We are often asked about the word Tamarisk in our name and its significance to Christian Counseling.

The answer can be found in Genesis 21:33, "Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God." Abraham planted this tree after establishing a covenant with Abimelech. The act symbolized permanence — tamarisk trees live long and thrive in arid places — reflecting God’s everlasting covenant (“El Olam,” the Eternal God).

In the Bible, the Tamarisk tree stands as a living symbol of covenant faithfulness, endurance through hardship, and the lasting shade of God’s presence. Tamarisk trees provide much-valued shade in desert conditions. Sitting under one, a person can experience up to twenty degrees cooler temperatures than in the direct sun!

Tamarisk trees take up to eighty years to mature, and often must be cultivated in order to thrive. This is much like the counseling process: Cultivating true inner change and healing takes time and effort, but the benefits extend through generations.