This has been a trying year for so many, including many of us at Hope Counseling Services. Yet it has been a blessed year in many ways as well. And God has continued to expand our ministry at Hope, and provide more opportunities to bring Hope to Life. Donors play a crucial role in our work at Hope. People often ask us how donations are used at Hope. Financial gifts to...
Last year I read a book called Lament for a Son written by Nicholas Wolterstorff, a Christian philosopher. He wrote it in response to the sudden death of his son who died of a skiing accident at age 25. Wolterstorff paints a devastating picture of the pain a parent suffers losing a child. At times the angst is so dark, I wanted to close the book--just too hard to read,...
2020 has been a difficult year for many. We have experienced challenges and disruptions the likes of which many of us have never before encountered. At Hope, we too have felt the impact, as our offices closed in March, and all our teaching and counseling moved online where it continues today. Yet we have so much to thank God for as we celebrate Thanksgiving. We are...
This year, Hope Counseling Services has been focused on strengthening marriages through a variety of ministry activities. On Friday January 31, Hope sponsored a marriage counseling training seminar with guest speaker Jonathan Holmes. This equipping seminar drew 55 pastors, counselors, and lay leaders--a group of people on the frontlines of marriage counseling for couples...
I watch a lot of movies—not the kind playing on the big screen down the street or on the little screen inside my home, but the kind playing daily in the theatre of my mind. Certain themes play repeatedly, I’ve noticed. For example:The eyes of my heart look forward rather than backward, and I watch my imagined future unfold. Like tomorrow’s difficult conversation with...