"I'm a good person. I'm kind, helpful, generous and loving. Isn't that what God wants? Won't being a good person get me into Heaven?" Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: If being a good person was what it took to get to Heaven, I would have a hard time making a case for a good God. That might sound a bit shocking, but follow me here for a bit… If “being good” was the requirement for getting … [Read more...]
SPIRITUAL WARFARE: DO I HAVE TO BE BAPTIZED TO GO TO HEAVEN?
September 24, 2018 by
Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: No. Next question. Well, perhaps we can spend a little more time on this. Although the answer is simple, the question itself brings up some deeper questions. Why doesn’t baptism get me to Heaven? If baptism isn’t what gets me to Heaven, what does? And if baptism doesn’t get me to Heaven, is it important? Let’s start with the question about what gets us into … [Read more...]
This Letting Go Stuff Sucks!
August 24, 2018 by
The past few weeks have been about letting go for me. I've had to let go of people, money, sadness, regret, pride and fear. As I write this, I'm thinking, "Gosh, it sounds like a really awful few weeks when I write it all out like that!" But, you know me, I'm looking for what I'm supposed to learn and share with others! So, here goes... The issues I've been letting go of were issues … [Read more...]
SPIRITUAL WARFARE: WHAT IS MY PURPOSE HERE ON EARTH? WHY AM I HERE?
August 17, 2018 by
Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: This is the most fundamental question that human beings ask. It is not a modern question. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It has been asked since the beginning of mankind itself. Where does one search for the answer to such an important question? Philosophy? Logical thought? Experience? Our fundamental beliefs about how we got here in the first place should … [Read more...]
White Fang
August 8, 2018 by
Last night, I watched White Fang with the kids. It was a really good movie. I’m sure many of you have read the original book by Jack London. For those who haven’t, I won’t spoil it for you, but the main character is a “wolfdog” that has three very different owners across his life. What I found interesting was the relative ease with which his personality changed from good to bad to good, depending … [Read more...]
SPIRITUAL WARFARE: Why do good things happen to bad people?
July 17, 2018 by
Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: In order to answer the question of why do good things happen to bad people, we first need to determine: What categorizes a person as “bad?” Who are these bad people? How bad do you have to be to fall into this category? Where is the line? The more you think about it, the tougher it is to draw it. I mean, we can sort out extreme cases pretty easily in our minds: … [Read more...]
SPIRITUAL WARFARE: WHY ARE THERE BAD PEOPLE IN THE WORLD?
June 5, 2018 by
Why are there bad people in the world, like pedophiles, rapists and serial killers? Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: The answer to this question is the same as the answer to the question, “Why are there bad people in the world, like liars, thieves and adulterers?” Contrary to popular belief, the Bible does not categorize bad behavior by degree of severity. ALL bad behavior is called sin, and … [Read more...]
14 Lessons from The Greatest Showman: The Story of P.T. Barnum
May 23, 2018 by
***Spoiler Alert: Important plot elements revealed below.*** A patient of mine recently found out that I’d not seen the movie The Greatest Showman, the story of P.T. Barnum. She couldn’t believe it and thought the message was one I simply MUST know. At her next session, she brought her copy of the movie for me to borrow and urged me to watch it. I’m so glad I did. Thank you. Regardless of how … [Read more...]
Shame, Sex and Love
May 2, 2018 by
Check out this amazing podcast with Alanis Morissette and trauma and recovery expert Pia Mellody from the Meadows. Great discussion about shame and so many other things! Here’s just a sample: “If you take on somebody else’s shame because they are being shameless, you wind up feeling worthless. That’s very, very toxic.… Your own shame feels like embarrassment or humility. It’s not a negative … [Read more...]
How Do I Say No?
April 29, 2018 by
https://youtu.be/g7NR4Wh7t2c DISCLAIMER: Material on this site is for informational purposes only. The content of this site is not intended to be a substitute for evaluation or treatment by a licensed professional. Information contained on this site should not be used to diagnose or treat a mental health issue without consulting a qualified provider. The use of this website does not convey any … [Read more...]
