The Christian Counseling Center of First Presbyterian Church

03/11/2026

Setting a boundary isn't giving up on someone. It's choosing to love them well. 💙

We often think of boundaries as walls. Something cold. Something that shuts people out. But healthy boundaries aren't about closing off. They're about creating space where real, honest relationships can actually happen.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) tells us: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Guarding your heart isn't selfish. It's wise. It protects the very source from which your love, your energy, and your care flow.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. And you cannot love others well when you have no space left for your own health and wholeness.
Boundaries, rooted in love and honesty, make relationships stronger, not weaker.

If you're navigating a hard relational season and need support, we're here to walk with you.

🤍 Reach out any time at www.christiancounseling.ws

03/10/2026

🗓️ Check out our end of year 2025 report. God has blessed us tremendously in allowing us to serve Him through serving you.

💻 If you feel led, please donate so others can receive quality, affordable, and biblical care.

https://www.midlandsgives.org/organization/FirstPresCounseling

03/08/2026

Today, we celebrate the strength, beauty, and resilience of women everywhere! 🌷 🌸

Proverbs 31:25 (NIV) describes a woman clothed not in pressure or perfection, but in “strength and dignity,” a woman who “can laugh at the days to come.” That kind of confidence isn’t manufactured. It grows from knowing whose you are and where your hope is rooted.

We celebrate the women in our community who are healing, growing, setting boundaries, rediscovering joy, and believing that wholeness is still possible. Your story matters. Your growth matters. You matter.

And if you’re in a season of healing, transition, or rediscovery, our counselors are here to support you, offering a compassionate, Christ-centered space to process, grow, and move forward with strength.

🤍 Reach out any time at www.christiancounseling.ws

03/05/2026

What if healing meant letting go of the weight you were never meant to carry? 🕊️

So many of us walk through life quietly haunted by the guilt of mistakes we've made, words we wish we could take back, and choices that still sting. And somewhere along the way, we began to believe that guilt was something we deserved to hold forever.

But God never intended guilt to be your permanent address.

1 John 1:9 (NIV) promises us: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Purify. Not just overlook, but purify. God doesn't want to minimize what happened. He wants to make you truly clean and fully free.

You were made for restoration, not condemnation. If you're carrying something heavy today, there is grace waiting for you.

At the Christian Counseling Center, we provide a safe, Christ-centered space to process guilt, shame, and the wounds that linger, helping you move toward clarity, healing, and lasting peace.

🤍 www.christiancounseling.ws

03/04/2026

FPC's Counseling Pastor and CCC Board Member Josh Squires tackles a difficult question in this article.

When faced with the reality of our own sinfulness, the Christian can often turn to self-loathing. The promises of Scripture can bring comfort and assurance of God’s love to the believer struggling with hatred of himself.

03/02/2026

When life gets loud, come back to what is true. 📖

It's easy to absorb the noise around us, the worry, the comparison, the headlines, without even realizing it. But Philippians 4:8 (NIV) gives us a filter: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely… think about such things."

What we feed our minds grows. What we neglect fades. This season, we want to encourage you to be intentional about the truths you're planting in your heart.

Write a verse on a sticky note. Set a reminder on your phone. Come back to it throughout your day. Roots grow slowly, but they grow strong. 🌱

And if you’re finding it difficult to quiet the noise or anchor your thoughts in truth, we’re here to help. Our counselors provide a Christ-centered space to process what feels overwhelming and to build rhythms that bring clarity, peace, and spiritual grounding.

🤍 www.christiancounseling.ws

02/27/2026

What truths are you planting in your heart this season? 🌱📖

Just like roots need good soil to grow strong, our hearts need God’s Word to stay grounded and steady. What we return to daily shapes how we think, how we respond, and how we walk through each season of life.

Scripture reminds us:
📖 “Blessed is the one who delights in the law of the Lord… That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.” — Psalm 1:1–3 (NIV)

When we anchor our thoughts in God’s truth, we create space for peace, wisdom, and growth, even when life feels uncertain.

What verse or truth has been grounding you lately?

If you need support tending to your heart this season, we’re here to walk with you.

🤍 Learn more at www.christiancounseling.ws

02/24/2026

Counseling isn’t just for moments of crisis; it’s for growth, clarity, and care along the way.

You don’t have to wait until life feels overwhelming to reach out for support. Counseling can be a proactive, empowering step that helps you better understand yourself, strengthen relationships, and build healthy ways to navigate stress before it turns into something heavier.

People come to counseling for many reasons:
🧠 To process emotions and thoughts
🤝 To improve communication and relationships
🌱 To grow in self-awareness and confidence
🙏 To integrate faith into everyday life decisions

At the Christian Counseling Center, we believe caring for your mental and emotional health is part of stewarding the life God has given you. Seeking support is an act of wisdom, courage, and hope. So, if you’ve been wondering whether counseling could be helpful, it’s okay to start the conversation now.

🤍 Learn more or reach out at www.christiancounseling.ws

02/23/2026

🎉 Please welcome Dave Scott to the Christian Counseling Center!

In December 2024 Dave Scott retired from a 45-year career in rescue work. Throughout his career he oversaw multi-phased emergency and rehabilitation recovery programs; that included both residential and non-residential treatment. These programs integrated Christian values with best practices in recovery.

In 1980 he began his career at Goodwill Home and Rescue Mission (Newark, NJ); where he serves as director. In 1984 he left this position to become the director of the Yonkers Gospel Mission (Yonkers NY). Then in 1989, he became the director of Market Street Mission (Morristown, NJ); where he served faithfully for 35 years.

Dave earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioral Science and his Master’s Degree in Counseling from Cal State University. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor. He has devoted his life to serving others, with a desire to see them recover not only from addictions and other life problems but come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and live transformed lives.

Dave is currently available to take new clients.

02/19/2026

Some of the hardest battles are the ones no one sees, but God does. 🤍

Not every wound, loss, or struggle is visible to those around us. The silent grief. The anxious thoughts. The weight you carry quietly. Yet there is One who always sees, always knows, and always cares.

God is present in the darkest places we walk through. In the unseen parts of your journey, you are seen and deeply loved. 🕊️

Take a moment today to pause, breathe, and pray Psalm 23 over your heart and your battles:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Rest in His grace, in the One who sees every unseen battle and lovingly restores your soul.

If you’re carrying something heavy and need a safe place to process, you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here to walk with you, pray with you, and support you.

🤍 Learn more or reach out at www.christiancounseling.ws

02/16/2026

🗳️ Vote for the Christian Counseling Center for Best of Sumter 2026! Find us under the Professionals Tab. Voting closes this Wednesday Feb. 18.

02/16/2026

No matter where the world feels divided, uncertain, or loud, we are always called to pray. 🙏

President’s Day is a reminder that leadership matters, but even more so, prayer matters. Scripture calls us to lift up those in authority, not because they are perfect, but because God is sovereign in every season.

Whether times feel stable or strained, our response remains the same:
🕊️ Pray for wisdom
🤍 Pray for humility
🌿 Pray for peace
🙏 Pray for hearts to be guided by God’s truth

At the Christian Counseling Center, we believe prayer grounds us when the world feels unsteady. It reminds us that our ultimate hope isn’t in systems or leaders, but in the Lord who reigns above it all.

📖 “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority.” — 1 Timothy 2:1–2 (NIV)

Today, and every day, we choose prayer.

🤍 Learn more about faith-centered support at www.christiancounseling.ws