From divorce to financial ruin, teenage rebellion to sexual abuse, natural disaster to imprisonment — such crises are a normal part of life, normal and painful, and God-help-me prayers.

The English word crises comes from the Greek krisis, meaning “a decision point.” In a crisis, you can fall under the weight of it or develop new skills to overcome it.

What crisis are you facing now? What help do you need to overcome it?

This is the wondrous hope: You are not alone. God is with you. In you.

 I in them and you in me. John 17:23, NIV

“A crisis is a decision point,” says Chuck Colson, “often a point where people determine whether they will turn to God or away from him.”

How will your crisis change you? Are to looking to God or away?

Chances are, you’ve faced a crisis or two in the past year–whether financial stress, health scares, and relational problems.

To overcome a crisis, you need:

1. Support

You need support. Support from family and friends — or a godly, same-gender counselor — helps you crawl through the confusion, questions, anger, fear, and sadness. The ideal is belonging to and getting godly encouragement from the church, the body of Christ.

2. Courage

You need courage. Sometimes you’re afraid to reach out and let others know your crisis. Your crisis may be embarrassing or shameful. You may feel guilt, real or false. Perhaps you were emotionally burned by a church and lack a church home.

3. Faith

You need faith. When the bottom falls out, have faith that God will not only catch you but also redeem your pain and make you a stronger, more beautiful woman who wants what God wants.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4, NIV)

May I encourage you to contact me?

As a biblical counselor I’ve helped thousands of women and their families have hope and find God’s healing through my Skype counseling, in-person counseling, webinars, blog, and website.

Visit my counseling information page here.

photo credit: mysza831 via photopin cc