In his last week on Earth, Jesus knew the end was near. He knew the finality of Friday, but did he also know the victory of Sunday? Join bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado invites you to walk with Jesus in the week leading up to the crucifixion: feeling his passion, sensing his authority, and hearing his promise that death has no power. On Calvary's Hill paints a picture of Jesus in his final week: Jesus was commonly dressed but uncommonly focused. Leaving Jericho and walking toward Jerusalem, he doesn't chatter or pause. He's on his final journey. Even the angels are silent. They know this is no ordinary walk or week--hinged on this week is the door of eternity. With excerpts from Max's bestsellers, including 3:16, He Chose the Nails, and Just Like Jesus, On Calvary's Hill will take you into Jesus' last week, from the road to Jerusalem to the resurrection. Each reading includes a timeless verse, an in-depth reading, and a thoughtful prayer designed to help you draw near to the Savior and prepare to celebrate the resurrection--the greatest miracle ever conceived. As we observe Jesus' last week, Max challenges us to face difficult questions, including: When betrayal comes, what can we do? Why is the cross a symbol of Christianity? What would it feel like to witness this scene firsthand? Let's follow Jesus on his final journey. By observing his, we may learn how to make ours.

CLIMBING THE RIGHT LADDER By C. Michael Courtney There is a popular children's game called Chutes and Ladders in which you try to scramble to the top of the board by being on the right ladder at the right time and avoiding the chutes that slide you back down to places you've already been. Organizational development is much like that. We are continually deciding when to move up to the next rung, when to change to another ladder, and even if our ladder is leaning against the right wall. Branches was born in 2006. I was a newly licensed NCAA counselor with a desire to help people and a vision of how God might use both my story and my training to impact the Kingdom, at least the small circle that I had the ability to influence. Within a couple of years, we added to the counseling, training and equipping like-minded pastoral counselors by becoming a Certified Academic Institution. Dr. Laura Hart was instrumental as my personal supervisor and Drs. Richard and Phyllis Arno were amazing in their attention to and care for the fledgling counseling/training center. Very quickly both the counseling center and the C.A.I. began to grow and I began to recognize the different skillset and mindset that it takes to “start” some ministry or organization and to develop it into a viable, impactful entity that fulfills its mission and the call of God. The early years were Chutes and Ladders. We would climb to a new level of proficiency only to hit a roadblock and slip back to trying to figure out what we were doing all over again. My imagination is that we are not alone. Perhaps many of you reading this have experienced the up and down of trying to build your C.A.I. or establish your counseling practice. Owning a business, creating a ministry is very much a “three steps forward and two steps back” process. One month, one week, sometimes even one day, you feel like you have made some good strides and climbed a few rungs on the ladder, and the next you are sliding at breakneck speed back down the hill, trying desperately to stop the decline. After nearly two decades, and some fairly healthy growth, I have come to understand that, like Chutes and Ladders, much of the success of the endeavor is found in trusting God, not just to help you climb to the next rung, but to help you discern whether or not you are on the right ladder. “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him,” the Psalmist says, “though he may miss a rung (my interpretation) he will not fall.”   Psalm 37:23-24 So here is a quick examination of the ladders we face and the observations I make about climbing them. It seems to me that the ladders that our ministry needs to scale are activity, structure, and then systems. First activity. In the early days of Branches we were just trying to get the word out and keep the doors open. We were driven by the need to stay active. I went to ministerial meetings, took more NCCA classes, volunteered to speak at nursing homes, anything to let people know that we were here. I sent letters to every church in town offering to teach Wednesday night classes on Temperament and invited Mother’s Day Out programs to offer a class for moms on pastoral counseling. The ladder I was trying to scale was calendar driven. It was filling every available time slot with sharing the Branches story. I decided I would work fifty hours per week. If I only had four clients scheduled (that was a good week) then I had forty-six more hours free to be active. I have seen many organizations come and go because they failed to appreciate the activity ladder. We do our training. We complete our required profiles. We earn our degree. And then we sit and wait for clients or students to beat down the door. Get your activity ladder out, lean it against the work wall, and start