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Can a Christian Marriage Survive Infidelity?

Can a Christian Marriage Survive Infidelity?

Ronald Jenkins, Kate Motaung2025-04-15T06:54:28+00:00April 15th, 2025|Couples Counseling, Featured, Infidelity and Affairs, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

For many people, the discovery of infidelity marks the end of any happily ever after in their marriage. But Christians who are taught that marriage is for life and that divorce is wrong may find themselves in a difficult position when they discover that their partner has been unfaithful to them. Whichever path a person may choose, many challenges will lie ahead. It is important not to rush into big decisions without prayer and careful consideration of everything. What is infidelity? Infidelity is when one partner in a relationship is unfaithful to the other. Adultery is considered to be a serious breach of the marriage covenant and is seen as both a sin against the spouse and a sin against God. In the Bible, it is seen as a broader category than just the physical sexual act. It also includes an individual’s unfaithful desires and thoughts (Matthew 5:27-30). One of the challenges of talking about infidelity is that individual spouses and couples may have different understandings of infidelity. For instance, is it okay to watch pornography, or to reach out and connect with a former partner on social media? Some couples will have had these important conversations during premarital counseling or afterward to establish firm boundaries in their relationship. Infidelity can thus take the form of emotional or physical acts of infidelity that violate boundaries the couple has set for themselves. For a Christian couple, infidelity may include things that the couple may consider okay, but Scripture addresses and says otherwise. As such, from a Christian perspective, there is no such thing as an open marriage (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:3-6; Proverbs 5; 6:20-35; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20). What does the Bible say about infidelity? In the well-known Ten Commandments, the first laws given to the nation of Israel, we find [...]

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How to Use Prayers of Lament as Part of the Grieving Process

How to Use Prayers of Lament as Part of the Grieving Process

Kate Motaung2025-04-15T05:53:49+00:00April 15th, 2025|Featured, Grief Counseling, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Spiritual Development|

It can be both a delight and a relief to find an author or poet who expresses a thought or feeling in a way that feels as if it came straight out of you. It’s a delight because you’ve found just the right words to express something you have felt or thought. It’s also a relief because it confirms that you aren’t the only person who has felt this way before. You aren’t alone or on an outer fringe inaccessible to others. It is this way with lament. We have other thoughts and emotions, such as what we experience when we go through grief, loss, and sadness. Whether you are recently bereaved or have been dealing with the loss of a loved one for a while, there is comfort to be found in being able to fully express what you’re feeling and experiencing. Prayers of lament may be one way to do this, and they can be an effective part of the grieving process. Grieving as a Process When you lose someone, or you anticipate that you will lose someone, your whole being experiences that loss. You had a connection with that person, and that connection is lost and irrevocably changed. Even in situations where you felt estranged or even hostile toward the other person, you can still experience grief. Grief is a process and a rather convoluted one at that. It’s about coming to terms with your loss, and realigning your world so that you can carry on living with your loved one’s absence as part of the new reality. Grieving is about acknowledging the loss, allowing yourself to experience all the emotions and thoughts that come with that loss, and learning how to cope. Each person grieves in their own way. One reason grief is a convoluted [...]

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A Few Key Signs of Clinical Depression

A Few Key Signs of Clinical Depression

Stacy Davis, Kate Motaung2025-03-28T06:35:08+00:00March 28th, 2025|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Have you ever found yourself at odds with yourself? You may have told yourself to avoid engaging in certain behaviors, but despite yourself, you engage in the very behaviors you wanted to avoid. It can leave you feeling like you’ve betrayed yourself and can’t trust yourself. Being at odds with yourself in this way can be deeply unsettling, and it’s unfortunately one of the things that depression can do to a person. If a person has clinical depression, it can lead them to have thoughts that, while being untrue and unhelpful to one’s well-being, will nonetheless suggest themselves powerfully and ring as true. You can’t trust what your mind is telling you, especially when it causes you to endlessly rehearse negative thoughts. It helps to know the signs of clinical depression and to seek treatment for it. A Brief Breakdown of Clinical Depression Clinical depression is a mood disorder that affects how a person feels, thinks, and acts. A person’s ability to function in daily life is seriously hampered by depression because it can affect their cognitive ability and make them fatigued or lethargic. Clinical depression is also known as major depressive disorder, and it is a serious mental health condition marked by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest. Depression is a common condition that affects around 5% of the global population, and it can occur at any age. It affects people from all walks of life. Women are more likely to experience depression, though that figure could be inaccurate because men are also typically less willing to report that they’re experiencing depression and seek help for it. There are several different types of depression, including major depressive disorder, postpartum depression, persistent depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar disorder. A challenge that someone with depression [...]

