In His kindness, God invites us to grieve in His presence through prayer.
When we lament, we’re not complaining to God or blaming Him for the suffering in our lives; instead, we’re grieving with Him. We’re acknowledging that the world is not the way it’s supposed to be in the now and the not yet.
In our grief, we often shut God and others out. But prayers of lament and the tool of process journaling invite God into the messy and the hard so He can bring the comfort and change we so desperately need.
God is not offended by our grief or our anger. He knows our words and our thoughts before we even express them in prayer. He understands our weaknesses, and as we honestly approach God through prayers of lament, we can find hope in His promises.
Resources:
Lament and Process Journal Instructions
Conversational Counseling Season 5 on “Suffering”
Free Known Ministries Lament Class
S5 Ep. 3 / Carol Collier on Lament
Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
If you enjoy guided prayer through Scripture or enjoy repetition, the Lectio Divina is the tool for you!
The Lectio Divina reminds us that Scripture is not just information but an invitation to encounter God as we interact repeatedly with a specific passage.
Our lives are full of to-do lists and endless busyness. But each section of the Lectio Divina encourages us to take a step back from our hectic days to reflect, respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, and rest.
Resources:
Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
We serve a God who wants to commune with us. He is not distant; He hears, He sees, and He acts on behalf of His people.
The Immanuel Journal helps us meditate on these truths and invite God into our experiences through speaking the words of God over our lives. When we engage with this journal, we’re not pretending to be God. Instead, we’re listening for how He might respond and drawing from Scripture, from His character, from His heart and from our honest experiences to remind our hearts that He is close to us, especially in our weakness.
Immanuel means “God with us,” and this journaled prayer reminds us that with Him, we are never alone.
Resources:
Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel by Dr. E James Wilder III, Anna Kang, John Loppnow, and Sungshim Loppnow
Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Do you want to build a habit of prayer but don’t know where to start?
One of our favorite prayer tools is the Examen Prayer! This simple structure can help you establish a rhythm of prayer and help you daily refocus your attention on the Father.
This prayer has five steps: replay, rejoice, review, repent, and reboot. As you become familiar with the structure, you can mold this tool to fit your preferences and the flow of your day as you reflect on the day that has passed and the day ahead.
While you reflect on the joys, fears and sorrows of your daily life, this prayer encourages you to live in close communion with God in the real moments of your day.
Resources:
The Examen Prayer Instructions
Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne
This season, we’re diving into prayer and introducing simple tools to help all of us move into a deeper understanding of God’s presence!
If we’re being honest, prayer can be a place of a lot of guilt.
We struggle to find time to pray. Often our prayers feel like an overly-structured task to be checked off our to-do list instead of a relationship. Sometimes we even wonder if prayer is worth it because our situation is just growing worse.
But prayer is so much more than this. God created prayer because He wants to have a relationship with us. Through prayer, we all can find a sense of awe in the access Jesus has given us to the throne of God.
Wherever you are in your prayer life, we hope this season will expand your view of prayer and that the Holy Spirit will move in your life to increase your desire for prayer.
Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
What is your posture when you join someone on their journey to comfort and change?
If our first priority is to influence or teach, we risk pushing our framework of beliefs on others rather than prioritizing love.
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul opens the chapter by reminding the church about the importance of sharing truth with love. As Christians and counselors, we should never compromise on the essentials of the gospel when we’re pursuing love. But at the same time, we must recognize that our framework about the nonessentials is colored by our own experiences, training and mentors.
Scholars and biblical leaders have studied the Bible for centuries and still disagree on many nonessentials. When we push our framework of these nonessentials on others, they can feel unheard and pressured to conform to a belief that isn’t foundational to their Christian walk.
As Paul exhorts in 1 Corinthians, we must emphasize love. Jesus, our better Counselor, welcomes people to Himself, not a certain denomination or school of thought. Just as He’s sanctified us, He can sanctify others and deepen their understanding of Him and His Word.
Resources:
Connect with other Christians and counselors: Gospel-Centered Biblical Counseling and Equipping Facebook Group with Bob Kellemen
Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
We live in a very disembodied culture.
