⁠>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

What do we do when God seems silent or even indifferent to our suffering? How should we pray when we feel God has told us to wait or even said “no”?

It’s easy to let doubt, disappointment, or shame creep in when God doesn’t answer our prayers. Sometimes we pray for decades — good prayers for salvation, wholeness, or restoration — and God still hasn’t answered.

But we’re reminded that God’s chosen people waited centuries for their Messiah, and we are even now in a season of waiting for the final restoration. 

When God says “wait” or “no,” His response comes from a place of love and a place of omniscience. He knows what is truly good for us. He knows that in the waiting, we can experience more growth and more hope.

Our questions and our doubts shouldn’t be barriers that keep us from Father. They are instead invitations to continue surrendering control and trusting God’s plan.

Resources:

Conversational Counseling S2: It’s Bigger Than Forgiveness

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.

⁠>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

What can you do when you feel weak or anxious? When your mind is racing and you don’t know what to pray? Guided scripture prayer gives us the support we need to pour our hearts out to God when we don’t know where to start. 

God’s Word is living and active and personal to us. The authors of Scripture were not only speaking to their original audience but also to us, thousands of years later. While we’re praying a passage to God, we can insert our name or someone else’s name to personalize this truth as we pray over the circumstances in our lives.

Guided scripture prayer encourages us to use passages of Scripture to speak to God so our souls can grow towards Him on the trellis of His Word. As we struggle to find the words to say to Him, this tool of imitation helps us to fill our minds with the truth of His character and His promises until these truths permeate our own voice.

Resources:

Guided Scripture Prayer Instructions

Lectio365

Hallow

Abide

One Minute Pause

Pray As You Go

Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.

⁠>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

We live in a culture of busyness, of doing instead of being. We might fear slowing down and sitting still because the anxiety or emotions we’ve been pushing down often rise to the surface.

But contemplative prayer encourages us to be still in the presence of the Lord. In this quiet stillness, we can find His beauty as we combat our inner restlessness. We’re not emptying our minds or turning inward but reflecting on the Word and sitting in silence with the Spirit before the Lord.

This prayer invites us to simply “be” and not “do” as God welcomes us into His presence like a parent welcomes closeness with their child. It reminds us that God loves us for who we are, not for our performance.

Resources:

AI Counseling Discussion

S11 Ep. 4 / Lectio Divina

Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul by Jennifer Tucker

Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.

⁠>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

In His kindness, God invites us to grieve in His presence through prayer.

When we lament, we’re not complaining to God or blaming Him for the suffering in our lives; instead, we’re grieving with Him. We’re acknowledging that the world is not the way it’s supposed to be in the now and the not yet.

In our grief, we often shut God and others out. But prayers of lament and the tool of process journaling invite God into the messy and the hard so He can bring the comfort and change we so desperately need.

God is not offended by our grief or our anger. He knows our words and our thoughts before we even express them in prayer. He understands our weaknesses, and as we honestly approach God through prayers of lament, we can find hope in His promises.

Resources:

Lament and Process Journal Instructions

Conversational Counseling Season 5 on “Suffering”

Free Known Ministries Lament Class

S5 Ep. 3 / Carol Collier on Lament

Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.

⁠>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

If you enjoy guided prayer through Scripture or enjoy repetition, the Lectio Divina is the tool for you!

The Lectio Divina reminds us that Scripture is not just information but an invitation to encounter God as we interact repeatedly with a specific passage.

Our lives are full of to-do lists and endless busyness. But each section of the Lectio Divina encourages us to take a step back from our hectic days to reflect, respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, and rest.

Resources:

Lectio 365

Lectio Divina Instructions

Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.

⁠>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

We serve a God who wants to commune with us. He is not distant; He hears, He sees, and He acts on behalf of His people.

The Immanuel Journal helps us meditate on these truths and invite God into our experiences through speaking the words of God over our lives. When we engage with this journal, we’re not pretending to be God. Instead, we’re listening for how He might respond and drawing from Scripture, from His character, from His heart and from our honest experiences to remind our hearts that He is close to us, especially in our weakness.

Immanuel means “God with us,” and this journaled prayer reminds us that with Him, we are never alone.

Resources:

Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel by Dr. E James Wilder III, Anna Kang, John Loppnow, and Sungshim Loppnow

Immanuel Journal Handout

Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season, click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.

⁠>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

Do you want to build a habit of prayer but don’t know where to start? 

One of our favorite prayer tools is the Examen Prayer! This simple structure can help you establish a rhythm of prayer and help you daily refocus your attention on the Father.

This prayer has five steps: replay, rejoice, review, repent, and reboot. As you become familiar with the structure, you can mold this tool to fit your preferences and the flow of your day as you reflect on the day that has passed and the day ahead.

While you reflect on the joys, fears and sorrows of your daily life, this prayer encourages you to live in close communion with God in the real moments of your day.

Resources:

The Examen Prayer Instructions

Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne

⁠>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

This season, we’re diving into prayer and introducing simple tools to help all of us move into a deeper understanding of God’s presence! 

If we’re being honest, prayer can be a place of a lot of guilt.

We struggle to find time to pray. Often our prayers feel like an overly-structured task to be checked off our to-do list instead of a relationship. Sometimes we even wonder if prayer is worth it because our situation is just growing worse. 

But prayer is so much more than this. God created prayer because He wants to have a relationship with us. Through prayer, we all can find a sense of awe in the access Jesus has given us to the throne of God.

Wherever you are in your prayer life, we hope this season will expand your view of prayer and that the Holy Spirit will move in your life to increase your desire for prayer.

Season 11 of Conversational Counseling on “Sacred Access.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! 

What is your posture when you join someone on their journey to comfort and change? 

If our first priority is to influence or teach, we risk pushing our framework of beliefs on others rather than prioritizing love. 

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul opens the chapter by reminding the church about the importance of sharing truth with love. As Christians and counselors, we should never compromise on the essentials of the gospel when we’re pursuing love. But at the same time, we must recognize that our framework about the nonessentials is colored by our own experiences, training and mentors. 

Scholars and biblical leaders have studied the Bible for centuries and still disagree on many nonessentials. When we push our framework of these nonessentials on others, they can feel unheard and pressured to conform to a belief that isn’t foundational to their Christian walk. 

As Paul exhorts in 1 Corinthians, we must emphasize love. Jesus, our better Counselor, welcomes people to Himself, not a certain denomination or school of thought. Just as He’s sanctified us, He can sanctify others and deepen their understanding of Him and His Word.

Resources:

Connect with other Christians and counselors: Gospel-Centered Biblical Counseling and Equipping Facebook Group with Bob Kellemen

Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! <<⁠

We live in a very disembodied culture.

Many biblical counselors have a tendency to underemphasize the body as they counsel, while medical professions can focus on the body and ignore the mind and the soul. 

But the Bible has a lot to say about the body! In fact, the first thing God gave Adam to steward in the garden was his body.

As biblical counselors, we need to consider the body as we counsel. Physical ailments or factors do not excuse sin, but we often need to deal with physical issues first before moving on to mental and spiritual healing. 

Jesus healed the body and forgave sins. He fed the 5,000, and He preached the way to salvation. By caring for the whole person, we can better walk alongside them towards comfort and change like our good and better Counselor did on earth.

Resources:

560 Biblical Passages on Embodied-Souls by Bob Kellemen

Season 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.