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Aging and Isolation: How to Prevent Loneliness

Aging and Isolation: How to Prevent Loneliness

Lori Askew, Kate Motaung2025-03-26T10:47:54+00:00March 20th, 2025|Aging and Geriatric Issues, Featured, Individual Counseling|

When you think about getting older, your first thoughts may be based on fear and dread. For example, you may have concerns regarding rising healthcare costs, physical ailments, slowing down, losing loved ones, or getting left behind from the metaphorical rivers of life. However, while those concerns are real and important, elderly people often develop full, meaningful, and fun lives. One of the key strategies to creating an abundant and fulfilling life as we age is to navigate isolation and, therefore, loneliness. While we can’t skip the natural ebb and flow of life’s highs and lows, we can safeguard ourselves from loneliness by making intentional choices. Ways to Guard Against Loneliness as You Approach Aging First, the most important way to prevent loneliness involves surrounding yourself with meaningful relationships. This may mean looking at your current relationships to see if they are serving you well, or even considering moving closer to family and friends. It may also mean moving to a community where there are many others in your age range. To form friendships and relationships that are meaningful and that can stand the test of time, it’s important to make sure you know how to build new ones. So, before you make any sweeping changes in your geography, ask yourself these questions: Am I around enough people I enjoy and with whom I could begin new friendships? Do I like the people I’ve surrounded myself with? Are the people in my everyday life leading a lifestyle that allows for hobbies and time with friends or are they too busy? If my top two friends right now were to move away or, sadly, pass away, would I have others nearby with whom I could deepen friendships or familial relationships? Are there community resources where I can turn to make new [...]

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God’s Process: Prayer and Spiritual Development

God’s Process: Prayer and Spiritual Development

Logan Ashford, Kate Motaung2025-03-26T11:54:37+00:00March 19th, 2025|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

Longing is a part of our lives as Christ’s followers. Often frustration accompanies it in between the time we have a God-vision and experience it coming to fruition. We place our faith in God, often for a specific outcome, anticipating the outward manifestation of all we have previewed in our imagination. However, the way that God transports us to a place He may have revealed doesn’t always align with how we think we will get there. Nonetheless, we pray, we proclaim the Scripture, and we make plans and create space to welcome all that He has promised. Hope is built into the verse that defines and describes our most basic understanding of what it means to believe (Hebrews 11:1). We apply the same principle of apprehending the unseen when we confess Christ and convert from our sinful state. The process of our spiritual development is challenged when faith is stretched by other factors, such as time and circumstance. They buffet our belief and weary our resolve, complicating what seemed simpler at one point in our journey. Sometimes, our faith flounders along the way, but God never abandons us. As Beginning and End, our Everlasting Father remains committed to the destination and the long path between prayer and manifested promise (Revelation 22:13; Isaiah 9:6). He is not daunted by time, as He created it to serve His purposes. Additionally, He fashions circumstances to work together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Here, in the meantime seasons, He purifies, prunes, and develops patience in us. He processes us, preparing us for what’s next. God’s Process of Spiritual Development After decades of longing and years of waiting on a promised son, God tested Abraham, commanding him to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22). It seemed incomprehensible, but Abraham remained confident in the [...]

