This is a weekly post that highlights resources from other counselors that I have found helpful. The counselors may be from the biblical counseling, Christian psychology, integration, or secular counseling traditions. By linking to a post, I am not giving it my full endorsement, I am merely indicating that I believe it made a unique contribution or raised an important subject for consideration.
When Your Spouse Is Mentally Ill by Name Withheld (Anonymous)
My husband’s schizoaffective disorder devastated our family. Here’s what I’ve learned in the years since he was first diagnosed.
- If you want to learn more consider this plenary and panel discussion on ministry and mental illness.
7 Parent-Child Money Conversations That Must Happen Before Senior Year by Art Rainer
High school students have many concerns on their mind—grades, their car, their crush, and the cafeteria’s mystery meat sandwich, just to name a few. But of the numerous concerns that consume your child’s thoughts in high school, money is probably not one of them. However, we know the advantage a basic understanding of money can give your child as they enter their senior year and are looking toward college.
- Want more resources on finances? Here you go.
A High View of Marriage Includes Divorce by Barry York
God hates divorce, doesn’t He? Absolutely. Isn’t the gospel about forgiveness and love? Yes, it is. And pastors and elders can use these two truths in isolation from the rest of Scripture and biblical principles to deny people divorce for biblical grounds. “But marriage is a precious thing,” one pastor told a woman whose husband was in prison for pedophilia. “It would be a wonderful picture of God’s grace to move on from this and focus on your marriage,” another one told the husband of an adulteress. “We’re working with him; he’s really struggling, and so you need to forgive him,” a session tells a woman whose husband has been using pornography for years.
- This post raises many questions about abuse, addiction, adultery, pornography.
Co-Parenting: Event Etiquette (Podcast) by Family Life
Kids love when their parents attend their recitals, concerts, and sporting events but not if co-parents make it stressful. So, mind your etiquette. Sit where you feel comfortable and be respectful to the other parent. After the event, let your child hug or talk to each parent no matter who has visitation. To keep the event safe for everyone, don’t discuss parenting matters otherwise it turns a recital into a business conversation. Let the moment be about celebrating your child.
- If you want to know more about co-parenting consider this post reflecting on statistics related to blended families.
Intelligence, Sleep, and School Achievement by Joseph Buckhalt
I have argued that sleep one factor that relates to the achievement gap between children from lower and higher social class, as there is evidence that children living in poverty (defined in numerous ways) have lower school performance and poorer sleep than their middle and upper-class peers (Buckhalt, 2011). The implication is that by improving lower class children’s sleep, they may perform better in school and help narrow the achievement gap that has been so concerning and longstanding. If you as an adult are looking for natural aids to help you gave a pleasant night of sleep, we recommend to buy the new CBD Oil UK supplements.
- For more an good sleep etiquette, see the “What I’m Reading Section” below.
What I’m Reading
Secrets of Sleep Science: From Dreams to Disorders by H. Craig Heller, Ph.D. For many of us, sleep is one of life’s greatest pleasures. For others, sleep represents a nightly struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, rest comfortably, and even remain safe until morning. But what is sleep exactly, and why must we do it every night?
What is clear: Sleep is as essential to life as food and water. It impacts virtually every aspect of our lives, from our mood to the functioning of our organs, and it contributes to learning and memory, better performance at work, and a more healthy and productive wakeful life overall.
Secrets of Sleep Science: From Dreams to Disorders is your opportunity to access groundbreaking research on the complex and enigmatic phenomenon of sleep, straight from a scientist at the forefront of the field. In these 24 engrossing lectures, award-winning Stanford University professor and researcher H. Craig Heller reveals how far neuroscientists and biologists have come on their quest to pinpoint the principal functions of sleep—which remain a matter of intense debate.
Tweets of the Week
A good brother shared this quote with me: "Those who leave everything in the hand of God are used to seeing the hand of God in everything."
— Julius Tennal II (@JBeHumble) August 14, 2017
Two dangers of social media: (1) overly praising your work and (2) regularly pointing out the errors of others. Both shrivel the soul.
— Tom Schreiner (@DrTomSchreiner) August 10, 2017
One of the greatest gifts we receive in the gospel is a second childhood that cannot be stripped away from us. Wonder, adventure, & promise.
— Alex Early (@Alex_Early) August 1, 2017
Meaningful Meme
Thanks for the Mentions
- David Murray at Head-Heart-Hands for mentioning my addiction resources.
- Taffy Hunter at LittleBird for mentioning my post of manipulative repentance.
- The team at TheologyMix for running my series on depression.
- Kevin Halloran at Anchored in Christ for highlight the GCM pre-marital mentoring series.
On the Lighter Side
Because, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones,” Proverbs 17:22.
I “very” much appreciated this instruction.
For people who want to speak gooder, very gooder. pic.twitter.com/fbSTO9Kquf
— Andrew Malcolm (@AHMalcolm) July 17, 2017