As I begin to write today, I have just been on my knees praying, worshiping and thinking about God's amazing grace, His incomprehensible love and His mercy that is beyond measure. Thank you LORD! Thank you Journey Girls for staying on the journey! I am so proud of you! I know that it has not always been easy and I am so grateful to have each of you in my life.

I love the words to Nichole Nordeman's song, "How Deep the Father's Love For Us." The first verse says,
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That he would give His only Son
To make a wretch his treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns his face away
As wounds which mar he Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory

Oh, the love of Jesus! 1 John 3:1a says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" He goes on to tell us in verse 7 that love comes from God! Psalm 36:5 says, "Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies." I am so thankful for the love of God!

Oh, how He loves you dear one. His love is beyond our comprehension. Have you ever just basked in His Love? That is exactly what I've been doing this afternoon. I am sitting in a small church library and the church is empty. Just me and the Lord. I have been pouring out my heart to Him. Today, I miss my boy like crazy! I miss my husband. (He is at Woodriver IL preaching today.) I miss my friends. I miss my church. I am feeling pretty lonely today. Have you ever felt this way?

As I was on my knees, pouring out my heart, the Holy Spirit's presence came upon me so mightily. Oh the love of Jesus! I love my Savior so much! I am falling more and more in love with Him each day! I love what Romans 8:38-39 says. "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Praise GOD for His love!

I remember when Andrew was a little boy. We had a game that we would often play together. It was a game of  "I love you more." We might be riding in the car, eating dinner, or I would be tucking him into bed, and I would tell him that I loved him soooo much! He would say, "I love you more!" I would respond with, "No, I love you more!" This would go on and on, until finally I would say, "I love you to the moon and back." This was the title of a book that I often read to him before bedtime. He knew what that meant. It meant that I loved him more than he could possibly imagine. I loved him all the way up to the moon and all the way back. . . and that was a lot for his little mind to comprehend. However, what he did not know was that he would never comprehend the amount of love that I truly had in my heart for him.

I will never forget the first time the nurse placed him into my arms. The tears began to flow! I had never felt that kind of love before. Somewhere, deep within, a place in my heart that I had never known, was opened up; and out came a love that was so amazing! Ahhhh! My sweet baby boy! The Lord had loaned this precious gift to me and I have been forever grateful! He was so precious, so tiny, so beautiful. He was perfect! I loved everything about him. I was so completely overwhelmed. I was speechless. I loved him so much! I couldn't believe that I had the opportunity to be his Mommy. I couldn't wait to tell him about the love of Jesus!

One day, a few years later, when we were playing our little "I love you more" game. It was time for bed and Andrew was trying everything in his power to stay up longer. I was so tired. I quickly said, "I love you to the moon and back," thinking that this would quiet him. In a few seconds, I heard a little voice say, "Mommy, I love you to Jesus!" What precious words from a child! My heart melted. I stopped suddenly in my footsteps and asked the Lord to help me to slow down and enjoy that very moment. I asked Him to help me to be a better Mommy. I asked Him to help me to hide God's Word in Andrew's heart. My heart's cry has always been that I will leave Andrew a legacy of faith. I pray that I have taught him more than anything else, to love Jesus with all his heart, all his soul, all his mind and all his strength. I pray that he knows that nothing can separate him from the love of God!

We have a Father who loves us so much! It is beyond our comprehension. His grace amazes me and His love is a mystery to me. His love is perfect! He loved us all the way to the cross. I often think of those words Andrew spoke as a child. Am I loving others to Jesus? Am I showing them His love and grace? Am I just quickly going through the motions because I am tired? Am I focused on myself or am I focused on those who are in need of a loving Savior? Am I forgiving as Jesus Christ forgave me?

2 Corinthians 5:14 says, "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again."

What is Christ's love compelling you to do? What is He speaking to your heart? Is He laying someone on your heart to share Christ's love with them? Is He telling you to ask someone's forgiveness? Is He telling you to let go of bitterness? Is He telling you to give of your time and talents? Is He impressing you to give to someone in need? Is He impressing you to give above the tithe? Is He telling you to encourage someone who is hurting? Is He asking you to remember your First Love? Is He asking you to spend more time with Him?

Beloved, abandon yourself to the greatest romance of your life! Allow Jesus to lavish His amazing love upon your life and open up places in your heart that you never knew existed. It is through His Spirit and His power at work within us that allows us to love others as Christ loved us!

I love you Journey Girls, from the bottom of my heart! Thank you for reading. Thank you for continuing on this journey with me. I am so humbled to serve Jesus through serving you. As you go to bed tonight, listen as the Father tucks you in and says, "I love you more!"

So Thankful for His Love,
Elisabeth

It's that time of year once again. Tonight we will hear those famous words that we have heard since we were little girls. . . . "There she is, Miss America." We will watch as a lovely young woman's dream comes true. They will place a crown upon her head, give her a cascade of beautiful flowers. They will give her a crystal scepter to hold and she will take center stage. She will take her walk down the isle and as she takes everything in, she will realize that she is the girl who will represent America for this next year.

Okay, Journey Girls admit it, at some time or another you have dreamed of wearing a crown. We all dream of being a princess. We grow up with fairytales such as Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. We imagine what it would be like to be the fairest of them all, a beautiful princess, or even Miss America.

I have always enjoyed watching the Miss America pageant. I remember watching as a little girl and wondering what it was like to wear that crown. My Mom, my sister and I, have always had "Miss America parties,"  and enjoyed watching the pageant together. I had the privilege of watching my little sister compete in the Miss Tennessee and Miss Colorado pageants. I remember when she won her first local pageant that led to her competing at Miss Tennessee. It was so exciting to watch as she was crowned! She was beautiful and I was so proud!! I must confess, I got to try on and wear her beautiful crown. I danced around the room with that beautiful crown on my head. It was so much fun! Thank you Hannah, for sharing.

The word crown is referred to many times in God's Word. The Old Testament uses different words that we translate as "crown." The crown worn by the Hebrew Queen Esther was a kether, which is a high cap or tiara. This word refers to ornaments worn at marriages, feasts and festivals. However, most of the Old Testament references to crowns come from the Hebrew word atarah, which means "to encircle," as an army would encircle a city. These were worn by kings from many nations. This word is used in the book of Proverbs to describe crowns available to godly men and women.

Beloved, we too can wear many crowns in life, as daughters of the Most High. I love the book Heavenly Crowns, by Heather Whitestone McCallum. She is a former Miss America who loves Jesus. She writes of many crowns that God has in store for those who love and follow Him.

One of the crowns we can wear is a garland of grace. Proverbs 4:9 says, "She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of slendor." King Solomon was sharing something valuable here. We too, can have wisdom as a garland of grace on our heads. We must seek wisdom from the Lord and His Word. We can also seek wisdom through godly counsel. Ask the Lord for wisdom to understand His Word better.

Another crown that we can wear is a crown of blessing. Proverbs 10:6a says, "Blessings crown the head of the righteous. ." In other words, if we want our lives to be crowned with blessings we must choose to live a righteous life. We can do this by living by the Word of  God. We choose to be obediant to Christ and follow His example. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, (Hebrews 12:2) and live by His Spirit.

