Doug Wolter
@DougWolter
Husband, Father, Counselor, Sabbatical Coach @gospelcareco
Counseling isn’t so much about helping someone move from Point A to Point B as it is helping them see the story that got them to Point A and the slow and deep journey it takes to get to Point B.
There’s something deeply glorious and profoundly healing when we can freely be ourselves and laugh and cry in the presence of others who truly get us and receive us. We all long for that. And whenever it happens, I think we’re getting a glimpse of heaven.
Instead of dwelling on what you did or didn’t do in the past, think on who you are in Christ today.
One of the hardest things for some of us is to take life as it is. Not as we want it to be or think it should be but radical acceptance of the reality in front of us, instead of obsessing over a perfect scenario that does not exist.
Rely on Jesus today: -his mind is wiser -his power is greater -his resources are richer -his shoulders are stronger -and his heart is so tender Come to him, then Go to him, now Remain with him, always For, “apart from me,” he says, “you can do nothing.”
Taking a walk After the storm After a long day of Sitting with people In their storms And the quiet fellowship With the Spirit Calms my weary soul

Some of us are carrying a pain we have not dealt with, trying to manage it on our own. Our gracious God invites us to unload this burden on him and humbly ask for help today. Jesus really means it when he says, “Come to Me…”.
Sometimes you don’t have words to explain why things happened the way they did. And that’s ok. There is One who saw it all, heard it all, felt it all and stays with you through it all. Even in the silence you are not alone.
Because He leads me beside still waters, I can rest in His life-giving love. Because He restores my soul, I can heal slowly and deeply by His grace. Because He leads me in paths of righteousness, I can trust that He’s at work in my life.
I often feel my weakness and fragility as a counselor, but this helps me identify with others who are struggling and unsure of themselves. “He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.” -Heb. 5:2
You don’t need to keep joining the Accuser and beating yourself up every day. You have an Advocate, in Jesus, pleading on your behalf, and reminding you that you are completely forgiven, always accepted and dearly loved. Join your Advocate, not your Accuser.
“In our fearful feelings, we can trust God or we can refuse to trust God. And even when we trust God, a myriad of feelings, including fear, can remain.” -Bob Kellemen I agree. I’m so thankful Jesus meets us in these moments of fear and doubt with tenderness.
Trust that God knows the end from the beginning and will make everything beautiful in his time and in his way. Like a skillful and patient artist, he’s not in a hurry; neither should we be. He makes everything beautiful in its time. -Eccles. 3:11
Use your imagination for good today. Rather than painting pictures of a fearful unknown future, ask the Lord to open your eyes to the hope and beauty of what you have in Jesus right now.
In his darkest hour, Jesus didn’t shy away from expressing both his deepest emotions and his deepest needs with his closest friends. He said that his soul was very sorrowful and asked them to remain here and pray. May we follow his example of vulnerability.
We try to change our lives by improving our outer world, but our inner world is what is running our lives. It’s like getting a car wash when your engine is overheating. Sooner or later our souls will tell us, “Nope, it’s not working.”
Underneath our frustration with life often lurks disappointment with God and with ourselves. Practicing honest lament and resting in your beloved identity are daily rhythms to help lift your soul from frustration to communion with God.
We need more gospel tenderness when sharing our human weakness.
Parents, one of the greatest gifts we can give to our children is our example of humble repentance when we’ve wronged them. God is patiently parenting us as we parent our kids, and our honest life speaks louder than our knowledgeable words.
One day God will make all things new. But even this day, he is resurrecting our lives. Look for glimpses of his resurrection in and around you.
We want God to be predictable and comfortable so we would feel more stable and in control. But he is more complex than we are and loves us enough to disrupt our neat and tidy plans so we would depend on him and engage with him in the mystery and the mess.