climbing. After a while, the activity began to produce results and I realized I was now climbing the structure ladder. Branches was joined by Chandy Powell, a wonderful, NCCA trained pastoral counselor. Then Debi Russell came on board, another NCCA graduate. At some point I saw the need for a receptionist, a clinical director, a part-time marketing person. The school had grown beyond my ability to keep up, so we needed a dean to run the C.A.I. Dr. Marlena Butler was referred to us by the NCCA and came alongside. Slowly but surely, I was climbing the structure ladder. Now the goal was not just to stay busy but to build an effective operation, to work smarter and not harder. Today Branches has thirty therapists, five medical providers, four life coaches, and ten office personnel. The structure ladder was not possible until the activity ladder was scaled. And the activity ladder would have been pointless without the development of the structure ladder. The final ladder for us has been the systems ladder. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and make disciples.” (Matthew 28:19) It seems to me that the mandate for any ministry or Christ-centered business is to reproduce, to be replicated in the lives and communities around us. The NCCA certainly appears to believe in the call of God to train and equip others. So should we. At some point we begin to climb the systems ladder. How can I put best practices and personal philosophies in place so that what we are doing here can be taught to and repeated by others? Branches has five locations in Tennessee. We are trying to continually climb the ladder of systematizing and simplifying what we do and what we teach. Your ministry will want to go on long after you have slowed down. Another word for this ladder might be legacy. In 2022, I stepped down as the executive director of Branches and turned it over to my son, Joshua Courtney. I still see clients, teach in our C.A.I. and write lengthy articles 😊 but the day-to-day leadership of the Branches system is in another set of very capable hands. The C.A.I. or counseling center that you lead needs to be both Spirit-led and missional. The Spirit-led individual or organization is astute at when to move to the next rung. But the missional individual or organization will know which ladder to use. Staying on a ladder too long will cause you to lose momentum, forget the mission, and plateau or decline. Changing ladders too quickly will cause you to become unstable, overreach, and eventually fall. The effective leader/counselor/teacher will always be looking closely at the wall and making sure he or she is scaling the right ladder. I do that by making sure I have securely navigated each rung of the ladder before I climb to the next. The first rung is foundational. What are our values and core beliefs? Make sure that they are instilled in every process, taught to every employee, and demonstrated by every activity. Next is the directional rung. The goals and objectives of the organization need to be crystal clear. Before I let go of a previous rung I want to know which rung I will grab next. The strategic rung follows. I know why we are here. I know what we should do next. But do I understand how to proceed? What resources, support systems, and skillsets will we need to climb to the next level. And finally, the communication rung must be in place. The missional leader is ineffective if the mission stays hidden between his or her ears. Tell your people what you are going to do. Tell your people what you are doing. And tell them what you just did. Communicate the activity, the structure and the system every step of the way. In March of last year, middle Tennessee suffered an unimaginable tragedy when a lone gunman went into a Christian school and opened fire. Three second graders and three faculty members were killed. Within hours, Branches was asked to come in and oversee the trauma training for those who would be trying to comfort this grieving community. We spent months caring for the caregivers, the first responders, the teachers, and parents. From that experience we were recently involved in training orthodox Jewish leaders to provide trauma informed care to their synagogue and community members after the October 7 attack in Israel. If we were still hanging on to the activity ladder, or trying to scale the structure ladder, we would have been unavailable and not even considered for such spiritually ordained tasks. God has a plan for your C.A.I., your counseling ministry. Knowing that you are climbing the right ladder is essential. I suggest these questions often for you. What ladder are we on right now? How long have we been on it? Have I navigated every necessary rung on this ladder? How do I move on to the next ladder? And does everyone in my influence circle know it is time to take the next step. It is a pretty old adage, but pretty true when it comes to ladder climbing, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will lead you to the next rung.” (Again, my interpretation 😊) God bless you and keep climbing. To know more about Branches go to www.branches.org and to keep up with Dr. Mike Courtney subscribe at www.branchesblog.com.

