A Scripture Reading from Psalm 88 You have taken from me friend and neighbor—darkness is my closest friend. Psalm 88:18 Many North American Christians are naïve about suffering. We design a remedy for every anguish. We go to the doctor to replace a creaky knee. We go to the pharmacist for quick pain relief. […]
Darkness is My Closest Friend Read More »
Dustin is a counselor at the Granite Springs Counseling Center – who writes periodically for the Granite Springs Blog. You can visit the Granite Springs Counseling Center website for more information on the amazing work they are doing to care for our community at granitesprings.org/counseling. As a counselor, it is a deep privilege to sit with
The thought of studying the questions Jesus asked may seem a bit odd when you first hear it. Of all of the things Jesus said, it may feel like the questions he asked should be of least importance when compared to the answers he gave. But if we read the Bible closely, we find that
Why Study the Questions of Jesus? Read More »
Part of our exploration this summer as a church on God’s calling of Abraham, naturally draws us to reflect on the calling God has placed on our own lives as well. The Granite Springs Counseling Center recently launched and lead counselor, Dustin Bridges, shares below his encounter with God’s call that has led him to
Answering the Call Read More »
We are currently in the middle of our summer sermon series, the Call of God, exploring what God’s covenant relationship with Abraham was all about. Before the blessings came, Abraham stepped out in faith and followed God’s call. Similarly, the story of Job shows us another way in which we can respond to God by putting faith
Loving God More than Blessings Read More »
Emmanuel. God with us. For a lot of us, these words will conjure images of angels appearing, of a baby in a manger, of wise men from the East…of, well, Christmas. But here we are, halfway through the year, and we’re still talking about God with us. We don’t always think about Pentecost in these
Pentecost: God With Us Read More »
A few years ago, I was at a seminary gathering where we were discussing our thoughts and opinions on baptism. As we were talking, my friend Steve’s face lit up and he shouted with a sense of earnestness and desperation in his voice, “You know what? I would love to get baptized again!” Though a
Even in Your Wandering Read More »
As we continue our Eastertide series in 1 Peter, we reflect on where we find our true identity. We are so easily swayed and distracted by the voices around us that try to define who we were, who we are, and who we are becoming. Our hope is that during this series we can join
For the season of Lent, we’ve been reflecting on Psalms that point us to Jesus. The Psalms are considered the prayer book of God’s people. Some of the themes we’ve been encouraged to pray over the past weeks have included – forgiveness, protection, worship, love, and coming home to God’s grace. As we journey through
Entering Holy Week Read More »
We are drawn in this season of Lent to reflecting on God’s redeeming work within us. “Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return.” Not because God thinks so little of us but because he is inviting us to rest in his love and care. God has certainly opened an invitation for
A Season to Remember Read More »
