20 Minute Christian Counselor Robb Oram

I've learned that despite the fact the we know God forgives us, many of us struggle to forgive ourselves. What makes this so hard? Is forgiving ourselves even the right thing to do? If so, how in the world do we go about doing it? In this episode I reference a website I use all the time and find very helpful: www.blueletterbible.org. Check it out.A couple of relevant verses about forgiveness:"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1)."If we con...

God designed the marriage relationship to be the most intimate of all. Yet, sometimes we don't feel the closeness and connection we'd like to experience with our spouses. In this episode, I offer three practical strategies you can begin to implement today, which I guarantee will help you grow closer and more connected to each other.Here are the key biblical references I mention in this episode:“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become ...

We all have our fears-we may not even be aware of some of them. They're impacting our lives more than we realize, and we tend to try to cope with them in unhelpful, unhealthy ways. In this episode, I share some healthy responses to fear, and explain how God can help us deal with it.“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”(Isaiah 41:10)“I sought the Lord, and He answered me and deli...

Marriage is challenging for all of us, because no spouse is perfect. But, some spouses are extremely difficult- even to the point of being "toxic." In this episode, I describe characteristics of a toxic spouse, and I offer some practical strategies to implement to help you cope in a very difficult situation.Some excerpts from the Bible describing God's plan for marriage:“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irrit...

Temptation is something we all deal with. What makes it so difficult? What can we do to avoid giving in to it? How can God help us? In this episode, I offer some answers to these critical questions.Jesus' challenge to do "whatever it takes" to avoid giving in to temptation can be found in Matthew 5:29-30.God's promise to get us out of any temptation we face can be found in I Corinthians 10:13.The apostle Paul’s encouragement to us to fill our minds with good things can be found in Philippians...

Do you ever feel confused, ashamed, or frustrated about how you feel? Have you ever wondered why you feel a certain way? Are you struggling with how to deal with your emotions? Should you deny them, ignore them, or go with them? In this episode, I address the issue of what to do with our feelings, and how we can learn to manage them in a godly, biblical way.Here's what God says about our hearts:"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, sea...