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What God Does With Destruction

Posted Aug 14th, 2018 in Scott Knoechel, Suffering, God

​I love history, especially military history. I have studied World War II since I was nine. The problem with studying the history of war is that I can never fully understand the destruction and devastation that war brings. I see the images of Russia, Europe, and Britain that depict the ruins. I can see the devastation in the buildings, look at the statistics, but never fully comprehend the horror and brutality that was experienced by the survivors and victims of World War II

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A Cup of Cold Water...or Fries?: A Response to Bullying

A Cup of Cold Water...or Fries?: A Response to Bullying

Posted Jun 28th, 2018 in Relationships, Scott Knoechel

Being a parent is difficult. I was confronted with that fact once again when my daughter expressed that she did not want to go to school. This was something new for her. She enjoys school and relishes the social interaction that school provides. Upon further investigation, she expressed that people were making fun of her. She was being bullied.

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Gossip in the Counselling Room

Gossip in the Counselling Room

Posted May 30th, 2018 in Relationships, Rhonda Wiersma, Helping Others

​I was asked recently, “If I share sensitive or damaging information about people that are in my life, or in my past, am I guilty of gossiping?” What a great question! At first, I wasn’t sure how to answer than respond with “I don’t think so…but let me look into that.” In a quest to answer this question, I have decided to share what I have learned in the process of learning about gossip.

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Trusting God in Adversity

Trusting God in Adversity

Posted Apr 10th, 2018 in Lynn Murray, Suffering, God

I recently joined the women’s Bible study at my church. We are studying Trusting God by Jerry Bridges. It was not very far into the study when he challenged us with a question: “Is it easier to trust God or obey Him?”

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What To Do When...You’re in it for the Long Haul

What To Do When...You’re in it for the Long Haul

Posted Mar 1st, 2018 in Relationships, Rhonda Wiersma, Helping Others

In our last post on “What to Do When…”* I will be talking about hanging in there for the long haul. This is where the tough get going when helping gets hard. And it is hard to hang in there for the long haul when the problems feel that they never stop growing or stay stuck. How do you keep going, especially when you as a helper feel discouraged or feel lost for direction?

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What to do When...Your Friend is Facing Chronic Illness or Chronic Pain

What to do When...Your Friend is Facing Chronic Illness or Chronic Pain

Posted Feb 8th, 2018 in Rhonda Wiersma, Helping Others

In this second blog post in our series I will be addressing how to help your friend who is experiencing the debilitating and life changing effects of chronic illness or pain. I wish to express that if you are reading this and involved in someone’s life that is experiencing long term pain and illnesses, you are in a privileged place. I know that it might not always feel like it, but you are.

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What to do When… Your friend is in Crisis

What to do When… Your friend is in Crisis

Posted Jan 18th, 2018 in Rhonda Wiersma, Helping Others

​Frequently I get emails or get pulled aside and asked “how do I help?” I get where this question is coming from because helping people is difficult; at times we get hurt in the process or we just aren’t sure what to do or say. We sometimes feel powerless or helpless in the face of suffering.

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Faithful are the Wounds of a Friend

Faithful are the Wounds of a Friend

Posted Nov 8th, 2017 in Sexuality, Glen Slingerland, Salvation

​“Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us” ~Hosea 6:1 God is faithful. That is one of the prevailing themes in the Bible, one that is particularly demonstrated throughout the unfolding of Israel’s story in the Old Testament. God’s justice and mercy, discipline and deliverance, and even transcendence and imminence demonstrate His faithfulness.

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Forever Pleasures

Forever Pleasures

Posted Nov 3rd, 2017 in Glen Slingerland, God

What does it mean to find pleasure in God? We are not to seek pleasure in ourselves, or in the creation (Rom 1), so what are the pleasures of God? What do they look like? Are they really more pleasurable than the ones I tend to sinfully run to already?

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Extravagant Love

Extravagant Love

Posted Nov 3rd, 2017 in Relationships, Glen Slingerland, God

“For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5). As a child, I used to think God was mean. When we read the 10 Commandments in church Sunday mornings, I thought of God exacting revenge on mankind because that was what (in my mind) jealous men did: got angry and started destroying things. This past week I was given to see clearly that God is not a jealous destroyer (only?), but a Lover in relentless pursuit of His Bride.

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