Many biblical counselors have a tendency to underemphasize the body as they counsel, while medical professions can focus on the body and ignore the mind and the soul.
But the Bible has a lot to say about the body! In fact, the first thing God gave Adam to steward in the garden was his body.
As biblical counselors, we need to consider the body as we counsel. Physical ailments or factors do not excuse sin, but we often need to deal with physical issues first before moving on to mental and spiritual healing.
Jesus healed the body and forgave sins. He fed the 5,000, and He preached the way to salvation. By caring for the whole person, we can better walk alongside them towards comfort and change like our good and better Counselor did on earth.
Resources:
560 Biblical Passages on Embodied-Souls by Bob Kellemen
Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
In this episode, we’re diving into a hard — and very nuanced — topic. We encourage you to listen to the end and then share your thoughts, questions or concerns with your trusted community so we all can better understand a biblical view of caring and advocating for the oppressed in our church bodies.
We love the Church, we love when God calls godly leaders into positions of authority to shepherd the Church, and we strive for the spiritual unity of the body. But at the same time, we recognize that some Christians and churches choose their churches’ reputations at the cost of victims and of God’s character.
When faced with hard situations in our churches, how should we respond?
We recognize our churches are filled with finite leaders serving an infinite God and continually working to understand how to biblically address abuse and trauma in the body of Christ. As counselors, we can be an integral part of that process.
God has given so many of us the ability to perceive a wrong, and He equips us with the strength to address this injustice, advocate for the oppressed and abused, and bear one another’s burdens. In these difficult situations, the Holy Spirit helps us discern when to submit, to speak, and to step away.
When we speak up, we might make mistakes. Our reputation might crumble. But God calls us to live with integrity. As we prayerfully discern next steps when advocating for victims, He will remain faithful to guide and to comfort.
Resources:
“Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused” Training Curriculum
Counselors Specializing in Preventing and Confronting Abuse in the Church:
Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Sometimes we think we can clearly see the right choice another person needs to make. And maybe our instinct is right!
But it’s not our job to fix someone else’s problem or fix them.
We’re prone to impatience when another person struggles to grow and change at the rate we want. Too often we’re quick to give our opinion or solve one problem without realizing we’ve taken a person’s agency or ignored a root problem that’s actually causing the harmful behavior.
When we minister to others, our job is to encourage growth in biblical knowledge, self-awareness, and confidence so they can effectively navigate their own challenges through consulting with God, with others, and, when appropriate, with us.
Counseling isn’t about fixing people. It’s about encouraging people to grow in their relationship with Christ and to learn how to hear His voice.
Resources:
S9 Ep. 7 / Trauma: Helping Someone Tell Their Trauma Story
Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Are we called to be perfect before we counsel? Of course not!
If all of us waited to reach perfection on this side of heaven, none of us would be able to counsel others. But God’s Word still calls us to serve one another and bear one another’s burdens.
In our imperfection, we will fail as we counsel or lead or serve. We may need to step away from a role or part of ministry for a season as we grow and learn. But we shouldn’t be a people who stop growing or following God’s call to comfort and change. Our own stories of failure and growth can instead be an encouragement to others of God’s faithfulness.
The perfect life has already been lived, and we should seek to model Christ’s life every day, recognizing that even in our failure, God’s plans and purposes will ultimately prevail.
Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Do you feel burdened to always say “yes” even when you’re exhausted?
In our care for others and desire to see them made whole, we can neglect ourselves. We strive to be available and to offer comfort and counsel at all hours, even if other responsibilities suffer.
As finite creatures, God created us with a “tank” that can run out. If we try to serve others without slowing down to re-fill our tank, our ability to comfort well can suffer. When we recognize our limits, we can surrender ourselves to God and recognize He is the great comforter who never sleeps. He is the ultimate counselor and faithful Savior always interceding for us.
He also gives us the body of Christ filled with members with diverse gifts. All we can do is remain faithful to our gifting as one part of that body and allow God and others to work in the lives of sufferers and sinners. When we create healthy boundaries and recognize our limits, we can maximize our ministry to the sufferers God brings into our lives.
Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Have you discovered yet that you aren’t perfect as you minister to others?
Over our years of ministry, we’ve definitely recognized our imperfections as we’ve made mistakes — big and small. When we look back and remember some of the things we’ve told people or we’ve done over the years, we cringe!
This season, we’re walking through common mistakes so many of us make while ministering or counseling others. We hope as we address these mistakes you won’t feel discouraged but inspired! We all will fall short in ministry, but each misstep reminds us of our dependence to God.
In this episode, we’re reminded that at one point or another, all of us need to hear, “It’s not all up to you!”
Often, our desire to take charge of another person’s life comes from a place of love and concern for their future, but this desire can be twisted into a belief that change is up to us.
Though God created us to exist in community with one another, we’re not all-powerful. We are not created to carry the weight of someone else’s choices or future, we can’t rescue someone from their sin or suffering, and we can’t fix their problems. What we can do is walk alongside them and encourage them to take small steps towards change through God’s help.
Our own lives are proof that change isn’t up to us. If we want to help other people trust God, we have to trust that God will work through us and through others in His way and His timing.
Resources:
Sean of the South by Sean Dietrich
Beginnings: Seeking God's Kingdom in the Midst of Trials and Temptations: A Self-Counsel Journal for Women by Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne
Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.
As we comfort other sufferers, their pain and trauma can take a physical and emotional toll on us. In this season, we’ve shared tools you can use to support others, but in this episode, we want to focus on the comforters!
When someone is sharing their trauma story with us, we are encountering a great evil in their life. The tension of sitting in the midst of unresolved suffering and questions about God’s goodness and sovereignty can be difficult and exhausting. Not only do sufferers need care and comfort on their journey to healing, but we also must steward our minds and bodies well to avoid feeling physically and emotionally depleted.
Sufferers and comforters may find it easy to shrink our worlds to the size of suffering rather than recognizing the truths of God’s Word and His character. In this episode, we offer tools to remind ourselves of His goodness and of the beauty around us when evil tempts us to despair.
We hope this season is only the beginning of your trauma awareness and further training, and we’ve included resources below to continue your education. We can all become effective comforters through commitment to learning, grace for ourselves when we fail, and the Holy Spirit’s continued guidance.
Resources:
The Healer Within: The New Medicine of Mind and Body by Steven Locke, Douglas Colligan
Being Known Podcast with Dr. Curt Thompson
50 Biblical Counseling Resources on Trauma and Trauma Care by Bob Kelleman
In Our Lives First: Meditations for Counselors by Diane Langberg
Season 9 of Conversational Counseling on “Trauma.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.
Jesus saw us in our pain and suffering, and He sees us as we share our trauma stories. He’s moved with compassion, and He responds in action to comfort us. In spite of the painful words spoken over us or actions done to us, Jesus names us as His children. To Him, we are not outcasts.
As we process our stories, we’re able to find God in the midst of them and spiritually, emotionally, and physically begin a return to peace and safety in the present. The healing we find can help us as we minister to other sufferers.
Ministering to another sufferer is no small task. It requires growth, recognition of our own limits, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit for strength and discernment. The injustice of someone else’s trauma can be overwhelming, and we may feel we don’t have the words to say or the advice to give. Another sufferer’s trauma can also trigger memories of our own pain and suffering.
We must approach these conversations slowly and carefully, and we don’t approach them alone! God is working in these moments, and the Holy Spirit is guiding and prompting us. Together we can encourage one another on the path to comfort and change.
Resources:
Love Walked among Us: Learning to Love Like by Paul E. Miller
S3 Bonus Episode / A Conversation with Dr. Curt Thompson
Season 9 of Conversational Counseling on “Trauma.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.
How do you speak to yourself and about yourself? Do you believe you’re too much or not enough? Do you continually analyze how others view you to establish your worth and identity?
Our heart is like a tree rooted in soil. If our soil is filled with lies about our worth, we can establish deeply rooted insecurities and feel shame because of words spoken over us and actions done to us. Trauma makes us feel despised, disliked, and disgraced. Yet God calls us to move away from contempt to kindness. He encourages us to view ourselves through His lens, a lens of kindness. God wants to uproot us from harmful soil and replace our belief system with the truths that we are chosen, desired, and loved.
