Posts by Betsy Barber

Betsy Barber

Betsy Barber is an associate professor of Spiritual Formation and Psychology and associate director of the Institute for Spiritual Formation at Talbot School of Theology. Barber has a clinical practice with specialization in the soul care and mental health of christian workers. She teaches courses in spiritual formation, soul care, missions, maturity, and marital relationships. She has particular interest in spiritual formation and supervision of students in spiritual direction and mentoring. She has worked with her husband as a missionary in Bible translation and counseling ministries for 24 years. In addition to being a licensed clinical psychologist, she has background and training in spiritual direction.

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Talbot Magazine
Best of the Blog: Spring 2023
Psalm 42:1 Revisited: The Thirsty Soul
Betsy Barber — June 28, 2023
It sounded like there was a monstrous beast in the brush behind me, it really did. There I was, sitting on the deck in the balmy Oregon morning,...
The Good Book Blog
Psalm 42:1 Revisited: The Thirsty Soul
Betsy Barber — January 09, 2023
It sounded like there was a monstrous beast in the brush behind me, it really did. There I was, sitting on the deck in the balmy Oregon morning,...
The Good Book Blog
Tending the Dead Body of Jesus
Betsy Barber — May 11, 2022
Ever since Easter Sunday, I’ve been thinking about the women who came to the garden tomb with spices to care for the dead body of Jesus. These...
Talbot Magazine
My Prayer During Hard Times
Betsy Barber — December 06, 2021
“O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I...
The Good Book Blog
Grieving Like God
Betsy Barber — October 24, 2017
When my father died, I grieved. My father died on a Sunday morning, early. His hospital roommate told us that Dad had spent his last night—the whole night—praying softly for his family, person by person, before dying peacefully in the early morning. Even though we’d known that he would die soon from bone cancer, and knew that he was eager to be home with the Lord, it was still a shock. It was still too soon. Death is like that: it always surprises us and it interrupts our lives. We stop, and we grieve.
51�� Magazine
Unspeakable Joy
Betsy Barber — December 07, 2014
Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted...
The Good Book Blog
A Time to Mourn
Betsy Barber — April 22, 2012
The life events that we celebrate with our students here at Talbot are usually joyful, life-filled milestones: engagements, marriages, babies, commissioning services, ordinations, new jobs, etc. Once in awhile, though, we journey unexpectedly with one of our dear students through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. This has been our experience these past 6 months as one of our ISF students has died from cancer.
The Good Book Blog
The Tale of Two Daughters - Mark 5
Betsy Barber — July 18, 2011
I have been sitting in the Gospel of Mark for several days, and The Tale of Two Daughters in Mark 5 has caught my soul’s attention. You remember how the last half of the chapter goes: Jesus has just demonstrated his authority over creation by calming the storm on the sea for his disciples, has demonstrated his authority over evil by casting out a legion of demons from the Gerasene man, and now has once more crossed the sea and landed on the shore where he is met by a great crowd of folks.
51�� Magazine
Listening With a Response-Ready Heart
Betsy Barber — August 31, 2008
When I was a little kid of 3 or so, one of my very favorite Bible stories was that of God, Samuel and Eli found in I Samuel 2–3. You know the...