We can also be blessed with a crown of splendor. Proverbs 16:31 tells us that "Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life." Now, whether you choose to let your crown of splendor show or not is up to you! I prefer a blonde crown of splendor! (Just making sure you are still remembering to laugh.) All kidding aside, I do value those who have gone before us. Those who have paved the way for us. Those who have given us a heritage of faith. I love our senior saints. They have so much strength, wisdom and beauty. I am very thankful for my Grandmothers who both have lived their lives for Jesus Christ! They are beautiful women of God and they behold beautiful crowns of splendor upon their heads.

Did you know that if you are married, you have the opportunity to be a crown? Provers 12:4 says, "A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones." Are you encouraging your husband? Is your character one that reflects Christ? Proverbs 31 tells us more about being a wife of noble character. (We will go there on another day.)

If you are not married, pray for your future mate. Pray for God to keep you both pure. Pray for God to be preparing your hearts for Him and for each other. Maybe you are single, divorced or widowed; you too can wear crowns of blessings. Christ crowns each of us with forgiveness of our sins, mercy and wonderful grace. One of the crowns we can wear is the crown of salvation. "For the LORD takes delight in His people; he crowns the humble with salvation." (Psalm 149:4) Praise God for our salvation that He bestows upon us! We are blessed by a Father who sent His One and Only Son to wear a crown of thorns on our behalf. To die for our sins, so that we might have life! Thank you LORD!

Thankfully, we do not have to stand before a panel of judges like in a pageant, but we will stand before the Judge one day. He will be the One to present the crown of righteousness. 2 Timothy 4:8 says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing."

1 Thessalonians 2:19 says, "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes?" Can you even imagine that glorious day? Dream with me for a moment. . . . in a twinkling of an eye, the heavens will part and we will stand on the stage of a lifetime. We will see our LORD face to face! "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Peter 5:4) "Blessed is the man who persevers under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him." (James 1:12). Just imagine, we will receive our crown from our Savior, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

One thing that I know for sure, when we look upon our Savior's face with tears flowing down our faces, we will fall to our knees and give Him all glory, honor and praise! We will cast our crowns at the feet of Jesus because He alone is worthy! I want to leave you with of my favorite worship songs that the Wildwood Women's Praise Team used to sing, that spoke to me so sweetly. Just imagine what a precious moment that will be.

We fall down
We lay our crowns
At the feet of Jesus

The greatness of
Mercy and love
At the feet of Jesus

We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
Is the lamb

We serve an awesome, holy God! He alone is worthy to be crowned with praise, yet He crowns us! He "who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion." (Psalm 103:4) Spend some time thanking God for His wonderful blessings and crowns. Journey Girl, take center stage and receive your crown! Represent Jesus Christ and reflect His Glory for the rest of your days!

Wearing my Crown for His Glory,
Elisabeth

Have you ever laughed so hard that it brought you to tears? You know the kind of "belly laugh" that hardly allows you to get your breath? I remember many instances along life's journey when I have laughed until I cried, laughed until I did a "spit take" or laughed until I had to run to the bathroom to keep from embarrassing myself!  I love laughter and I think it is a vital part of a healthy life. My favorite is hearing the laughter of children. I love laughing with my boy! My best friend has her children laughing on her voicemail when you call to leave her a message and it always makes me smile!

Lori Salierno says that we should find something to laugh about each day. She says, we should take time each week and throw ourselves a mini vacation (a party!). Take time each day to enjoy this blessed journey that we are on with Jesus. I looked up the definition of laughter and found the following: "Laughter is an audible expression or appearance of happiness, or an inward feeling of joy (laughing on the inside)."

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time for everything, and in verse 4 it says, "a time to weep and a time to laugh." Luke 6:21b says, "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh." Psalm 126:2a says, "Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy," and Job 8:21 says, "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."

Proverbs 17:22 says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." It is true that laughter is good medicine. WebMD says, "We change physiologically when we laugh. We stretch muscles throughout our face and body, our pulse and blood pressure go up, and we breathe faster, sending more oxygen to our tissues. According to WebMD, a medical professor at the University of California Irvine has found that laughter plays a role in helping to fight viruses and bacteria, and possibly cancer and heart disease. Laughter reduces the secretion of stress hormones."

I love the story of Abraham and Sarah found in Genesis. Abraham and Sarah were very old and past childbearing years. In Genesis 17:16-17 we see where God told Abraham that he was going to bless him and Sarah, by giving them a son in their old age. What was Abraham's response in verse 17? "Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himslef, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear me a child at the age of ninety?" We see in the following chapter that as Sarah was in a nearby tent, she overheard the Lord tell her husband, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." (Genesis 18:10) How did Sarah respond to the news, in verse 12? You guessed it, she laughed! I can just picture what that scene was like. Sarah laughed and then denied that she had laughed. (vs. 15) I love what verse 14 says, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?"

Many times, when we feel as though circumstances are far too difficult to laugh, remember this: Is anything too hard for the LORD? Sweet ones, we can laugh from deep within because we serve a Sovereign God who is in control of every detail of our lives. We serve a God who is on our side! (Romans 8:38). He desires for us to be happy! 1 Timothy 6:17 tells us to put our hope in God, "who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." Christians should be the happiest people on the face of the earth! We should radiate with the joy of the Lord. Beth Moore says, "There is no high like the Most High!"

Take some time this week and LOL!! (Laugh out loud!) Laugh with your husband, laugh with your children, laugh with your girlfriends and laugh at yourself! Throw yourself a party! Whether it's a few minutes at Starbucks, a bubble bath, or a cup of coffee and a good book. . . take some time to enjoy this precious life that God has given you. Savor every moment! My husband and I decided that our motto would be to "Laugh Again in 2010!"

Look to Him and your face will be radiant! (Psalm 34:5) Our countenance should reflect God  in our lives. SMILE, Journey Girls, and spend some time laughing your heads off with Jesus! I am crazy about you and you make me smile! : )

Giggling with my Journey Girls,
Elisabeth

Sweet Journey Girls,
How are you doing? Are you staying with me? Are you in the Word? Are you spending time in your closets of prayer? Are you memorizing scripture? How is the journey going for you? I love y'all so very much and you continue to be in my daily prayers. Let me know how you are doing.

I have been feeling a little under the weather the past couple of days, so I am writing late today. I praise God for keeping His hand on me! God is so good. I must admit, I am missing my boy like crazy!! Some days, it is so difficult. My heart actually aches. Do you know the feeling?

I don't know about you, but when I am not feeling well physically, it seems as though the enemy comes at me full force. When we are feeling weak physically, he often tries to pull us down emotionally and spiritually as well. That is just how satan works.

I was not feeling well yesterday and I begin to think about all that has happened the last few years. I cannot hardly grasp it all. I thought about where we had been. I thought about how quickly time had passed and I thought about where I am today. Have you ever just felt like you were trapped? Like you had been taken captive and had no way out? Maybe you had regrets or maybe you were just sad that a certain time in your life was over. Have you ever felt this way? Maybe you lost your job or maybe your marriage ended in divorce. Maybe you lost a loved one. Do you ever feel as though you just want to turn back time?

Many times in life, when we find ourselves in a valley, our mind will wreak havoc with us if we allow it to. We often focus on the "what ifs," and the "if onlys," instead of focusing on God's Word. We often spend our time looking back, instead of pressing forward to see what God has for us next. Remember the passage we shared together at the beginning of our journey?  (Isaiah 43:18-19) We often miss the excitement and adventure of the journey! Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tell us, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." We must take captive every though and not allow our thoughts to hold us captive! We must make every thought obedient to Christ!

