By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”                                                            John 13:35

Throughout the history of the Christian Church, Christian witness to the world has been demonstrated through benevolent acts of grace to the community. The early Christians were known to take in babies abandoned by Roman families- unwanted babies who had been left out to die. Infanticide was then often considered as a form of birth control.   

Move on to the early and Middle Ages Church which established schools, orphanages, hospitals and schools for the benefit of the community. Today we see the legacy of those movements in so many schools, hospitals, healthcare organizations and non-profit corporations founded by Christian entities for the benefit of the community in which it exists.

The Christian movement has been marked by love of the community in which it resides, and even in places where it does not reside. Love of people, extension of grace and benevolence to friend and stranger are hallmarks of the faith.  

Today, the perception of some of the population is that the Church is known by what it disapproves of rather than for providing love and care for others. How sad that the message that Jesus lived and died for is so misunderstood by so many.

The Church needs to continue to be creative in how it shows love for a broken world- by providing solutions, rather than condemnation. Child care, job training, education, health and mental health care are just a few areas where the Church can impact the world in positive ways.

I am confident that the message still resonates – God so loved the world…

Prayer: Lord, you reminded us that Christians shall be known by their love, Amen

Marriage is not a place to “stand up for your rights.” Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out.                                                                                                                                                                         I Corinthians 7:5 (The Message)

I had the opportunity recently to share an analogy with some clients who are in a difficult marriage situation. I used the analogy of a yoke of oxen. The oxen are yoked together so that they can share the load and pull in the same direction. If one is pulling sideways, or not pulling at all, the whole operation comes to a grinding halt. They are yoked together to share the burden, but also to lighten the load of the other. The yoke, while confining, also helps to leverage the maximum amount of power from the straining oxen.

This couple needed to be reminded periodically that they are on the same team. They are not trying to out-pull the other, or to try to make the burden harder. They are yoked for a reason. If they can remember to see that as they pull together, the burden gets lighter for both, they will be fine.

They are on the same team.

I find that clients who somehow have the belief that their partner does not have their best interest at stake are often not able to stay together. Even when couples are in disagreements, arguments, or just a strained place in the relationship, if they can deep down know that their partner has their back and wants the best for them, they will probably be OK.

So, even when things get tough, remember that your partner wants the best for you, even if it does not feel that way at the moment. I trust that is the case in the majority of stable relationships. Just remind yourself that you are together in it.

Prayer: Lord, help remind us that we are loved, even in the midst of trials, Amen

 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”                                                                John 6:68-69

I have been thinking lately about how pervasive the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been not only in the United States, but all over the globe. I can only speak directly about what I have seen in the United States, but I want to encourage my readers around the world to consider the changes experienced in your own country, and to share them in this space.

As a result of the pandemic, we have had landmark changes in business, education, politics, health care, religious systems of worship, and how we understand mental health. While I am not an expert on these subjects, I do have a viewpoint on how they interconnect. It has been fascinating, and a bit scary I might add.

When businesses were shutting down early in the crisis, the health care situation was dire indeed. Health care workers could not get enough protective equipment (PPE’S), and some overburdened hospitals even resorted to the use of plastic trash bags as gowns. Morgues in New York were being overrun with bodies. We saw scenes from around the world where coffins could not be made fast enough. Truly, it looked like a scene from a bad sci-fi movie.

Almost immediately, there was pushback about the closing of businesses, churches, and schools. A political rift that had been running under the surface bloomed into a national cleft that remains open today.

I think a crisis like COVID-19 often exposes weaknesses that are already in the system. People who already were struggling a bit with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression were pushed into a crisis state. The increased stress of isolation from others, uncertainty of finances, and worry over very disturbing political news all conspired to spotlight an increase in teen suicide attempts and completions.

Churches found that attendance after the masking and crowd sanctions were lifted have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels. In short, a trend toward lower church attendance was accelerated far beyond expectations.

What does this mean? I think the pandemic simply brought to the surface issues that had been simmering for a long time. When the crisis hit, the rifts became more pronounced.

Should we lose hope? No. This could be a good wake-up call to us that our salvation is not in political solutions or affiliations. Our hope is in our position toward God- humble reflection that we are dependent upon him alone for salvation and true peace.

Prayer: Lord, hear us as we look to you as our salvation, Amen

 a psychological condition that is characterized by persistent doubt concerning one’s abilities or accomplishments accompanied by the fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of one’s ongoing success                          Merriam Webster Dictionary

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful. I know that full well.                                                                                            Psalm 139:14

If one scrolls through social media (not necessarily a hearty recommendation, but it can be useful…), one can find discussion about “imposter syndrome” among some talented professionals. The term, Imposter Syndrome, has been around since the late 1970’s. Have you ever experienced this phenomenon? Very likely, you have to some degree.