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5 Ways Infidelity Can Impact a Marriage

5 Ways Infidelity Can Impact a Marriage

Ronald Jenkins, Kate Motaung2025-03-26T12:01:30+00:00March 18th, 2025|Couples Counseling, Featured, Infidelity and Affairs, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Infidelity can be devastating to marriage. Couples can have difficulty having a healthy relationship after cheating has occurred. This is because infidelity can inflict emotional, physical, and mental damage to the victim. Additionally, suppose a person is unrepentant or blames the other for the infidelity. In that case, it can cause additional problems because the victim may feel misplaced shame or guilt due to what happened. Infidelity’s Impact on a Marriage Although infidelity can be a deal breaker in a marriage, it doesn’t always have to be. However, infidelity can impact many areas of marriage. Here are five areas in which infidelity can affect a marriage: Finances One way infidelity can impact your marriage is the strain that financial issues can have if the marriage ends. If one spouse is the primary breadwinner and helps provide for the other spouse, the other spouse may find that they need to get a job quickly. However, if they’ve been out of the workforce due to having children or lacking skills, they may find it challenging to find a well-paying job that will help meet their needs like their partner did. Additionally, an unfaithful person may become bitter because the relationship ended. Because of the shame and guilt they feel about what they did, they may hesitate to want to provide financial compensation to the other spouse. The spouse who is caring for the children may find themselves struggling because the other person who was unfaithful doesn’t want to pay them because they feel they may not be responsible for the termination of their relationship. A spouse who struggles to make ends meet after infidelity may need the help and support of family and friends. They may also need the help and support of people who can come and help them get [...]

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On the Road to Getting Married: Premarital Counseling in Rockwall, Texas

On the Road to Getting Married: Premarital Counseling in Rockwall, Texas

Jennifer Kooshian2025-03-26T12:32:08+00:00March 17th, 2025|Couples Counseling, Featured, Marriage Counseling, Premarital Counseling, Relationship Issues|

There are many stops along the way to your wedding day. Finding the person you want to be with is a crucial step, and once you’ve gone through the awkward (or amazing!) first date, shared beautiful moments, shared even more amazing moments, and built trust and a meaningful connection, you may be getting the idea that this person is the one you want to spend the rest of your life with. At this point, you may be ready for premarital counseling in Rockwall, Texas. Whenever it is that you decide that you want to be serious with someone and perhaps take your relationship toward marriage, premarital counseling in Rockwall, Texas is a good stop to make along the way. It’s an important building block with a lot of value for your relationship. What’s the deal with premarital counseling? Premarital counseling at Texas Christian Counseling in Rockwall is a form of talk therapy that’s geared at couples who are, in one way or another, thinking about marriage. Couples might go for this kind of counseling before they take the step to get engaged, but other couples get engaged first and then it. The goal of this type of counseling is to help couples talk through issues and questions in a way that will adequately prepare them for marriage. When you go for premarital counseling at Texas Christian Counseling in Rockwall, it’s not simply another task on a presumably long to-do list relating to the wedding and life beyond that amazing day. Premarital counseling is important because it creates intentional space to address things that the couple may not have considered; things that have a direct impact on how their married life will progress. Your premarital counselor in Rockwall, Texas may ask you a variety of questions, including what your understanding [...]

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The Hyperactive Child: Symptoms of ADHD in Children

The Hyperactive Child: Symptoms of ADHD in Children

Stacy Davis, Kate Motaung2025-03-13T08:47:18+00:00March 13th, 2025|ADHD/ADD, Christian Counseling for Children, Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured|