How do we do this? We hide God's Word in our hearts. (Psalm 119:11). I can't emphasize enough the importance of scripture memorization. If you have a difficult time with this, ask God to help you. Ask Him to put His Words in your mind. Ask Him to help you to retain His Word. Ask Him to bless your memory. Write down a passage on an index card and keep it with you.When times of doubt and negative thoughts come, replace them with God's Word. I often put scriptures in my car, on my mirror, on the refridgerator, and by my bed. There are times, such as today, they are held tightly in my hands so that I can read them over and over.

We started this journey believing God for a new thing! We vowed to put the past behind and look ahead to the future. Let's help each other to continue forward. I am reminded of the story of Lot in Genesis 19. Sodom and Gomorrah was about to be destroyed because the sin in the city had been so grievous. (Genesis 18:20). The Lord spared Abraham and his family and Lot and his family. He rescued them and they were told as they left the city, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!" (Genesis 19:17). Then, we see in verse 26, that Lot's wife looked back. Because of her disobedience and hesitation, she became a pillar of salt. Why is it, that as women, we must always know what is going on? Why do we always look back instead of forward?

Beloved, let's praise God for our memories. . . the good ones and the bad ones. God has given us our life, our physical bodies and our minds. He created us so intricately and so amazing! Our memories allow us to savor sweet moments with our Lord, family and friends. Our memories also are important for learning and retaining the Word of God. Even sorrowful memories are part of our journey. We cling to the promise that "weeping will remain for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning!" (Psalm 30:5)  We learn from past failures and hurts. It is vital that we take captive the negative thoughts and give them to Christ - being obedient to Him without hesitation.

Please understand when I tell you sweet ones, that I am in no way trying to minimize the hurt in your life. I know that many have endured deep heartache that I have never known. I am not saying that you will not grieve. I don't know all that you have gone through and I don't know all you are dealing with, but I do know we serve an Omniscient God. He is all knowing. He knows everything about you. His Word tell us that He has engraved you on the palms of His hands and He remembers us! Isaiah 49:15b-16 says, "I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. ." Whenever you are hurting or feeling alone, tell Jesus your worries, fears, and hurts. Allow Him to minister to your heart and mind. Ask Him to transform you and renew your mind (Romans 12:2) so that "you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will."

Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." The Hebrew word for "keep" is "nasar," meaning to guard, protect, to keep. Beloved, Christ is the watchman over your mind! He is there to guard and protect you. Allow Him to bring you peace as you lay your head down tonight. He is watching over you!

I love my Journey Girls!
Elisabeth

I am a hopeless romantic! I love watching chic flicks and old love stories that make your heart swoon. I remember one such movie, A Walk in the Clouds which told a story of a young girl who was pregnant out of wedlock. She did not want to go home and face her family. She met a man who went with her and pretended to be her husband, so that she could gently brake the news to her family. Her Father was the owner of a large vineyard and much of the story takes place in this beautiful vineyard. Towards the end of the movie the vineyard catches on fire and the entire crop burns to the ground. Only one vine survived the fire and was planted and cared for, resulting in a new vineyard and a new harvest. The young girl's Father forgave her and she marries the man who had stood by her and everyone lives happily ever after. Aahhh!

Let's walk through another vineyard today. It is found in John 15: 1-13. Jesus was speaking to His disciples in the Kidron Valley by an olive grove just before He was arrested and betrayed. Jesus tells them that  He is the "True Vine" and His Father is the Gardener. (vs. 1) Have you ever allowed this portion of scripture to sink deeply into your soul? The vine is the deep root, the trunk of the plant that holds everything together. The gardener, or vinedresser, is the one who tends to the vineyard. He waters, protects, prunes and cares for each vine so that it will bear much fruit. The branches, are the off shoots from the vine, which produces the fruit. (John 15:5, 8,16)

Jesus Christ is the Vine, His Father God is the Vinedresser and we are the branches. How do we bear fruit? We must remain in Christ and obey His commands. (John 15:7-12) Many times we hear controversy regarding grace and works. Let us take just a moment to clear up this issue. Let's get God's Word on the subject. "For it is by grace, you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10) Praise God we cannot "earn" our salvation. It is a free gift that our loving Father gives to those who ask and believe! When we give our hearts to Jesus, our desire is to do good works out of our love for the Savior. We want others to see Christ in us the hope of glory!! (Colossians 1:27).

We must remain in Him in order to bear fruit. (vs. 5) 1 John 2:5 says, "But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did."  To walk as Jesus did, we must keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) As we live by the Spirit, our lives will produce fruit that comes from within (Galatians 5:22-23), and that will  produce outer fruit, as we share our testimony with others. To God be the glory!

Don't you just love the Word of God? I remember reading a story about the caretaker of a vineyard in Bruce Wilkinson's book, Secrets of The Vine. He told about meeting a vineyard caretaker who described taking care of the vines. He said that many times a new vine will fall to the ground where it has no possibility of bearing fruit. It gets rained on, gathers mildew and becomes dirty. The branch becomes sick. The vinedresser will go throughout the vineyard with a bucket of water. He will look for these branches. He will pick them up, wash them off and tie them up near the branches that are bearing fruit. He said that in a short amount of time, they are thriving once again.

How wonderful that we too have a Vinedresser that will pick us up when we have fallen, cleanse us, hold us and place us near those who are bearing fruit. He loves us, nurtures us and prunes us, so that in time we will be thriving once again! He cares for us individually. He desires for us to thrive spiritually, emotionally and physically and bear fruit for His glory.

Beloved, are you feeling as though you have been through a dry season? Do you feel like you are not bearing much fruit? Do you feel as though you have fallen to the ground and become useless? Are you feeling down and all alone? Sweet ones, our God is the lifter of our head. (Psalm 3:3) He wants to fill any void in your life and bring complete healing. Open up your heart to Him. Allow Him to come alongside you and hold you and wrap His loving arms around you.

Sometimes, because of His great love for us, He prunes us. This can be a painful process, but if we allow Him to prune us and perge some things from our lives, we will flourish. Pruning produces fruitfulness! Maybe you have unconfessed sin in your life that makes you feel as though you are mildewed and dirty. I love that we serve a Savior that we can go to and confess our sin. He washes away our iniquity and cleanses us from our sin. (Psalm 51:1-2)

Praise God! When we are down, He lifts us up and places us with those who are bearing much fruit! I believe this is why God's Word tells us to "spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together. . . " (Hebrews 10:24-25a) It is so important to surround yourself with those who are bearing fruit. Corporate worship and fellowship with other believers is necessary to encourage us as we grow in Christ. I am so thankful for the family of God!

I am thankful for my Journey Girls. Your love and encouragement has been amazing! You are such a blessing to me and I love you so! Just take some time today and evaluate your own heart. Are you bearing much fruit? Are you allowing the Vinedresser to prune your life? Are you surrounding yourself with others who are flourishing in Christ? Are you allowing your Daddy to be the lifter of your pretty little head? He loves you so much and it is His desire to see you grow in Him. Don't give up when the journey gets tough. Continue on and cling to the One True Vine!

Walking with you,
Elisabeth

Read John 12:1-11

As we continue to sit at the feet of Jesus and marvel at His goodness, what has He been speaking to you? How have you felt His presence this week as you have spent time communing with Him? Have you been captured by His holiness?

I have enjoyed studying God's Word so much this week. One thing that has been a blessing during this time of transition, is the amount of time that I have to devote to Bible study. Since I am currently unemployed, I am blessed to be full time employed by the Holy Spirit! He is teaching me so much on this journey with you! Let's continue to pray for wisdom and clarity as we study His Word together.

