Blog

<figure id="figure-sh75f0vvodm417xgiq" class=""><img id="sh75f0vvodm417xgiq" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1474909009/photo/wreath-of-thorns-with-king-crown-shadow-with-cross-light.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=i-1l8Ykq9t2fvMchc2jNk2zFyltVzCBL_0G00EIhVuw=" alt="Wreath Of Thorns With King Crown Shadow With Cross Light" title="Wreath Of Thorns With King Crown Shadow With Cross Light" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1474909009/photo/wreath-of-thorns-with-king-crown-shadow-with-cross-light.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=i-1l8Ykq9t2fvMchc2jNk2zFyltVzCBL_0G00EIhVuw=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Dear Journal,yesterday was my birthday, and it's got me thinking. You know what's funny? While everyone's trying to make the day about me, all I keep thinking about is how I want them to see past me and look toward Christ instead.It reminds me of this powerful truth I've been pondering about God's law. Just like a thermometer reveals a fever we didn't know we had, His law shows us our true spiritual condition. I've been sitting here, surrounded by birthday wishes, but my heart keeps turning to this bigger picture.You see, before understanding God's standards, I was walking around in a spiritual fog - just like many people who focus on celebrating me yesterday when I really want them to celebrate Him. It's like I had this fever but kept insisting I was fine, until His perfect law showed me otherwise.Each birthday wish made me think: how can I redirect this attention to Christ? Because that's exactly what His law does - it redirects our attention from our self-sufficiency to our need for Him. All those things I'd been doing or thinking that I brushed off as "no big deal"? They stood out clear as day against His perfect standard.Just like I feel uncomfortable being the center of attention on my birthday, I realize this discomfort with my own sin is actually a gift. The law didn't create these issues in me - they were already there. It just finally gave me a way to see them, just as I hope my life gives others a way to see Christ.The beautiful thing is, this revelation isn't about making us feel bad - it's about pointing us to our need for Jesus. Like me trying to deflect birthday attention to Him, God's law deflects our self-confidence to dependence on Christ.Note to self: Keep pointing people to Jesus. My birthday, my life, my everything - it's all about Him, not me.Will reflect more on this tomorrow.Until tomorrow&nbsp;Chaplain Mark P.S. Lord, may my next year of life be less about me and more about revealing You to others.

When Someone Says 'Happy Birthday' But Your Heart Says 'Look to the King

<figure id="figure-25u4fx0sgm3zoi9u0"><img id="25u4fx0sgm3zoi9u0" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/2148803567/photo/tied-together-hands-on-dark-background.jpg?b=1&s=2048x2048&w=0&k=20&c=_rOLqt0iFa8ncBq0Uh0oi69y3xQielOEtxS0Wy4k6jE=" alt="Tied together hands on dark background" title="Tied together hands on dark background" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>Dear Reader,Today I've been dwelling on something that fills me with awe - the incredible transformation that happened when Jesus came to Earth. I keep thinking about how before Christ's sacrifice, our relationship with God was so different. He could have simply left us in our broken state, and we would have had no claim otherwise. All we could have said was "God didn't love us enough to save us."But everything changed with the cross! It moves me to tears when I think about it. God didn't just make a way - He bound Himself to His own promise of forgiveness through Christ's blood. It's like He signed an unbreakable contract of love with humanity. When I approach Him now, confessing my sins and pointing to what Jesus did for me, He doesn't just choose to forgive - He has committed Himself to forgive. His own righteousness compels Him!I had this powerful realization today: it was love that drove Jesus to the cross, but it's God's perfect faithfulness and justice that guarantees our forgiveness when we come to Him now. Even if (and this thought amazes me) God somehow regretted offering us salvation (which of course He doesn't!), He still has to honor Christ's finished work. That's how secure our salvation is!I just want to shout it from the rooftops - THIS is the real gospel! This is what makes my heart sing! When I grasp this truth, I can't help but cry out "Hallelujah!"Tonight I'm going to bed overwhelmed with gratitude for this incredible gift of guaranteed forgiveness through Christ.Until tomorrow Chaplain Mark

