Recommended Books - Counseling

 Click on each book picture for a link to purchase the book.

Beside still waters

Beside Still Waters: A collection of Scripture-based readings that offer encouragement to individuals dealing with illness, loss, or other personal problems.

 

 

 

 

 

Christ and your problemsChrist and Your Problems: Do you have problems that seem too great to bear? Do you wonder if there is any way out of the mess you are in? This helpful booklet was written to put such problem cases in perspective. Showing first that no one's problems are unique, Jay Adams offers genuine hope based on God's promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13. Readers will gain the courage needed to take responsible action, knowing that a real solution is to be found in God's way.

 

 

ConflictConflict: A Redemptive Opportunity: Everyone has their own style of dealing with conflict. Some people try to win at all costs and will do or say anything to get their own way. Others hate conflict and will do or say anything to avoid or end it. Sadly, neither fighting nor avoidance leads to genuine peace or restored relationships. Is there a better way? Timothy S. Lane, pastor, counselor, husband, and father, shares the biblical principles that point to God's better way of dealing with conflict. When you understand the real source of your conflicts and the lasting cure that God in his Word offers, you will see that your conflicts don't have to be negative; instead they can be an opportunity to grow and deepen your relationship with God and others.

 

DepressionDepression: Lost ambition. Emotional numbness. Fear and withdrawal. Fatigue. Marks of what is commonly called depression. If you are one of the many people suffering from depression, there is hope and there is help-a way up when you are down. Even if you don't feel like doing anything, this booklet provides manageable steps for getting started on the path that leads out of depression. Edward T. Welch helps us understand the spiritual issues involved, whether one's depression is caused by physical problems or results in them. Getting to the heart of what depression says and means, Welch guides us through a process of dealing with depression biblically and effectively. Good counsel for those who struggle with depression: hear the gospel of Christ, know and act on your purpose. Suggests 11 practical steps of love and obedience.

 

 

Divorce recoveryDivorce Recovery: The pain of divorce has many different faces: the end of your hopes and dreams for your marriage; a life full of unwanted changes; and the daily struggle with a mixture of grief, fear, guilt, and anger. Is recovery possible?

Winston T. Smith, using biblical principles, guides you through the unsettling changes you and your children are facing and gives you specific directions for facing each day. You will discover that God is with you, right in the middle of this painful situation. God delights in restoring what is broken. He will heal your wounds and grow you in new and surprising ways through this hard time.

 

Forgiving othersForgiving Others: Forgiving someone who has hurt you is one of the most difficult tasks anyone ever faces. In fact, it is so hard that most people avoid it at all costs. But when we don’t forgive, we pay the price of bitterness that affects all of our relationships. Is it possible to forgive a great wrong and treat others with compassion despite the way they have treated us? Timothy S. Lane, drawing on his personal, pastoral, and counseling experience, explains that only when you understand God’s love and forgiveness for you, will you be able to forgive those who have deeply hurt you. He applies that truth by explaining what forgiveness looks like in different situations and how to wisely practice forgiveness in the midst of difficult circumstances.

 

Godliness through disciplineGodliness Through Discipline: Here is a practical booklet for anyone who wants to become a more godly person. In it Jay Adams shows clearly that, while there is no such thing as instant godliness, genuine and lasting holiness is indeed possible. Beginning with Paul's instruction in 1 Timothy 4:7, "You must discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness," Adams explains how godly living can become second nature for the person who truly desires to be Christlike. 

 

 

 

God's loveGod's Love: Better Than Unconditional: Describing unconditional love as detached "blanket acceptance" and "benign affirmation," David Powlison challenges our common assumption about the nature of God's love. Although wonderfully accepting, divine love is also intrusive, intimate, personal, and active. Instead of simply loving us as we are, God loves us enough to change us. Powlison acknowledges four underlying truths of unconditional love, offers biblical improvements on the idea, and urges us to see God's love for what it really is - better than unconditional.

 

 

GriefGrief: Finding Hope Again: No matter what the circumstances, death shakes us to the core. It seems so wrong—and it is! We long for comfort, but we don’t know where to look. Can God really help when we are overwhelmed with grief? With compassion and biblical wisdom, Paul David Tripp shows us how to think and what to do when death enters our door. He reminds us that we have a Savior who knows our sorrows, hears our cries, and promises to one day wipe away all tears. Hope and healing come from our relationship with Jesus, the One who promises to walk all the way through the valley of the shadow of death with us.