Children are commonly known as little balls of energy. It’s a normal part of growing up. However, some children appear to have an overabundance of energy that prohibits them from being able to sit for long periods of time or to focus on schoolwork and other tasks. How can you tell if your hyperactive child is truly hyperactive, or simply in a normal phase of childhood? According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), more than six million children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD, as of a survey dated 2016. What exactly is ADHD? ADHD stands for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Although it is commonly seen in children, adults can also show signs of ADHD. A child with ADHD may have difficulty focusing on schoolwork, constantly “fidget,” and/or have uncontrollable impulses. An individual may suffer chronic bouts of the disorder throughout their life. ADHD may stem from a variety of root causes such as dysfunctional relationships, low self-esteem, or victimization at school or at home. Genetics can also play a role in whether a child develops the disorder. If one or more parent has the condition, their offspring may exhibit some of the symptoms of ADHD as children. Brain structure and brain function may contribute to the change in behavior. Researchers are still unclear on what the underlying causes for the disorder might be when it comes to the brain but theorize it is possibly due to chemical imbalances or problems with the neurotransmitters. Unfortunately, parents may feel at fault if their child is diagnosed with ADHD as the public at large points to an undisciplined child out of control. However, there is a myriad of causes, including the physical and emotional ones listed above. Pesticides, food dyes, in utero exposure to alcohol or [...]

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7 Steps for an Effective Personal Development Plan

7 Steps for an Effective Personal Development Plan

Logan Ashford, Kate Motaung2025-04-21T12:59:47+00:00March 12th, 2025|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

How is success achieved? Many of us have ideas and plans that don’t come to fruition. One reason ideas founder is that no plan is generated to put them in motion. If you’re thinking about developing some aspect of your life such as dealing with stress, getting married, or communicating better, it’s important to have a plan of action. Creating a personal development plan is something anyone can do for themselves. As you put your plan together, knowing yourself will play a huge role in the process. There’s no use having goals that don’t appeal to you, and there’s no use in creating a development plan that requires resources you don’t possess and have no way to acquire. In other words, a development plan should be realistic and tailored to your unique needs and situation. Steps in Creating Your Development Plan As you consider steps in your personal development plan, one of the most important things you can do is determine your goals. There’s so much that can get in the way of making things happen that the best chance you have is to pursue a goal that matters to you and one that will make the most difference in your life. Some of the steps to consider in putting your plan together include the following: Choose your goal and write it down Open your favorite note-taking app or take a clean sheet of paper and write down the goals that you’d consider worth pursuing. You can note today’s date and then put down seven to ten goals that you would like to accomplish in the next 12 months. As you write these goals down, write them in the present tense. That gives you a sense of immediacy as well as a clearer view of what matters to you. [...]

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How Your God-Given Internal Cues Can Stop Emotional Eating

How Your God-Given Internal Cues Can Stop Emotional Eating

Lori Askew, Kate Motaung2025-03-26T12:17:11+00:00March 7th, 2025|Eating Disorders, Featured, Individual Counseling, Weight Loss, Women’s Issues|

Chronic stress, a silent predator, is a key instigator of a range of physical and mental ailments. Unfortunately, it also slyly fuels emotional eating. What happens is that we often turn to food beyond our physical hunger because we’re trying to fill a deep-seated void. God actually created that void in us to fill with Himself. Therefore, we know that food is not the answer. God has gifted us with a sophisticated system that signals when we need to nourish ourselves and when we should refrain from eating. This system helps us to effectively curb emotional eating by recognizing and responding to internal cues. Defining True Hunger The internal cues we possess to indicate hunger are natural and intuitive. Your body releases two hormones, ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin stimulates the appetite, making your stomach feel empty and often causing it to growl. The growl or empty sensation may subside but return in 10-30 minutes as your body requires fuel. The other hormone, leptin, controls satiety. You experience the sensation of being full when fat cells release leptin, which leads you to stop eating. This hormone is released when it receives the signal from the stomach approaching fullness. Unfortunately, many individuals continue to eat even when they are already full or not hungry, making it difficult to gauge their satiety or control their eating. This can lead to physical discomfort, obesity, digestive problems, and even illness if it becomes a consistent habit. Understanding these potential health risks can be a powerful motivator to change our eating habits. Why We Eat Our Emotions If the empty feeling or stomach growl indicates hunger, why do we eat when not physically hungry? Thoughts and emotions fuel our actions. For example, you have had a stressful day at work. You arrive home, and everyone [...]

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