Cole McCollum
Cole has a heart for walking patiently and compassionately with people in seasons of suffering. He is especially passionate about serving those struggling with depression, despair, anxiety, loneliness, and shame, helping them experience hope, clarity, and gospel-centered care through God’s Word.
Cole has been married to the love of his life, Katherine, since 2011, and together they are raising their two beloved children, Ephram and Emerie. Originally from Chicago, Cole has called Louisville, Kentucky home since 2010. When he’s not counseling, he enjoys time with his family, working around the house, exercising, baseball, music, and writing poetry.
Cole holds a B.A. in Biblical Counseling from Boyce College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He is a certified biblical counselor through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors and is also a Certified Financial Counselor through the Credit Union National Association. His training equips him to thoughtfully care for both the spiritual and practical challenges people often face.
Cain was depressed and angry. God counseled Cain how to change his feelings, “Do well, a
If a person's heart is full of fearful thoughts and perspectives, what will he feel? In contrast, if his heart is full of peaceful thoughts, what will he feel? Feelings do follow thoughts not just actions. A man came to counseling after having been a pilot dropping bombs during the first Iraq war. Five years later, he was still waking up with terrors, feeling the weight of shame, believing his bombs had killed innocent people by the thousands. Sleep loss has escalated, and his thinking became more and more distorted and bizarre. He was diagnosed with PTSD. We first discussed the relationship of his thoughts to his feelings to help him see his need to change his meditation. Rom 8:6 says that the mind focused on the Spirit is life and peace. This truth (found in the assignment “The Relationship of Thoughts to Feelings”) motivated him to work hard on changing his thinking and perspective, no matter how bad he felt.
If you were given something you intensely desire, like a $5,000 bonus or an engagement ring, you would feel intense joy. On the other hand, if you lost something you intensely desire, like the $5,000 bonus you anticipated, or a close relationship now gone from your life, you would feel intense sadness, anger, maybe even anxiety. This is because feelings follow desires.
How would you feel if you believed you deserve a $5000 raise, but you didn’t get it? Most likely your answer would be “mad and sad.” In contrast, how would you feel if you received the $5000 raise but you believed you didn’t deserve it (maybe because of many sick days or your department did not produce as well as expected)? Most likely your answer would be “humbled, grateful and blessed.” Note in both cases you believed, therefore you felt. Feelings are determined by what we believe, not by what we receive. 