 

 

help want changeHelp! I Want to Change: Why can't I change? Have you ever asked this? Maybe you want more discipline in your eating habits. Or perhaps you struggle to keep your spending under control or maintain daily Bible reading and prayer. Change is hard, and our attempts often result in failure. This booklet explains that it is the gospel - what God has done for us - that is the key to change and that empowers us to make changes that will please God.

 

 

how  stop losing it kidsHow Do I Stop Losing it with My Kids: The kids are hungry, dinner is late, everyone’s tired and on edge, and then it happens—you lose control and blow up at them again. Is losing control with our children inevitable in our busy world? Or is there a better way? Learn from William P. Smith a better way to relate to your children than with irritation, anger, and harsh words. Drawing on his counseling and parenting experiences, he explains why you lose control with your children, and then offers strategies that will help you change the way you relate to your children when you are under pressure.

 

how people change

How People Change: What does it take for lasting change to take root in your life? If you've ever tried, failed, and wondered why, you need How People Change. This book explains the biblical pattern for change in a clear, practical way you can apply to the challenges of daily life. But change involves more than a biblical formula: You will see how God is at work to make you the person you were created to be. That powerful, loving, redemptive relationship is at the heart of all positive change you experience.

 

 

 

How to love difficult peopleHow to Love Difficult People: Prickly, defensive, nasty, volatile, withdrawn, miserable—aren’t there days when you feel surrounded by difficult people? How do you cope? You can try avoiding them, gossiping about them, or giving them a piece of your mind. But wait! Don’t your reactions make you hard to love too? William P. Smith explains that learning how to deal with difficult people starts with understanding that God’s pursuing love is not just for them; it’s for you too. You need God’s love and forgiveness just as much as they do. Knowing the love of God will change your attitude, your goals, and your actions toward the difficult people in your life. And that just might encourage them to change too!

I'm ExhaustedI'm Exhausted: As a chronic fatigue sufferer, life as you once enjoyed it has ceased. Fatigue can be brought on by a myriad of physical, emotional, or spiritual issues. But, whatever the cause, your entire world is now affected by your diminished physical strength. David Powlison understands how debilitating and demoralizing a constant state of fatigue can be through his own five-year struggle after heart surgery. Powlison encourages sufferers that, unlike the world, God embraces the weak and provides strong, enduring resources through Christ for moment-by-moment strength. Readers will learn to adjust their thoughts and expectations and lean into the steady arms of Christ.

 

InstrumentsInstruments in the Redeemer's Hands: We might be relieved if God placed our sanctification only in the hands of trained professionals, but that is not his plan. Instead, through the ministry of every part of the body, the whole church will mature in Christ. Paul David Tripp helps us discover where change is needed in our own lives and the lives of others. Following the example of Jesus, Tripp reveals how to get to know people, and how to lovingly speak truth to them. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands is a comprehensive treatment of how God uses people as tools of change in other people’s lives, people who themselves are in need of change. In many ways, the church today has more consumers than committed participants. We see church merely as an event we attend or an organization we belong to, rather than as a calling that shapes our entire life. Tripp explains how his work follows an “all of my people, all of the time” model. If you followed the Lord for a thousand years, you would still need the ministry of the body of Christ as much as you did the day you first believed. This need will remain until our sanctification is complete in Glory.

 

LeadershipLeadership: How to Guide Others with Integrity: How do you lead people? You’ve been called to a position where you must guide and direct others, but you wonder what a good leader is supposed to do and if you really have what it takes to lead well. Who will direct you as you direct others? Stephen Viars shows you the importance of integrity as the foundation of leadership and points you toward a vibrant relationship with Christ, the greatest leader of all. As you see how Christ demonstrates his integrity by caring well for his people, you too will grow in your ability to lead well for the sake of others.

 

 

Not tonight honey

Not Tonight Honey: How do you respond when you hear from your wife, “Not tonight, honey”? Your response may range from confusion and hurt to impatience and anger. Whether you’re hearing the words for the first time or are beginning to think you'll never hear any others, you struggle with how to respond. You want to be a good husband, but you also want her to be a good wife! Rob Green walks through the various ways men respond to their wives’ sexual rejection and calls husbands back to Christ’s foundational call to love their wives as Christ loves the church. By reminding men that sexual intimacy is an expression of love that finds its context in a marriage built on safely and security, he offers helpful instruction on how to love well and continue to build relationship.

