Lasting Peace Counseling

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Lasting Peace Counseling

Helping confront and heal the root cause of your anxiety, depression, addiction or other difficulties

10/13/2025

Why do we suffer? Why does God allow it?

This is the question I get asked often. It is one I have been working on to answer for years. I don't have the perfect answer, we are not meant to know everything perfectly. That is part of the mystery of God.

But in my own searching, suffering happens to grow, to strengthen and become refined. It occurs so we can be molded into something new, better and more extravagant than we could ever imagine. I know that is hard to believe when you are in the middle of it. I get it, because I have been there myself many, many times. I have also come out of it, with new eyes and sharper wisdom.

When we are at the end of our rope, when we have nothing else to cling to, when the alcohol, the food, the shopping, the smoking, the p**n, the one night stands, or the scrolling does not fulfill us (because it never will), we have NO choice but to turn to God. He meets us there. In all his glory and love, He is there. And that my dear friends, makes every single tear worth it.

Do not waste your pain, look for what God is trying to show you.

10/10/2025

World Mental Health Day.

When you are in the midst of trauma, turmoil, mental illness, or suffering, please know:

1. What you are feeling makes sense given what you have went through. Of course you feel this way.
2. It will be okay. Everything is eventually going to be okay. This pain will not last forever.
3. Your brain is malleable (which means it's moldable and changeable no matter your age) and CAN heal. It wants to heal.
4. There are tools to help you feel better.
5. Give yourself compassion, time, and space.
6. Reach out to others who will not take from you but will pour life into you.
7. Get professional help if needed. It is available for a reason!
8. This storm you are going through has purpose (you might never see it on this side of heaven, but you are being strengthened for something more.)

10/09/2025

There is NOTHING you can do to earn God's love. Nothing. No amount of hard work, perfectionism, or good deeds are going to earn you a spot in his heart. He just gives freely. All He is asking you to do is take his hand and accept the love.

There is also NOTHING you can do to take His love away from you. Not your addiction, your lies, your mistakes, your failures, your shortcomings, none of it. He loves you anyway.

This might be a hard concept for you if you grew up in an environment where love was conditional. Maybe you had to be on your best behavior or shove down your feelings to receive love and nurturing. But I am here to tell you, God is right here, his arms stretched out wanting nothing more than to embrace you, imperfections and all.

He is a God of love, a God of gentleness and a lowly heart. I think we forget this sometimes when we feel the pressure at school, in our jobs and even Church to do more, be more, earn more. He doesn't want you to do more, He wants you to know him. He wants to be in relationship with you. All you have to do is "Come" (check out Matthew 11:28-29).

10/08/2025

Has anyone ever asked you the question, "How is your soul?"

I was asked this for the first time a few months ago and it actually shook me. There was something about it that went beyond the usual "how are you?" It reached deeper than our typical surface level feelings of the day into the depths of my being.

And the truth was, it was NOT well with my soul. But until someone asked me, I had been ignoring it.

So often we go through our days making physical choices (thats not good for my body, thats not good for my skin, thats not good for my back etc). But do we stop to consider, is this choice I am about to make good for my soul? Is this show, this scrolling on my phone, this book, this decision, this person, this conversation good for my soul?

This is my challenge each day since that question was first asked, to consider my soul when engaging in anything. So I ask each of you, how is YOUR soul today? Praying we all make soul conscious choices today and every day.

Ps.. this quiet time and view in the morning are EXCELLENT for the soul ❤️

10/07/2025

Marriage. The most sacred relationship we have, yet sometimes the hardest one to navigate.

I am looking at leading marriage workshops to either enhance or create:

Communication
Connection
Respect
Honor
Encouragement

Are you or someone you known interested?!

09/18/2025

Friends-

Sometimes we know the truth but worry, fear or doubt can prevent our minds from accessing it. If we keep visual reminders near, we can actually teach our brains to shut off the stress response system and restore peace back into our souls.

