The New Year's Post

I love New Year's Eve. It seriously is such a fun holiday for me. I like the idea of a fresh start in the cold of winter.

I especially love the first Monday of the New Year. It holds so much promise. I try not to get caught up in the practice of doing resolutions, but I'm excited to share that I have been able to keep the same resolution for two year's in row. And I'm doing it again.

I read the entire Bible.

I feel like I've behaving like your typical American believer. You know the sort. I knew just "enough" scripture. I spoke church-lingo fluently, but there was truly a lack of power behind my voice.

I don't know why, but a few days after 2013 started I told myself I would read a little bit of the Bible everyday. Until I got to the end. And I did. So I did it again in 2014. And again in 2015.

Now at 2016 the goal is the same, read the word, but this time I want to start memorizing scripture. It's important to know the word inside and out because that is our weapon. It is what brings us back to G-d when the knowledge of the world starts to steer us off course.

There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Proverbs 14:12

I think this has been so true for me in my personal life. I won't lie, I've spent an inordinate amount of time chasing money. Climbing the corporate latter, because I had enough G-d to get me through my day, because I thought I could always serve his kingdom later.

Then my personal life exploded.

Then my health failed.

Then I lost my job.

When I was younger G-d was included in all aspects of my life, but as I got older I put Him a box that became smaller and smaller. I was determined to climb that corporate ladder and G-d was "in the way".

I was determined to not let anything get in the way of success until G-d had enough of me and started to break me down. If I had been in my word I would seen what was going on, and I would have seen I was off track. But my determination and idolization of money/power kept me blind. I truly believe the L-rd G-d handed me over to Satan to wake me up.

The L-rd corrects those he loves.

And I'm so glad He loves. And I'm glad I can see that serving G-d, seeking His kingdom should be now, RIGHT NOW!

I am excited for 2016. I am excited to see what G-d is going to break, build, restore, and purge in the fire. Walking out the way is a hard journey, but I can only find fulfillment in obedience to Yah.

As always I'm here to listen if you need me.

    ~The Good Counselor

The Cost of Service

Malachi 3:14

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?


The hardest part of being a believer is realizing as you go along the journey your eyes are more open to your sin. You begin to view yourself in a G-dly lens and realize just how disgusting you are.

Praise be to Yah for the blood His precious Son shed on our behalf!

It is a free gift.

But it comes with a catch, the "cost" of this free gift is submission. We must daily align ourselves with the word of G-d and act accordingly. 

We must strive against sin and battle daily. 

This is where the devil gets crafty. We can easily get wary if we try to battle with our own will. However, if we battle infused with the Holy Spirit we can truly conquer mountains. 

Accepting Christ never meant an easy life. In fact, Christ himself warns again and again we will face tribulations if we decided to follow him. Yet time and time again we break down at the hint of crisis. 

Why is that at the beginning of a crises we run to another person when G-d has clearly said to seek Him first in all things?

This is why when I counsel I start with prayer. What if G-d has an immediate answer waiting for you if you simply seek Him first?

What if He desires you to be a witness to His faithfulness?

This is probably not good for my "business", but I seek to always give the truth. The cost of service is that I am poor to self and rich in Christ.

As I closed out the year I read the book of Malachi. I was struck by the above scripture. Surely no believer would say that serving G-d is worthless, but don't we do that by our very actions?

Greedy business practices, gossiping against a brother or sister, lying, causing dissensions, are these not little micro-aggressions against G-d that show him we don't value serving Him.

Do we not insult His very name, by claiming to be His, then attacking a fellow believer for some slight? I pray that this year we take steps to be wise in following Him. I pray that you consider carefully the cost of service.

As always I'm here to listen if you need me.

    ~The Good Counselor

The Lie of Individuality

Individuality separates and isolates.

Individuality demands one's right to oneself. It can not suffer to be misunderstood.

And yet, our heavenly Messiah could and often was misunderstood and suffered this indignity because He had abandoned all rights to Himself. He was so one with Yah the need to be understood was not necessary.

Even the quietest among us will spend an inordinate amount of time explaining our self in order to be perfectly understood. Is this a sin? No, but our right to self can cause just as much if not more damage to our walk of faith.

Individuality is created by G-d; however, it must be in submission in order to be in fellowship with G-d

The characteristics of individuality are independence and self-assertiveness. The world would say that these are extremely valuable attributes, but look closely. Where is G-d in those attributes?

He's careful and quietly edited out with the focus turned to our favorite idol: Our self. The lie of individuality idolizes the self and puts value in my own need to be completely understood at all times.  

The continual assertion of our individuality hinders y(our) spirituality. G-d desires oneness with Him, but our right to self is in the way. G-dly individuality recognizes the creator, seeks the creator first, and continually puts to death our fleshly nature that rebels against Him.

Deny your self to find your self in the Messiah.

As always I'm here to listen if you need me.

    ~The Good Counselor

In between the spaces

The hardest part of living in modern society is the inability to flex the muscle of patience.

Patience is one of the fruits of the spirit that we hope everyone has for us, but is so hard to dish out on our own. For me personally, the invention of Google has completely devastated the ability for me to be patient.

If I so much as have a thought I simply type it into Google.

It's completely weakened my patience towards waiting to hear from the L-rd. In between the spaces of 'yes' and 'no' is where refinement comes.

So often I find myself rushing through a prayer so I can Google without guilt. I can say 'I asked the L-rd first' before applying my own decision on the matter.

This is something I'm certain more believers struggle with today.

It's important to pause and wait on the L-rd. He operates outside of human's finite concept of time. we must trust entirely in His word.

Why not wait on the L-rd? 

Proverbs 14:12King James Version (KJV)

12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

As always I'm here to listen if you need me.

~The Good Counselor

An administrative note...

To me the Bible is the inspired word of G-d.

The will of G-d is his word.

I don't expect people or the world to understand it. Therefore, I have to obey the word of G-d in regards to the place of women and men. I am a woman. I don't counsel unknown men.

I felt led to say this and its important that its respected. Obviously I can't control who reads my blog, but I want it known that I can only offer my services to women.

Titus 2:3-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.

Now I believe that one of the reasons the church has lost its power is because the older women have forgotten their role.

I remember countless times listening to older women of the church lamenting their roles. I would overhear women complain about their husbands, children, and lack of funds. As a younger woman I took this to heart. I determined to not marry, bear children, and focus on getting rich.

Praise be to G-d, He hadn't let me stay in a worldly mindset!

How interesting that the things I listened to women in church complain about and warn against was the complete opposite of the scripture of Titus 2:3-5?

As always I am here for you.

~The Good Counselor

He who has an ear, let him hear

Many times we ask for advice when we already know the action we will take.
Many times we ask for advice because we want reassurance we are on the right path.
Many times we ask for advice because that is the simplest ice breaker.

Almost everyone is willing to give advice if you ask for it. But not all advice is created equal.

I created The Good Counselor for many reasons. One of those reasons is to give good sound advice from a biblical perspective.

I find many times after prayer, searching the scriptures, and reflection there is a desire to reach out and "talk it out".

It's important that we get advice that comes from a perspective that reflects our beliefs. It's also important that who we speak to and who hears our thoughts has an ear that's aligned to the correct belief system as well.

I want you to know I am here.

Whatever is on your mind we can discuss via skype, email, or phone.

Click the payment below to schedule a session with me.

Why the fee? Honestly, because my time is precious. I am not trying to get rich, hence the small fee. I just want to make sure you're serious about getting help.

So let's talk and I'll listen.