Have you ever been to a dinner party? You know, the kind with fine china, flowers and many guests? This is what I imagine when I read this portion of scripture. Jesus had gone to Bethany to visit friends and was the guest of honor at dinner. As he was reclining at the table,  "Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." (John 12:3)

Mary received much criticism from this action. The disciples questioned her and Judas, who later betrayed Christ, objected the loudest. He felt as though this was ridiculous since the perfume was worth a whole year's wages. He felt as though it was wasted. However, Mary did as she felt led in her heart. She washed the feet of her Savior as an act of devotion to Him. This act also showed her humility, because it was customary in that day for a servant to attend the feet. Mary did not care what they thought. She did not care that it was not "custom," and she did not care that it cost her an entire year's wages. At that moment, she was at the Savior's feet and she was fully surrendered to Him.

What was the Lord's response? Jesus replied, "Leave her alone!" (vs. 7). Don't you love it when our Daddy, Abba comes to our rescue? I remember as a little girl thinking my Daddy was the strongest person in the world and no matter what the situation, he could save me. Well, as I grew up, I realized that my Dad was strong and he would always do whatever he could to help me, but he could not save me. There was only one person who could save me and that was Jesus Christ, my Heavenly Father. I am sure that Mary was delighted when Jesus came to her rescue. For this was not the first time He had rescued her, he had rescued her from her sin.

I love the passage as recorded in Mark 14:1-10. It says that she came with "an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume" (Mark 14:3). Jesus said, "She has done a beautiful thing to me." (Mark 14:6) Isn't it ironic that the Most High, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords said that what she did for Him was beautiful? I can't imagine what she must have felt that day. How the tears must have flown as she listened to their whispers, their criticism. But she didn't let it stop her. She stayed focused on the Savior and poured herself out. She knew deep inside the true cost of her alabaster box. It was much more than expensive perfume, it represented her sin that He had taken away. Praise God!! HE was the beautiful One!

What is in your alabaster box? What price did Jesus pay for your soul? My sweet ones, Your Daddy came to rescue you and He deserves all the praise! He is worthy! I love the words to the song Alabaster Box by Cece Winans. Read the lyrics below and allow the Holy Spirit to speak directly to your heart. Pour out your praise and love to Him. Allow your offering to be a sweet aroma that fills the room. O what a beautiful thing!

Alabaster Box

The room grew still
As she made her way to Jesus
She stumbles through the tears that made her blind
She felt such pain
Some spoke in anger
Heard folks whisper
There's no place here for her kind

Still on she came
Through the shame that flushed her face
Until at last, she knelt before his feet
And though she spoke no words
Everything she said was heard
As she poured her love for the Master
From her box of alabaster

And I've come to pour
My praise on Him
Like oil from Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears
And I dry them with my hair
You weren't there the night He found me
You did not feel what I felt
When he wrapped his love all around me and
You don't know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box

I can't forget the way life used to be
I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound
And I spent my days
Poured my life without measure
Into a little treasure box
I'd thought I'd found

Until the day when Jesus came to me
And healed my soul
With the wonder of His touch
So now I'm giving back to Him
All the praise He's worthy of
I've been forgiven
And that's why
I love Him so much

And I've come to pour
My praise on Him
Like oil from Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry if I wash his feet with my tears
And dry them with my hair
You weren't there the night Jesus found me
You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped his loving arms around me and
You don't know the cost of the oil
Oh, you don't know the cost of my praise
You don't know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box


I am so thankful that Jesus saved my soul! I am thankful that He wrapped His loving arms around me. O how I love Jesus and O how I love my Journey Girls! You, sweet ones, are BEAUTIFUL

Humbled by His Grace,
Elisabeth

"But you, when you pray, go into your room , close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6) The King James Version of this passage says, "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet. . ."

Beloved, I have been most blessed to know the power of prayer!  I love that we, as children of the Most High, can enter His throne room and have direct access to the Father. Under the old covenant, the Most Holy Place could not be entered by the people. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year. (Hebrews 9:7-15)  When Christ died for us and drew His last breath on the cross, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. This inner curtain separated the Holy Place from the most Holy Place in the temple. This tearing signified Christ's making it possible for all believers to enter directly into His presence. We can come to the throne of grace, at any time, because the perfect One has offered His One and Only Son as the perfect sacrifice, atoning for our sin. (Hebrews 10:19-23, Mark 15:37-38, Matthew 27:50-51) PRAISE GOD!! We can enter the Holy of Holies!

Prayer has always been an essential part of my life. I remember as a little girl starting a tradition that I have always kept, my closet of prayer. I love spending sweet time with my Savior, pouring out my heart to Him and allowing Him to speak. I loved singing praises to my Lord and feeling His presence so mightily.

One of my dearest childhood memories is seeing my Momma sitting at the kitchen table every morning with her cup of coffee, reading the Word of God and spending time in prayer. I remember going with my Daddy, on many occasions, to peoples homes, to have prayer with them. I cherish the many times I have been able to be with my husband as we have gathered with our church family and layed hands on those who wanted prayer. I cherish our prayer times together as a family. I love the memories of tucking my baby boy in at night and saying bedtime prayers with him. I love sweet memories of praying with friends and having them pray for me. My favorite prayer is that of a lost soul giving their heart to Jesus.

Prayer is essential, powerful and commanded in the Word of God. It is how we talk to our Savior and commune with Him. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." We are to "pray for those who persecute you," (Matthew 5:44), "pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:28), pray as Christ taught us (Luke 11:1-4), "pray that you will not fall into temptation." (Luke 22:40), pray when you are in trouble (James 5:13), pray when you are sick (James 5:14), and "pray continually." (1 Thessalonians 5:17). "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)

We can pray from anywhere, anytime and in any situation. We see many examples of this in scripture. Jesus often went off to a solitary place to pray. (Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:23, Mark 6:46, Luke 6;12) Jonah prayed from the belly of a fish (Jonah 2:1) and Anna prayed in the temple (Luke 2:37-38). My friends, we can come to Jesus at anytime, anywhere and talk to Him just as we talk to our friends. (Exodus 33:11, James 2:23).

Are we spending time in prayer? Do we have a quiet, solitary place that we can go to and spend time with Jesus? (a closet of prayer) Are we praying for others and believing God for the answers? I remember hearing a story of a busy mom who did just this very thing. She had 19 children and I am quite sure she had her hands full. Where in the world did she find time to spend in a quiet place with the Lord? She would often pull her apron over head and spend time praying. Her children knew that when her apron was over her head, their Momma was spending some much needed time with the Savior. This famous Mom was Susanna Wesley, the Mother of John Wesley. By simply pulling an apron over her head, she was entering her closet of prayer.

Let's make time to spend time in prayer. I love having the opportunity to pray for my Journey Girls! It is such an honor and priveledge. I want us to be able to pray for specific requests in each others lives. You will notice a new button to the right of the page called "JG Prayer Closet." This will be our place where we can go to and post specific prayer requests. Then, we can take them into our own closets of prayer and pray for each other daily. We can go to the Lord and intercede for each other. My prayer is 1 Samuel 12:23 that says, "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you and teach you the way that is good and right." I promise to pray with you and believe God for the answers.

"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!" (1 Samuel 12:16)We will see His hand at work, when we fervantly pray and seek Him. One thing that I know for sure, God answers prayers! He is waiting and listening. . . Let us enter into the throne room and sit at His feet.