ARE YOU LIVING WITH FAITH OR LIVING IN FEAR? By Dr. Phyllis J. Arno Faith is a fruit of the Spirit and available to all. Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, FAITH, Meekness, Temperance Galatians 5:22-23 KJV Living with faith means that you are grounded on the solid rock-JESUS. Living in fear means that you are NOT grounded on the solid rock. Living in fear means that your house is built on the sand. The sand contains: hatred                                       sadness                      retaliation insecurity                                 frustration                  bitterness stress                                        unforgiveness            violence disbelief                                   unhappiness               hypocrisy guilt                                         jealousy                      depression anxiety                                    criticism                      murder prejudice                                 drugs                           vengeance anger                                       resentment                   alcohol WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT FAITH Hebrews 11:1:  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Romans 10:17:  So, then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God I Peter 1:7:  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and   glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. I Timothy 6:12:   Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal life… II Timothy 4:7: I have fought a good fight.  I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. James 2:26:  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT REWARDS OF FAITH Power to become the sons of God.  See John 1:12 Power to do mighty works.  See John 14:12 Kept in perfect peace.  See Isaiah 26:3 Kept safe.  See Proverb 29:25 Having assurance of prayer answered.  See I John 5:14 Will not be confounded (confused).  See I Peter 2:6 WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT FEAR There are good fears and bad.  The latter kind come from wrong believing and open the door to doubt and hinder the flow of God’ power. The Greek word “deilia” is for a cowardly fear; not being able to face a problem, but rather, running from it. There is also the fear of people or things, based on perceptions and/or lies. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. See I John 4:18 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from ALL my fears.  See Psalm 34:4 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  See II Timothy 1:7 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.  See Isaiah 41:10 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil (fear of dying). See Psalm 23:4 See also Psalm 91 and Psalm 121. PLEASE REMEMBER, FEAR CAN PARALYZE YOU SO THAT YOU CANNOT OPERATE IN FAITH.  IF FEAR IS IN CONTROL, IT WILL PUSH OUT FAITH. LET’S LOOK AT SOME OF THE  FEARS OF A CHOLERIC IN  INCLUSION Fear of losing control in social situations. When they are involved in a social event, they want to be the one in control. They need to learn to work together with others. Fear of being discovered that they are “A Great Pretender.” They tend to be like a chameleon; they can be outgoing and personable or they can be laid back and be an observer. Sometimes they may feel that they do not even know who they really are. They need to learn to be genuine with themselves and others and take off their “mask” when dealing with people. Fear of being called “people users.” They fear that people will discover that they are using them to accomplish their goals.  They need to learn that God wants them to motivate people, not use or manipulate them. LET’S LOOK AT SOME OF THE  FEARS OF A CHOLERIC IN CONTROL Fear of not receiving recognition and approval. They may fear that they are not going to receive the recognition and approval that they believe they should receive for a job well-done. They need to look to the Lord first for their recognition and approval. Fear that others will not respect their leadership abilities. They may fear that others may rejects their leadership abilities, especially if  they questions their motives or disagree with their plan of action. They need to learn that not everyone will always agree with their ideas and plans; therefore, they need to learn to be open to the suggestions of others. Fear rejection so they may walk into a room full of people and become like a Sanguine and be the “life of the party or meeting”. They may fear that if they don’t become the center of attention and promote themselves, they will be rejected.  