As a community of believers, we can be His hands and feet to uplift other sufferers. At the same time, we are people who have also suffered deeply and experienced hurt at the hands of others. We bring our own misconceptions and opinions to every conversation. When we seek to comfort, we may fail and hurt other people. But we serve a God who uses the broken to serve the broken. As we carefully and intentionally love others, we can support them on their path to comfort and change with kindness, curiosity, boundaries, safety and repair.
Season 9 of Conversational Counseling is on “Trauma.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.
In our suffering stories, we often struggle to understand God and His sovereignty. If He is everywhere, why didn’t He protect? If He is loving, why did He allow something so painful and devastating?
We wrestle with the questions trauma brings to mind in this episode, but we also turn our attention to the character and promises of God. While we may never learn the answers to these questions in the now and not yet, we can explore His character and His truth.
We serve a God who not only sent His only Son to take on our sin and sympathize with our temptations but One who also meets us in our pain. As Isaiah proclaims, He is a God who does not forsake His children and draws near to the broken-hearted. Many psalms of lament show that pain and suffering may last for a time, but these psalms also remind us that the Lord is still present and walking with us in this suffering.
In this episode, we offer tools to help all of us process our pain and share the messiest parts of our thoughts and our wrestling with God. He is not afraid of our questions or our doubts, but He meets us in this place with grace and kindness. Even in the darkest parts of our stories, He will not forsake us.
Resources:
“How God Begins to Describe Himself in the Bible” by BibleProject
Real Life Discipleship Counseling Class: Lament
S5 Ep. 3 / Carol Collier on Lament: How to Cry Out to God in Suffering
S5 Ep. 4 / How to Write a Lament
Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel by E. James Wilder, Anna Kang, and John Loppnow
Dr. Lisa Miller / Spirituality Mind Body Institute
“Where is God When There’s Abuse?” with Diane Langberg
“What We Find ‘Beneath Old Grey Olive Trees’” by Eric G. Evans
Season 9 of Conversational Counseling on “Trauma.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.
We’re excited to welcome our dear friend, Tiffany Higginbotham, to this episode! Tiffany is a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor therapy and is the co-founder of BrainPump. She is passionate about helping her patients find healing not just for their bodies but also their minds and souls.
In the counseling and medical communities, we’ve witnessed a disconnect. Sometimes in counseling, the mind, soul and heart are emphasized and the physical body can be overlooked, while in medical fields, the physical body is emphasized but the other three can all too often be ignored. As we explore a biblical framework for trauma, we must recognize the first thing God gives humans to steward is their bodies, and the effects of suffering can influence the body as well as the mind, soul, and heart. Trauma can fragment our identity and cause us to wrestle with complex emotions and with God. It also influences the brain and body’s reactions to future experiences, ability to process, communicate, and self-regulate.
As we recognize how trauma affects our whole person, we can learn compassion for ourselves in our own wrestling and healing and for others as we walk alongside them. In this episode, we discuss the physical means God has created to help us return to our window of tolerance and offer exercises and practices we can use to regulate our body and focus on the Father’s promises. As we understand the physiological responses God designed in our bodies, we can better serve sufferers and encourage physical, mental, and spiritual healing.
Resources:
“560 Biblical Passages on Embodied-Souls” by Bob Kelleman
Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul by Jennifer Tucker
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Script
Mid-Day Stress Relief | Guided Breathwork(Note: We do not endorse the beliefs of the company who produced this video, but the video itself does encourage useful breathwork practices)
“50 Biblical Counseling Resources on Trauma and Trauma Care” by Bob Kelleman
Season 9 of Conversational Counseling on “Trauma.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.
You don’t need a degree to provide vital comfort and support for someone processing their suffering story. Yet many of us struggle to know how to help or we’ve misstepped in the past and fear another failure. In this episode, we offer advice on using the comfort God has given us in our own stories to comfort others.