I spoke with a client recently who has struggled much of his life with this issue in varying degrees. The irony I found, as I told him, is that this syndrome occurs in people who are so self-aware and who are such high achievers, that they are the people who should worry least about their competence!

People who are highly self-aware, and who also set very high standards for themselves are the people most likely to be afflicted with the problem. I suppose in a way, that this is a variation on the theme that our strengths, when not regulated well, can become our weakness.

Typically, our great fears are fed by the irrational thoughts that can fill our mind when we begin to have doubts and fears. A new job, a promotion, a change in responsibilities, taking on a new financial burden, etc., all can be triggers for latent anxiety to rise to the surface.

It is also true, that when we start a new job, or get into new situations, there is a learning curve. While we are in that curve, when anxiety is higher, the irrational thoughts of Imposter Syndrome can raise their ugly head.

The solution is to be open with trusted others about this situation, and to get good, truthful, and  unbiased feedback. Reminding ourselves of our own intrinsic value is also important, because when one questions their own competence, it can quickly lead to questions of our own value. Taking those irrational thoughts of Imposter Syndrome captive, and then speaking truth to those thoughts can be of great help.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be reminded of our great worth, Amen

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.                                                                             II Corinthians 10:5

I was speaking with a client recently, and we were talking about her loss of confidence in herself. She had been in an abusive marriage and her ex-husband had undermined her confidence. She has been working hard these past few years as a single mom, and she had overcome some significant barriers to become the strong person she needed to be for her daughter.

 Now lately, as she spoke with him on the phone about visitation issues, she found that the discussion became somewhat conflictual, and the old lack of confidence came back. She felt weak and helpless- overwhelmed with her circumstances.

I challenged her with the words from II Corinthians 10:5- “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Her anxiety had caused these negative thoughts from her past to defeat her at the moment. I told her that this anxiety produced the feelings of helplessness and lack of strength. It undermined her confidence. I reminded her of all that she had done, and continues to do, in order to overcome circumstances and to good care of herself and her daughter. “Feelings will come and go”, I said, “but truth remains”. She needs to take her thoughts captive, decide what is true, and not just accept a current feeling as being the truth. She needs to hold on to the truth- not the lies of her anxiety.  

Sometimes that truth needs to be reinforced by someone outside of ourselves, and this is what I tried to do as her counselor. I reminded her of the truth of who she really is. Sometimes we get caught up in negative self-judgments that are not true. We begin to feel helpless, unworthy, weak, etc.

So, my dear readers, take your thoughts captive and speak truth to those thoughts. Sometimes those negative thoughts are the result of anxiety and depression, and they do not accurately define who we are.

Sometimes, we need another person to remind us of the truth.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminders of the truth of who we are in you, Amen

Because of his kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it. It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. Ephesians 2:8-10

I hope this first day after Easter finds all my readers in a warm and secure place in your faith journey.

At my church, we had done a study during Lent about the life of John Wesley- founder of the Methodist movement. He was a strong and dedicated follower of Jesus, and his renewal movement spurred incredible revival of the Christian faith in England, the United States, and eventually around the world. 

His understanding of a response to Jesus was a holistic one- one that encompassed “head, hand and heart”. By that I mean, he recognized that our faith could stand the scrutiny of logical and cognitive examination- it makes sense. Further, our hearts would be changed into loving others as ourselves as Jesus taught.

Finally, as a result of those changes in us, our hands- the ways that we reach out to others- would be activated out of that love for others. I find this completely integrated approach to life, transformed by the Holy Spirit through our humble acceptance of the Lordship of Jesus, to be particularly appealing.

So, keep it simple. Our faith must be one that reaches our mind, our hearts and our actions.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the ways that you send teachers into our life, Amen

Because of his kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it.  It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. Ephesians 2:8-10

I hope this first day after Easter finds all my readers in a warm and secure place in your faith journey.

At my church, we had done a study during Lent about the life of John Wesley- founder of the Methodist movement. He was a strong and dedicated follower of Jesus, and his renewal movement spurred incredible revival of the Christian faith in England, the United States, and eventually around the world.  

His understanding of a response to Jesus was a holistic one- one that encompassed “head, hand and heart”. By that I mean, he recognized that our faith could stand the scrutiny of logical and cognitive examination- it makes sense. Further, our hearts would be changed into loving others as ourselves as Jesus taught.