 

ProblemsProblems: Solving them God's Way: Problems -- they're everywhere! It seems like you run into them at every turn, like life is made up of nothing but problems! What do you do when problems build up and you are beset by them on every side? Is it time to give up? Hide? Run away from problems for the rest of your life? Here Jay Adams addresses the problems we all face and assures us that there's no need to run -- we can learn to master our problems instead. In fact, children of God should fear problems the least, because we are equipped to handle them the best. We have the example of God, who solved the problem of reconciling sinners to him, and in him are the solutions to all of our problems.

 

stressStress: Peace Amid Pressure: Are you overwhelmed by stress? On edge? Pressured to achieve? Spinning into free fall? What is the “noise” going on inside you? Or are you quiet inside? Here David Powlison invites you to look at Psalm 131 to learn how to quiet your soul. “Psalm 131 gives us intimate access to the inner life of someone who has learned composure,” Powlison writes. “This person is quiet on the inside because he has learned the only true and lasting peace.” Psalm 131 is not about unruffled detachment or stoic indifference. It is not about having an easygoing personality or low expectations. It is about learning composure through a relationship with Jesus Christ. His presence in our lives is the only thing strong enough to overpower our stress. We can say with the psalmist, “Surely I have composed and quieted my soul.”

 

SufferingSuffering: Eternity Makes a Difference: How hard it is to see God's goodness in the face of tragedy and suffering! Feeling abandoned, we cry out to him, question him, turn away from him, perhaps even curse him. It may seem like he's cheated us - we've done our part following him, but he's let us down. Paul David Tripp helps hurting people see their circumstances from an eternal perspective. Gently uncovering the wrong motives, faulty reasoning, and misguided conclusions that can blind us to the truth of God's love and goodness, Tripp focuses us on the grand picture of eternity. His compassionate approach and scriptural advice will help bring strength and hope to grieving souls.

 

 

temptationTemptation: Fighting the Urge: How many times have you tried to change a behavior only to find yourself doing the same thing again? Do these phrases sound familiar? “There I go again!” “I’ve had this struggle for years, and I just can’t seem to win.” “I do okay for awhile, but then I get caught in the same old sin.” It’s easy to be discouraged when we fall into the same old sins, but God, in the Bible, offers hope to repeat offenders. Timothy S. Lane, a pastor, counselor, father, and husband helps you fight the daily, small battles with temptation by looking at the desires that underlie your behaviors, the different stages of temptation, and how honestly going to Christ in repentance and faith will change your desire life. You will learn that you and your sin are no match for God’s goodness, power, and grace.

Torn to HealTorn to Heal: God is radically dedicated to our ongoing growth in spiritual maturity and holiness. This is both glorious and terrifying. It is glorious because the Lord of heaven and earth is for us. But it is terrifying because we are idolaters. This means that when God brings greater redemption into our lives he also brings a death sentence to our fallen desires. In love, God will do whatever it takes—even tearing us to shreds if necessary—to replace our feeble pleasures with lasting desire for himself. Sadly, in our culture two false responses to suffering have become deeply embedded in the Church: deadly dualism and shallow stoicism. Each can effectively hijack God's good purpose in suffering. Torn to Heal equips us to understand and reject these false and self-defeating approaches to suffering, and to embrace God's good purpose in our trials.

 

what to do angerWhat to do when Anger gets the Upper Hand: Adams gives biblical direction for bringing anger under control.

 

 

 

 

 

what to do depressedWhat to do when you Become Depressed: Adams gives biblical direction for handling depression.

 

 

 

 

 

what to do fearWhat to do when Fear Overcomes You: Adams contrasts love and fear and teaches how to restructure thought patterns in order to serve God and others with love.

 

 

 

 

 

What to do hookedWhat to do when You Know You're Hooked: Adams gives biblical direction to break the power of addicitons. 

 

 

 

 

 

What to do WorryWhat to do when You Worry All the Time: Adams explains how to replace worry with trust in God.

 

 

 

 

 

what to do marriage sourWhat to do when your Marriage Goes Sour: Adams shows that biblical love is different from mere feelings.

 

 

 

 

 

when the money runs outWhen the Money Runs Out: If you are experiencing financial difficulties, you might be feeling anger, discouragement, fear, or even panic. There are many reasons people struggle financially—job loss, unexpected expenses, poor decisions—but, whatever the reason, money troubles are serious, painful, and stressful. When you are financially stressed, it is easy to become consumed by your worries and fears, so James C. Petty begins by reminding you that your all–powerful heavenly Father knows what you need and has promised to care for you. Then he helps you to examine the place money has in your life, encourages you to find your contentment in your relationship with Christ, and ends with practical steps for diagnosing your financial difficulties and implementing a plan that will bring you financial freedom.