The Day God Tied His Own Hands (And Called It Love)

<figure id="figure-uno85hbd8jm3y6yh6o"><img id="uno85hbd8jm3y6yh6o" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/668664608/photo/top-view-of-word-coffee-made-of-coffee-beans-cup-and-turkish-coffee-pot.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=qwQu9QmPCHwrVaYSiHAk816GT80Lc_e1grZ_tPHlwGo=" alt="Top view of word coffee made of coffee beans, cup and turkish coffee pot" title="Top view of word coffee made of coffee beans, cup and turkish coffee pot" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/668664608/photo/top-view-of-word-coffee-made-of-coffee-beans-cup-and-turkish-coffee-pot.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=qwQu9QmPCHwrVaYSiHAk816GT80Lc_e1grZ_tPHlwGo=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure>Dear reader - I've been thinking deeply about the cross today, and it's left me in awe. You know how sometimes a truth you've known for years suddenly hits you in a completely different way? That happened to me as I was meditating on those verses Heb 1:9 and 1 Pet 1:18-19.I keep coming back to this amazing paradox - how the cross shows both God's absolute hatred of sin and His incredible love for us sinners. It's humbling to think that God wouldn't even compromise His righteousness for His own Son. He could have taken an easier path, could have just lowered His standards or looked the other way. But He didn't. He went through with the cross because that's how serious He is about righteousness.But here's what really got to me today - while I was sitting here thinking about it: the same cross that shows how much God hates sin also shows how deeply He loves us. I honestly got emotional thinking about how I deserve to carry the weight of my own sins, but I can't. It would crush me. And instead of leaving me under that impossible burden, God stepped in and carried it Himself.The more I ponder this, the more beautiful it becomes. If God had just punished us, that would have been fair but harsh. If He had just let everything slide, that would have been nice but not right. Instead, He found this incredible way to be both perfectly righteous AND perfectly loving by taking the punishment Himself.I need to sit with this truth more often. Sometimes I focus so much on God's love that I forget about His righteousness, or I get so caught up in His justice that I lose sight of His love. But the cross shows me I don't have to choose between them. They're both there, perfectly balanced, in that one amazing sacrifice.Until tomorrowChaplain Mark

The Perfect Plot Twist: When Justice Met Love on a Hill

<figure id="figure-1k518c0jbm3wrpnfs"><img id="1k518c0jbm3wrpnfs" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/39yrBO01Tlz4YS9AojxQCBPc5YfEXmJy2rGABnsatdFOz3rwqCdcHlDofagsJiTt.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/39yrBO01Tlz4YS9AojxQCBPc5YfEXmJy2rGABnsatdFOz3rwqCdcHlDofagsJiTt.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Dear Reader,Tonight I can't sleep. I've been lying here, thinking about those verses I've known since childhood - John 3:16 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. But somehow, tonight, they're hitting differently. It's like I'm seeing them with new eyes.I keep turning this thought over in my mind: What if God had chosen to just love without being righteous? He could have just waved His hand and said, "Don't worry about it - all is forgiven." No cross needed. No suffering. No sacrifice. It would have been easier, wouldn't it?But something deep inside me knows that wouldn't have been enough. It's like... if my parent just overlooked everything wrong I ever did, would that really be love? Or would it be a kind of neglect? Sometimes love has to be tough to be real.I think that's what's keeping me awake tonight - this stunning realization that when sin entered the world, it wasn't just about breaking rules. It was like everything got knocked out of alignment. God's perfect order, His glory, His holiness - all of it was affected. It reminds me of that time my computer got a virus - everything was corrupted, and no amount of "ignoring the problem" was going to fix it.What amazes me is how God solved this impossible puzzle. He couldn't just be merciful and ignore justice - that would deny who He is. He couldn't just be righteous and condemn us all - that would deny His love. So what did He do? He took the judgment Himself. It's beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.I'm sitting here thinking about Jesus, carrying all that weight. The perfect One becoming sin. It's mind-bending. Not just taking our punishment, but actually becoming sin for us. And in exchange, we get His righteousness? It seems too good to be true, yet it's the truest thing there is.Sometimes I wonder if we've made Christianity too complicated. Tonight it seems so clear: Love had to find a way to be both kind and just. And it did - on a cross where God himself bore the weight of every wrong thing ever done. Not because He had to, but because that's who He is - perfectly loving, perfectly just.The clock says it's 3 AM now. But I needed to write this down. Tonight these ancient truths feel new again. God's love isn't soft or sentimental - it's as fierce as justice itself. And His justice isn't cold or cruel - it's as warm as love itself. Somehow, in Jesus, they come together perfectly.I think I understand better now why John Newton wrote "Amazing Grace." Because this is amazing - that the Judge would take the punishment, that Love would bear justice's weight, that God would become sin so I could become righteous.Maybe later today these thoughts won't feel as profound as they do right now in the quiet of early morning. But I don't think I'll ever look at a cross the same way again. It's not just a symbol of sacrifice - it's the place where love and justice met and kissed, where God found a way to be both completely righteous and completely loving.Time to try to sleep again. But I'm glad I wrote this down. Some revelations are too precious to trust to memory alone.Until tomorrow, Chaplain Mark

