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Maintaining Commitment in Your Marriage

Maintaining Commitment in Your Marriage

By Kate Motaung|2024-09-27T09:53:44+00:00December 12th, 2022|Couples Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Infidelity and Affairs, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Do you believe that as time has gone on, your commitment to your partner has grown weaker? Do you want to change that trend? If so, it is helpful to consider the following questions: What does it entail to be faithful to your spouse? What obstacles could jeopardize this dedication? What can you do to make your commitment to your partner stronger? First, let’s look at some basics. What is commitment? What do you think commitment means in a marriage? Many would contend that it results from a sense of obligation. For instance, a couple might decide to stay together for the sake of their kids or out of a sense of obligation to God, the One who created marriage. Such motivations are undoubtedly admirable and will support a marriage during trying times. However, marriage partners must feel more than just a sense of duty toward one another to be content. Jehovah God intended for a marriage to make a couple deeply joyful and content. He wanted a man to rejoice in his wife (Ephesians 5:28, NIV) and he wanted a woman to feel as loved by her husband as he does by his own body. (Proverbs 5:18, NIV) A couple must develop trust to forge that kind of bond. Their ability to form a lifelong friendship is also crucial. A man and woman’s dedication to their marriage will increase as they work to gain each other’s trust and develop the closest of friendships. They will develop a bond that the Bible describes as being so strong that it will feel like “‘…the two will become one flesh.’” (Matthew 19:5, NIV) Therefore, commitment could be compared to the mortar holding together a sturdy house’s bricks. Sand, cement, and water are some of the ingredients used to make mortar. Similar [...]

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5 Signs of Early Onset Dementia

5 Signs of Early Onset Dementia

By Brooke Turbyfill|2024-09-27T09:51:01+00:00October 7th, 2022|Aging and Geriatric Issues, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, can show up earlier in life – in a person’s forties or fifties. Here are the five signs of early onset dementia so that you can recognize them in your life or in the lives of those you love. What is Dementia? Dementia is a general term used to describe struggles with memory, language, and problem-solving that are severe enough to interfere with everyday life. While many people associate dementia with memory, it impacts more than just that. It can alter a person’s behavior, ability to solve simple problems, and decision-making capabilities. An example may be that your mom, who is in her early sixties, has been showing small signs of early onset dementia over the last decade. More than simply forgetting where her keys are, it could be that she made a series of sudden risky financial decisions, her mood (which used to be generally sunny in disposition) shifted so that she has more days feeling blue and/or irritable, and her ability to re-trace her steps has diminished over the years. These may not necessarily be diagnosed as early onset dementia, but they are signs that point to an issue worth checking out. Signs of Early Onset Dementia If you think a family member or friend could be struggling with early onset dementia, a counselor in one of our offices can help you learn more. 1. Asking for the same information. If you or your loved one asks for the same stories to be told or asks about your children’s after-school activities multiple times, it may be something to which you should pay attention and take note. While asking for the same story to be re-told occasionally isn’t something to worry about, if your loved one asks detailed questions (the [...]

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Be Victorious and Embrace Self-Growth

Be Victorious and Embrace Self-Growth

By Melissa Plantz|2024-09-27T09:50:42+00:00August 18th, 2022|Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Spiritual Development|

Have you ever been presented with an opportunity that sounded amazing, but you turned it down because you did not feel equipped to carry it out properly? How did that make you feel? Did saying no to the opportunity lower your self-esteem and confidence and hurt your self-growth? Now consider this: what if you spent time working on yourself, your mind, your emotional resiliency, and your marketable skills? How far could this self-growth and personal development take you? When you prioritize self-growth and pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, the sky is the limit. Why focus on self-growth? God created each one of us with unlimited potential, yet we place a limit on ourselves. Sometimes we blame our circumstances, childhood, location, or education. But the truth is that no matter where you are currently, you can make a change. That change starts with you embracing self-growth. How to develop self-growth Self-growth is the continuing education of yourself. It is the study of you and what you need to learn to fulfill your purpose and calling. You are born with a talent that can be honed, but you must learn skills. The good news is that everyone else must learn skills too. Self-growth is part of personal development and can serve you for the rest of your life. The following are ways you can start embracing self-growth. Set goals. Where do you see yourself a year from now? Five years from now? Where do you want to be a year from now? Like with any journey, you need to set a destination before you can plan how to get there. Do you want to own your own business? Do you want to open a nonprofit? Ask yourself questions. Challenge yourself. Some of these goals may sound too big and impossible, but [...]

