Do You Ever Go to the Wonderful Counselor?

“Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” sings the hymn.  There are many names of God in the Bible, such as Immanuel (God with Us) and  Jehovah (The Relational God). Being a counselor myself, God’s name of “Wonderful Counselor” has always stood out to me.   He is, quite literally, the wonderful counselor.  If you have ever gone to therapy, I hope you’ve had a great experience.  I hope it was … [Read more...]

Is All Moral Outrage Equally Valid?

    "Is All Moral Outrage Equally Valid?" by Carmen Misja, guest blogger   I recently listened to Albert Mohler's podcast on moral outrage. He talked about the moral outrage from Europe over the use of trace amounts of animal byproduct in the new five pound note substrate. The note was made stronger and safer for the environment with the use of the byproduct. He compared it to the outrage from France, … [Read more...]

Time Article On Marriage

  "Time Article On Marriage" By Michael Misja, Ph.D.   Time Magazine tells us how to stay married.   In our era of great gender, moral, and marital confusion, the June 13 issue of Time magazine came out with a stunning revelation: staying married leads to maximum lifetime satisfaction and benefit.  Why do I say it is a stunning revelation?  Because a secular magazine that has been a champion of the new … [Read more...]

Justice for Husbands Who Have Been Wounded, Hurting, and Left Behind

Justice for husbands who have been wounded, hurting, and left behind By Rick Duncan Over the years, I have known close friends in ministry who have been deeply wounded and treated unjustly the women in their world. And when that happens, many people - both inside and outside the church - secretly (or maybe not so secretly) believe that it must be the man who is primarily at fault. The church, the courts, and the culture at … [Read more...]

What If You Didn’t Matter?, Part 3

"What If You Didn’t Matter? Part 3" By Michael Misja, Ph.D. North Coast Family Foundation (northcoastfamily.com)   In the first blog on this issue, I raised the question of the significance to others of my life.  The second one explored whether my life meant anything at all. In this blog-the journey continues.  I asked you to consider two questions:   1-What if no one remembers you 100 years from now?  Would that … [Read more...]

What If You Didn’t Matter, Part 2

"What If You Didn't Matter, Part 2" By Michael Misja North Coast Family Foundation (northcoastfamily.com)   “There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are to yet to come will not be remembered”    Proverbs 1:11 NIV   In the previous blog I wondered if my life will matter to anyone a hundred years from now.  In this blog we are going to go farther, stretching the question to whether all my efforts … [Read more...]

One Of Us Is Crazy

One Of Us Is Crazy Charles Misja, Ph.D. Ever had the experience of listening to a loved one talk to you and something just didn’t make sense because you walked away feeling like you were crazy?  Or, maybe he/she was crazy?  Well, one of you is crazy but you’re not sure whom?   We can feel off-balance, even a bit psychologically disoriented because we’re just not sure what, or who, to believe.  It’s like someone coming to you and … [Read more...]

Managing Christmas and Holiday Stress

Managing Christmas and Holiday Stress Michael Misja, Ph.D.   A 2006 survey by the American Psychological Association found that 38% of Americans said their stress increased during the holiday season. Lack of time, money, and the pressure to buy presents and attend family gatherings were the main stressors. The good news was that 54% of those surveyed thought stress levels were about the same as always.  The better news was … [Read more...]

What If You Didn’t Matter? Part 1

  What If You Didn’t Matter?  Part 1 By Michael Misja, NCFF   Did you ever have the experience of listening to a talk and having one statement jump out, causing you to not hear another word the speaker said?  That happened to me a few weeks back.   At a men’s breakfast a speaker who had just returned from a mission’s trip was lamenting the fact that so few men were involved in the challenging work of helping … [Read more...]

Do Men Need Counseling?

Do Men Need Counseling? By Michael Misja, Ph.D.   “I can handle it on my own.”   “I know what I need to do, what’s he going to tell me that I don’t already know?” Counseling men is different than counseling women. When I see a man for a first appointment, I know I’m being sized up.  Some guys are wondering who is going to be the Alpha Male in the office, me or him.  Others wonder if they are going to be lectured or … [Read more...]