CCC 28-1

PASS IT ON

Second, we encourage those who have been through challenging emotional wars with their primary attachment figures to “declare an end to their war.” I used to hate my father. Then I became a Christian and just “intensely disliked” him. Later, I began to grow in Christ and realized that, from my part, I needed to end the war between us… to “untie the knot” and forgive him. And finally, we challenge people (like me) who did not get The Blessing to focus on “being there” for their loved ones. In 2 Chronicles 7:16 (ESV), God tells us, “For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.” God’s promise to His people is that we can, in Christ and with His love, make that choice for The Blessing. We can choose to put our names on our loved ones, to see with our eyes the best in them, to ensure that when they reach out—emotionally and physically—we reach back with our hearts. In Christ, we can help others and ourselves move from broken to blessed . ;

We can choose to put our names on our loved ones, to see with our eyes the best in them, to ensure that when they reach out—emotionally and physically—we reach back with our hearts.

John Trent, Ph.D., is the Founder of StrongFamilies.com and works alongside his eldest daughter, Kari Stageberg, to help men and women give and live The Blessing. Their new book is titled Your Journey from Broken to Blessed (Focus on the Family/Tyndale Publishers).

Endnote 1 Wilder, J., & Hendricks, M. (2020). The other half of church: Christian community, brain science, and overcoming spiritual stagnation , Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL. p. 18.

NEW RELEASE

NEW

Growth & Flourishing Through Forgiveness Finding Freedom And Grace In today’s world of chaos and conflict, few lives avoid the ongoing emotional pain resulting from unresolved resentments and grudges. Forgiveness is a quality that seems to be in short supply these days. The topic has been addressed in numerous books, sermon series, and philosophical discussions, but perhaps no one has been as committed to the study of forgiveness for as long and as intently as Dr. Everett Worthington, Jr.

AVAILABLE AT THE AACC.NET/BOOKSTORE

38 Christian Counseling Connection