Photo Story: The Stone Pillar in a Local Stream

Sixteen years ago, I took a photo of something unexpected and unusual: a pillar made out of random rocks, perfectly balanced one on top of another. Here's the image (along with a Scripture) and the story:

Photo and design (c) Curtis Alexander

Way back in 2010, in the town of Newmarket, ON, someone painstakingly took the time to very carefully balance a mysterious stack of stones in a quiet stream. There was no event I know of, no special occasion. It was simply a random stone pillar in the middle of a calm and peaceful park, placed very intentionally by an unknown person.

By the time I walked by the stream, it was there, standing by itself, the product of someone's patience and precision. There was no sign of the person who made it.

With photographic instinct, I snapped this shot you see in the poster. At the time, I did not know what I might do with the image.

Now, 16 years later in 2026, my photo serves as a visual aid for my Tuesday night church lessons on Jacob's anointed stone pillar which represents Christ Jesus. I speak regularly on Tuesday nights at our church, giving the congregants interactive Scripture studies. I rotate my Bible topics every week. On the nights when I share about Genesis, I will be using this graphic for the next little while.

Jacob practices the first instance of anointing in the Bible here:

Genesis 28:18

New King James Version

18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.

That anointed stone pillar is prophetic of Jesus Christ the Head of the Body and the Chief Cornerstone. He is the Pillar of Truth. He is "Christos" or "the Anointed One."

God later reminds Jacob about his anointed pillar.

Genesis 31:13

New King James Version

13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ”

Genesis 31:13 is the first time in Scripture we see the word "anointed". And God is referencing Jacob's actions in Genesis 28:18. And all of it ultimately points to Jesus Christ the Anointed One, the Messiah!

-God Bless

Assistant Pastor Curtis Alexander

churchonthego.ca 

Newmarket, ON. Canada

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Seasonal Changes Can Help Us Grow

The transition can be a challenge or it can go smoothly. Either way, seasons do change and we must learn how to adapt and adjust to the shift in the seasons.

I was single for 13 years until I got married in June this year, 2022. I met my current wife, Jenny in 2020. This relationship is a blessing and an amazing match by the Lord Jesus.

We believe God helped us. I am now married to an amazing and sincere Christian woman who is serious about following Jesus and supporting me in my pastoral ministry at Church On The GO. 

It is my story of loss and now, recovery. I once was abandoned by a former wife who wore a "Christian" mask but was not a true follower in practice. I was faithful to the end, but she cared about education, not me. She certainly didn't care about the Lord. (Education worship = Eating from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil- sounds familiar right? See Genesis chapter 3.) 

I spent years healing from divorce due to being abandoned. Divorce is a serious type of loss, similar to the death of a loved one. Then God got me focused on ministering to other singles, especially those who were brokenhearted and abandoned/divorced. I was already an assistant pastor at Church On The GO. But I then added a new aspect to my ministry at the lead pastor's request: ministry to Christian adult (18+) singles once a month. I decided to call it Christian Singles On The GO. My first meeting was in July 2014.

I started teaching discipleship to our church's singles and showing that both marriage and singleness are valid ministry gifts when harnessed by the Lord and guided by the Holy Spirit. See 1 Corinthians chapter 7. And I taught Ecclesiastes chapter 3- God works in seasons on the earth. If it is on earth, it is subject to seasons: literal seasons or circumstantial seasons or spiritual seasons. And marriage and singleness are both seasons. Those who never get married may think this is not a season.... but your whole life on earth is still just a season. Only heaven is eternal.  

Now around Februrary 2022, as the time for my marriage drew near, our leaders felt I should still lead the singles group. The only difference is that I added an extension to the title: PLUS LOSS AND RECOVERY. My marriage to Jenny is my story of recovery. This is my season of recovery.

And seasons change to help us grow. And marriage is helping me flourish. 

 My example, by God's grace and Spirit, serves to show singles what God can do in a faithful person's life if they only trust the Lord and obey Him and submit to His process of recovery. Not that all singles need to get married. I make that clear to our people. Recovery is a lot more than just relationships. God recovers our spirit and our soul through salvation and our life and our health and many other things, not just relationships. The most important thing God wants to recover is our relationship to HIM! Only through Jesus! (See John 14:6). Be reconciled to God through Christ! (See 2 Cor. 5:20-21) 

Photo (c) Curtis J Alexander

So I am now a married man involved in a variety of ministry and marketplace vocational  activities: this includes leading our monthly singles group. My marriage shows that God is a God of recovery and He knows best when to change the seasons in our circumstances. 

When your seasons change, be ready to do things differently from then on. That season could be a new job. A new friend. A new church. A new volunteer position. A new ministry at church, etc. OR it could be a new marriage, as in my case. No matter the change you are experiencing, be ready to go with the Holy Spirit and be flexible to Him. His leading is always right and you are going to experience some growing pains even if they are only minor. Such changes help us grow. God often changes a situation when we need to grow.

And of course, seasons change when we make choices. You must agree to take on the job, or the relationship or the new ministry role. It is your choice. And yet, it is still God working all things for GOOD for those who love Him and are called by Him. (See Romans 8:28)

 

What works in one season will not always work in the next. For instance, going back to marriage and singleness: both are equally valuable gifts. Jesus and Paul and Jeremiah all made use of singleness on the earth, to advance God's Kingdom in the Bible. They did so in a way that works best when they remain unmarried. 

But now that I am married I am adjusting to a married lifestyle, blessed in new and different ways. I was blessed as a single. Now I am blessed as a married man.
 I am adapting over time to new routines and patterns where both me and my wife accommodate each other with kindness and understanding. 

I hope this encourages you to always trust in Jesus Christ as King and Lord and Saviour. He will guide and shift your seasons and circumstances according to His calling on your life! 

1 Corinthians 7:17 NKJV

17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.

 

God bless,

Pastor Curtis

www.churchonthego.ca

Sat Nov 26 2022.

12:19am Eastern Time.