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Divorce In The Bible: What Does It Say?

Divorce In The Bible: What Does It Say?

By Sandra Stein|2024-09-27T09:49:52+00:00July 13th, 2022|Featured, Infidelity and Affairs, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues, Spiritual Development|

Many people see divorce as a positive solution to a troubled marriage, but the Bible is clear that God designed marriage to be a lifelong covenant relationship between a man and a woman. It was meant to be a sacred bond based on love, commitment, and mutuality that reflected God’s love for His people, and Christ’s relationship to His church. The Apostle Paul describes this spiritual union that takes place in marriage as a “profound mystery” (Ephesians 5:31-32). Divorce was never an option. After the fall (Genesis 3), man’s sinful nature led to widespread disregard for the sanctity of marriage, making it fall far short of God’s original plan. Husbands were being unfaithful to their wives, disrespecting and mistreating them, and even sending them away without cause so they could marry younger women. Even though God hated divorce (Malachi 2:16), he allowed it in order to protect the disadvantaged woman from the treachery and abuse of her hardhearted husband. A certificate of divorce was instituted under Moses to diminish the injustice perpetrated against the discarded wife. No longer could her husband just unceremoniously throw her out. He had to provide her with a legal document sanctioning the dissolution of their marriage and giving her freedom to remarry and become part of another family where she would hopefully be treated better (Deuteronomy 24:1-2). The behavior of the Israelite men angered God and He would no longer accept their offerings with favor. When they wondered why, He sent them a message through His prophet, Malachi. Another thing you do. You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is the witness between you [...]

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Worry in the Bible: Examples and Scripture Verses about Anxiety

Worry in the Bible: Examples and Scripture Verses about Anxiety

By Sandra Stein|2024-09-27T09:49:23+00:00July 6th, 2022|Anxiety, Featured|

Worry is a common human emotion triggered by life circumstances. It can drain your energy, rob you of your peace, and keep you from enjoying your daily blessings. There are many Scripture verses about anxiety and worry in the Bible. For example, in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus gives two reasons why we need to get out of the habit of worrying. The first reason is a practical one. Most of the things you worry about may never happen, and no amount of worrying can change the things that will. Jesus asks, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matt. 6:27, ESV). “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt. 6:34, ESV). The second reason is a theological one. When you worry you are disregarding the nature of God and are implying that He is unable to take care of your needs. Instead of putting your trust in Him, you are putting it in your own ability to figure things out and take charge and be in control. Verses about Anxiety Worry is not good for you. Worrying about tomorrow robs you of today, and can even make you physically sick. Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. – Proverbs 12:25, ESV …casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7, ESV Worrying does not accomplish anything. Worry is a waste of energy that distracts you from God, and that throughout your life can add up to hours and hours of wasted time you’ll never be able to recoup. Worry won’t help solve your problems or bring [...]

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How to Control Anger Before It Controls You

How to Control Anger Before It Controls You

By Kate Motaung|2024-09-27T09:54:28+00:00July 6th, 2022|Anger Issues, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

Everyone has felt anger at some point in their lives. Whether it was a mild annoyance or bubbling rage, anger is a normal human emotion. Getting angry is not always the issue, but anger can lead to problems in your social life, professional life, and relationship with God. For this reason, we must learn to control anger before it controls us. What is anger? The nature of anger According to Charles Spielberger, Ph.D. - a psychologist specializing in anger studies – anger is “an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage.” Anger can be caused by external or internal events, and it could be directed at a person, an inanimate object, a memory, and so on. It is often accompanied by a spike in hormones like adrenaline and high blood pressure. The Expression of Anger Aggression is a natural expression of anger. Anger can be expressed with aggressive words and/or actions. Due to civil laws, societal norms, and overall common sense, there is a limit to who or what you can take your anger out on without ending up in jail or a hospital. Some businesses have even capitalized on these limitations by providing rooms with fragile objects for people to smash, rather than teaching them to control anger. The Bible prohibits getting angry and lashing out. You cannot always avoid the things that trigger your anger, but you can always control how you react to the things or people that provoke you. Chances are, if you have an anger management problem, you already know it. How to Control Anger Relaxation People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm. – Proverbs 14:17 The next time you feel angry, try the following to control your anger: Take slow, deep breaths, [...]

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