Coastal Counseling Services

12/25/2025

12/23/2025

Merry Christmas!!!
Thank you for your sacrificial service!!

12/22/2025

When Grief Shows Up Uninvited
Marianne Barnett

Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Grief.
I’m sorry you weren’t invited and this isn’t a good time.

Don’t you wish that we could simply give this response when grief comes knocking on our door unexpectedly?

This guest can show up at the most in opportune times - a familiar smell, a memorable place, a special day, an empty chair… the list goes on and on.

So let’s take a few minutes to prepare for such an unwelcome guest.

❤️‍🩹When grief arrives, sit with it. Don’t turn her away.

Lamentations 3:32
“But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.”

Grief has a way of ministering to our souls, transforming us to be more like Christ.

❤️‍🩹Embrace tears. After all, tears are precious enough to God to bottle them in safe keeping.

❤️‍🩹Allow grace to heal in this season.

❤️‍🩹Give yourself permission to grieve.

❤️‍🩹Embrace the comfort of others.
Honor your loved one with a lighted candle, a special ornament, or share a memory as part of your Christmas celebration.

❤️‍🩹Let go of expectations while focusing on comfort and following peace.

❤️‍🩹Saturate yourself with God’s promises of comfort. These are some of my favorites: Psalm 34:18, Matthew 5:4, Isaiah 41:10, Revelation 21:4, John 14:27

❤️‍🩹Keep a constant conversation with God.

❤️‍🩹Practice intentional gratitude, reflecting on small blessings or moments of joy that point to His goodness.

❤️‍🩹Channel your grief into small acts of kindness.

❤️‍🩹By all means, if your grief is too heavy to carry alone, please reach out to your Pastor or someone that can be trusted to be your “+1” to carry you through this season of sorrow (Ecclesiastes 4:9).

Christmas reminds us that Emmanuel, “God with us” brings hope where there’s none and light in our darkest hours.

While grief is often an unwanted visitor, overtime…she presents herself as a treasured gift that shines the light of Christ in ways that we never knew we needed.

If you find yourself with the unwelcome guest of grief on the doorstep of your heart this Christmas, fall into the arms of the babe in a manger, born to bring hope, peace, and joy just for you.

12/20/2025

If you determine not to look to the left or right but you set your face like a flint and follow wholeheartedly after Jesus, you may notice a few things, like the power that infuses your steps and encourages your heart.The wisdom that comes from above when you need it most. The correction that you grow to count on because you know you're a work in progress. And the love and mercy that spills out of the Father's heart for you because you're his.

12/13/2025

It seems for most of us, these holiday seasons are a mixture of joy and sorrow, battle and blessing, trial and triumph. We can glean the most from these seasons when we frame our story redemptively. When we remember the goodness of God, when we know that He has a 100% success rate at redeeming our stories, we can know with absolute certainty, that His goodness is coming. He’s moving even now, right in our midst. He’s always redeeming and restoring, even when we can’t sense it or see it. So rest today, knowing with all your heart that God is with you, for you, and intervening on your behalf. You’re going to be okay. Better than okay. You will triumph and walk victoriously through this season. You’ve got so many reasons for praise; so many reasons for hopeful expectancy! The God of Angel Armies is with you!