It's Okay to Need Help

There comes a point in all of our lives when we need help.

When we don't know what to do, which way to turn, or how to help ourselves. It's during these times that we need back-up, reinforcements---someone else to offer guidance, advice, and wisdom so that we can see through the fog and get back on the right path again. This is the purpose of counseling---the next tool we're going to discuss as we talk about gaining freedom and healing.

Throughout our lives, our family found Christian counselors to be very helpful.

Even before I started my own journey to healing and freedom, I remember going to a counselor when we had to change schools, when I was struggling with issues of insecurity and self-esteem in high school, and when my college friend committed suicide.

When I came home from college, heartbroken and devastated, it was a pastoral counselor who didn't coddle me or say "Poor Adessa", but gave me books to read and challenged me to start taking steps toward dealing with the issues in my heart and mind.

Then came the hardest times---when all of the secrets, lies, abuse, and debt were discovered. Individually and as a family, we absolutely went through counseling, including working with a pastor who specialized in helping people overcome generational iniquities. Honestly, I don't know what we would have done without this man and his wife who were there for us any time day or night to pray with us, give us advice, and just help us see the right way to go.

I'll also always be grateful to a local Assemblies of God pastor who offered us free counseling after Mom went to Heaven. At a time in life when I felt like I'd lost everything and had to start all over again, he helped us find our way, establish boundaries with my Dad, and get our lives started again.

So beyond a doubt, I am a firm believer that there are times in life with a born again, Spirit-filled counselor is absolutely necessary.

Here's another thing that I've learned:

One of the biggest tools that the enemy will use to keep you from walking in health and freedom is the lie that counseling isn't needed. Just about the time you're ready to make the phone call and set up an appointment, thoughts will go through your mind like, "Why are you being such a baby? This is not a big deal---you're just being a drama queen. You can handle this on your own, you don't need to go to a counselor and waste the time and money."

Please allow me to be blunt: These thoughts are just a big bunch of bologna!

They are lies! The goal is to keep you from getting help, seeing truth, discovering the right path and walking on it.

Counseling is NOT a waste of time or money. No, it is an investment in your most important asset---your heart and mind.

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Don't fall for it!

Instead, when you start thinking this way follow through and make the call. Keep pursuing freedom. When you sacrifice the time and money to really pursue freedom, it's an investment that will pay off for the rest of your life. Not only your life, but also the lives of every generation that comes after you who can then build on your foundation of freedom rather than having to blaze their own trail of overcoming the sins and bondage's passed down from generation to generation.

Freedom and healing are ALWAYS worth the investment! So don't believe the lies. Instead, pursue healing with everything that you have. If you need the help of a counselor to see what avenues you need to take to pursue freedom, than find a counselor, and get on the road to healing as soon as possible.