Grace Christian Counseling

Communication is the lifeblood of a relationship, but there are many barriers to it.

Marriage and Parenting. Why a parenting article on marriage? Because you (Dad and Mom) can be your child(ren)’s greatest asset. According to well-known authors Les & Leslie Parrott, your kids learn about relationships through the relationship you have with your spouse. Dad, your boys learn how to treat women by how you treat your wife. The same is true for Mom about how your girls learn to treat men. Not staying married has an impact, too. There is research showing th...at the children of divorced parents are more likely to get a divorce themselves. Children of divorced parents are also more likely to have problems in school, behavioral problems, negative self-image, and more problems getting along with peers, according to research. All of this emphasizes the effect your marriage has on your child(ren). My intent in writing this is to give you another reason to fight for your marriage. And if you are struggling in your marriage, I encourage you to seek help, sooner than later. In my experience, many couples wait far too long to get marriage counseling. So, even if things are just a little rough, it’s wise to seek counseling. Grace Christian Counseling (www.grace-c-c.org) is willing to help. This isn’t meant to discourage single parents, there’s plenty of hope as well. The research discusses general trends. It’s important to remember that trends do not describe individual situations. Also, the Bible clearly shows God’s heart for the single parent and child without both parents in Malachi 3:5 and James 1:27 among many other scriptures. This also isn’t meant to encourage someone to stay in an abusive situation. In summary, working on your marriage is not only beneficial to husbands and wives, its beneficial to your children, too. If you are a single parent, the Bible assures us that God is aware of your situation. And if you think your marriage could use a tune-up, don’t wait to get one. See more

Here’s the next Parenting Paragraphs. Do our children have enemies? According to the Marriam-Webster dictionary, enemy can mean something harmful or deadly. Can this verse apply to our children? Certainly! There are many things in our society that could be harmful to children, and some could be deadly! Anxiety, depression and suicide are all increasing among those between ages 5-19. American Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry says suicide is the second leading ...cause of death for children and young people (ages 5 24). And most children and adolescents who commit suicide have a significant mental disorder, usually depression. That’s scary news! But the other day I read in Psalm 119:98: Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies... It made me wonder how we and our kids could be wiser than our enemies. Let’s look at an example to help us understand: the enemy depression (remember it’s associated with suicide). The Center for Disease Control says staying healthy is especially important for children with depression and anxiety. They recommend a healthy diet, physical activity, sufficient sleep and healthy thinking practices. But guess what? The Bible has been recommending these things long before the CDC existed! Genesis 1:29 gives healthy diet instruction to Adam and Eve. In Exodus 20, the Bible encourages rest. In I Timothy 2, Paul notes that exercise has short-term profits. Good mental health is encouraged in Philippians 4:8. So keep the Bible on your daily reading list to be wiser than your enemies! **Please note: a child with anxiety and depression needs help from a qualified mental health professional.

I've been asked to write occasional articles on topics of concern to parents. Here's the first: Children and cell phone use. It’s an issue parents didn’t have to deal with only a few years ago. Of course there are many benefits for kids having cell phones, but there are risks as well. Some research suggests a link between cell use and cancer in children, but others would disagree. It is much clearer that there is a connection between excessive smartphone use and depressi...on and anxiety. This technology has the effect of both connecting and isolating. This can put a child who is already prone to anxiety, depression or other mood disorders at a greater risk of these disorders. As another example, I have observed an individual who has social anxiety use their phone to avoid social situations, thus preventing them from being forced to learn skills that could decrease their social anxiety. The increased access to various games is another concern, some in the mental health community believe gaming addictions can have a similar level of severity to alcohol or drug addictions. Speaking of addictions, if pornography addiction is a problem, a smart phone is access to all kinds of porn. If you’re concerned, what do you do? A few suggestions: (1) as a parent, model good cell phone usage, (2) limit access, if you pay for it, it’s your choice, and (3) set routines and structure. There are enough dangers that this is a battle worth fighting!

Pictures of new office