Life Without Baggage : Insights from Christian Counseling for Greater Confidence, Courage & Comfort

I have been using prayers that include the names of God at the end of my podcasts.  Here is a video version of the prayer from the episode "God Fights for Me" posted on 10/23/22. (Some apps will only support this as an audio file.  The video version is available on Spotify, Facebook, and Instagram.)   If this helps you, please share it with a friend!  Blessings!  Dr. Toni Cooper 🧳Leave me a messa...

Jesus is the Lamb of God but He is also the LION of Judah.  This episode explores What the Bible teaches about how God fights for me (0:34"), How to access the peace and power of God for your battles (11:06"), and Resources and Prayer of DECLARATIONS (16:21"). 🧳Leave me a message about the baggage you released https://www.speakpipe.com/LifeWithoutBaggage ✅ Important Links: 👉 Audio Books on Amaz...

This episode looks at triggers and how they impact us.  God desires to restore us from the calamities of life and bring us into wholeness.  At the end of the podcast, I offer a prayer you can use to declare restoration over yourself and your loved ones. Understanding Triggers (0:52); Recognizing the role of  body, soul, and spirit (3:29); God as Our Healer, Jehovah Rapha (4:39); How to access the...

We continue to look at how God meets us as at our point of need.  Today we look at how, in Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit to help us live a meaningful life. Who is the Holy Spirit (0:44") ? What does the Holy Spirit do for us as believers in Jesus  (4:06") ?  How do wine and oil symbolize the function of the Holy Spirit  (14:50") ? How can we flow more in Spirit life (17:19") ? Resources and Praye...

God Almighty - El Shaddai - describes the attributes of God that comfort, nurture, and cover us like a blanket or a hug.  Here are my notes and the Scriptures which explain how God can meet our needs for restoration and  comfort.  At the end, I close with a blessing based on John 15:9-11. 🧳Leave me a message about the baggage you released https://www.speakpipe.com/LifeWithoutBaggage ✅ Important...

There are principles, strategies, and Scriptures we can draw on to help us be fortified in the power of God for our lives even (and especially) when we are under pressure. Strategies, Principles, and Attitudes that help us move towards wholeness under pressure (1:13"); How understanding our covenant relationship with God can move us forward and give us peace (10:01");  Scriptures that illuminate t...

I've invited my dance partner, David Miller, to examine the ways that ballroom dance corresponds to following God's leading in our daily lives. We explore The ways that following/leading create harmony, beauty, and joy in dance (0:40"); How this synchrony illustrates the way we follow Our Lord for maximum peace, satisfaction, and joy in good times and bad (11:53"); Resources and Prayer of Blessing...

We are offered restoration for our souls (mind, will, emotions) in various places throughout the Bible.  In this episode we take a detailed look at Jesus as Our Shepherd who tenderly attends to us (from Psalm 23 1:30"), Jesus as the Good Shepherd who voluntarily lays down His life for our restoration (from John 10 9:00"), The Lord will communicate with us in various ways order to renew us and give...

Peace is associated with proper order in our relationships, beginning with our relationship to Our King. Definition of the Kingdom of God by Dr. Miles Munroe (1:02"); Order creates the environment for peace, safety, and personal growth (1:51"); Proper relationship to God (4:44"); Healthy vs. unhealthy relationship to authority (8:21"); Function of family and church from a kingdom perspective (12:4...

This episode looks at: The definition of the kingdom of God by Dr. Myles Munroe (1:02"), The Principles the Bible teaches about God's Will (1:58"), The Attitudes that help us grow in our knowledge of God's Will (13:00"), Practical strategies to help you discern God's will in personal decisions (14:30"), and Resources and Prayer for the listener (19:40"). The worship song I mention is called "Oh Th...

Most people do not understand their authority in the Kingdom of God.  We have our greatest fulfillment and joy as we learn how to live out of our Kingdom identity and purpose.  This episode explores: How Christ delegates HIS authority to us for the personal restoration of lives (2:02"), Why people DO NOT exercise their power in the Kingdom of God (5:14"), God RESTORES His original purpose and desi...

Here we consider: The DEFINITION and Description of "The Kingdom of God",   Kingdom  ATTITUDES in contrast with the spirit of the world (9:09"), and  Resources and Prayer for our progress (20:03"). 🧳Leave me a message about the baggage you released https://www.speakpipe.com/LifeWithoutBaggage ✅ Important Links: 👉 Audio Books on Amazon: https://bit.ly/48x5M2V 👉 Books on Amazon: https://bit.ly/4...

