Soulcare.org 
Update

October 2004

Psalm 68:5-6
[Our God is . . . ]
"A Father of the fatherless
[children with absent-Dads],
a defender of widows 
[single-mothers],
is God in His holy habitation 
[Father-Son-Spirit, Family].
God sets the solitary [lost & lonely]  in families
"makes a home for the lonely (NASB)";
He brings out those who are bound
[by prejudice & oppression]
into prosperity 
[abundant life and relationships]; . . . ."

This Family Photo is from 2000    

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Website Statistics 
The resources at Soulcare.org have been used by people from over 65 countries ...

We freely offer God's truth in love, not "Christianity Lite", 
so just like many believers in times past - 
we often swim against the "popular" stream.  
2 Timothy 3-4

United States, South Africa, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Tanzania, Japan, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Germany, France, Greece, Bermuda, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Switzerland, Argentina, Mexico, Netherlands, Brunei Darussal, Switzerland, Russian Federation, Argentina, Belgium, Israel, Philippines, Norway, Brazil, India, Thailand, Spain, Korea (South), Hong Kong, Croatia, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Ukraine, Austria, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Finland, Sweden, Ireland, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Romania, Turkey, Trinidad, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Peru, Poland . . . .

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Many of you have asked how Linda and our six children are doing, in order to pray for us.  My favorite response is always, "Better than we deserve, thanks to God's grace!"  My first year teaching science courses (Creation Centered Life/Biology) at Northlake Christian School and working on a second master's degree, while Linda returned to her (RN) nursing ministry at Slidell Memorial Hospital was an amazing adventure for all of us.  On the one hand, it was the busiest and most stressful year of our life, yet the Lord used it to draw each of us closer to Himself and to each other.  Linda and I are both the "absent-minded" professor types (spacey and forgetful), so it's been a miracle that we've been able to do anything of value.  My opportunity, as an ex-zookeeper, to teach about God's World (Science) from the full perspective of His Word (Scripture) has been wonderful.  After gathering for the past decade hundreds of dollars worth of the finest creation science materials (DVD's, videos, books, articles, etc.), these resources are finally being put to full use - and bearing fruit in the lives of many students.

So, after 20 years of "free" family counseling (living by donations and not demanding fees), God's "© Providential Pressures" (both medical and financial) led my wife, my six children, and I toward these exciting changes in our life and ministry.  Even so, our core mission will stay the same - encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ to return to our Father's simple principles for family and church, in order to renew and reform for His glory.  Our family's ministry will always be a special part of our lives, but now in a bi-vocational capacity.  The ministry focus is now primarily on writing, in order to more efficiently reach a greater number of people in need.  We still offer a very limited amount of consultation to pastors/churches, seminars, and crisis counseling (see "Endorsements").  Soon, we will add Creation Workshops and components to our seminars in order to help families and churches establish a solid foundation for family relationships to replace "competition and survival of the fittest" as the driving force in modern homes.

God has been so faithful to provide for our needs over these past two decades, especially throughout my little boy's many heart surgeries.  He will need future procedures, so it's crucial that we maintain medical insurance coverage.  When our church-based medical insurance premium went up to $ 1,250 per month ($ 15,000 per year), we knew I couldn't continue to pay such a monthly premium.  So, the culmination of these providential circumstances forced us to seek both new insurance and new income through alternative avenues.  Linda's nursing position at SMH provides very affordable health insurance.  Sadly, my new bi-vocational status now makes it impossible for me to serve as pastor, even of our small Family Bible Church.  Therefore, we merged our church with another local church here in Slidell, Northside Baptist Church.  Soulcare Family Ministry is currently not a 501 (c) 3 organization, so donations are not tax deductible.  But remember, neither was the ministry of our our Lord and His disciples.

What's new?

(Teaching Science - "God's Creation for His Glory) 
As an Ex-zookeeper and animal behaviorist (ethologist) (ex-evolutionary psychologist), I'm excited to be teaching secondary science (two 10th grade honors Biology classes, one on-level Biology class, and two 7th grade Life Science classes) at Northlake Christian School as my core source of income.  I am able to be right there with my five youngest children, and even the teacher for some of them.  Our eldest son, Steven, is beginning LSU this year, after having graduated from NCS with an "A" average. 

Why did I choose to teach science?  First of all, science was my undergraduate major at LSU, even though after my zoo and veterinary work I went back for a Master's degree in pastoral counseling and biblical studies.  But here is my personal reason.  Many adults (even professionals such as lawyers, accountants, and business executives) don't even have a seventh grade knowledge of science and analytical scientific thinking (Proverbs 14:15; Hebrews 11:1-3).  As a result, they are vulnerable to the many deceptions that fill our modern world - from dangerous TV ads for the latest fads, to erroneous claims in "Nature" programs which undermine the character of our Creator and His Word.  So in addition to equipping students to become scientifically savvy adults, I plan in the future to also present "Creation Workshops" as components of our "Soulcare Family Seminars" for kids and adults at churches around the country during the summer months.

(Writing)
I was asked back in 2003 to help write a textbook on service-based ministry for use in seminaries, along with a number of seminary professors.  However, our new and overwhelming schedule made it impossible to accept this offer.  My chapter was to be on "Family Ministry".  So as the Lord allows in the future, I hope to add to the website, which needs lots of updating and there is even more that could be added to make it more organized, practical, and useful.  Finally, many of you have suggested I take the website resources and put them into a book that would be more portable and useful for non-internet people, so that too is in the works.  Our plan is to emphasize God's creation cornerstone of truly biblical, "Christian" counseling.  Please pray for the Lord to overcome my "absent-minded professor" limitations, so that whatever He wants done will get done in spite of me.

