Balm and Blade: Why This Ministry Exists

“Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

—Jeremiah 23:29

"Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?...”

— Jeremiah 8:22

We live in a world of brokenness - broken homes, broken hearts, broken thinking. People limp into church every week with smiling faces and shattered souls. Marriages are fraying. Minds are racing. Hope is leaking. And often, the counsel they receive—whether from a friend, a pastor, or a podcast—is more therapeutic, psychological, or self help than it is biblical.

I started Balm and Blade because I’m convinced of this:

The Word of God is still enough.

Enough to heal what trauma broke.

Enough to expose what sin hides.

Enough to restore what life has taken.

Two Tools, One Savior

The name Balm and Blade was born in the furnace of pastoral counseling. I've watched the Word act like a balm. It’s soothing to the anxious, comforting the grieving, bandaging the soul of the abused. But I’ve also watched it work like a blade—cutting through lies, pride, and rebellion with precision and mercy.

God’s Word is not soft.

God’s Word is not harsh.

It is holy.

And holiness is both gentle and fierce.

Jesus did not come just to affirm your pain; He came to redeem it. He did not come just to tell the truth; He is the truth. And when He enters a life, He always comes with grace and grit, tenderness and truth, balm and blade.

The Danger of Half-Truth Counseling

Far too often, our approach to soul care falls into two ditches:

Balm with no blade – Endless empathy with no call to repent or change. It may feel good in the moment, but it leaves people stuck in spiritual paralysis.

Blade with no balm – Sharp rebukes with no tears, no tenderness, no gospel. It creates shame, not freedom.

But biblical counseling is different. It's not about fixing people—it's about faithfully applying Scripture to the struggles of the soul. And that means knowing when to pour oil and when to swing the sword.

“Biblical Counseling is Deeper Discipleship.”

What This Blog Is—and Isn’t

This isn’t a blog for ivory-tower theology or surface-level platitudes.

This is for:

The pastor counseling a couple on the brink.

The parent trying to shepherd a child through anxiety.

The church member who doesn’t have formal training but deeply wants to help others biblically.

And maybe most of all—the wounded, weary Christian wondering, “Can I actually change?”

Yes. You can. Because Jesus can.

And His Word doesn’t return void.

What You Can Expect

Each week, I’ll cover topics like:

• Biblical hope for anxiety, addiction, depression, trauma, and more.
• How to confront sin in love.
• How to walk with someone through grief, shame, or abuse.
• Theological truths that fuel practical, Spirit-empowered counseling.

This isn’t theory. It’s blood-and-bone discipleship.

A dead mentor of mine, Charles Spurgeon, once said, “The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Just let it loose.” That’s my aim with every post—to let it loose.

Whether you’re limping or leading, bleeding or building others up, I pray this ministry will strengthen your hands and stir your heart. God’s Word will either wound you to heal—or let you stay comfortable and die. My job is to show you how to choose the better cut.

Welcome to Balm and Blade.