If you could start a new business right now, what would it be?
If I could start a business right now, it would be a counseling practice. I would need to go back to school to get the degree, but I would do this in a heartbeat. There is a real need for Christians who are trained in this field to help people navigate mental health issues.
From childhood until my mother’s passing in 2023, I watched her struggle with mental health challenges. She was a guinea pig for a system that was just developing when her struggles began. After sitting through so many self-help sessions and daily affirmations, she later told me what a selfish science modern psychology was. It was years before she had someone integrate biblical principles into the mix. This got my attention.
I have had my own struggles through the years. My experiences with counselors who were Christians has been a list of Bible verses to stick on the problem without doing the deep surgery to address the roots. When someone tragically looses a child, telling someone to repeat Romans 8:28 for 16 straight hours may help give some perspective, but it alone won’t heal the grief that can be much more complicated than a simple perspective change. Grief can be a layered beast, and a trained professional who genuinely seeks to help people rather than keep them slaves to a system can be very helpful in the long run if this professional gives helpful tools that a client can use in his/her daily life.
Those who know me best know that I don’t have the charisma that is often expected from a pastor. I love taking my time with people and investing in their growth. Many of the larger church pastors see people as a means to an end. People are the end goal for me. So if I were not pastoring a church, I would be on the track toward becoming a licensed counselor who can help people overcome the hurdles of life and move on to victory.
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