Author Archives: joyspringcounseling

I have come to realize that order is essential to maintaining my peace. I don’t function well with clutter and disorder in my home, my workspace, my thoughts, my words, or my relationships. I don’t meet the criteria to be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, but I do have a need to keep things clean andContinue reading “In and Out of Order”

A dozen years I ago, I went through one of those perfect storms of life that had me reeling. Maybe you know what I’m talking about—when you think you’re doing a decent job of coping with difficult circumstances, and then life takes a few more blows at you and you start to drown.   IContinue reading “The Stories We Tell”

In these perilous times, it is a constant temptation to shoot my mouth about this issue or that. I know I’m not alone in this; we feel our blood start to boil as we read or watch news stories or follow a thread on social media. There is a rising pressure to speak our mindsContinue reading “Fire in the Bones”

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions–is not from the Father, but is from the world. AndContinue reading “Attachment”

I’ve encountered many souls who, learning that I am a Christian, will respond with something that I’ll paraphrase like this: “I’m not religious–like you—I’m just spiritual.” The message, when decrypted by my own spirit, is that they believe they are spiritual enough to have no need for Christ or his salvation. They imply that theyContinue reading “God-Fearers”

These days of angst, anger, and existential dread are trying to the soul of anyone who loves God, loves people, loves justice and peace. They are days of an increased sense of futility. As in the garden, our work has been cursed and plagued, and our relationships strained. We shouldn’t be surprised by this, becauseContinue reading “God’s Purpose on Purpose”

Many years ago, a wise counselor told me, “God doesn’t waste good suffering.” Strange statement, right? How can suffering be described as good? Over the years I have become convinced through many interactions with suffering people that there is indeed such a thing as good suffering.  As someone who hates to waste anything, I findContinue reading “Good Suffering”

Journeying slowly through the Gospel of Luke I notice two parallel teachings of Jesus that challenge me. In these passages, Scripture comes to life, showing how the heart’s response to the teachings of Jesus must lead to corresponding actions. When it does, it results in our growth in wisdom and represents him well to theContinue reading “Come, Listen, Follow”

Do you consider yourself a good person? I certainly hope so. But, on what basis do any of us make that claim? I have a few answers to consider from Scripture, and from the field of ethics. I’ve arrived at this topic during the time of quarantine. During this time, whether aware of it orContinue reading “Ethical Fitness and the Overflow of the Heart”

  If you have followed my blog for while (thank you!), you may recall that I’ve written a few times about things I’ve learned from my two dogs, insights that have contributed to my walk with the Lord. Now my husband and I are facing the reality that our beloved Scooter is in his finalContinue reading “Tale of Two Doggies: The Final Chapter”