We have a special episode this week that you will not want to miss! Mark and Andy spend some time talking with Michael Bozeman, a Licensed Professional Counselor with Pathways Professional Counseling. Pathways is a ministry of the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries, and they provide Christ-centered counseling for all ages and stages of life, including those in ministry. Along with serving as a licensed counselor, Michael is also an ordained minster, having served on staff in the local church for over fifteen years. As you listen, you will find Michael’s love for people, and especially pastors, to be very obvious. In this episode, we will discuss an important topic during these stressful times, spiritual and mental health. Along with addressing the problem of anxiety, stress, fear, and depression, Michael also mentions some practical ways to stay healthy while leading in the local church. If this episode hits home with you, and you would like to find out more about the ministry of Pathways, or if you would like to get in touch with Michael, you can reach their office at 1-866-991-6864.
Snippets from our conversation with Michael…
“I pray that, when I get an opportunity to sit across from pastors… I help them recognize the lie of the enemy and replace it with what we know to be true.”
“So, as it stands now, we have close to twenty-five counselors in forty-four locations across the state of Alabama from Mobile to Huntsville.”
“The reason counseling works, is because we are unlocking what Christ has called us to do: share our burdens with one another, sharpen each other.”
“It’s not about someone telling me something I don’t already know, it’s about somebody listening to me.”
“…Look through the Gospel to your (journaled) words, and if there is a disconnect, it’s going to point out the place in your life where the enemy is lying.”
“What does it look like for us to take a step back and say, ‘You know what, Lord, it’s Your church, it’s not mine.’”
“When it gets overwhelming, and it gets harder than you thought it could be, and you feel like you’ve got nowhere to go, I feel like that’s what Jesus has called me to do in the midst of this.”