The attention of people is an encouragement to keep them motivated. They need to learn to seek the Lord first and He will give them all the encouragement that they need. LET’S LOOK AT SOME OF THE  FEARS OF A CHOLERIC IN AFFECTION Fear of not being in Control with their intimate relationships. They may fear that their intimate relationships will not submit to their desires, fantasies and demands. They need to learn that their intimate relationships also have desires and fantasies. Fear their intimate relationships will find out that they may be using love and affection as a means to get what they want. They may fear that their intimate relationships will leave them if they find out that they are just using them for their own sexual needs. They need to learn to not use love and affection as a means of getting what they want. Fear their intimate relationships will discover that they can be cold, unemotional, domineering, angry and vindictive and that they wear a mask to charm them. They may fear that their intimate relationships will see through their mask and discover who they really are. They need to learn to be genuine with their intimate relationships as they also have feelings and do not like to be used or manipulated. In other words, they need to learn to be more considerate of the wants and feelings of their intimate relationships. “A Choleric is a Choleric is a Choleric.” In other words, a Choleric needs people.  It does not matter whether they are a Choleric in Inclusion, Control or Affection, the bottom line is:  THEY NEED PEOPLE! Please remember these are temperament tendencies.  Their walk with the Lord, their birth order and their learned behavior will tend to affect their temperament. It is important to let them know these are tendencies and because of the effects of the above, some of the tendencies may not apply to them. You must also remember that there are no good or bad temperaments.  God created  all temperaments with strengths, weaknesses and needs. When you are disseminating the APS tendencies to your counselees, you need to start out by saying:  “People with your temperament tend to do….”. By doing this, you are letting them know that they are not the only ones with this temperament.

February Encouragement 2024 I believe the Lord has impressed upon me to use a portion of a letter sent between AD 67-80, for the encouragement this month. The Holy Spirit has had it cooking in me for about a month now. This letter, I believe, if written today, would be highly relevant to our times. Here are verses 17-25 “But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts." These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, [be] glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”Jude 1:17-25 It was very difficult not to include the whole chapter here. If you haven’t read it in a while, please go back and soak in it for full effect. Every time I engage with this very powerful letter from Jude, it convicts me, shakes me, and leaves an even more indelible imprint of the Holy Spirit on me! After I have repented, I am able to get back up, knowing more deeply the mission set before me, and move forward to complete it - saving others. After reading Jude, please feel free to share what the Lord is revealing to you. Love you!

January Encouragement 2024 "We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us." {2 Cor. 1:8-10 NLT} When I saw this picture I connected with it on a very personal level and immediately knew I had to use it in this encouragement. Jesus has rescued me so many times even before I began following Him and He still rescues me today. The face on this lamb reflects the helplessness we all feel at one time or another. It can feel as though we're lost in the woods, and the flames are all around us. Those flames can take many forms, such as the pain of heartbreak, loss, confusion, and feelings of worthlessness and depression. I go back to what Paul and his ministry team were going through in Asia. They didn't think they would live through the overwhelming crush of troubles. They expected to die! Paul also says, "But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us." Let me just stop and thank the Lord for a moment… THANK YOU LORD FOR RESCUING ME! THANK YOU LORD FOR RESCUING US! THANK YOU LORD! THANK YOU LORD! THANK YOU LORD! We pray you have a very blessed year!

