“I was introduced to TSR immediately coming into the community I pastor.  I was new to town and brought my baggage with me.  Before TSR I had a hard time meeting and making friends in ministry and felt alone.  It is easier to build into someone else, mentoring others, than it is building mutual trust relationships with others.  I was working by myself with no companions that understood what it was like to pastor in the local church.  

TSR has given me friendship and changed the way that I look at trust in relationship with other pastors.  I can talk more openly with my wife, board and elders, and I have been able to start building friendships with other pastors in my denomination and community.  It has been a game changer in how I started my ministry in a new town.  

TSR has helped me, and continues to encourage me to faithfully lead and learn in an atmosphere of trusted relationship.  I can ask questions and feel no condemnation.  TSR helped me walk through challenges in building new relationships in my church and walk through struggles that I was having in church leadership. 

I know that because of my relationship with TSR I have grown in my leadership, been strengthened in relationship and encouraged to be more dependent on my Father in Heaven. 

I can't image having gone through this past year without TSR. I would recommend the support and help to every pastor. Every pastor needs a brother in their corner! “

“It was lonely and a struggle at times to find the biblical care I needed. I could tell things were unhealthy but it was difficult to find a resource that I could trust to provide care and biblical counselling. The Shepherd’s Refuge has helped me regain some balance in my life. It has provided the care and guidance I desperately needed.

The Shepherd’s Refuge has been a significant help in my healing process with burnout. I found an organization I can trust to provide compassionate care and biblical counseling.

By God's grace I've been able to manage my past pains and future worries better. I'm encouraged and hopeful that I'm where God wants me to be and that I see progress in my health.

I'd highly recommend The Shepherds Refuge because that's exactly what it is and exactly what I needed. I needed a safe place to rest and heal."

“The Shepherd's Refuge was an invaluable support to me during one of the most challenging seasons of my ministry. Over the course of a year and a half, we continued to meet, and Michael’s guidance was particularly valuable.

Michael was a steady and consistent source of wisdom….His approach was rooted in biblical principles and logic, which gave me clarity when I needed it most.

While it was a difficult period to walk through, and I occasionally still feel uncertain about my place in ministry, I now feel much more equipped for future leadership roles and ministry opportunities.

Michael’s input helped me gain clarity, and I would strongly encourage anyone in church leadership to seek out someone like him—a mentor who can walk with you through difficult times with wisdom, compassion, and biblical insight.”

“The Shepherd's Refuge has impacted me most by being a means of prayer, support and resources. I know that I'm on a prayer list of pastors that Michael prays for regularly–which is encouraging and needed.

Michael and numerous other pastors had gone through similar hardships yet despite them were continually serving God in vocational ministry. This gave me hope not to give up my God-given calling. 

The Shepherd's Refuge helped me confirm that I shouldn't give up on vocational ministry. This is largely due to the fact that Michael is very open and transparent about his ministry experience. Knowing that he didn't give up has motivated me to do the same.

I recommend TSR to any pastor as a great resource. I say this because Michael is the real deal. He's open and transparent. He's not afraid to speak truthfully and directly when necessary. He's also a man who is trying to help weary pastors recover and bounce back from their struggles rather than watching them become the next pastoral casualty.”

“When I was exiting a painful pastoral experience, The Shepherd's Refuge gave me a safe place of refuge where I could go and process when I felt all alone. I was struggling to understand my emotional pain, betrayal trauma, and church intricate dynamics.

⁠⁠I learned that what I was facing was, unfortunately, not abnormal. I learned to go to the psalms and how to deal with the pain and how to heal emotional wounds in a healthy way.

This kept me from spiraling down into unhealthy responses and kept me from incurring more pain. I learned to trust again and care for my health and the health of my marriage.

There’s a huge pastoral gap and need for it and Michael is the right guy to fill that gap and need. You won’t regret opening up and reaching out! It’s worth it.”