FAQ

What are Mike and Jennifer's qualifications?

Mike Brost is an ordained minister in the Reformed Church of America. He has been a pastor for over 20 years. In recent years, Mike has worked as an Interim Pastor, which means he has been a congregation's pastor as they search for their next full time pastor. He has also been called "The Shepherd" as his job duties have included the pastoral care of other pastors. He holds a BA in education and a Master's Degree in Divinity. 

Jennifer Brost is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and has been in private practice for more than 10 years as an individual, couple, and family counselor. After the stillbirth of their first child, she founded a non-profit organization called The Job Foundation. Through her work with families in the non profit sector, she learned much about the diverse ways families learn to be happy. The organization still exists today, with Mike as the Board President. Jennifer holds a BA in Health Promotion and a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling. 

What is the basis for the information about relationships you are providing?

It is important to note that Mike and Jennifer are not researchers and cannot claim that any hand-out you purchase has been scientifically researched for its effectiveness. The information, ideas, and techniques presented come from their professional training and experiences, through trial and error, first hand experience, their theoretical and spiritual orientations and beliefs about how people grow and change. Interventions presented on this site can be described as Love-Based, Emotionally Focused, and Attachment orientated with a Christian Worldview. Research from the Gottman Institute (https://www.gottman.com/) has also certainly informed this work as well.

What is your stance on LGBTQ+ love and why are no specific examples of it given in your hand-outs or videos?

As Christian professionals, we are dedicated to the fair and respectful treatment of all people! We believe that all humans are children whom God has created and that, no matter what our disagreement with each other, all people are to be treated with respect and dignity at all times. 

As Christian professionals, we recognize that our mission is to spread the truth about God’s love and saving power to all people. We do not profess to know for certain how God is guiding another individual in their walk with or towards Him. We do not believe it is our job to approve or disapprove of the romantic partners chosen by those placed in front of us for ministry. Rather, we believe it  is our job to place Jesus before all, and allow Him to do His work in that individual's life.

All of this being said, we believe sin is real, and that it is harmful. We believe that all, including Mike and Jennifer, fall  short of the glory of God and sin on a regular and daily basis, if even only in our hearts (Romans 3:23). We believe that sin is sin, and no one sin is worse than another (James 2:10). Therefore, a sexual sin is no more egregious than overeating (gluttony) or binge watching a TV series (slothfulness) or failing to give generously (greed). All are sin and all need the remedy of the Cross. Once we bring our sins before God, they are forgiven. We are saved and go to Heaven the moment we profess our need for forgiveness and accept Jesus as our Savior (Romans 10:9). We cannot lose our salvation or relationship with God by sinning because we never earned it through our good behavior in the first place (Romans 6:23). While we have this assurance, it is possible to create pain, suffering, and to miss out on the blessings God  intends for us by our sinful behavior. To sin, as in archery terminology, is to miss the bullseye and to not do what God has deemed to be ideal.  As our Creator, we believe God is the only one who really knows what is best for us.

We recognize that there are few subjects as divisive and heated as those around human sexuality, and this website is devoted to love, not hate or arguments. That being said, we want to be upfront with the fact that Mike and Jennifer find Biblical support for and maintain for themselves a traditional view on human sexuality. We have personally enjoyed the blessings, as a man and a woman working together as equals to bring God's good, perfect, and pleasing will to earth. This is the family structure we are best able to speak on and relate to. All of that being said, Jennifer, as a licensed counselor, has worked with and seen both heterosexual and LGBTQ+ couples achieve relationship success using the resources presented on this website.

Why is there a disclaimer about abuse on the bottom of all your pages?

There is a disclaimer about abuse on all documents and web pages in hopes to alert our customers to the truth that no relationship, despite valiant effort, can or will be happy and safe until and if all forms of abuse cease, permanently. No one deserves to be yelled at, hit, called names, sworn at, have things broken around them, pressured into having sex, be cheated on, made to feel inferior, or be emotionally, physically, or financially deserted due to addictive substances or behaviors.

If you are the one engaging in these behaviors, you need help. There is nothing your partner can do or not do to make you more or less abusive in your behavior. You must take full responsibility for your problems. Getting help starts with admitting you need help. Reaching out to a qualified professional is a must. Stopping disruptive, abusive behavior is not as simple as simply deciding to stop. You will need professional help to learn how to transform your strong emotions into positive problem solving, not destructive reactions. Oftentimes, people who have abused others have themselves been abused. A history of being abused does not entirely explain why someone is abusive, but healing from trauma will help you gain control of your own behavior.  There is no shame in taking responsibility and allowing your story to change for the better!

If your loved one has been abusive towards you, it can be easy to blame yourself and thus stay trapped in a harmful relationship. It does not matter what you said or did, you did not cause anyone to do or not do something! The only thing we can control is our own behavior, so you cannot possibly be responsible for someone hurting you. You do no favor for yourself, nor for the abuser, by turning a blind eye to their destructive actions and words. You also need help beyond what this website can offer you. Please consider reaching out to your support system and consider telling them the truth about what is going on. You will likely need professional counseling to heal and to learn to set and maintain healthy boundaries. Leaving an abusive relationship is not only difficult, it can be dangerous. Please seek help!

Are Mike and Jennifer available for an interview or to speak at my event?

Perhaps and it depends. Use the “Contact Us” form to provide us more details and we will return your message as soon as we can. Thank you!

How can I contact Lasting Love?

Due to our other commitments, we do not have the ability to answer phone calls or respond to emails with any degree of regularity. We will also refrain from giving specific advice about specific situations. If you would still like to contact us, please click here: Contact Us.