The 2023 NCCA Conference was held at the Hilton in Memphis, Tennessee, from Thursday, October 17th to Saturday. October 21, 2023. THURSDAY Morning, October 19th SPECIAL EVENT We had a “Day in Memphis” event. We went to the National Civil Rights Museum , and it was awesome. We could have spent the whole day there. After we left the museum, we had lunch at Charles Vergo’s Rendezvous Charcoal Ribs restaurant. The food was delicious! THURSDAY Evening, October 19th consisted of: CONFERENCE REGISTRATION 7:30 PM-8:30 PM FRIDAY, October 20th, we had a full day of sessions consisting of: WELCOME ADDRESS was presented by Rev. Steven M. Baran, President. SESSION 1 Counseling in a Culture of Faith Deconstruction was presented by Dr.Brett Travis. SESSION 2 Callings: Counseling and Evangelism was presented by Dr. Brett Travis. SESSION 3: The Ins and Outs of Rejection was presented by Dr. Al Jones. SESSION 4: The Power of Words was presented by Dr. Al Jones. SESSIONS 5 and 6: Maximum Counseling Ministry With Minimal Liability were presented by Attorney David C. Gibbs. SESSION 7: The Bible and the Counselor was presented by Dr. Charles Graham. SPECIAL EVENT: 6:30 –8:30 was presented by SHAWN HARPER. Shawn shared his powerful story of overcoming adversity and fulfilling God’s call on his life. SATURDAY, October 21st, we had a full day of sessions consisting of: SESSION 8: Are You Living With Faith or Living in Fear? was presented by Dr. Phyllis Arno. SESSION 9: Joint Session with the founders—was presented by Drs. Richard and Dr. Phyllis Arno. SESSION 10 and 11: Maneuvers Through Unexpected Detours was presented by Dr. Doug Stringer. SESSION 12 and 13: Healing From Abortion were presented by Dr. Abby Johnson. SESSION 14: The Messy Stuff was presented by Pastor Belinda Gruber. A BIG THANKS GOES TO…. Rev. Steve Baran, NCCA President, for his leadership abilities in lining up the conference location and all the behind-the-scenes efforts that it takes to make a conference a success. Rev. Baran was also the Master of Ceremonies and was available to give guidance to our members on a one-on-one basis. Jason Ferrell for all his work in helping to prepare for the conference and working with the hotel staff during the conference. Michael Andrews for his tech support as well as assisting the NCCA conference attendees during the conference. Mara Baran for doing a fantastic job laying out the conference notebook, as well taking photos at the photo booth and assisting wherever she was needed. Michael Dan, Linda Walker, Mark Winchell, Brian Colvin, and Erin Baran for keeping the main headquarters open to service our members who were unable to attend the conference. Dr. Richard Arno for his cheerful presence during the conference. And a very big THANK YOU to all of you who attended the conference in person or virtually! It was truly a JOY to be with you all! Most of all, we would like to thank the Lord for anointing the conference. We were all truly BLESSED! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF OUR NCCA FAMILY! MAY YOU HAVE A BLESSED, JOYFUL CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Advent is for adoring Jesus. The Christmas season is one of the busiest times of the year. But it is also a season of reflection and preparation for that special day when we mark Immanuel’s coming―the arrival of our eternal God in our own frail humanity. This is the greatest of history’s many wonders, something too stupendous to celebrate just on one day. Advent is a way of lengthening and intensifying the joy of Christmas. These 25 brief devotional readings from John Piper begin on December 1 and carry us to Christmas Day. Our hope is that God would use these meditations to deepen and sweeten your adoration of Jesus and help you keep him at the center of your Christmas season.

In the Beginning…. As I was praying asking for God’s guidance for the words to write my Christmas message, He gave me these Words from the Holy Scriptures: John 1:1-4: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the light was the light of men. John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:17: “For the law was given Moses, but grace and truth come by Jesus Christ.” John 14:6 “Jesus tells us in the Written Word—the Holy Scriptures, that He is the Living Word—The Way, the Truth and the Life.” John 6:51 Jesus tells us: “I am the living bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the word.” Jesus is the living Word of God. John 6:63 Jesus tells us: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The Words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 17:17 Jesus tells us “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth.” Luke 4:4 tells us: “But Jesus answered him, saying: It is written man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God.” Hebrews 4:12 tells us: “For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the diving asunder of soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Psalm 12:6 tells us: “The Words of the Lord are pure Words like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” Psalm 138:2 King David tells us: “I will worship toward the holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy name.” Proverbs 25:11 tells us: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures silver.” Please know that when we accept Jesus, the living Word, into our hearts, He comes to abide with us to guide and direct us. This year, please remember that Christmas is not just a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, it is much, much more than that as John 14:6 tells us that He is our Way, our Truth, and our Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. He is our only way to the Father! There is a beautiful Christmas hymn titled “Long Time Ago in Bethlehem” that reminds us that Jesus, the Living Word, came so that we can live forever more.' Long time ago in Bethlehem So the Holy Bible says Mary’s boy child Jesus Christ Was born on Christmas day Listen hear the angels sing A new king is born today And man will live forever more Because of Christmas day I pray for you this Christmas season that you have a God-blessed, Jesus-filled Christmas! Shalom! Shalom! Dr. Phyllis

THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING PARENTS BECOME AWARE OF THE NEED FOR THEIR SUPINE YOUTH TO GO THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS OVER THE LOSS OF A SURFACE AND/OR DEEP RELATIONSHIP. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This includes teaching them about death and dying. All over the world, our youth, as well as adults, are being deeply affected by disasters such as floods, hurricanes, forest fires and the deaths that have occurred such as a loss of parents, grandparents and friends. Sometimes parents can become so engulfed in their own grief over the death of a spouse, parent or friend that they do not realize their children are also grieving. Now, more than ever, we as Christian counselors, need to help the parents to become aware of the fact that when there is a death in the family or of a close friend, their youth will also be grieving. The parents must also understand that if they have several youths, that each youth will handle their grief in different ways as each youth will usually have a different temperament. Webster II defines grief as “Deep sadness as that caused by bereavement.” The Five Steps to Grief: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. If the Supine youth does not receive help to understand and move through the grieving process, they may become stuck in the anger stage. This anger can be directed towards God, their parents and/or others. We are going to review the Inclusion, Control and Affection areas of the Supine youth. SUPINE YOUTH IN INCLUSION REVIEWING GODLY WAYS PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR SUPINE YOUTH IN INCLUSION WORK THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS. Brief description of some of the tendencies of the Supine Youth in Inclusion: Task oriented/relationship oriented, have indirect behaviors, expect others to read their mind, have a high fear of rejection, internalize anger and view it as hurt feelings, have a gentle spirit and a servant’s heart, and like to serve others. Regarding the death of a surface or deep relationship, the Supine youth may tend to not open up regarding this death until somebody asks them about their loss, as they are responders, not initiators. Since they are not initiators, they may hold their grief inside for a long period of time. Since the Supine youth does not like to lose a relationship, they may also tend to feel anger towards the deceased because they do not like losing their friends. Since they are not initiators, they tend to feel very uncomfortable going to the funeral home or memorial services alone, but will attend if someone invites them. They also tend to be willing to do tasks for the family—if asked. HOW CAN PARENTS HELP THE SUPINE YOUTH IN INCLUSION MOVE THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS? They need to be aware that they themselves are grieving and that their youth will also be grieving They then should share with their youth that they are grieving too and that it is okay to grieve. Grieving is a normal emotion, and it is not a sign of weakness. They can help the Supine youth in Inclusion by being there for them and asking them to express how they feel. This is because the youth tends to need to have someone to talk with in order for them to let go of their grief and anger. The Supine youth tends to need a friend to be there for them. A friend that will listen and sympathize with them. The parents can also make an appointment with one of our temperament counselors for their youth. The temperament counselor will then generate an APS report on the youth and counsel them according to their temperament. SUPINE YOUTH IN CONTROL REVIEWING GODLY WAYS PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR SUPINE YOUTH IN CONTROL WORK THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS. Brief description of some of the tendencies of the Supine youth in Control: Enforcer of the rules, need confirmation of decisions they must make, fearful, anxious, manipulative, expect others to read their mind and know that they are grieving, faithful and loyal, need others to be responsible, withdrawn—at times, feel powerless and at the mercy of others. Regarding the death of a relationship in the Control area, the Supine youth may tend to pull away and pout because the deceased left them. In other words, they internalize their anger and mask it as “hurt feelings.” After others encourage them to go to the funeral home or memorial services they can then interact with others that are grieving. When they are with others, they will not feel so alone in their grief. Since the Supine youth does not want to be in control, they may also tend to feel anger towards the deceased because they needed them to confirm their decisions and now