Our Creative Problem-Solver
“There are many times and many surprising ways that God shows up and changes even the most hopeless situations…God enters a heart-breaking situation and, by revealing His presence, love, strength, resources, and specific guidance, creates a path through the most painful wildnerness….We never know how He is going to show up.” –Cloud/Townsend
Ask God to surprise you in your current situation; don’t be prescriptive of how He needs to solve your problem. He’s God. He’s got the big picture. He knows how to bring beauty from ashes, and good from evil. He’s right there with you, fighting for you even if you cannot see/feel Him. Know that God is going to be creative and custom-fitting with how He orchestrates what you are going through. Our job is to trust and grow. And then applaud Him.
When It’s Pleasant to Go to the Hospital
“Marriage and family may provide the best hospital for our ancient wounds…”
 ”The cry of life is ‘I deserve to be loved unconditionally.’ “ –Sam Keene
2 interesting quotes. I’ve always heard that marriage/family characterized as a laboratory (for creating something beautiful for the future), and now as a hospital (recovering from wounds of the past while in loving company). Unfortunately, those settings oftentimes become war zones that cause wounds instead of hospitals. Marriages/families, if God-honoring, should be places of as close to unconditional loving as possible, realizing we will fail on occasion due to our humanness.  I would encourage taking on an activity that I just did last month, that of writing a family mission statement and a marriage mission statement. These I will try to follow and to cheerlead in my home as guiding principles that get us close to unconditional love that God models for us.
An Hour of Life Coaching for Teachers
An Hour of Life Coaching for Teachers
This seminar helps teachers, or anyone for that matter, look inside to see who they are/what they stand for; where they want to go with their lives; and how to set up initial goals/habits for getting there.
How to Have a Good Time
Deuteronomy 14:26 (MSG) [After you have given God your tithe/first place], “you and your family can then feast in the Presence of God, your God, and have a good time.”
A prayer for today:
“My Father, this Scripture shows how much You want me to put you first place in my money, my affection, and my trust for help from You. When I”m there in my heart (and playing it out practically), You wnat me to enjoy this life–in fact, I’ll enjoy it more with proper priorities. Send me and my family a time of feasting! In Jesus, Amen.”
Who Needs to Grant Forgiveness?
“I know You’ve washed me white, turn my darkness into life. I need your peace to get me through, to get me through this night. I can’t live by what I feel, about the truth Your word reveals. I’m not holding on to You.” –East to the West (Casting Crowns)
I’ve hung around more people in pain in the last 2 years than ever before in my life, and I’ve seen a lot of hurt. A lot of those people have trouble going to God because at some level, they were responsible for a share of the painful situation they were currently in. And even if they confess to Him, they don’t FEEL forgiven, despite reading the promises of God in Scripture and deep-down knowing His character. Maybe it’s unbelievable at some level. And maybe it’s us who need to forgive ourselves. Maybe that’s the obstacle to cross to get to basking in His unconditional forgiveness. A place where the Evil One can keep us down, ineffective in life in Kingdom-purposes. But I think even if we have a blindfold of the lack of self-forgiveness on, we can still reach out for Him and He will be found–and we can still pray for His peace.
Masks are Heavy
“Am I the only one who’s traded in the altar for a stage? The performance is convincing and we know every line by heart. Only when no one is watching can we really fall apart.” –Stained Glass Masquerade (Casting Crowns)
I remember growing up when tennis star Andre Agassi promoted the line “Image is Everything” for the camera he was advertising. He was flashy, outside the box, and animated. Since we are about the same age, I often wondered what he was like on the inside. I think many of us have that view of others around us in church: what are they like when they aren’t “performing” or looking good in the big group? And then we look inward and say, I wonder how much they know of the real me. It’s tough to keep up a false front, and so relieving to be able to be transparent with safe people, who then can be used of God to help us grow to be more of who we were created to be. Sometimes “falling apart” with safe people is the first step to being authentic, which then can lead to rebuilding.
Questions to Self-Evaluate
Sharpen your behavior by taking some time to reflect on these questions. Then take the next action step.
Productivity:
- What are 3 things that give me the most payoff on your job?
- How much time do I spend on those 3 things?
- Do I have written goals in these payoff areas? How often do I regularly evaluate them?
- Do I set deadlines for self and others in these deadlines?
Purpose:
- Why did I get up this morning?
- Do I revisit my purpose and vision and have those closest to me holding me accountable to fulfilling it?
- Am I passing the torch to those who are coming behind me?
- What am I trying to accomplish this year?
With others:
- Are those under my lead growing and well cared-for?
- What is my life communicating to those around me?
- Is my love for people increasing?
- Who needs to be thanked/encouraged?
- Who do I feel out-of-touch with? Do I need to re-connect and how?
- What partnerships am I forming to achieve my goals and expand my network?
Energy:
- Am I living and serving within my God-given boundaries?
- Where is my spiritual health?
- Do I carve out time for thinking creatively?
Conflict resolution:
- What is bothering me? What am I going to do about it?
- How can I get feedback about potentially-unnoticed problem issues?
- Is there any person I am avoiding or feel uncomfortable around? Why?
With spouse:
- When is the last time I got my spouse a thoughtful gift? Went on a date with him/her?
Strengths:
- What are my biggest strengths, and how am I leveraging them?
- Who do I need to complement my strengths?
Personal/professional development:
- What books am I reading and what is the big thought in them?
- What “a-ha’s” have I gotten lately from people or resources? What step do I need to take to follow up those discoveries?
Time management:
- What did I do for the last 15 minutes?
Growing Forward Services
If you are interested in making an appointment for a consultation or a session toward getting unstuck and to your goals, please contact me at my email of pcgrowingforward@gmail.com
Paul D. Casey
M. Ed./Registered Counselor/Life-Coach
I welcome you and look forward to working with you, to be an encourager that walks alongside you to help you get unstuck and to reach your goals. I hope that you will feel free to speak openly about your hopes, concerns, goals, and progress. It will be critical to identify the debris (negative patterns) that are keeping you anchored from pursuing your goals, then to own the responsibility for the changes necessary for your growth within the boundaries of what you CAN control, and to replace old behaviors with emerging new skill-sets/tools that better get you where you want to be. My goal is to stretch you to reach your fullest potential!
I utilize a variety of modalities including, but not limited to client-centered therapy, cognitive therapy, solution-focused therapy and life-coaching. Between sessions, I will provide homework: exercises or resources to guide your growth. Doing these activities will help you understand yourself better and hopefully give you more clarity for decision-making on the road you are traveling.
I am particularly interested in facilitating the areas of: life-coaching, rebuilding your life, marital separation, men’s issues, pre-marital counseling, parenting, and relationships.
In accordance with good professional practice, I am committed to updating my training with continuing education, especially in researching how I can specifically better assist you in your situation. I network with other counselors and am a member of The American Counseling Association.