Synopsis THIRSTY? It's no wonder that we Christians get spiritually dehydrated. We live in a spiritual desert, we have an enemy who wants to spiritually parch us, and we retain a nagging love for things that dry out our souls. Enter Gush, an engaging biblical guide for finding refreshment in the Fountain Himself - God, who invites us, "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters" (Isaiah 55:1a). Acclaim & Testimonials "Doug Merkey's Gush is a celebration of the Living Water that wells up in those who find their deepest and longest thirsts satisfied by the grace of the gospel. If you have tried to find satisfaction in the wells of this world and are still thirsty, Gush holds the lasting refreshment you need." Dr. Bryan Chapell, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in America "Pastor Merkey writes as someone who understands the emotions and temptations we all go through in our daily lives. Gush encouraged me to ponder my relationship with God, and especially His never-ending love and mercy." Sandi Akers, wife, mother, grandmother, lay leader "We live in an age where people live by the maxim: If it's too good, then it can't be true. Gush recovers a biblically saturated portrait of God that is both too good and very true - God is gushing with life and love for His people!" Jake Neufeld, Assistant Pastor of Church of the Cross in Whitefish, MT "We need such a work that refocuses Christians on the basics of the gospel-centered life. Many readers will find Gush attractive and compelling. Clear structure, vivid imagery, and theological soundness all serve to point believers to Christ as their source of spiritual life and health. I recommend Gush to lay friends." Dr. Robert Peterson, honorably retired, former Professor of Systematic Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO About the Word "Gush" About the Word “Gush” [from the book] When people hear the title of this book, Gush: Refreshment for Thirsty Christians, they often wonder how the word gush can be associated with God. You may be wondering the same thing. Maybe you associate gush with violent, destructive forces that threaten human happiness and safety, such as a deadly wall of water suddenly bearing down on a sleeping hamlet. Or maybe gush brings to mind an endless stream of superficiality, a tirade of criticism, or the unbridled and patronizing compliments of someone desperate for a sale. But gush also has its positive side. It can refer to the spontaneous flood of joyful tears upon hearing “your cancer is in remission,” or the waves of wonder elicited by a panoramic sky-igniting sunset, or the eruption of celebration in a dehydrated village as people watch water rushing from a newly tapped well. Gush may refer to the enraptured embrace of two lovers suddenly reunited after a long absence — or the sincere, lavish, and unstoppable demonstration of love, goodness, power, and commitment from the eternal God toward sinful humans in Christ. As we explore God’s Word in the following pages, I think we’ll discover — pretty easily, in fact — not only that gush and God belong together in the same sentence, but also that God is the epitome of everything positive about the word gush in relation to His people in Jesus Christ. We'll be amazed to see how He gushes His love to us and through us. As we live in relation-ship with the God who gushes, we have the opportunity to be deeply hydrated. Drink deeply, and may you be abundantly refreshed.