they must find someone else to help them make their decisions. HOW CAN PARENTS HELP THE SUPINE YOUTH IN CONTROL MOVE THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS? They first need to be aware that even though they themselves are grieving, their youth will also be grieving. They can share with the youth that they, the parents, are also grieving and that it is okay for them to grieve because grieving is not a sign of weakness, it is a normal emotion. They need to be aware of the depth of the Supine’s grief and that they “masked” this grief as “hurt feelings.” They can do this by initiating a conversation with them and encourage them to open up and share their thoughts. They need to also understand that this Supine youth tends to need others to initiate so that they can respond. Once the youth knows that others care and will listen, they will open up and talk about their fears and anger. They can also make an appointment with one of our temperament counselors for their youth. The temperament counselor will then generate an APS report on the youth and counsel them according to their temperament. SUPINE YOUTH IN AFFECTION REVIEWING GODLY WAYS PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR SUPINE YOUTH IN AFFECTION WORK THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS. Brief description of some of the tendencies of the Supine Youth In Affection: Need deep emotional contact, skin hungry (they need to touch people in order to feel connected), most loveable of the temperaments, express love and affection continuously, compassionate, emotionally unstable, and easily devastated if not reassured that they are loved. Regarding the death of a relationship in the deep Affection area, the Supine youth may tend to be withdrawn with feelings of rejection, and do not express their emotions. After they feel accepted, and tend to feel more comfortable they are more able to express their feelings to the deceased’s family with hugs and touching as well as serving them. Since the Supine tends to feel rejected, they may also tend to feel anger towards the deceased because they did not want them to leave (die). HOW CAN PARENTS HELP THE SUPINE YOUTH IN AFFECTION MOVE THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS? They first need to be aware that even though they themselves are grieving, their youth will also be grieving. They can share with the Supine youth in Affection that they, the parents, are also grieving and that it is okay to grieve and that grieving is not a sign of weakness; it is a normal emotion. The parents can also help the Supine youth in Affection by being there for them as they tend to need to have someone to talk with in order for them to process their thoughts, deal with their loss and then to admit that they are angry. This is because when a deep relationship dies, it is a great loss to them. The Supine youth tends to need “a shoulder to cry on” to bounce off their thoughts and have a good cry; they tend to want them to give them attention and to listen. Having a person that will listen and give them affection will help them deal with their loss. They can also make an appointment with one of our temperament counselors for their youth. The temperament counselor will then generate an APS report on the youth and counsel them according to their temperament. CONCLUSION It is so important that the parents become aware of the fact that their Supine youth in Inclusion, Control and/or Affection will need to go through the grieving process when they lose a close friend or relative. If they are not helped through the grieving process they may get stuck in the anger stage of grief as they tend to call their anger “hurt feelings.” It is important that they come to recognize their “hurt feelings” as anger. This is because they tend to keep this anger bottled up inside. They may carry this anger throughout their life and blame God for taking their friend or loved one. SCRIPTURES FOR THE SUPINE YOUTH IN INCLUSION, CONTROL, AND AFFECTION I Peter 5:7: “Casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you.” Matthew 11:28: “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengetheneth me.” Psalm 18:2: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation and my high tower.” “

October 25th - October 26th, 2024 We are thrilled to announce that Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been selected as the host city for our highly anticipated 2024 Conference! Watch our video to discover more about in-person and virtual registration, details on our host hotel, and an exclusive special event slated for Friday night. Your attendance will truly make this event memorable, and we're eagerly looking forward to your participation in Chattanooga!

The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent by Max Lucado Advent is for adoring Jesus. The Christmas season is one of the busiest times of the year. But it is also a season of reflection and preparation for that special day when we mark Immanuel’s coming―the arrival of our eternal God in our own frail humanity. This is the greatest of history’s many wonders, something too stupendous to celebrate just on one day. Advent is a way of lengthening and intensifying the joy of Christmas. These 25 brief devotional readings from John Piper begin on December 1 and carry us to Christmas Day. Our hope is that God would use these meditations to deepen and sweeten your adoration of Jesus and help you keep him at the center of your Christmas season.

