​Tami Kennedy, Biblical Counselor

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Tami has been in ministry for over 35 years as Pastor's wife, Bible Teacher, and Biblical Counselor/Mentor. She is the Founder and Executive Director for Lydia's Place, a home for women in crisis in the Magnolia, Texas area. Her passion is to help people find FREEDOM in Christ by learning to practically apply the wisdom found in the Word of God. 

 

Certified Pre-marital Counselor through SYMBIS (Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts).

B. A. in Communications, Louisiana Baptist University

M. A. in in Christian Counseling, Louisiana Baptist University

Member of American Association of Christian Counselors

(TAMI IS NOT A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR)

 

Hourly Rate: $80

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Marriage Counseling Testimonial from J and C

 

For a long time, my spouse and I were caught in a painful cycle. We lived under the same roof, but we felt miles apart. Miscommunications turned into silent treatments, and old hurts were dragged into every new argument. We were exhausted, frustrated, and trying to fix the cracks in our own strength. We tried to push through for our children’s sake but the weight of our bitterness and pride only pushed us further apart. The distance between us felt wider than ever, I wasn't sure if our marriage could survive. We were spinning in circles, having the same arguments, and feeling more like roommates than partners. I knew we didn’t just need a referee or a set of human communication hacks. We needed heart surgery that only God could perform.

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Working with Tami gave us a safe, judgment-free space anchored in biblical truth. Instead of teaching us how to just 'win' or compromise, Tami helped us look honestly at our own pride, our unhealed wounds, and where we had pushed God to the margins of our home. Through prayer, we learned practical tools to slow down, breathe when overwhelmed, and speak with grace rather than defensiveness or anger. The thick walls we had built around our hearts began to soften. Today, our marriage isn't 'perfect,' but it is redeemed, resilient, and anchored in a way it never was before. Healing didn't happen overnight, and we still have moments to work through. But the difference is that we are no longer fighting each other; we are fighting for each other, with God as the foundation of our marriage. What once felt like a broken road has become a testimony of God's grace, patience, and redemptive power.

 

 

 

The History of Our Name:

 

The Shelby Center was named after my sweet niece, Shelby Raye Sloan Whitten. Shelby passed away suddenly early in 2018 of a brain hemorrhage. She was 22 years old, Seth's twin, big sister to Jackson and Levi, and just weeks away from graduating from Sam Houston State University. She was full of life and that life was fueled by a passion for Jesus Christ and for people. Shelby loved everyone and never met a stranger. Above all, she loved God, wanted to serve Him, and wanted others to know Him. If there is anything that could be learned from Shelby's life, it is that one person CAN make a difference. 

​In the months after her passing, many of her friends and family entered into a relationship with Jesus and we want to continue her legacy of spreading the love of Jesus and helping people really know Him. Really knowing Jesus brings freedom and peace in a world of chaos and hopelessness!​

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