Friendship Counseling Jesus' Model for Speaking Life-Words to Hurting People

BACK: What Can I Say? When a friends in pain, what do you say? Do you stall and sputter, like a foot just landed in your mouth? Most of us grope for the right words, feeling unequipped for the task. But we dont need to respond that way. The words of a friend""your words""can inspire hope and healing. Friendship Counseling provides strugglers with meaningful, life-changing assistance. Modeled after Christs interaction with suffering people, Friendship Counseling will help you offer others: APermission to express doubts, anger, and questions AHopeful "life words" that inspire ongoing healing AWays to build deeper character and inner strength AInspiration to draw closer to God, despite the pain AEncouragement to change personally and relationally "People in pain need a spiritual guide who knows them, someone who knows how to come alongside and offer hope and direction," explains Huggins. "They need a guide who relates to them the way Jesus does." Using friendship counseling, that "someone" can be you. FRONT FLAP: When friends hurt, you want to help. But its hard to know what to say, especially when youve never trudged in their shoes. Trying to help others, do you ever respond in these ways? AQuoting Bible verses about suffering AExplaining the reasons for their struggle ATrying to discover what they did to cause the pain ATalking about your troubles instead of listening AFixing the problem so they wont suffer anymore According to Kevin Huggins, a seasoned counselor, these responses may stem from good intentions, but they dont help the hurting find the resources to grow and serve God through their struggles. Instead, people in pain need "life words"""words that sensitively point strugglers toward building character and drawing closer to God, despite the agony. They offer the safety and compassion that lead to true change rather than to the masking of feelings. If you want to inspire positive change, offer words that heal instead of hurt. Give people the gift of friendship counseling.Huggins, Kevin is the author of 'Friendship Counseling Jesus' Model for Speaking Life-Words to Hurting People' with ISBN 9781576832998 and ISBN 1576832996.