We develop wisdom, depth, and maturity as we understand how God builds His kingdom in us. This episodes explores secrets from Matthew 13:52 in developing personal wisdom and depth. 🧳Leave me a message about the baggage you released https://www.speakpipe.com/LifeWithoutBaggage ✅ Important Links: 👉 Audio Books on Amazon: https://bit.ly/48x5M2V 👉 Books on Amazon: https://bit.ly/48x5M2V 👉 Website...

Continuing with Vince Didato, LPCC-S, we look at how to stay on track during the transitions/crisis points of life. You will want to pay special attention to the segment on Object Constancy and how it impacts our sense of security with other people and with God (11:07"). There is a prayer to repair our sense of security (object constancy) at the end of the podcast (20:39"). How we HANDLE crisis an...

Author and therapist Vince Didato, LPCC-S, joins me again to discuss common factors that can interfere with us successfully navigating transitions/crisis in life.  Obstacles, Challenges, and Personality Temperament (1:15"); Attitudes, Mental "grids", and old ways of coping that can keep us from moving forward (4:57"); Trauma and default ways of coping (7:00"); Risk, Trust, and Passion for living (...

We can stabilize a positive sense of self or identity.  A secure identity gives us the courage to approach God and life with confidence.  Seeing ourselves the way God sees us gives us the courage to pray the impossible (0:44"), Possible signs of self esteem issues (2:02"), Natural tendencies to build or protect self esteem (4:32"), Deepening our sense of security in our connection to God (6:44"),...

Continuing on "Praying the Impossible" today, I unpack Isaiah 62:10 that teaches us how to get past barriers for ourselves and our loved ones with God's strategies for breakthrough. Heavenly Gates, Authority, and Resurrection Power (1:15"); Gates and Keys (6:52"); Free will, Prayers, and Personal Responsibility (10:47"); Supernatural Highways, Staircases, and Angels (13:12"); Stones, Wounds, Sin,...

Today, my guest is Vince Didato who wrote the book Awakening to the Goodness of God.   We unpack the ways to understand the supernatural repair that God can do in our lives and families.  Vince is also a therapist, public speaker, director of a counseling agency, and my brother!   I haven't provided timestamps on this episode because the conversation weaves back and forth across these topics. Unde...

Tips on how to minimize the drama in dating.  This is not a substitute for medication or counseling. Things to think about BEFORE you date (0:58"), Know Your Tendencies (5:19"), Getting to KNOW a new person (7:44"), ONLINE dating (10:28"), PACE your relationship - Dos and Don'ts (14:00"), Getting OUT of a bad relationship (16:45"), and Resources (19:23"). Watch the video version of this podcast on...

This episode looks at ways to manage stress and to improve our sleep.  This is not a substitute for medical advice or counseling.  Understanding Brain Wiring (1:40"), Stress Management for the body (3:13"), Stress Management for the mind (7:34"), Relational Stress (11:23"), Spiritual approaches to increase peace (13:01"), Balance in living (14:29"), Improving your sleep quality (15:36"), and Resou...

This episode looks at reasons we DON'T get the exercise we need, medical research on the BENEFITS of exercise to our minds and bodies, and simple steps to INCREASE your activity level. Review of 4 Lifestyle Factors to maximize health (0:36"), Psychological factors that influence our motivation to exercise - and why people don't exercise (1:37"), Resurrection power for our needs (4:52"), Research o...

Good health is not the result of good luck or great genes.  There are practical steps we can take to strengthen our body and our immune system. Here are some things I have learned about healthier living during the last year.  (This is not a substitute for medical advice.  Talk to your doctor if you want to make change.) Physical health and coping (1:18"), 4 Recommendations by functional medicine p...

How to understand and grow through suffering. God wants to empower us to overcome any sorrow (0:58"), Principles for healing using an example from medicine (1:45"), Resistance to the process (3:53"), What can I learn from suffering? (5:52"), How does God bring good out of suffering? (7:20"), Abiding vs. visiting God (13:40"), and Resources (14:35"). 🧳Leave me a message about the baggage you relea...

We all have assumptions about who God is and how we THINK He views us.  This episode explores Who God says He is (0:44"), Why people don't see God accurately (6:35"), Suggestions (11:44") with PRAYER to RELEASE Distortions (13:16"), and Resources to see God more clearly (16:07"). 🧳Leave me a message about the baggage you released https://www.speakpipe.com/LifeWithoutBaggage ✅ Important Links: 👉...

We often allow ourselves to be defined by our pain, our circumstances, or the attitudes in our culture.  This episode looks at Automatic and sometimes unhealthy responses to suffering - deserved or undeserved (0:40"), God's response to our suffering (3:44"), God's closeness to us during any type of suffering (8:00"), and How to deepen your connection to God during your difficulties (9:50"). 🧳Leav...