Christian Counseling & Educational Services

Every year as spring arrives, I remember the time when we lived in France and went high into the Alps to a rustic retreat center. The sky was blue, the air was crisp and patches of snow spotted the mountainside. Here and there delicate little wild flowers showed their faces, some even pushing up through the crusty snow patches. At that elevation it seemed we could see forever. Being in the high place gave a different perspective to the whole world. It was a moment I wished would never end.

Last September one more counselor joined our staff to complete our team. Her name is Cindi Wilmot and she is a delightful addition to our work and ministry. Cindi is a wife, and a mother to six children. You can read more about her at our staff page. Here’s a devotional she wrote just for you, our weekly readers.

My daughter’s friend, Christian, sat in the back of the van with our kids, laughing delightedly and making everyone around him smile and chuckle with his nine-year-old humor and energy. “This is what it would be like if the Lord had spared our son”, I thought wistfully.

What a thrill to KNOW that my Redeemer lives! Jesus Christ is just as alive today as He was right after the resurrection. In fact, He is just as much alive today as He was before the crucifixion, and even before He came to earth and was laid in the manger.

What difference does it make whether we serve a living God or one made of stone? Isn’t it just a practice we believe in? Is it a crutch to help us along our way? No! Absolutely not!

In a matter of one short week, Jesus went from riding triumphantly into the city of Jerusalem being hailed as a king, to hanging in humiliation from a wooden cross with angry mobs shouting around Him, having been betrayed by one of his own. Through it all, He never ceased to honor His Father. How did He do it? How is it possible to go from the position and pomp of a king, to the railings and rejection as a criminal and still successfully glorify God?

As I sorted through the mail the other day, a pretty pink envelope stood out from the brightly colored advertisements trying to grab my attention. Immediately I recognized the handwriting and the warmth of friendship swept over me. Inside there was a lovely card and a brief handwritten note that held a large message of love and appreciation. It came at a time when I needed a word of encouragement.

Although he lived and wrote over 100 years ago, Oswald Chambers really challenged my thinking this morning. Am I looking to Christ only when I need comfort or sympathy, or am I trusting Him to be able to do anything in my life? Look at what Rev. Chambers had to say.

“I already pulled the files for the clients who are coming in today, Dr. Ann.�?

“Thanks, Jane. So, who are we seeing today?�?

“Well, we have a new client coming in this morning, but when I got his initial information over the phone, I had trouble determining the billing address. It seems his home was under siege, and his business completely wiped out. This guy really has problems! All 10 of his children were killed in a mass tragic accident, and now his own health is deteriorating. The only place he finds relief is on top of an ash heap.�?

“Has he ever seen anyone for counseling before?�? Ann asked.

“He told me that he was part of some group therapy session with three other guys,�? Jane replied, “but it wasn’t really helpful to him at all.”

When the phone rang Wednesday I wasn’t prepared for the news I was about to hear. “I just called to tell you that Delphine passed away last night,�? the voice said. My friend was nearly 80 years old so her death shouldn’t have come as such a shock, but it did. She hadn’t been well for years, but that never stopped her. She kept right on going and she loved life to the fullest. Her heart for the Lord and for others was always finding a way to do or say something kind. And her sense of humor kept me laughing.

On Valentine’s Day isn’t it fun to dig through a bag of those little candy hearts that have the words printed on them? They say cute little things like “SWEET�?, “CUTE�? or “HUG ME�?. But the one that I like the best says, “YOU ARE MINE!�?

Isaiah 43 gives a beautiful picture of God saying those exact words to His beloved children of Israel. Even though they had wondered away from Him and He had to discipline them, He declares, “Don’t be afraid! I made you and I will take care of you. You are mine!�? Then, as their loving Father, He gives them the promise of His presence, His protection, and His provision through it all.

Recently a dear friend asked me, “Where was God when I was being abused? My mind is trying to figure this out as this seems to be a crucial part of trusting God.�? Here is my reply to her:

The best answer I know to your question is that God was then where He always has been–on His throne in the heavens controlling the universe, but He was weeping for you and with you in your time of difficulty. God’s plan was never for one person to hurt another, especially a child, but because He gave man a choice, He stepped back to let man exercise his own free will. Sometimes that free will hurts another, but God is sufficient to nurture, help and heal the one who has been hurt. He longs to care for and caress the wounded spirit in ways that one who has never been hurt could never experience. In that case then, it is to our blessing that each of us has been hurt in some way, for each one of us has need of the Savior and Great Physician. It is only in our hurt and pain that we can feel His gentle arms of love around us and feel the warmth of His tears as they fall from His eyes.