I used to be a practitioner in New Age. I had a full New Age practice and was performing healings and other forms of divination I now know to be an abomination to God. I am also a therapist and have a master certificate in life coaching. I have been in many forms of mental health most of my life beginning with therapy, hypnotherapy, healing, psychics, Reiki, and coaching.
I am well versed in all forms of help, however, I still found myself in a state of unrest. Feeling like something was missing or I just wasn’t working hard enough. Feeling shame for not being able to be happy and prosperous like the therapists and healers said I should be. On top of that, I was performing healings on others and noticing the same unrest in my clients.
Then I started seeing a passage from Deuteronomy everywhere I went. According to this section of Scripture, I, as a healer, was an abomination to God and I was going to be separated from him forever! Thus began my turning away from New Age and beginning to get to know God through His Word and through Jesus. I then found a sister in Christ who was a very prominent teacher and practitioner in New Age and who was convicted by God and also left the New Age—and she is now helping people like me.
While it was wonderful that I left the New Age, I also felt lost and directionless, even guilty. This woman then told me about Mark Baker, a biblical counselor and how much he had helped her and many others have a deeper relationship with Christ and learn to trust God and His Word instead of seeking therapy, etc. In other words, Mark taught her that true peace comes from God and no one else. And it doesn’t come from worldly practices. Those are counterfeits.
I sent Mark an email, not expecting one back because he was extremely busy. He not only responded but said he would meet with me! From my very first session, and all the following sessions, Mark deeply listened to everything I had to say whether it was my shame for practicing divination, to the trouble within my marriage, my children and with where my life was going now that I had given up my practice.
He had biblical passages that fed my soul and made me feel not only not alone, but I began to understand how deeply God loves me and that I am not a mistake! He has written many books that he shared with me that further lead me back to God and His Word, and these spoke deeply to my troubles in forgiving others.
Unfortunately, I developed a victim mentality from my years of therapy, however, he helped me unwind that philosophy all by leading me back to God and His Word! It was so deep yet as I look back he was helping me quiet my soul, trust in the Word of God, and let Him lead!
Working with Mark has guided me to a deeper level of calm and peace that I have never experienced in my life! I now know God is in control, not me. The comfort that gives me is priceless! My relationships with my children are improving because I understand what it means to be a biblical parent. My marriage is improving because I understand what it means it means to be a teammate with my husband instead of thinking it was me against him. My individual well-being has greatly improved because I am way less centered in self and my focus is on God and his plans for me.
My only regret working with Mark is that I didn’t find him years ago before I ever thought of therapy! I would recommend anyone and everyone working with Hope For Life! Mark’s ability to get to the heart of what I need and the biblical Scripture to back it up has meant all the difference in my journey. I now always feel I will be more than okay because I am God’s child and I no longer have a works-based attitude which is counterfeit and only leads to more heartache. If you are thinking of any kind of help for what you are seeking please get in touch with Hope For Life before you consider any other form of counseling. Hope For Life has made a difference in my life that I am forever grateful for.
What a gift it is to see the Holy Spirit reveal the emptiness of deception and illuminate the truth by the power of His Word.
In the past 25 years, thousands of people have received Biblical Counseling through the ministry of Hope For Life, on a donation-only basis. Hundreds of lives and relationships have been given new and lasting hope by applying the principles found in God’s incomparable Word.
People all over the world are able to access our free articles and other equipping materials via our website. We thank the Lord for the privilege of sharing the hope of His Word around the globe.
We are so very grateful for your faithful prayers, encouragement, and financial support enabling us to continue to serve. This vital ministry exists because of the Lord’s provision through His people.
THANK YOU!
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Hope For Life Biblical Counseling & Equipping is a non-profit ministry based in the Central Valley of California. We have always been fully committed to providing biblical counseling at no cost to anyone in need, along with classes, books, and other equipping resources for the local community and the worldwide body of Christ as a whole.
Because we truly believe that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope,” we are passionate about sharing that Word every chance we get.
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