Trinity Christian Counseling Institute A NCCA Certified Academic Institution My name is Dr. Earl V Butcher, PhD, PhD, DCC and I am the founder and director of Trinity Christian Counseling Academy, a Certified Academic Institution through the National Christian Counselors Association. This is my story. After having been in the ministry for several years, I realized that I was just not adequately trained to provide the level of counseling that was needed to meet the ever-growing needs of my clients. I remember going home at night totally exhausted and feeling that I should have been more helpful to those seeking answers to their life problems and Christian faith. I would pray, “Lord there has to be a better way that I, through You, can provide these hurting souls with answers based in Your Word that they can believe in and build on”. I heard about NCCA’s Christian Counselors program where I could learn at home at my own pace and would give me answers “with meat on them”! This got me excited and on fire to learn God’s way to bless His hurting people. I called NCCA for information and found everyone was so knowledgeable and kind. Within an hour I was speaking with Dr. Maureen Young, PhD and she explained exactly how the program worked and that she would be my supervisor and I was off and running! I came to love Dr. Young for her great knowledge and caring. Regardless of what I was experiencing, as soon as I spoke with her I would always feel better. She was certainly sent by God. I learned so much, such as how to research answers in the Word of God but also how to address families, physicians and other care givers. Also, the temperament theory and APS from Drs. Arno is AMAZING and allows the counselor to accurately focus on what the client needs. With that and the word of God, you can meet the needs of your clients. I prayed long and hard and decided to become a Certified Academic Institution and Supervisor. Since I enjoyed counseling so much, how much more rewarding would it be to actually teach others who have that calling to reach a multitude of others with Bible based counseling? In the small recesses of my mind, I can still hear Dr. Young’s voice saying “Never be afraid of being used by God; He will never disappoint you”. I was somewhat hesitant about starting an Academy because I had retired from my large counseling practice in Columbus, Ohio and moved back to my small hometown in rural West Virginia. God showed me that hurting people have needs in small towns the same as in large urban areas. With God (and Zoom and Skype) all things are possible and I still serve out of state clients! One of the great things about the NCCA program (and there are many) is that you get everything you need to be a top-notch Christian counselor with the basic program. You can then build on that if you so desire and get a Doctorate degree, which I did. I have loved every minute of it. My NCCA family consists of the most helpful, kind and loving individuals you will ever meet. They are actually concerned about your success and regardless of the many questions I have, everyone has always been knowledgeable and supportive. Shout out to Michael Dan-he has been such a blessing! When I got my first academic student I was somewhat confused on how to proceed and he personally walked me through the entire enrollment process, including how to order classes/books and APS. The NCCA family gives you such a sense of “togetherness” that you know you are not alone in this process. The help is there-all you have to do is ask. When I graduated my first student as a Certified Christian Counselor, he was so on fire that he is completing his Bachelors degree through NCCA affiliate Colorado Theology Seminary and plans to continue to earn his Masters and Doctorate degrees as well. He was recently ordained by his church and will stay with them as well as offering private counseling. What a phenomenal success story! It can be yours as well-all through NCCA. I would strongly advise anyone who has a calling to serve the Lord to the fullest, consider becoming a Christian Counselor to guide people in the way of the Lord and help them to heal as well as teach them how to continue on the right pathway. I must admit I receive much more satisfaction from counseling than I did from being a pastor. Finding NCCA and completing their Bible based courses has been one of the greatest, most rewarding career moves I have ever made. It is amazing to help hurting souls in their greatest time of need. With God and Drs. Arno’s temperament program, we can not only counsel people to overcome their problems but teach them how to become the person God made them to be before the world changed them, As an NCCA approved Certified Academic Institution, I am excited to be able to teach those with the calling to counsel how to reach others and give them hope and peace and the ability to get back to their best life and continue the harvest. With NCCA knowledge and God’s leading, you can’t go wrong!