concern. Given the secular drift in our culture, it can be easy to feel like it’s us versus the world, and our kids are...
When we think of our Christian testimony, we tend to think of something that happened in the past. We tend to view this as a slice of history, the story of our initial submission to Christ. Few realize that our testimony is a living, breathing reality; a story that continues to be written throughout our walk with Christ. It is a living history that is growing, with pages added to the book every...
Not long ago, several biblical counseling students who had been under my supervision asked my thoughts on common themes, threads, and patterns I detected as a counseling supervisor. They were specific: “We’re not asking about all the ‘good stuff’ we do as biblical counselors. We’re interested in the consistent areas where you sense a need for growth.” Because it’s a passion of mine to encourage...
A middle-aged veteran was hurt, reeling from war memories, and always teetering on poverty. These were very important matters. He was also angry. Every five minutes or so he would mention how he wanted to rip someone’s head off, and he looked like he might do it. “You seem really angry,” I suggested, stating the obvious. “Whaddya mean?! Don’t be so STUPID!” He did not say anything about ripping...
Overwork can be a temptation for me. Sometimes I overwork because I enjoy what I do. When meaningful opportunities arise, it’s hard to say no. Other times, I see unmet needs and desire to help, so I say yes to new commitments even when it feels like too much. On still other occasions, I pile on projects because work distracts me from my problems and makes me feel useful and productive...
