By James Barham, LPC, LMFT, Director of Healthy Family Initiatives with ABCFM and marriage therapist with ABCFM counseling provider, Living Well Professional Counseling.
In November 2022, my wife and I went to see a marriage counselor. Years of parenting, ministry, and busy schedules had finally caught up with us. We needed help.
The road back to a healthy relationship has not been easy or smooth. In fact, even this year, we have continued doing the hard work of mending our fences. We have been more open with pastors and close friends about our need for prayer and support.
By God’s grace given through resources such as counseling, the love of our church, and support of close friends, we are enjoying life together again!
At ABCFM we build, strengthen, and restore Arkansas families for God’s glory! To that end, we are launching something new, the Healthy Family Initiative. We want to take all that God has given to our team, especially talents and callings, and provide even more tools to our local churches.
In addition to our counseling ministry, we are developing workshops, trainings, retreats, conferences, and intensives to provide a whole spectrum of opportunities for learning and growth in marriages and families. This new initiative is specifically designed with pastors and churches in mind, serving as a valuable resource for the marriages and families within your congregation.
Recently, a group of leaders from Drover Cowboy Church, FBC Newport, Colt Baptist Church, and Central Baptist Jonesboro met to help ABCFM develop a new marriage workshop format as we launch the Healthy Family Initiative. We are excited to share more in the days ahead!
We will also be developing family resources, starting with post-adoption family support. So much of who we are and what we provide is influenced by our families. We want to help all Arkansas families enjoy daily life together.
One big lesson that we’re learning is to ask this question: A.R.E. we there for one another? Meaning, are we Accessible, Responsive, and Engaged with our own families, in the moment, through the ups and downs of life?
On September 1st, I was able to baptize two of our children at our local church in Jonesboro! (See the picture above.) It reminded me that God cares so much for the family! (Josh 24:15; Acts 16:31; Eph 3:14) Family is to be the primary place of discipleship for the next generation. (Deut 6:6-9)
We believe God wants our marriages and families to be healthy and whole, and we want your help in making that a reality! Please complete this simple survey to help us better understand the needs in our local churches for marriage family ministries as we launch the Healthy Family Initiative. https://forms.office.com/r/Vwu7v4Hzmi