Should we be considering the possibility of taking my aging mother into our home while we’re still in the process of raising three kids? We have two teens and a middle-schooler. We don’t really like the idea of placing my mom in a nursing home, but we also don’t want to alter family dynamics too …
Life Changes Q&As
Can you help me cope with the practical, day-to-day aspects of my spouse’s death? I’m already seeing a therapist, and close friends are helping me work through the grief. Where I really need some guidance is in the area of business details, daily responsibilities, house repairs, car maintenance, paying bills – that sort of thing. …
Are non-believers more likely than believers to commit suicide? I’m asking because our son walked away from his faith soon after starting college. Lately he has become increasingly moody and withdrawn. Is he at risk for suicide? What’s the relationship between a young person’s faith or worldview and his outlook on life?
How do I keep my job from eating up my time and energy to the point where I have nothing left to give my family? I’m a high-level executive with a large corporation, and my struggle to balance work and family is made worse by the fact that business concerns tend to dominate my mind …
What should I do if I fear that my aging father may not be eating right? My mother died a few years ago and Dad has been living alone ever since. Though his health is poor, he has declined several invitations to come and live with us. He’s also completely unwilling to consider the option …
How can I tell if my husband’s recreational gambling is becoming a serious addiction? At first it was just an occasional poker game with his buddies, but a few months ago he exchanged this activity for weekly outings to a casino. Twice in the last month he has called in “sick” so he could make …
How do I say “no” to someone in my family who has been forcing me to engage in sexual acts? I can hardly bear to think about this! I feel ugly, dirty, worthless, wretched, and used. I don’t want this to continue, but I’m afraid to tell anyone what’s going on, and without help there’s …
How do I go about locating and selecting a good financial advisor?
How can we communicate and keep up a meaningful heart-to-heart connection with my aging mother as her mental condition deteriorates? She’s past eighty now, and symptoms of dementia are becoming more and more pronounced in her behavior. Her short-term memory is so poor that she can’t remember what she said to me ten minutes ago. …
Can you help us figure how to spend a large, unexpected inheritance? At first we were excited, but now we’re seeing how quickly wealth can become a source of confusion and anxiety. My daughter thinks we should use the money to finance her education. My wife wants to remodel the kitchen. I’d like to make …
Is there a way to get out from under a hopeless amount of credit card debt? I’m spending more than I’m earning every month, and as result I’m sinking deeper and deeper into the hole. Most of the advice I get doesn’t apply to my situation because I’m in too much trouble. What can I …
Can you help me deal with the starving, binging, and purging problem I’ve had ever since I was a teen? Thoughts of food rarely leave my mind. My body weight has become an idol. I feel guilty, shamed, and dirty. How can I change?
How can I find healing from the effects of disaster and trauma? Over the past month our community has been devastated by a terrible flood. The impact to my family has included the loss of our home, interruption of work and school, loss of income, physical deprivation, and overwhelming anxiety about the future. Now that …
What can I do to address my ongoing inability to sleep? Is medication a good solution for insomnia? The problem has lasted several weeks so far. It seems to be rooted in anxiety, and it’s becoming worse: the more I worry about getting to sleep, the longer I lie awake. If anxiety is the issue, …
How do we find the best possible care for our aging mother? In our quest for a workable plan, one of the options that has surfaced is “assisted living?” What exactly does this entail? What kind of service does it offer, and how do we select a good assisted living facility? We’d appreciate any advice …
How should I respond if someone sues me? In 1 Corinthians 1:1-11, Paul says that Christians shouldn’t bring lawsuits against one another. That makes perfect sense to me. I understand that brothers and sisters in Christ need to explore other, less adversarial ways of resolving their differences, and I don’t intend to sue anybody if …
How can I know if I need to seek professional help with my depression? What exactly is the definition of a “clinically” depressed person? I feel sad and fatigued much of the time, and nagging anxiety is a chronic problem, but I have no idea if these are serious issues or not. Can you help …
What are some of the most important financial concerns for a newly single adult with kids?
What do I say to a friend who has had a miscarriage? I can tell she’s really hurting, and I’d like to reach out to her somehow. The problem is, I’m afraid of putting my foot in my mouth. I’ve never been through an experience of that kind myself, so it’s difficult to put myself …
How can I be healed from the sexual trauma I experienced while growing up? Hardly anyone knows that I was a victim of sexual abuse during my childhood and adolescent years – not once, but several times. Now I’m married with children of my own, and to most outsiders I appear to have it all …