Praying for you,
Elisabeth

Sweet Journey Girls,

I just want to first of all THANK YOU for your patience with me. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers! Thank you for coming alongside me and laying facedown at the feet of our wonderful Savior. This weekend, God has been renewing my strength. He continues to speak and I am listening intently to what He says. There is no other place that I would rather be than at His feet. I praise Him every day for each one of you! You bless my heart so much and I am so honored to serve Jesus through serving you! I love y'all from the bottom of my heart!

This morning was confirmation to my spirit, as I sat and listened to my Daddy preach from 2 Corinthians 4. I was reminded once again the scripture we shared together recently. "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:17). I love this passage and each of us should tuck it away in our hearts. Remember, we must keep an eternal perspective and not lose heart!

This afternoon, as I lay facedown, I begin reading the Psalms. I receive so much encouragement from this portion of scripture. Sometimes, we see the psalmist crying out to God in distress and this helps us give voice to our cries for help. Other times, we read of them praising God for His goodness and we too can relate. I love how God's Word is as true now as it was then!

I began to read Psalm 126. I am a dreamer. Every since I was a little girl, I have always loved fairytales and dreaming. I remember dreaming that I had a secret staircase in the corner of my bedroom that went up to a magnicficent castle. Needless to say, I had a big imagination. This, however, is not the kind of dreaming I am talking about. I love to dream about the endless possibilities that GOD can do when we fully surrender our lives to Him. Complete submission to our Savior! It fills my soul with joy!

The psalmist is decribing a time when it felt as though they were dreaming. The wonder and joy of what God had done was so marvelous, they could hardly believe it! Their mouths were filled with laughter and shouts of joy! (vs. 2) "The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." (vs. 3) God has done great things for us, Journey Girls and we are filled with joy! I praise Him for His grace, mercy and love that He has lavished on us! We serve a wonderful God!

Even when we go through valleys, we can look back and remember how far He has brought us. We can remember all the God things He has done. No one can ever take those from us. They are precious memories from our Savior and O how we can cherish them. However, the psalmist does not stop here. In verse 4, we read, "Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev." I love how The Message version of that verse reads. "And now, GOD, do it again- bring rains to our drought stricken lives."

We have journeyed this far together and had some wonderful times of remembrance. We have laughed, cried and lay alongside each other with our faces to the LORD. Now, let's pray for God to DO IT AGAIN!! Pray for Him to rain down showers of blessing. Ezekial 34:26 says, "I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing." Pray for God to use you to be a blessing to someone else this week. Share your testimony of how God has blessed your life. God blesses us on the mountaintops and He blesses us in the valleys. We just have to keep our eyes focused on Him.

The last couple of verses of Psalm 126 says, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." Beloved, hold to the promise that when you cling to Jesus; what you sow in tears, you will reap with songs of joy!! He will bestow on you a crown of beauty instead of ashes, oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. (Isaiah 61:3)

God still works miracles and He continues to give us times that seem almost too good to be true. It feels as though we are dreaming! There is a joy unspeakable that we just cannot contain. God desires to do something glorious in your life! I love what Habakkuk 3:2-3 says. "LORD, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy." The same God who performed blessings and miracles then, is the same God who performs blessings and miracles today. We must believe God! John 14:12-13 says, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

Ask God to do greater things through you for His glory! Ask Him to rain down upon your life. Pray for opportunities to bless others and shower them with the love of Jesus. Renew them in our day, O LORD! Do it again!! I cannot wait to hear how He works in and through you. I love you girls and I am praying for our Daddy to do something glorious in your life!

Still Dreaming,
Elisabeth

Journey Girls,
I am having a difficult time writing today. As we went to the Word yesterday and camped out at Gilgal, I must admit. . . it was painful for me. Many times, as we go through the healing process, the cleansing of a deep wound is quite painful.

I love each of you so very much and I continue to pray for you as you go throughout this journey. Please continue to pray for me as well. This morning as I prayed, I was at a loss for words. (this doesn't happen very often ) I remembered a precious promise from the Word of God in Romans. Romans 8:26 says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Thank you LORD for interceding on our behalf! Thank you that in our weakness, YOU are strong!

I am having to continue to camp at my Gilgal this weekend. I am seeking God and a healing that can only come from Him. I find myself in the same spot as Joshua was at the end of chapter 5. "Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?"

As I lay facedown today, that is my cry. I do not want to miss a single message from the Lord. I want to learn from past failures and mistakes. I want to be all that God has created me to be. I want to lay still before my LORD and listen.

1 Samuel 3:9-11, "So Eli told Samuel, 'Go and lie down, and if He calls you, say, 'Speak LORD, for your servant is listening.' So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, 'Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel said, 'Speak, for your servant is listening.' And the LORD said to Samuel: 'See I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle."

God desires to do something amazing in and through your life. Something that will make the ears of those who hear it tingle. They will know that you have been in the presence of the Most High. He will receive all glory, honor and praise!

Sweet Journey Girls, I don't know what the LORD is speaking to you today, but I do know that He has told me to lay facedown before Him and listen. Maybe you could join me. Find a quiet place and lay facedown. Cry out to the LORD. Tell Him your worries, hurts, weaknesses and desires. Pour out your heart to Him. Then, let's just listen.

"Speak LORD, for your servant is listening. . . "

Elisabeth

I just want to start today by praising GOD!! Father, I praise you for who you are. You are the Alpha, Omega, the Beginning and the End. You are our Redeemer, our Savior, our Counselor and Friend. You are the Mighty One, our Creator, our Deliverer, the Great I AM! You are the Chosen One, Adonai, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace! You are Wonderful, All-powerful, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, our Healer, our Father, Abba. You are Holy, Perfect and You are worthy to receive all glory, honor and praise! I love you LORD!

We serve an awesome God! I love the way He is making Himself know to us during this journey. Yesterday was such a blessing to me as I remembered where my family had been and how God had taken care of us. Stones of Remembrance are so important and I hope that you have found your stone and have placed it somewhere that you can see it every day. I am enjoying studying God's Word with you ladies so much! I love how God is working in and through your lives! Thank you for encouraging me along the way. I love you!

I was reading today in Joshua 5 about Gilgal. I remembered studying this place before. (Believing God - Beth Moore). Gilgal was the place where God had the Israelites camp after crossing over the Jordan. Gilgal means "circle." It was a place where God brought them full circle and started a new lifecycle, breaking the old one. It was a place of circumcision. (Joshua 5:2-3) Circumcision was the sign that they were in covenant with God. It was a consecration to the Lord's service. Gilgal was a place of new beginning. It was a place that they could "start over," so to speak.

I love the fact that we serve a God who, if we allow Him, will "cut off" the old. He is a God of new beginnings! Today, God circumcises our hearts. When we come to Him with a sincere heart and confess our sins, turning from them, He cleanses us. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 10:9 says, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." THANK YOU LORD!! He gives us new life! 2 Corinthian 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

The Israelites stayed at the camp until they were healed. (Joshua 5:8). The word "healed" is "hayah" meaning "to live, exist, enjoy life, to live anew, recover, be well and to refresh." Sisters, many times we go through a desert time in our lives. It seems as though we will never reach our promised land. We go through a time of wounding, which requires a time of healing. We must be healed in order to experience the abundant life God has for us. He desires for us to be well, refreshed and to enjoy life! He wants us to enjoy all of His promises. He desires that we be a blessing to others and share His goodness and love. I love what Beth Moore says, "Often a wounding precedes our full reception of God's promises, but healing always follows."