(A Perpetual Student)
I'll also be working on a second Master's degree.  One of my primary desires is to reach the many "fatherless" children in the trenches of the educational system.  We are convinced there is no more important priority than raising Christ-honoring children (socializing the next generation).  Therefore, the greatest responsibility in any society is always that of fatherhood - reflecting and ministering Heavenly Father's loving provision, protection, and preparation for life - for His Glory. Serving bivocationally as a school teacher, seems to be a perfect complement to my donation based, "free" (no-fee) work as a family counselor/discipler/seminar speaker.  For more details on why I chose to be a school teacher and why I encourage others (especially bi-vocational ministers) to consider the same, please see the article,
"A Teacher's Role in Family Soulcare".

Why not work for a church or seminary now?  There are a number of reasons why I have chosen a secular avenue for income and insurance at this time in our life.  For more about these reasons, please see the article, "Ph.D., God's Doctor of Phatherhood".  Even though I’ve received job offers to move and serve in various paid, "professional" ministry positions (with men that I respect), some positions require administrative abilities that I do not have, and others would require me to compromise significant personal beliefs or practices. It has also become abundantly clear that my lack of administrative gifts and abilities make me an ineffective, senior shepherd (CEO) over a church.  It seems that my pastoral gift is that of "Sheepdog" (rescuing stray sheep) and teaching.  Actually, the New Testament model for church never intended the CEO method anyway.  For information and links to renew your minds regarding "church", visit our Family Bible Church website.

(Linda's Specific Changes)
Linda has gone back to work for a while as a nurse (after 14 years working / teaching at home), so we can ensure medical insurance for our son's heart condition.  Linda was clearly created for nursing (gifts of service and mercy).  Her wonderful gifts of service and mercy provide countless opportunities to minister the love of God, the great Physician, to people whose hearts are open to His healing, saving grace.  Plus, she is brilliant, made straight A's in pre-med, passed the entrance exam to medical school, then chose instead to serve as a nurse.  She began her nursing career teaching down in the trenches of Charity School of Nursing in New Orleans.  She left there to marry me :-)  Linda's "Testimony of an Ex-Feminist" is being updated and will be online again soon - the Lord willing.

(The Kids - Transitioning from Homeschool to the NCS)
Academically, Linda did a great job home schooling the kids while they were young, evidenced by the fact that most are honors students at Northlake Christian High.  She is the hardest working person I've ever known.  Yet, one of the reasons we have chosen to stop homeschooling at this stage and transition the kids to NCS has to do with our combined personal limitations (two severely absent-minded professors).  Too few homeschool parents take such factors into account and merely assume that they must continue no matter what.  Organization is not one of Linda's abilities, plus her natural gifts of service-mercy and nurturing have made it very difficult for her to manage the overwhelming demands of all six children, especially with some now in high school.  In addition, our naturally assertive boys are becoming young men.  All of our kids are believers and doing well, but we saw that the boys needed the oversight of "male" authorities (who can L.E.A.D. them), plus more organization, exhortation, and directive teaching at this point in their development.  So, we put all of our five younger children in Northlake Christian, while our oldest goes off to college.  We still believe that home schooling is a wonderful option, especially in the younger years.

As a counselor, it has become clear that the homeschooling community could benefit from a renewed vision for husbands/fathers/men to become more actively involved in the education of their young men in particular.  In the old days of apprenticeships, fathers and sons worked side by side, every day of the week.  That, my friends is an ideal discipleship opportunity.  Too often today, we forget that mommas and other ladies were not designed by our Heavenly Father to educate young men!  In addition, when a father's job responsibilities make it impossible for him to balance his homeschooling wife's work with boys who are becoming men, then male teachers at a Christian school can and have historically filled that gap.  During our country's early years, many of the school teachers were bi-vocational pastors.

Psalm 68:4-6 says that God works through His people to be a "father to the fatherless" and to "bring the lonely into families".  Since the school system is filled with fatherless children.  Some dads are absent by default due to work schedules or passivity.  Therefore, there is a tremendous need for men to enter the field, especially at the crucial, developmental, elementary level.  Also, racism is alive and well in America, even in our churches, and its hurtful consequences are a reality we must not ignore.  By the time many minority children have reached the teen years, they have already developed deeply ingrained patterns of self-destructive attitudes, emotions, and behaviors.

One of the men who was there for me as I grew up was an old African American man, (please see the article, "My Black Grandfather") with whom I often worked during summer jobs. His "grand-fatherhood" to me kept me from committing suicide as a young man, and later led me to submit my life to Jesus Christ as my Lord (my boss).  In fact, there were three key individuals who helped lead me to the Lord and disciple me as a new believer - and all three were African American.  So you can understand that I have a strong burden to return the blessing they gave to me.  Therefore, I encourage many of you men who are reading this to consider entering the trenches of the educational system, to also serve as a father (or "grandfather") to the fatherless.

Please pray for us as we continue to seek and serve our Heavenly Father's will.  Thanks!

Sid's Background
Linda's Testimony
Sid's Kids

Click below for pictures of the family: 
1995 - 2000 Backyard Picnic, and camping trips
Family Pics (1997 - 2000) 
2002 Ozarks Trip
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