Being Present

"Just be Present" these are words I hear often in my counseling program. I get used to hearing words like, be present, be curious, bring it into the room. Somehow I feel I get stuck in a routine or wonder if by saying or thinking about these words too much they loose their value. The other day I was doing reading for one of my classes and came across some words I thought needed to be posted in my blog, if not for you my reader for me someday to look back on get it's value.

This is from the "Catalyst On line" Titled: A present Grace: The relational bedrock of Pastoral counseling and care.

"The process of transformation in a person's life is not a fast one, and witnessing to God's love, grace, and forgiveness is less about words and more about a relational experience. As people experience love, grace, empathy, patience, and forgiveness in relationships, rather than merely words, they are profoundly impacted. Giving advice often comes too quickly and easily. Advice, when given, should come out of a prolonged time of being present with the other person. The difficulty with being present with someone, for most pastors and counselors, is the loss of control it entails and the anxiety it brings up about one's inability to "fix" others or ourselves.

Attempting to fix situations is much easier than sitting on the mourner's bench with the person."

From the book: Not The Way It's Suppose to Be,

"Everything's supposed to be different than what it is here". - Mac in Grand Canyon

Other great books I am reading for this class:

Theology The Basics By Alister E. McGrath

Not The Way It's Suppose To Be By Cornelius Plantinga Jr.

Can you tell I am a Seminary student?