By Jonathan Decker (Clinical Director, LMFT) Reading devastating reports of LGBT teens and adults who die, or attempt to die, by suicide because of a struggle to reconcile religion with sexuality, I need to speak up. I can only speak for myself, but if my voice contributes to a chorus that helps keeps even one of you alive and gives you hope, it’s worth saying something. I speak to strugglin ...[Read More]
“Stay Alive.” – A Believer’s Open Letter to the LGBT Community
Want to Save Marriage and Religious Freedom? Leave Gay Marriage Alone
By Jonathan Decker (Clinical Director, LMFT) I got an email recently from a Christian newsletter I subscribe to. While I share their enthusiasm for Christ and for families, this particular message was disturbing. They wanted me to join them in trying to overturn the Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage. They want to put things back the way they used to be. As a Bible-believing, Jesus-lovin ...[Read More]
How a Catholic, a Protestant, and a Latter-day Saint Shared Easter in Peace
By Jonathan Decker (Clinical director, LMFT) Catholics, Evangelicals, and Latter-day Saints. Three divergent branches of Christianity whose doctrinal differences have led to everything from declaring each other un-Christian to literal warfare. There have been harsh judgments, persecutions, retaliations, and all sorts of behavior that Jesus would certainly weep over. Yet one beautiful weekend I dis ...[Read More]
Can Faith Actually Ease the Loneliness of Singles?
Jonathan’s note: This poem was written by one of my clients, a single Christian woman of great faith. With her permission, I share the poem in the hope that it will help any struggling single sisters out there. The Only Man for Me As I sit here, looking out to sea I pray for a man to rescue me One who is strong and kind But he is hard to find. I have searched from place to place. Hoping tha ...[Read More]
When 40,000 Christians Gave a Muslim a Standing Ovation
By Jonathan Decker, Clinical Director, LMFT Lately it feels like America is being torn asunder. Between hate crimes against the LGBT community, divisive politics, cops shooting civilians, civilians shooting cops, and mass media stirring the pot, as a nation we seem in short supply of unity, understanding, and shared respect. But my wife and I witnessed a moment of love and gratitude that will rema ...[Read More]
“All Hands on Deck” – How Christ Rescues Us From Despair
Jonathan’s note: Although I am a man of faith, I have the utmost respect for those who do not share my beliefs. I share this deeply personal poem, which I wrote years ago in a time of turmoil, in the hope that it will bring spiritual relief to those looking for such. “All Hands on Deck” By Jonathan Decker The world’s a storming, tumultuous sea With multitudes drowning, str ...[Read More]
The Forgotten Gift That Jesus Wants for Christmas
By Jonathan Decker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist I’m not sure how I’d feel if for my birthday, my friends gave gifts to everyone but me. Yet that’s exactly what Jesus wants, if the scriptures are to be believed. One of his most familiar teachings gains fresh meaning when applied to the Christmas season: “I was an hungered and ye gave me meat. I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink. I was ...[Read More]
How God’s Love Can Help You to Love Yourself
By Jonathan Decker, Clinical Director, LMFT Billions of people worldwide believe in God in some form or another. One of the most universal doctrines is that God loves everyone. Sometimes people settle into the idea that “God loves everyone simply because He’s God.” To me, this is a lazy, impractical theology. If God just arbitrarily loves everyone, vaguely and collectively, then ...[Read More]
Jesus Asked for Help, So Why Don’t We?
By Jonathan Decker, Clinical Director, LMFT Believers and nonbelievers tend to agree that the story of Jesus Christ inspires people to lighten the burdens of others. One of his most influential teachings is that the “greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). Practicing what he preached, Jesus reached out to the poor, the needy, and the sick. With tenderness and compassion he perfo ...[Read More]
THE EVOLUTION OF THOMAS HALL: Brilliant Novel About Narcissist’s Redemption
By Jonathan Decker Film director Kieth Merrill has won an Academy Award. He’s made a dozen IMAX movies. He’s given us Mr. Krueger’s Christmas, Legacy, The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd, and more recently the charmingly old-fashioned 12 Dogs of Christmas films. After such a prestigious career, it’s hard to believe that this filmmaker’s most thought-provoking and spiritually mature work is ...[Read More]