Have you been wounded? Are you hurting? Sweet one, maybe God desires for you to camp at your Gilgal and receive a healing from Him. Maybe He has brought you full circle to have complete healing once and for all. Allow Him to cut off the old and give you a fresh, new start. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that "by His wounds, we are healed." Jesus is the Great Physician! He is Jehovah Rapha - the LORD who heals.

Finally, in verse 9, we read that the LORD rolled away the reproach of Egypt. Reproach is a term meaning "mild rebuke, criticisim, disgrace, blame or shame." Aren't you thankful that Almighty God can roll away the reproach in our lives? I know I am! Sometimes we bring this on ourselves and sometimes we are falsely accused, but whatever the circumstance. . . the LORD rolls away our reproach! We do not have to carry it or wear it anymore! We can finally put our own "Egypts" behind us!

I have shared some of my story with you. I want each of you to know that God is using this journey in my life right now to bring about healing. I have been deeply wounded. I have been to the bottom of the pit and I have been exhausted. I know what it is like to be criticized, blamed, falsely accused and rejected. I know what it is like to watch your family go through suffering that is not deserved. Sometimes the pains of leadership and ministry are almost too much to bear. Praise be to God that HE gives us the strength we need to face each day. He loves us and He understands! I am living testimony to the fact that God does heal! I have not arrived yet, but He continues to heal my spirit a little more each day. He is applying the precious balm of Gilead to my soul and He will do it for you too. When we allow Him to circumcise our hearts and roll away our reproach, victory comes! When we surrender ourselves completely to Him and believe Him by faith, He heals. He renews our joy and gives us a new hope, new strength and a new passion to serve Him through serving others.

Please know that I am here for you. I love you and I want you to have true healing and joy that comes only from our Father. I am praying for each of you. Pray for me, and my family, as we continue to camp at Gilgal and receive healing.

Praising God,
Elisabeth

My precious Journey Girls,

Can I just tell you how crazy I am about each one of you? You are such a blessing and encouragement to me and I love each of you so very much! God is so good and I am so thankful that He has allowed our paths to cross. I am praying for you daily! I would love to hear from you! I know there has been some issues with posting comments, but please keep trying. This is the only way that I know you are still doing well. If you have stumbled or had to stop to rest along the way, I want to encourage you. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Allow Jesus to refresh your spirit! Continue on, sweet friends; we are in this together and God has something awesome planned for you! Also, it is not to late to invite others to join the journey! I would love to have more come with us! Allow God to use your life to be an encouragement to others. We can pick them up along the way. There is plenty of room! :) I love ya'll so very much!

Well, our journey yesterday took us to the Jordan, and we will pick up in that same spot today. Let's read together Joshua chapter 4. I love God's Word and I cannot wait to hear how He speaks to us today!

The whole nation had safely crossed the Jordan and the LORD had spared them. Once they were on dry ground, the LORD told Joshua to "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle (the deepest part, remember?) of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight." (Joshua 4:2-3) Joshua did this very thing. He told the twelve men that these stones would serve as a sign among them. Lets pick up in verse 6. "To serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever." So the Israelites did this and carried them over with them to the campsite where they laid them down.

God wanted this to be a reminder to the people of where they had been and how HE had seen them through. He had brought them through the desert and stopped the Jordan from flowing to allow them to cross over. He is all powerful! This was to be a memorial to remind future generations of what had happend. They were purposeful in leaving a legacy of faith to their children. They did not want to forget what they had been through because this was just a reminder of the faithfulness of God! Isn't that incredible? I love God's Word!

After the people had done just as the LORD had commanded, they hurried over (vs. 10) and crossed onto dry land. The priests, carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, followed. "No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before." (vs 18) At just the right time, when they had all crossed over, God allowed the waters to flow again. God had protected them and led them to safety.

We are to remember and leave a legacy of faith to our children. I love the part of verse 6 that says, "In the future, when your children ask you. . " Are you telling your children about Jesus each day? Are you testifying His goodness to them? This can be as simple as praising Him for working out their homework or schedule. I remember praising Jesus for a good parking place one day when Andrew was little. (It was pouring down rain and I had no umbrella!) He said, "Praise Jesus for this spot Mommy, right?" I smiled and said, "Right!" They learn from us. Let's leave them stones of remembrance along the way so that they will never forget our great God!

Can you relate to the Israelites? Has there been a time in your life when you felt as though you were in the middle of the Jordan? Maybe you felt as though instead of passing on dry ground, you were just treading water. You were trying to get to safety. Maybe you are in that very place on this journey. I've been there. Beloved, that is when you must rest in Jesus. Believe God for who He is and what He, and only He, can do! Allow Him to part the waters and set your feet on dry ground.

I will never forget when God did just this very thing in my life. We had only lived in Ashland, KY for less than a year. My family had just moved to a new church and a new home and we were trying to get established and settled. My husband had been struggling and not feeling well since we made the move. We kept shrugging it off to change in the weather and being busy. One Sunday morning, as he was getting up to preach, I noticed he did not look well at all! He got up and apologized to the congregation, saying that he was too ill to preach. I knew he had to feel bad because this was so out of character for him. Just a few short hours later, I found myself in the hospital with my husband who was very ill. The doctor said he had Acute Pancreatitis, which can be life threatening. I was in shock! Here we were at a new place with no family, my husband was laying in the hospital very ill and there was nothing I could do, but trust God. I didn't leave his side that week. I prayed fervently and waited for the LORD to work a miracle. Praise God, He healed my husband and I will never forget!

Two weeks later, my son woke up with a rash that covered his entire body. He had a very high fever and was lethargic. I immediately took him to the doctor and I will never forget what he said that day. "This is very serious. I want to run some tests. His spleen is enlarged and this is not a rash." I felt as though I was going to pass out. I got sick in the pit of my stomach. "Dear God," I prayed, "Please touch my baby and give me strength." I knew with my nursing background that he suspected leukemia. A series of tests followed and I continued to pray. My husband prayed, my family prayed, our friends prayed and my new church family prayed. I had to take Andrew in twce a week for 6 weeks to be checked. PRAISE GOD, he was completely healed!! The doctor was amazed and could not explain what had happened or why he was healed. I knew exactly what had happened. Jehovah Rapha - our healer - had touched my baby boy! Praise God, He healed my boy and I will never forget!

As I read the story of the Israelites in Joshua, I can only imagine that they felt this same kind of joy. Praise God! He had rescued them! He had been their Provider! He had been their Protector! He had been faithful! He was to be praised! They would never forget. This is why God ordered them to take stones from the middle of the Jordan. "He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful. . " (Joshua 4:24a) We serve a powerful, mighty GOD!! Let us not forget that He is in control!

I challenge you today to look once again at your Jordan. What is it that God has saved you from? What river are you currently facing? How has His power been at work in your life? We can testify to the fact that HE saved us! He spared our life from eternal death. He lavished us with mercy, grace and love. He died on a cross for our sins, He rose again and is now preparing our eternal home. PRAISE be to GOD!

1 Peter 2:4-5 says, "As you come to Him, the Living Stone- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him- you also like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." We are living stones! We are a chip off THE ROCK! I love that!

