Counseling Religion

In August of 2016, Sacred Story Institute received a letter from a federal inmate seeking spiritual advice. We are using an alias for his real name to protect him in prison, calling him Richard Rafael Roman or just simply, Ritchie. He had been given a copy of Forty Weeks by a Catholic deacon friend of his: Patrick Logsdon. Their relationship went back to 1987 when Ritchie lived in Anthony House, a Catholic transitional home for addicts and former felons seeking a way back into society. The house was run by Deacon Pat and sponsored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the Diocese of ...

Vivimos en tiempos que dejan el alma chamuscada. La avalancha 24-7 de la vida contemporánea, con su fuente interminable de tragedias globales y demandas exigentes de nuestra atención, por no hablar de las presiones ordinarias del trabajo, la familia, los amigos y la comunidad, nos han dejado desgarrados, agobiados y vacíos. Pero si ya no tenemos margen en nuestras vidas, ¿cómo encontramos espacio para cambiar las cosas? En su nuevo libro transformador, John Eldredge destila la sabiduría de toda una vida acerca de la sanidad en una serie de hábitos prácticos.

For Christians, particularly those in vocational ministry, the stigma surrounding mental illness and mental health often creates an atmosphere of secrecy where the enemy's lies reign. Julie Busler understands the pain of mental illness and has learned that trials not only humanize us but increase our capacity to be used by God. In Joyful Sorrow, she invites us into her own journey where a mental breakdown took her from being a missionary to a suicidal patient. With vulnerability and grace, Julie demonstrates that even in the sorrow of mental illness, joy can coexist.

It comforts me to know that Jesus promises us healing for the broken hearted. Even in the darkest of situations there is hope. I have walked through some dark days and difficult circumstances yet Christ has brought healing to my life. I have written this book to share with you the journey God has taken me on and some of the tools He used to bring healing and lasting freedom.

When pain becomes too deep to bear, people ask 4 key questions: What's wrong? Who can help? What will the helper do? What can I hope for? In this program, Drs. Larry Crabb and Dan Allender answer these questions, while shedding light on the strengths and weaknesses of various counseling models, examining the role of the church in providing restoration and growth, and supplying important principles for finding real help. Penetrating, encouraging, and empathetic, Hope When You're Hurting challenges both professionals and church leaders to rethink their views on counseling and Christian community.

First-time dad Daryl Potter never felt joy so deep. Then one week after his daughter’s birth, a devastating series of medical emergencies threatened the lives of both his wife and daughter and that innocent joy was gone forever.

In this audiobook, Esther Eseosa Adagbonyin taps into the concerns and issues that trouble women in ministry most. She provides encouragement and tools to help resolve problems in the areas of ministerial life women struggle with most - including confidence, self-image, and relationships. It is easy to get caught up in what the coming weeks, months, or years might hold and forget to slow down and live in the present but this powerful audiobook will help women on their journey towards a confident life filled with love, laughter, and God's acceptance, one day at a time.

Paula was broken, traumatized, and bound by many addictions, but today she is free. And that is God's desire for you, too!

The powerful testimonies of 11 widows of the Bible are brought to narrative life in lyrical, visceral prose that brings listeners deep inside the women's grief, strength, and faith. Full of both haunting and hope, Not Alone connects Biblical widows' voices in a chorus of commiseration that reminds us what it means to love - and what it means to live with God.

It Shouldn’t Be in the Church offers the listener an alternative approach to understanding the true value of what a church should look and feel like. It Shouldn’t be in the Church is not a book of "what ifs" or "why it isn’t something"; this book primarily focuses on finding ways to value and appreciate everything that is personal and true about the church so other believers can see Christ every time the doors open. The author takes a revelatory response to the intelligence of what the church is, while providing a practical way to finding the answers.

Does the phrase church discipline sound like an oxymoron? The church’s message is about grace, we reason, while discipline feels like the opposite of grace. In fact, Jesus taught his disciples to practice church discipline because it’s one way congregations grow in holiness and imitate God’s own love. In this audiobook, Jonathan Leeman presents biblical answers to questions about the nature and application of church discipline, conveying that Scripture presents church discipline as both loving and necessary.

Demystifying grace, holiness, and what it means to live into God's mission as a woman made in His image. Through intimate story and deep study of the Bible, Jess Connolly—beloved author of You Are the Girl for the Job—casts a fresh vision for what it looks like to live set apart as women on holy ground in today's culture of confusion.

Restoring God's Image presents God's plan for healing and restoration—a set of simple, clear, concise instructions based on scripture. It represents thousands of hours of therapy, research, and personal experience. Applying these truths, John DelGrosso has experienced great success in helping Christians find release from emotional pain and sinful behaviors. Now he seeks to share these invaluable teachings with the larger Christian world.

Are you frequently angry or do you know someone who is? Chances are you said yes to one of those two possibilities. Anger is a destructive force in the life of many people. In this book, Dr. Carter takes a look at the source of anger and how to deal with it in a Biblical manner. Too often anger is justified and excused instead of dealt with properly. You don’t need to manage your anger, you need to allow the Word of God to direct you in how to conquer it. Anger doesn’t have to dominate your life; your home can be free from its devastation and you can be free from its consequences if you...

There are moments in life when the world stops, and with it, your heart. When you lose someone you loved deeply, the pain is indescribable—a hollow ache that consumes your every thought, leaving you stranded in a sea of grief. The weight of your sorrow can feel unbearable, and the silence that follows can be deafening. In these moments, it’s easy to feel like you’re alone, REFLECTIONS FROM THE SOUL grief recovery handbook is a path forward, a source of comfort to help you find happiness after loss and reclaim peace in the chaos. Through our healing book, you will find the space to ...

Fear, anxiety, and the critical voices in your head can be overwhelming—even if you believe Christ died to free you from those things. When J. D. Peabody found himself in a mental and emotional meltdown, he reached for the armor of God. In the process, he discovered God’s protection and grace were far greater than he had previously imagined. Perfectly Suited explores the armor of God through the lens of personal struggle, showing how the ancient metaphor for God’s care is powerful for his embattled children in every generation.

The author, writing as if he is chatting with you over coffee, addresses 10 common and recurring questions asked by husbands of childhood sexual abuse survivors. The questions comprise the chapter titles. Bill guides the listener through each chapter by exploring new perspectives and establishing new patterns for personal development and for responding to their spouse. The perspectives and patterns are based on research, years of interaction with husbands of survivors, and a blend of clinical accuracy, personal experience, and distinctly Christian perspective.

The Christian counselor or pastor plays an important role in helping people process the trauma they’ve experienced. Too often, a client leaves the counselor’s office with feelings of guilt and shame. They feel the heavy burden of what they did wrong. But somehow, they’ve missed the grace of God that makes things right again.

Life doesn't always go the way we hope it will. Whether it's singleness, childlessness, or some other big disappointment, it's hard to be content when life lets us down. Author Jennie Pollock knows what it's like to feel discontent. Drawing on encouragements from the Bible and the stories of others, this book helps listeners to trust in God's plan for their lives and enjoy true contentment through a genuine conviction that Jesus is better than even our most keenly felt hopes and longings for this life.

In writing about grief, I hope my story can help parents and loved ones who are struggling with the death of a child. No matter the age, the death of a child seems unnatural. Untimely. It hurts, but you are not alone; the world is full of us. I am here to share my story with you and explain why I had to break my addiction to grief for my child, Alexus. After going through the whole ordeal, I told myself that I needed to finalize this process we all call grief. I had to be the mother that my kids needed. I needed to be the strong and courageous woman that God put me on this earth to be--the ...