Pastor,voican
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fM h t f t t ovM withDr.ClydeM. Narramore Dr. Narramore, graduate of Columbia University, New York City, is a nationally known psychologist. He is the director of one of America’s largest psy chological clinic / The Christian Counseling Center in Rosemead, California.
yourusefulnes
P A S T O R ’S S T U D Y
C O U N S E L IN G H O U R S
grow spiritually. The problem with many Christians is that, first, they are not reading the Bible; and sec ond, they are not obeying it if they do. You say that you are reading the Bible. I would urge you to con tinue, and God will lead and guide you. Then you mention your own un happy childhood and that you do not wish your children to say the same. Oh, how I wish I could get this mes sage over to everyone in America, that the child who experiences a diffi cult childhood — whose basic emo tional needs are not met in child hood — will very often grow up in the teen and adult years to develop emotional and mental p r ob l ems . Many thousands of letters that come to our headquarters in Rosemead, California tell this same story. Many of the people who come to our coun seling clinics depressed, troubled, suffering from ‘the blues’ as you call it, have experienced a difficult child hood. Indeed, this is almost without exception. All research studies in mental illness indicate that this is the prime cause of severe distur bance, confusion, poor mental health and mental illness. A difficult and unhappy childhood carries over into adulthood and often is the cause of maladjustment later on in life. You ask, “What can I do to dis pel the blues?” First, you need more spiritual strength. We have discussed how you can grow spiritually. Secondly, since you are still quite young and your problem seems to be severe, you may need some professional help. If it is possible for you to come to one of our counseling centers, or if there is a Christian psychiatrist or psy chologist in your area, you will find that a few individual sessions with him will prove helpful. Then these impulses will be broken. As we dis cuss these problems, put them right out on the table and ventilate them, they lose the power in our lives. I would suggest this kind of help for you, because apart from it, your problems may became considerably worse.
DOES NOT WANT HER CHILD TO BE LIKE HER Q. Today, as I listened to your pro gram, Psychology For Living, you could have been talking about me. I was especially impressed that this other woman had written, “I don’t want my children to be like me.” This is one of my fears, that my little girl will grow up into the ner vous, overweight, finger nail-biting teenager that 1 was. I’ve been a Christian for just a little less than a year. I read my Bible every day and pray. Even so, I still have some difficult days: times of depression — the ’ blues,’ I guess you could call it. I don’t want to go through life like this. I know it can affect my husband and our home. I’ve always found it hard to trust other people and to confide in them. I did not have a happy childhood and I do not want my child to have to say this about her childhood. What can I do to dispel these blues, and to have a happier Chris tian life? A . First let me say that I appreci ate this letter in which you have shared freely not only your prob lems but your wonderful purpose and goal for your own child’s happiness. There are two or three things we should discuss. You say you have been saved just less than one year. Now this is just wonderful, for, as we accept Christ we become new creatures in Him. We are given a new nature. As a psychologist, I want to encourage you in your Chris tian faith for this is the greatest thing that can ever happen to a per son: to acknowledge that God is the Creator of us all, and then to realize that He sent His Son to die for our sins and now through faith in Him, we can have this close, loving re lationship with God Himself. Of course we still have the old nature too as the Bible makes clear. So don’t expect that everything will change all at once. God is changing us every minute. He does this as we diligently study His Word every day, and then as we obey His Word, we
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You gi ve y ou r se l f around the clock. But the
problems people bring to you be come increasingly more complex. You try to pick up the pieces of broken relationships. You recognize loneliness . . . depression . . . incom patibility . . . sexual problems . . . financial binds . . . rebellious children . . . alcoholism . . . breakdowns. You know the value of listening, the power of the personal touch, the heal ing of Christian love. But you wish for increased skill in pointing the way to specific solutions. You’d like more pro fessional know-how as you counsel. We can help you consider the prob lems of your people from three basic aspects: the spiritual, the emotional and the physiological. That’s why we’re here. We take your problems seriously. This is our calling. Week after week we deal with hun dreds of human problems that keep people from living freely. Our staff of 16 Christian psychologists and profes sional counselors plus our medical doctor represents quality help for you. Let us multiply your usefulness. Four times a year we offer a month of intensive training in Christ-centered professional counseling at our new in ternational headquarters. Pastors and missionaries from 20 states and six foreign countries took the training in 1967. As a result their ministries have been greatly enriched. You, too, can multiply your usefulness. Write today for information.
E V E R Y P E R S O N IS
W O R T H U N D E R S T A N D IN G
NARRAMORE CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION
R O S E M E A D , C A L IF O R N IA 91770
39
OCTOBER, 1968
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