Take some time today and find a stone. Maybe you can find one in your backyard or as you walk along the road. Write this scripture passage (1 Peter 2:4-5) on it and place it somewhere that you will see it everyday. Every time you look at it, it can be your stone of remembrance. Remember that the LORD is our Living Stone! Remember all HE has done for you and all that HE is doing in your life right now. Remember not only what He has done, but more importantly, remember who HE is! We serve an amazing, omnipotent, sovereign, holy, loving God. He is taking us through our Jordan to cross over to dry ground. He has stopped the waters from overtaking us! "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." (Isaish 43:2a)

Let's campout tonight and savor His goodness and love. Let us sit around the campfire together, take some time and just remember. . .

Remembering,
Elisabeth

Read Joshua 3:1-17

Joshua was a servant of the LORD. (Joshua 24:29) He was known for his deep trust in God and he was "a man in whom is the spirit." (Numbers 27:18) He knew the bitter realities of slavery and he had also witnessed the miracles of God. He led the Israelites into the promised land after many years of slavery and 40 years in the desert.

God told Joshua that He would give him every place where he set his foot. (Joshua 1:3) He promised to never leave or forsake him. (Joshua 1:5) He commanded him to "Be strong and courageous" and to meditate on His Word day and night. (Joshua 1:7-8) Joshua obeyed God and we pick up the story in chapter 3.

I love the first verse of chapter 3; it says that they set out early in the morning. Now, I must admit that I am not a morning person. However, when I make time to wake up early and spend time in God's Word, it is always rewarding. There is just something about those first few moments of the day spent with the Savior. This verse also says that they had "camped before crossing over." I believe that many times we need to campout, so to speak, with Jesus. Spend some intense alone time with Him before stepping out in faith. This allows us to hear Him more clearly and clarify our direction.

Next, the people had to MOVE! This sounds easy enough, but many times when it comes our turn, we want to stand our ground. We do not want to follow, we want to lead. We want to do things our own way. We don't mind moving, as long as it is at our own pace. . . s l o w l y! Yet, in this story we see that the orders had been clearly given by the leaders. When they saw the ark of the covenant of the LORD God (this signified the Lord's presence), and the priests carrying it going ahead of them. . . they were "to move out from their positions and follow!" (Joshua 3:3) I believe that God calls pastors, leaders, to lead. God gives the directions and vision through the leader and we are to follow. This seems so simple, yet we often make it so difficult.

I am humbled and honored to be a pastor's wife. I do NOT take this position lightly. I feel as though it is a blessed calling and I just desire to have a  heart of a servant. I trust my husband. He is the leader of our home and as he surrenders to the Holy Spirit, God gives the direction on where we should go. The same goes in the church. As God gives the spiritual leader that He has placed in leadership the vision, we as a people are to follow.

Let's get back to our story. We studied just a couple of days ago about "pala." This was the charge that Joshua gave the people. Remember? "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing (pala) things among you." (Joshua 3:5) He knew that God was going to do something marvelous, extaordinary and wonderful; something surpassing and amazing that only God could do, if they were obedient. It was going to be a GOD thing! What has God done that could only be explained as "pala" in your life?

We pick up in verse 7, where they reached the waters edge. Wow, have I ever been there. Have you ever been at a place, on the water's edge, where the anticipation of what was to come was so great? Can you imagine how the Israelites must have been feeling that day? They had been in slavery and in the desert for 40 years. The day of crossing over had finally come. I am confident that the anticipation of what was to come was so overwhelming. I'm sure they were overcome with excitement.I am also sure that some were afraid. I know I have been at this very position before. It is so exciting when a group of believers are obedient to the Holy Spirit!! God moves in such a miraculous way and His Spirit is like a whoosing mighty wind that stirs excitement and anticipation of what is to come! I can remember such a time in one of our previous congregations. It was SO exciting to see how God was at work among His people. I couldn't wait to go to worship each week. People were getting saved and baptized weekly and the Spirit was so amazing. Outsiders would come in and say, "I've never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit this way. It is so strong and inviting." The church continued to grow and the enthusiasm was contagious! This had nothing to do with me or my husband, it was simply a GOD thing!!

I also think it is important to realize that the Holy Spirit went before them (vs. 11) and the leaders were required to step in first! As leaders, we are to maintain a high level of accountability. Where much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48b) Isn't it reassuring to know that we are not alone? The Holy Spirit works within us and He goes before us. Isaiah 52:12 says, "But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard." He goes before us and He has our backs!

The leaders had to lead by faith! The Jordan did not stop flowing until their feet touched the water's edge. (vs. 13-16). This was very significant since the Jordan was at floodstage. They had to take a risk and step into the DEEP! Once they obeyed God and followed Him the water from upstream stopped flowing and the people were able to cross over on dry ground.The promised land! Praise be to God!!

Do you have a Jordan that you are facing? Are you afraid to step into the deep? Move out of your position, in faith, and trust God. We must get in the deep with God. Dive deep into His Word and allow His Spirit to control every area of our lives. As we move forward, pray about what God wants to speak specifically to your heart. Let us spend some time listening (camping out) and then get ready to MOVE!! Be strong and courageous! I have tasted the pala and let me tell you, it is like nothing you could ever imagine.

Father, I pray that each one of us will soak in your Word and apply it to our lives. Help us to step out into the deep by faith, trusting in You. Thank you for going before us, no matter what our Jordan may be, and staying in the middle with us until we get through. Thank you for your protecion, love, provision and example of holiness. I love you Jesus! Thank you for speaking to me this morning and for allowing me the wonderful memories of a God thing that was all because of you. Thank you for the promise of the God thing that is to come! Draw me closer to you; help me to be obedient and to allow your Holy Spirit to fill me once again. Help me to follow you and to not be afraid to cross over my Jordan. I give You all the glory, honor and praise! Amen

I love you Journey Girls and you are in my prayers!

At the water's edge,
Elisabeth

Psalm 27:14 ~ "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."

Okay, I am the first to admit that patience is not one of my strengths! I am a very focused, type A personality and usually want things done in a organized, timely manner. I am a detailed person. I love things done with excellence, yet I want them as quickly as possible. I do not like to wait! Can anyone else relate?

I love the story of my namesake, Elisabeth, in the Bible. She was a woman who definately knew what it was like to "Wait for the LORD." Elisabeth and her husband, Zechariah, had prayed for a child for many years. She was barren and past childbearing age. One day, while her husband was working at the temple; an angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him they were going to have a son. This son would be a joy and delight to them and he would be filled with the Spirit and prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. (Luke 1:1-25)

Can you imagine how Elisabeth must have felt? I'm sure she was happy, however I'm sure she must have wondered why now? She had prayed for so many years. Why did God wait to answer her request? She was an old woman and she was going to have a baby! How could this be the best plan?

I love Jim Cymbala's book "Fresh Faith." In it he says, "Many times in life, God waits while a situation goes from bad to worse. He appears to let it slip over the edge, so that you and I say, 'There's no way now for this to ever work out.' But that is the point when the omnipotent God intervenes in our hopelessness and says, 'Oh really? Watch this. . . !'"

We serve an awesome God! His timing is perfect! He knows our hearts desires and hears our prayers. We want Him to answer them now, but He has a greater plan. His desire is to step in, at just the right time, and perform a miracle on our behalf. He wants to do something great! He wants to receive all the glory, honor and praise. He is all powerful! When we face the impossible, we must trust in Him. "For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

I can relate to my namesake, Elisabeth. I understand what it feels like to pray for something and have to wait for an answer. I understand facing infertility. I understand feeling as though you are a "disgrace among people" (Luke 1:25). I understand the feeling of hopeless. I am sure that some of you can relate to some of these feelings as well.

