My
wife Dena and me recently relocated to Woodstock NB from Fort McMurray Alberta
where I was involved in Professional Counselling. In September we are opening a
private practice here. The name of the business is C4Professional Services.
(Counselling, Coaching, Consulting, & Contracting.) I named the Counselling and Coaching aspects
of the business, “JOY” Professional Counselling and Life Coaching. Why did I
use “Joy” in the name? Read on.
When
I ask clients to name three things they would wish for, if their wishes would
come true, almost without exception they include happiness or joy. In our busy
and challenging fast pace world most people are driven by anxiety and have lost
their joy.
I
remember when I faced my personal ministry and health crisis in late 2002.
Early in 2003 I applied for skills training through HRDC. The counsellor who
interviewed me doubted if I would be approved to continue my training in
professional counselling but referred me to her superior anyway. During my
interview with her she commented, “It is time to put some “joy” back into your
life. She approved my training. Since then I went on to complete a diploma in
Professional Counselling Practice and completed my Master’s Degree in Religion
with a concentration in Christian Counselling and became a Registered
Professional Counsellor (RPC). See what a little encouragement, by people who
believe in you, can accomplish. These two ladies were among several people who
had a positive influence on my life during this difficult time.
For
over thirty five years I have been an Ordained Minister. Pastoring church
congregations was my primary responsibility. It also included Pastoral
Counselling and in my later years of pastoring, involved Professional
Counselling. It has become my passion. I dreamed of the day when I could devote
my time to it as a second career. Having retired from the pastorate, I am now
in the position to live the dream during the sunset years of my ministry life,
through Pastor’s INn Ministries and C4
Professional Services. PTL!
In
this post on Spiritual Wellness and Emotional Health, I decided to talk a
little bit about the positive and pleasant emotion of “Joy”. In the teaching of
Jesus, he refers to it as “happiness” as He outlines the principles of His
Kingdom in Matthew’s Gospel, chapter five. He uses the Greek word “Makarios” in
our language it translates, “happiness” or “Joy”. His formula for such a life is found in His
response to the religious leaders of his day, recorded by a Tax Collector by
the name of Matthew. He quoted Jesus, “‘Love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Now, let me answer the question posed at the
beginning of this article. Here is the rationale behind using “JOY” in the name
of my Counselling and Coaching practice.
First, it reminds me of the time in my life when God
in His providence connected me with people who believed in me and had the power
to help restore joy to my life.
Second, my very first professional client was going
through a major life crisis which had drained the joy from her life. I
journeyed with her during this very difficult time and watched her as she went
from the caterpillar stage, into the cocoon and as I write, she is about to
stretch her butterfly wings into the freedom of a new identity and life of joy.
What a transformation! A testimony to what counselling is all about.
Finally it is an acronym for Jesus’ teaching in Matthew
22:37 ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
J – esus , O – thers, Y – ou.
Your life can be Blessed, by finding joy through a
relationship with Jesus, loving relationships with others, and investing your
life in helping to put a little joy back into someone else’s life instead of
focusing on yourself.
Blessings!
Pastor H
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