The Divine Paradox: Love and Justice in Perfect Balance

Young woman with hands up the morning sun light finding happiness, peace and hope in nature

<figure id="figure-7cs5zgedim3vfwzi0"><img id="7cs5zgedim3vfwzi0" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1681619429/photo/silhouette-of-positive-man-celebrating-on-mountain-top-with-arms-raised-up-silhouette-of-man.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=12vDYIHt6hG9TSJ_CbHFirQwi7qMw33PmeC_8PyTx2M=" alt="Silhouette of positive man celebrating on mountain top, with arms raised up, silhouette of man standing on the hill, Business, success,victory,leadership,achievement concept. Freedom travel adventure." title="Silhouette of positive man celebrating on mountain top, with arms raised up, silhouette of man standing on the hill, Business, success,victory,leadership,achievement concept. Freedom travel adventure." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1681619429/photo/silhouette-of-positive-man-celebrating-on-mountain-top-with-arms-raised-up-silhouette-of-man.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=12vDYIHt6hG9TSJ_CbHFirQwi7qMw33PmeC_8PyTx2M=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Dear Reader,Today I've been thinking about what real peace means. There's this powerful verse from Romans that keeps coming to mind: "Now the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."It's interesting how peace and strength come together here. I used to think peace meant everything being calm and quiet, but this shows a different side. Real peace comes through victory - through overcoming what troubles us. And we're not meant to face these battles alone.The part about "under your feet" really speaks to me. It's not saying "under your foot" (singular) but "feet" (plural). There's something powerful about being part of a community, about facing life's challenges together rather than trying to go it alone.I've noticed in my own life how much stronger I feel when I'm connected to others. Those times when I try to handle everything by myself are usually when I struggle the most. Maybe that's what this verse is getting at - that we find our greatest peace and victory when we're walking together.The ending of the verse is comforting too - "The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." After all this talk of crushing evil, it ends with grace. I guess that's what we all need most - not just strength for the battle, but grace for the journey.Just thinking about this brings me a sense of peace. Not the fragile kind that breaks when things get hard, but the lasting kind that comes from knowing we're not alone in our struggles.Until tomorrow,&nbsp;Chaplain Mark

