Author Archives: joyspringcounseling

Have you ever wondered if you’re bothering God with repeated requests for help? I have, at times. When we ask for God to intervene, and then experience what seems to be a delay in his response, we can become heartsick. We can lose patience, and even listen to the devil’s lie that God doesn’t careContinue reading “Shameless Boldness”

Recently I reread the Book of Judges, and remembered how starkly it portrays the violence, apostasy, idolatry, and sexual depravity rampant in Israel at that time. The author doesn’t pull any punches.   Sadly, much of it felt quite familiar, as it in many ways resembles what we are experiencing in our current generations ofContinue reading “Blessing and Honor in Dark Times”

(This blog was first published in 2020, and will be part of my next book project, about the metaphor of servanthood and the actual roles of servants throughout the Bible. Intercession is one of those roles. Jesus said that the greatest among us are those who serve, and I believe we should take this seriouslyContinue reading “Servants as Intercessors”

If you have ever suffered with depression, and most of us have, you might find this reflection on Psalm 102 enlightening. I came to Psalm 102 recently in my daily readings. It is a psalm of lament in which the unidentified psalmist lists an array of physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual complaints. With many yearsContinue reading “A Portrait of Depression and Recovery”

Originally posted on Ruth E. Stitt:
I’ve been reading about the kings of Israel and Judah, and this morning came across a story about King Ahab, the king of Israel, when threatened by one of his enemies, Ben-hadad: “A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.”*…

Sometimes we find ourselves sojourners in a location or circumstance that is not our ideal, happy place. Maybe we’re undergoing a job transition, adjusting to a new marriage, grieving a divorce, or have lost someone we love. These can be times of testing and loss. We may find our trust in God weakening and wonderContinue reading “Bloom Where Planted”

God came walking through the garden in the cool of the day and spoke to his first listeners. I will walk, because he first walked, and I will listen for his voice. Enoch walked faithfully with God, until God whisked him away. I will walk away from death and into the whirlwind of God, whereverContinue reading “A Walker’s Creed”