As we explore a biblical framework for trauma, we need to recognize the mistakes we’ve made and the Church has made when supporting others who have been traumatized. Too often we have re-wounded someone who has disclosed a traumatic experience or experiences to us. In order to effectively support others that come to us for comfort, we must be willing to see how we’ve failed in the past and where we need to grow.
When we walk alongside others, we can shift the narrative that’s too often applied to trauma discussions. “What’s wrong with you?” can become “What happened to you?” As we recognize how trauma has distorted our creation desires, we can purposefully reinforce God’s original design for our desires by supporting agency and reminding the sufferer of their identity in the Father.
Resources:
S3 Ep. 7 / Miserable Counselors: Key Elements of Everyday Ministry
S1 Ep. 6 / Show Up, Shut Up, Speak Up
“When Your Counselor Makes Your Life Worse” by Bob Kelleman
“Suffering and the Heart of God” by Diane Langberg
Season 9 of Conversational Counseling on “Trauma.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.
We invite you into our wrestling in this episode as we work towards a biblical framework of trauma.
Shame, suffering, and sin cause us to wrestle with ourselves, our experiences, and even with the Father’s promises. Many of us are struggling with the aftermath of trauma, whether of one experience or a pattern. These experiences cause real emotional and physical responses in our bodies if we feel powerlessness and abandonment, and can lead to long term physical effects or spiritual struggles.
As we learn more about our Father and His character, we have the opportunity to recognize the connection between our physical body, soul, and spirit and embrace comfort and change. When faced with a traumatic experience, our bodies might become stuck in our natural mechanisms of protection - such as fight, flight, or freeze - even after the danger itself has passed. We may be unable to logically process emotions or to sort through complex and contradictory feelings. Trauma brings shame and fragmentation that can cripple our ability to function normally.
In this place, we might question God. We might lose sight of our identity in Christ and embrace inadequacy or self-hatred instead. We encourage you to not fear this wrestling or this tension. Trauma is a reality of the period before the final restoration. With care, time, and the Holy Spirit’s comfort, we can begin to find healing and restoration in the now and not yet.
Perhaps you’re experiencing shame or fragmentation from a wounding in your life. Maybe you believe our culture’s emphasis on trauma is overused or dramatic or you think the church hasn’t focused enough on trauma. We hope this episode encourages you that our Father will meet you wherever you are in your story and that you will be inspired to seek comfort and change in your own life and walk with others as they do the same.
Resources:
"The Beautiful" by David Wilcox
The Wounded Heartby Dan Allender
Building a Resilient Life: How Adversity Awakens Strength, Hope, and Meaningby Rebekah Lyons
Season 9 ofConversational Counselingon “Trauma.”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.
How can we as imperfect and often wounded Christians deal with trauma in our churches, our communities, and our families?
This season we’re diving into the topic of trauma and the resources God has given us to encourage healing. We’re defining trauma as our experience of a painful event that causes us to feel both powerlessness and abandonment that results in shame and fragmentation.
God did not intend this sin or pain or trauma in our world. He created us for beauty, rest, peace, and purpose. Because of sin, shame and trauma can alienate us from our identity as children of God and distort our purpose to beautify and multiply. Although our Savior has defeated sin once and for all, we are waiting for the final restoration in the now and the not yet. The wounding of trauma is still real for so many of us, presenting itself in a multitude of different ways.
Just as He called the children of Israel to remember their captivity in Egypt, God calls us to remember the painful parts of our story. Yet He doesn’t call us to remain in that pain. As He reminded the children of Israel of His deliverance, He draws our attention to the healing and freedom we can find through Him. We can support others and share the truths we’ve taken to heart as they process their own trauma.
God has equipped us as a community of believers to encourage comfort and healing as we wait for the final restoration. Sin, suffering, and trauma will not have the last word.
Resources:
Creation to Restoration Story Visual
“Suffering and the Heart of God” by Diane Langberg
The Place We Find Ourselves Episode 150: Trauma Heals By Connecting with Others
Conversational Counseling Season 7: Counseling is Story Work
Season 9 of Conversational Counseling on “Trauma”
To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.
Our theme music is by As Isaac.
This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.
Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.