Dancing Over Devils:

an old building with a tree in front of it

<figure id="figure-1cep45eq4em3u2j5kz"><img id="1cep45eq4em3u2j5kz" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1453481634/photo/romans-chapter-1-verse-16-17.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=z2zJ07godkR1v6QUVMrtoCxw5IYOZAKI-VpDIXWkChQ=" alt="Romans Chapter 1 verse 16-17" title="Romans Chapter 1 verse 16-17" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/1453481634/photo/romans-chapter-1-verse-16-17.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=z2zJ07godkR1v6QUVMrtoCxw5IYOZAKI-VpDIXWkChQ=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Dear Reader,I can't get Romans 16 out of my head today. My mind keeps bouncing between the broken people at the start of Romans and these incredible believers at the end. The change in them... it's honestly mind-blowing.Prisca and Aquila really got to me. Like, they literally put their necks on the line for Paul! And get this - they didn't just go to church, they turned their living room into one. And Gaius? His house was basically Grand Central Station for believers. These people weren't just Sunday Christians - they poured their whole lives into this.Sitting here, I have to ask myself some hard questions. When's the last time I opened my home like that? Would I stick my neck out for someone in my church family? And if I'm really honest... do I sometimes act like I own this thing instead of remembering it's Christ's church? Man, these early believers weren't playing church - they were living it, breathing it.Looking at how these people changed from Romans 1 to 16... it kind of chokes me up. They went from such dark places to becoming these incredible, loving people. And it wasn't overnight - they went through this whole journey of being saved, made right, made holy, and totally transformed.I want that. I want to be like Gaius - just throwing my doors wide open. Or like Prisca and Aquila - having that kind of courage and commitment. These people didn't sit around talking about what they should do - they just did it. They loved hard. They served hard. They lived all out.Maybe that's what real change looks like in my life - not just changing what's in my head, but actually living differently. Loving differently. Being there for people in real, messy, practical ways.I need to sit with this for a while...Until tomorrowChaplain MarkP.S. Note to self: Maybe start by having some people over for dinner this week...?

When Your Living Room Becomes a Cathedral: Notes from Romans 16

Diggin-deeper Christian Counseling

Welcome to Diggin-deeper Christian Counseling
Our Ministry
Located in Sparta, Michigan, Diggin-deeper Christian Counseling stands as a sanctuary for those seeking spiritual renewal and personal transformation. Our ministry is built on the foundation of faith-based guidance, offering a haven where individuals can freely explore their relationship with God while addressing life's challenges.

We believe that true healing and growth happen when spiritual wisdom meets professional counseling. Through our Christ-centered approach, we help clients:

Discover deeper meaning in their faith journey
Build stronger relationships
Navigate life's challenges with Biblical wisdom
Foster emotional and spiritual well-being
Find practical solutions to personal struggles
Meet Chaplain Mark

As the founder of Diggin-deeper Christian Counseling, Chaplain Mark brings both professional expertise and heartfelt dedication to his role as your Community Chaplain. With a Master's degree in Christian counseling, he combines academic knowledge with genuine compassion to provide comprehensive spiritual support.

His Approach
Chaplain Mark's counseling style is rooted in:

Compassionate listening
Biblical wisdom
Professional expertise
Practical guidance
Spiritual encouragement
He specializes in helping individuals through:

Relationship challenges
Anxiety and depression
Faith exploration and growth
Personal development
Life transitions
His Mission
Chaplain Mark is dedicated to creating a welcoming space where you can:

Share your struggles without judgment
Explore your faith journey openly
Receive professional guidance
Develop practical coping tools
Strengthen your relationship with God
Discover your divine purpose
Our Promise to You
At Diggin-deeper, we understand that seeking counseling is a significant step. We promise to provide:

A safe, confidential environment
Christ-centered guidance
Professional expertise
Practical solutions
Ongoing support
Genuine compassion
Your journey toward healing and wholeness begins here. Let us walk alongside you as you discover God's purpose for your life and experience the transformative power of faith-based counseling.

 
Located in Sparta, Michigan, Diggin-deeper Christian Counseling welcomes all who seek spiritual guidance and personal growth through Christ-centered counseling.

Contact us today to begin your journey toward spiritual and emotional well-being.

Daily Grace Notes

When Someone Says 'Happy Birthday' But Your Heart Says 'L...

The Day God Tied His Own Hands (And Called It Love)

The Perfect Plot Twist: When Justice Met Love on a Hill

The Divine Paradox: Love and Justice in Perfect Balance

Dancing Over Devils:

When Your Living Room Becomes a Cathedral: Notes from Rom...