The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

A relationship strengthening guide for intimate connections By: Dwight Bain LMHC  Can a stuffed animal with a romantic message solve a relationship problem? Nope. Neither can a trip to the jewelry store, boxes of chocolate, sappy cards, balloons or vases of expensive flowers… none of these can fix a distant, damaged or dying relationship. But the VASE can.   Let me explain why. Relationships take work. There is no easy way to achieve closeness and connection on an intimate level without time, talking and gentle touch. It can’t be done. We’ve all seen the commercials about a couple having a romantic exchange in a restaurant as the waiter brings them a special dessert with a diamond ring attached to a note that says, “ Marry me”.   But as a counselor of more than 30 years I can tell you if that couple were distant or detached from each other before they got to the restaurant the jewelry would only be a shiny trinket that didn’t repair hurt, selfishne...

By Dwight Bain Do you remember the classic pop song that included the lyric - “Look at all the lonely people.” I sure do, especially since it perfectly described how I felt during a dark time in high school. I felt completely lost and lonely… literally like no one cared. Those negative emotions didn’t stop with loneliness… no, they kept sliding into more sadness and even pity. It was a deep hole, but thankfully my parents saw me sliding away and made an appointment for me to talk with my youth pastor, Dave Hurd. Brother Dave, as I knew him, helped me see beyond my loneliness and almost 40 years later I’m still grateful. God used his life to challenge me to climb out of that dark place and now I want to share with you the insight he gave me so long ago. My hope is that this truth would help you and those you love to not spend one more day feeling lost and lonely. Picture being in a pastor’s office to hear these words of wisdom that were life-changing for me. ...

By Christine Hammond, MS, IMH Sometimes the most meaningful moment as a parent comes in the middle of another conversation, has little to nothing to do with the topic at hand and is uncharacteristically transparent. Looking back on the moment you wish there had been a bright shining light calling your attention it so you could take it more slowly and savor every second. But time marches at the same pace and without reflection, the significance of those moments is often lost and the power to heal old wounds is unrecognized. I had such a moment with my fourteen year old son just this past week. The filter in his ADHD brain telling him not to comment on certain things is underdeveloped even for his age while his critical thinking skills far exceed his age. This combination makes for very interesting and frequently frustrating conversations and since he loves to talk there is no shortage of either. This week he shocked me with, “I’m glad that you are a working mom” and since he o...

By Chris Hammond, MS Whether you are still single or find yourself single again, the prospect of dating can be overwhelming. There is quite a bit of advice about dating but not much about preparing to date. Deciding in advance why you are dating and what type of person you want to date, makes the decision of whether or not to date someone or how long to date someone much easier. Why date. For some, the purpose of dating is to discover if the person you are interested in getting to know better is has the potential for becoming a long term partner. This is not about getting a marriage proposal on the first date; rather it is an acknowledgement that there is a desire for something more at some point in time. For others, dating has one purpose, to have fun. For the fun seekers, the idea of any commitment longer than one date is too much for them. Generally speaking, this is why those interested in just having fun are not good matches for those interested in long term commitments. ...

By Linda Riley Points to Consider: 1. Depend a lot on God and prayer. Pray for them and with them. 2. It is wise to control our children when they are young, as we cannot control the choices adolescents and teens will make. 3. Take an active role in selecting their peer group in their early years of school, choosing children who have parents with similar values. This avoids a lot of problems down the road. 4. Develop their character through deep-focused discussions, teaching important values and beliefs. 5. Provide them with a standard to help measure what is right and what is wrong. 6. Through communication, help them learn how to think and evaluate choices for themselves. 7. Model what you are teaching and what you believe. 8. Be interested in them and what they’re doing. 9. Look for character-building opportunities. 10. Don’t over-control, but confront them on accepting responsibility for their choices and actions. 11. Take children to church and Sunday/Sabbath school wh...

By: Aaron Welch, LMHC, NCC, CSOTS Where do you find value? How do you know that you’re important in this world? What makes you feel special? Do you even feel valuable? These are important…no, essential questions that we must ask ourselves because the answers to these questions will determine how much impact we will make on our world. It’s true…the answers to these questions directly tie into our sense of contentment, joy, motivation, and relationships. Where do you seek value in this life? For many, and I DO mean many, the answer is that they seek their value in their performance. How much are they DOING? How good is their behavior? How many mistakes are they making? Are they achieving excellence or simply mediocrity? How do others view their performance level? Are they scoring an A or and F on the report card of their lives…maybe a C……oops…..today it’s a D, no... a B….no, an A……oh, I don’t know. Whether it is in the secular world or in the realm of Christianity, much of t...

By John C. Maxwell Almost nightly, the fate of the American health care system headlines the evening news. With costly inefficiencies plaguing the system, employers and workers alike have felt the pain of skyrocketing premiums. Politicians on opposite ends of the political spectrum disagree on the best policies for the future, but there seems to be consensus that the system isn't working well. I'm not advocating a position in the health care debate. I simply want to point out the headaches caused when we don't have good systems. What's true nationally applies individually as well. Broken systems lead to disorganization, confusion, and chaos whereas smooth systems allow us to move quickly and efficiently. The reason for this lesson is to help you understand the importance of developing good systems in your personal and professional leadership. The exact systems that work for me may not pertain to you. It's up to you to find the systems that will benefit you the most....

By Dwight Bain, Nationally Certified Counselor & Life Coach Someone asked me this question recently, “Will God love me if I have a low credit score?” I couldn’t believe it! They were under so much pressure to be financially perfect they made the wrong connection between having limited financial resources and experiencing spiritual abundance. Your worth as a human being isn’t based on the amount of stuff you have or how you may appear to have it all together on the outside. The Bible says that God loves you, just because it’s you. Not because of wealth, good looks, a big house or great job. You don’t have to be perfect to experience God’s love, but you do have to reach out in dependence knowing that you need a relationship with Him. Prideful, independent people who push through life don’t stop to recognize their need for God until they are facing some type of crisis, (and in the crisis it’s always easier to reach out for God’s help). So the answer to the question is Yes, Yes, Ye...