I know God reigns in the storm! I was a medical doctor whose specialty was psychiatry, but I left my practice to direct my son's early intervention program when he was diagnosed with autism. While at home with Eric, I discovered the ministry of biblical counseling, and my life has never been the same. The principles I learned have slowly transformed my life. This healing change is the birthright of all who trust in Christ.
I continue to grow in my faith as I confront the hurts from my past with the healing power of God's Word. As the Apostle Paul says, describing his own journey into deeper trust in Christ,
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).
My message is not that I've "arrived," any more than Paul's is. Instead, it's the simple truth that the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit are truly sufficient to bring about life-transforming change in your heart.
The storms in my own life have left me with a passion for helping others whose boats are being tossed by the waves. I minister as a biblical counselor at the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship in the San Diego area. I teach biblical counseling, both at IBCD and other counseling institutes around the country and internationally. I draw on my training as a psychiatrist to offer help for pastors and counselors with their challenging cases, like those involving sexual abuse, suicide, or disabilities like autism and schizophrenia.
I'm also an inspirational and retreat speaker. It's my greatest joy to share principles and encouragement from God's Word with women.
I'm the author of Finding Your Child’s Way on the Autism Spectrum: Discovering Unique Strengths, Mastering Behavior Challenges, (Moody Publishers, 2009), and coauthor of Will Medicine Stop the Pain?: Finding God’s Healing for Anxiety, Depression, and Other Challenging Emotions, with Elyse Fitzpatrick (Moody Publishers, 2006) and When Good Kids Make Bad Choices: Help and Hope for Hurting Parents, with Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jim Newheiser (Harvest House, 2003).
And now I'm blogging, too! The purpose of Gospel Balm is to help you apply the truths of the Gospel to your own hurts and struggles. I hope you'll visit me there often. Just click the tab at the top of any page on this site.
My prayer for you, again in the words of the Apostle Paul, is:
...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:17-19).
May He grant you His grace to trust Him in a deeper way today!