9 Questions about Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a big deal, and it is a bigger topic than one might consider. Dr. Jim Wilder fielded questions at a conference where he spoke about learning to forgive. His answers to those questions are provided here. Question #1 — Can joy be “faked”? Or, can someone trick themselves into believing they are experiencing authentic […]
Living from Your Heart Rather Than Your Hurts
What’s the difference between living from your heart – and living from your hurts? Dr. Jim Wilder is the author of Living From The Heart Jesus Gave You. He helps us understand the difference between living from your heart and living from your hurts. “Living from your hurt means that you are looking at your life according to what you need to […]
What is the Life Model?
The Life Model is a unifying approach to the ministries of counseling, recovery, pastoral care, prayer ministry, deliverance, inner healing, child rearing, body life and health. The Life Model is a multigenerational model of redemption and maturity from conception to death. While the Life Model incorporates the best in science and medicine, we were careful […]
Taking My Healing to the Next Level
Healing is a process. At times it can be hard to assess where we are in the journey and what the next step should be. Dr. Jim Wilder provides fresh perspective with these words of wisdom. Forty years in the healing profession have shown me the three hardest things to heal are 3) attachment, 2) […]
Introducing the AG Speakers: Dr. Jim Wilder
Dr. Jim Wilder is a coauthor and leading developer of the Life Model. Since 1988, he has given over 100 conferences and professional presentations in nine countries. His teaching on trauma and addiction recovery are highly regarded by seasoned professionals. Dr. Wilder has helped write multiple books (translated into nine different languages), several teaching sets […]
The Top of Dr. Jim Wilder's Year
Annual Gathering is the top of my year. People have always been the center of the Life Model. We write books that people tell us they need. We find out what we need to do next at our Annual Gatherings. Most of what makes an impact on the world is not done by the Life […]
Three Streams of Joy Come Together at the 2016 Annual Gathering
The 2016 Annual Gathering—RARE Community: Developing a People of Trust, Joy and Engagement—is the headwaters of three streams that I find very exciting. We know that the topics of the Annual Gathering can become active streams of joy, growth and change from our experience last year with Joyful Journey. We introduced the simple yet revolutionary […]
Group Identity: The Most Powerful Thing that Pastors and Leaders Miss
Building a group identity is the most powerful thing a leader can do. If you have been around the Life Model for a while you know what this means but most people do not. Pastors and leaders never reach their life goals because they become focused on lesser targets. The 2016 Annual Gathering 2016, RARE […]
Dear Lord: An Immanuel Reflection from Dr. Jim Wilder
All throughout November, we’re focusing on Appreciation by sharing Immanuel Reflections from the Life Model Team and friends. Learn how to develop an approach to Immanuel Journaling here. Dear Lord: I thank you that I am not like other men or that publican over there! Somehow that pops in my mind when I sit down to […]
5 Methods of Keeping Participants that Always Backfire
Back when we were running a counseling center and training interns we had two interns who demonstrated to opposite ends of the spectrum. One trainee rarely saw anyone for more than three sessions. The other trainee was still seeing the same people coming more than once a week to group and individual therapy after several […]
7 Deadly Traps for Small Groups (and how to avoid them)
You know that person or couple who only comes by your church or small group when there is a party? They are fun people and seem to want genuinely to connect with community. But when it’s time to volunteer with the church or the neighborhood, they don’t seem to be responding to text messages. If this […]
Five Features of Small Groups that Keep Bringing Visitors Back
Retention: What Every Small Group Leader Wants My pastor looked around the leadership group and announced that we had attracted just over 5,000 new people to our church in the last three years and just over 5,000 people not returned. “We need to start some small groups to help us retain our visitors,” he informed […]
How the 1990s Changed Everything We Know About the Brain
No, that is not a mop or a wig. That is a brain scan of the fibers connecting various regions of the brain. The Decade of the Brain The 1990s were the first time we had minimally invasive methods of watching a brain work while it was still alive. No longer did we need to […]
Small Group Leaders: This Is Different
If you’ve been a small group leader, or a part of a small group, you know that they sometimes can be sort of hit-and-miss. When it comes to to small group curriculum, some are engaging and inspiring. Others leave something to be desired. What makes Joy Starts Here different from other small group studies your […]
Always Miserable? Try These Three Steps to a "New Normal"
Do you wake up feeling anxious? Do pleasant experiences drift away quickly? If so, it might be because your brain considers that to be “normal.” Before we turn two years old, we develop a sense of “normal.” All sorts of factors can contribute to this development. For instance: If our family is depressed, depression becomes […]
Steal this Method from Two Year Olds When You Feel Upset
We have all encountered people who are running around upset looking for someone who will listen to their problems. We may even do this ourselves from time to time. Because we are waiting on someone else, we stay upset until we can find a good listener to validate our feelings. Good listeners are somewhat scarce. […]
Overcoming Trauma and Immaturity: How the Life Model Can Bring Healing to You and Your Community
The Overlooked Value of Sequencing When we remodeled our house a few years ago, I did the general contracting. Much of that work involved taking an existing house, comparing it with a model of how that house should look and then sequencing all the activities and materials needed to finish. Even such a simple task […]
The Secret To Becoming a Great Father No Matter Where You Came From
Father’s Day comes with mixed feelings. Some are thrilled to celebrate how their Dad loved them and who he shaped them to be. Others still have wounds from difficult or even dangerous relationships with their fathers. The good news is that both scripture and science promise that anyone can learn to be a great dad! Overcomer […]
Did the Devil Invent Comfort Food?
What do you think about when you think about food? The rich taste? The enchanting smells? The fresh ingredients? What you might not think about is how attached you feel to your food. Food creates a bond between the eater and the feeder. This can be seen when babies or animals are fed. They relate the sensations […]
NPR on Children, Loneliness and "Stupid Phones."
Life Model Works is committed to reviving 19 relational brain skills. The need for these skills are greater than ever, especially with the increasing amount of communication that takes place online. A recent story from NPR News discussed the effect that use smart phone us has on children. According to a report covered in the […]