Counseling is like the proverbial camel that sticks its nose into the tent and, once allowed that liberty, follows with its shoulders and forelegs, pushing till there's room for nothing else.
—Randy Alcorn

What's it like to be a counselor?"

The question often comes my way, usually from young men and women interested in a counseling ministry. They often ask with a sort of awe, convinced that counseling is the most fulfilling of all vocations, that counselors are the most fortunate of mortals.

Though counseling has been a central part of my pastoral ministry for seven years, I never know quite how to answer their question.

From a distance, counseling has a pretty face—it seems mysterious, stimulating, and challenging. Up close you see the pock marks. Because counseling is difficult, draining, and sometimes frustrating, it's easy to lose the sense of wonder about it.

Pastor, Not Psychologist

I'm not a psychologist. I'm a pastor called to minister God's Word. Nevertheless, for some years I've borne ...