Finally, as a result of those changes in us, our hands- the ways that we reach out to others- would be activated out of that love for others. I find this completely integrated approach to life, transformed by the Holy Spirit through our humble acceptance of the Lordship of Jesus, to be particularly appealing.

So, keep it simple. Our faith must be one that reaches our mind, our hearts and our actions.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the ways that you send teachers into our life, Amen

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16

So, have you seen the images from the Webb telescope? To say that they are amazing is a disservice to the word “amazing”. The Webb telescope is taking us back to almost the earliest days of creation- the “Big Bang” if you will. Those images show us the vastness and beauty of the creation of the universe.  If that is not a miracle, there isn’t one.

This universe did not just spontaneously come into being. There was a design for it from a timeframe that we cannot understand. That Creator, the God Almighty, laid out his design and spoke the universe into existence.

Easter is based on the premise of a miracle- the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In my way of thinking, that is not very hard to fathom in light of the creation that Jesus was part of from the beginning of what we know of as “time”. God, of course, is timeless. He is not bound by our conception of time. The past, present, and future, as we know it, are all one with him. (Yeah, don’t spend a lot of time trying to figure that one out).

If God wanted a plan where Jesus would come to earth, live among his creation, then redeem it, and at the same time overcome death, that was a veritable piece of cake compared to the creation of life and the universe.

So yes, this Easter, revel in the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus, but it is just one of the miracles that God has shown to his creation.

Happy Easter!

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the miracles that you bestow upon us! Amen

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

In yesterday’s blog, I talked about pushing on, to not give up trying, and to continue to work our program for health, even when it is difficult. Then I posed the question about depression. When one is clinically depressed, lack of hope and lack of motivation are hallmark symptoms. How does one go about keeping up with challenging disciplines when one is depressed?

I have had severely depressed clients who shared with me that it is difficult at times to even get out of bed. Getting dressed becomes a chore. Simple household duties become overwhelming. Work feels out of the question. Then what do we do?

When people experience that level of depression, medical intervention is imperative. A thorough physical examination is in order first to rule out various illness or hormonal causes of the depression. Clearing that hurdle, a psychiatric evaluation is in order to consider antidepressant medication. Supportive counseling is also a key therapeutic element.

Then we come to some behavioral work. It is important to validate to the client that what they are experiencing is real, and that they are truly suffering. Then I may begin to suggest the smallest behavioral tasks- maybe getting out of bed a little earlier than they did the day before; doing one household task per day- the dishes perhaps.

The idea is to go slow, but to put reasonable, achievable tasks before them. One little success makes the next step easier and to seem attainable. Every little success builds to the next one. Taking behavioral charge is still important, even when the client may feel it is so small. Taking control of small actions gives the confidence that life can still be managed, even though at a slower, smaller level.

It reminds me of an old saying in counseling- “Change one thing, change everything”.

I think that’s a true statement.

Prayer: Lord, give us strength, even when we don’t think we can move forward, Amen

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.                                       Matthew 28:6

When I was growing up, the celebration of Easter was surrounded with some beautiful traditions. Midnight Mass on Saturday night before Easter was an experience of anticipation. The Resurrection was celebrated with ceremony that had been centuries in the making. The statues  of the saints in the church had been covered in purple drapes ever since Ash Wednesday- a mark of sorrow and sobriety anticipating the coming sacrifice of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday.

At Midnight, the bells, which had been silent all during the Lenten season, pealed out all over the church. The purple drapes fell from the statues, and the choir broke into joyous songs such as “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”. The joy and atmosphere were electric in the celebration!

Much of that liturgical richness has been lost, I think. Certainly, in many Mainline Protestant churches, such majesty has been absent. Yet, as I read social media, and speak to many Christians in several venues, I think that the younger generation longs for the rich liturgy of formal worship that has been largely stripped away in the past two or three decades.

Informal worship and seeker friendly services may not be as inviting as once thought. Many people long for their churches to have a more formal, participant-engaging experience in worship. Long beloved liturgies that embrace some predictability and comfort enhance the beaty of collective worship.

Formal choirs, familiar recitations of prayers by the congregation, and a predictable pattern of service are often very comforting in a world of incredible unpredictability.

I am not saying that we throw everything out. I am just positing that people yearn often for their church to be a place of comfort, so that when we are out in the world, living the Resurrection message, we can have the solid footing that we need every weekend.

Just a thought.

The more important message is that however we celebrate the miracle of Resurrection, we recognize that we stand in a line of centuries of believers who expressed joy at this marvelous Easter celebration. 

As this Holy Week plays out, I wish a blessed time of reflection my friends!

Prayer: Lord, how can we even comprehend fully the miracle of Resurrection? You have provided for us that which we cannot do on our own, Amen