This fun fact inspired my daughter to create "Truth Bearers Bracelets" in partnership with Lasting Peace Counseling 😉Each bracelet is hand crafted and uniquely designed to remind those wearing it of the power they hold within because of God's love and grace. And the best part? They are prayed over for the special person who receives them.

Pictured here are just a couple of her designs.

**All proceeds go directly to her 4H animal.

**Link to purchase in the comments.

08/20/2025

As I prep for a day of shouldering pain with so many clients, we pray.
I pray for each one of you, I pray for your healing, for hope, that you sense Gods presence in your life and in this room.

In the summer months, my kids sometimes join me and we pray together for you.

This life is not intended for you to carry burdens on your own. If you are entering this room, you are not alone. Not ever. You are deeply held in prayer by me, my family and other brothers and sisters in Christ. You may never know how much you are carried by others you have never met. This is the power of the body of Christ and prayer.

**none of your names or stories are released.

04/03/2025

What our community has endured over the last few days is absolutely unimaginable. Many are without power, heat and are isolated. It is perfectly
normal to be feeling anxious, down or uncertain about the future during natural disasters like these.

Our family has been praying for those who are suffering and for the crews who are aiding our community in restoration.

I’ll be at E Free church hopefully in the coming days to offer free sessions to those who are feeling uneasy after these events.

(Recovering from the flu, so I’ll have dates posted soon!)

Even in the midst of the storms, we can rest knowing God will never leave us nor forsake us.

03/03/2025

I have sat with too many women who have been betrayed by the people or systems that SHOULD be protecting them. The common statements from them are:

Who can I even tell about this?
Who am I supposed to trust now?
No one believes or will believe me.
I am alone in this.

This group was developed to not only answer those questions or address those fears, but to heal in a community of others who get it.

Please join us for this six week treatment group beginning April 7. Link to register is in the comments.

02/10/2025

It is natural in my line of work to be in contact with those in pain. But lately, it has been deep, deep pain I have been witnessing. Dark sorrow, torment, suffering.

It is so hard to see light when you are in the thick of the storm, when your battle is not over, when everything is just black. Your brain will want to deny that joy exists, it will try to block out every attempt to overcome.

But I have sat with HUNDREDS of people in your exact position (And I have been one of them!!) and I am here to tell you, there will be brighter days. And all that darkness you are going through will all be so clear on the other side. It has purpose, it has meaning. It will be rewarded if you look to the one who will never leave you or forsake you.

This pain is temporary and joy will come in the morning.
Keep fighting.

02/02/2025

We all will suffer at some point. It’s a promise. But HOW we suffer can either break us, or grow us and those around us.

You may be asking, okay then how do we suffer well?

We look to the ultimate sufferer. We look to Christ.

This photo came out of a highly recommend book, “Rare Leadership” by Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder.

As much as we loathe or anxiously try to avoid pain, suffering is an opportunity to grow our limits, and grow relationally with God and others.

12/22/2024

It’s the holidays and as we spend more time together as a family, travel and cram together in small spaces, I am reminded:

**Our kids are watching us**

So…

Pause, before you speak, before you react, before you enter into that power struggle with your children or others.

Pause and ask..

What is brewing beneath the surface? What baggage are you carrying into this interaction? How can you calm yourself before you communicate with others so you can protect your kids and others around you from things that have nothing to do with them.

Pausing promotes safety and prevents harm.

And if you’re frustrated and cannot calm.. tell your kids that. Help them understand that sometimes, we need to pause and calm our frustration before we engage.

Pause and watch the fruit blossom. If we pause and seek wisdom before challenging interactions, our children will do the same.

They are always watching.

(This is coming from me, who didn’t pause several times and had to repair damage. We aren’t perfect, but we are given the gift of grace and do overs)

Merry Christmas 🎄

Address

236 W Main Street
Ga***rd, MI
49735

Website

http://www.lastingpeacecounseling.org/

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