Even now, in my current situation, I have been praying so hard for a specific request. The enemy wants me to feel as though the Lord has forgotten and is uninterested. Maybe you have felt this way too. My sweet friends, the enemy is a liar and deceiver! God has not forgotten! He cares about every detail of our lives!

Continue to pray fervently (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and trust Him. He has a greater plan! He wants the very best for our lives. We must wait for the Lord. He will step in and do something amazing on our behalf and we will testify and give Him glory! He still works miracles. We serve an awesome God!

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." (Psalm 40:1-2)

God hears our cries! He does the impossible! He is all powerful and He is faithful. He is always on time. My sweet friends, trust Him! Believe Him and know His Word is true. His faithfulness continues for all generations. (Psalm 89:1) He is going to do something all-glorious . . . . Just wait and see!

Believing God,
Elisabeth

As I write, I have been praying for a dear family in our previous church who had a loved one in surgery today. I know it has been a long day for all of them. The Lord continued to bring their sweet faces to my mind all day. I wanted to be there with them so bad, but I could only be there in spirit.

My son also called awhile ago from college with a lot on his mind. He has so much to do and feels as though there is not enough time to get it all done.

As I prayed for my boy and this precious family, the Lord kept bringing a word to my mind. . . peace. Oh dear one, how each of us at different moments in our lives need peace. A peace that transcends all understanding. (Philippians 4:7) A peace that calms our fears. (John 14:27) A peace that that comes from the LORD! (Psalm 29:11)

Ephesians 2:11a says, "For He himself is our peace." Jesus Christ is our Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6) Through His death on the cross, we were given the peace of God.

One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 26:3 ~ "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." The Hebrew word for "keep" is "nasar" meaning, "to guard, protect, keep." In essence, Christ is the watchman or guard over your mind. Isn't that comforting?

Many times we hold on to worry and fear instead of allowing the watchman over our heart and mind to provide peace. Peace is a characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit. The more we allow His Spirit to permeate our being, the more God's peace can be released within our lives.

I remember studying John 6:1-15 in a previous Beth Moore study. It is the story of the feeding of five thousand. She made me aware of a very important point in this passage. In verse 10, Jesus told the disciples to have the people "sit down." Sometimes, we need to have a "sitting down" posture in order to receive what God has for us. He knows what we need even before we ask. (Matthew 6:8) Sweet Journey Girls, are you at peace? Is there something that is worrying you?Sit down at the feet of Jesus. Read Matthew 6:25-34 and allow the Prince of Peace to minister to your spirit.

As I pray for each of you, for my boy and for this precious one who had surgery today, the words to an old hymn come to mind. My Daddy used to always sing this to me when I was little girl. Journey Girls, sit down and allow our Heavenly Father, our Daddy, Abba to sing this chorus to you. . .

"Peace, peace, wonderful peace
Coming down from the Father above
Sweep over my spirit
Forever I pray
In fathomless billows of love."

I love each one of you and I am praying God's peace in your lives today.

Thanking Him for Peace,
Elisabeth

Psalm 118:23 - "The LORD has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes."

That word "marvelous" or "wonderful" is "pala" in Hebrew meaning surpassing, extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action. We see this word in Joshua 3:5 and Psalm 139:14 as well.

I love Joshua 3:5! It says, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."Do you remember a time the LORD did something amazing in your life? My friend, the mere fact that we breathe and have life is amazing! The God of the universe created you and you are fearfully and wonderfully (pala) made.

I remember the night I gave my heart to Jesus! I was only 6 years old. I remember listening to my Daddy preach and feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit for the first time in my life. I wanted Jesus to come into my heart. At the close of the service, I went to the altar and prayed a simple prayer of salvation. That day Jesus performed "pala" in my life! He did something wonderful, marvellous, extraordinary, and surpassing! Jesus came into my heart and saved my soul. Thank you Lord!

I am so thankful that God still does amazing things. Nothing is impossible for Him. (Luke 1:37) When we consecrate ourselves to the Lord and allow His Spirit to work in and through us, we will see amazing things.

My challenge to you, my sweet Journey Girls: surrender everything to Jesus this week! Consecrate yourselves to Him. Give Him first place in your heart and life and watch for the "pala."

I want to hear your story! Maybe it's how you came to Jesus or maybe it is something amazing that He has done this week. Share your story and give Him praise! "Pala Praise!"

I love each one of you and God is using your story to encourage me and others on this journey. Thank you so much for sharing! I cannot wait to see what God does tomorrow!

Praising Jesus,
Elisabeth

Journey Girls,
I am at the Denver airport & I am headed home. It sounds strange to say that going to Illinois is home. However, right now it is my home. My Grandma Hall always said, "Home is wherever you are." So, I am homeward bound and I must say I cannot wait to see my man!! :)

This reminded me of a song, by Carrie Underwood, that I absolutely love. It's called "Temporary Home."

Temporary Home

Little boy, six years old
A little too used to being alone
Another new mom and dad, another school
Another house that'll never be home

When people ask him how he likes this place
He looks up and says with a smile upon his face

This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know
This is my temporary home

A young mom on her own
She needs a little help, got no where to go
She's looking for a job, looking for a way out
'Cause a half-way house will never be a home

At night she whispers to her baby girl
Someday we'll find our place here in this world

This is our temporary home
It's not where we belong
Windows and rooms that we're passing through
This is just a stop on the way to where we're going
I'm not afraid because I know
This is our temporary home

Old man, hospital bed
The room is filled with people he loves
And he whispers, "don't cry for me,
I'll see you all someday"

He looks up and says,
"I can see God's face"

This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passing through
This was just a stop on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know
This was my temporary home

This is our temporary home


My beloved, this is our temporary home! We are just passing through- Praise Jesus!
John 14:1-4 says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

No matter what your situation, or where you are at on this journey, remember this is our temporary home. Let's keep an eternal perspective in all that we do. Let's seek to make an impact for Jesus Christ! Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!

2 Corinthians 4:17-18, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Hebrews 12:2 says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I cannot wait to hear how God is working in and through you! By the way, how's the scripture memory coming along? I am praying for each of you! Let's keep our eyes on Jesus and keep our perspective eternal!

Love my Journey Girls,
Elisabeth

"Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." ~Lamentations 3:22-23


"For great is His love toward us and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. ~Psalm 117:2


Praise the Lord! We serve a God whose faithfulness will endure forever! His compassions are new every morning! His Word is true and He is faithful in all He does! (Psalm 33:4)


We must learn to trust His faithfulness. Even though sometimes we may not understand all God is doing, we can trust His heart. His heart is loving and good. Psalm 100:5 says, "For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." We can trust God! He is faithful and He has given us Jesus Christ as a guarentee of His faithfulness.  He gives us His Spirit, which dwells within us, to lead us each day.


We journey by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." As Christians (believers), we are called to be faithful. The word believer means "the faithful," or "those who believe God." Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." We must Believe God! Even though we may not always understand our circumstances, we can trust God and know that He works all things for our good (Romans 8:28) and His actions will always flow from His loving heart.


I was reading through a previous Beth Moore study, "Living Beyond Yourself" and this quote stood out to me regarding faith. "Do you ever tire of riding the roller coster of faith? Of being up one day and down the next? We can exercise our faith in God in one of two ways. One leaves us at the mercy of life's constant ups and downs. The other is the key to steadfast faith- the way off the roller coaster to begin walking with God and practicing a faith that can't be 'greatly moved' (Psalm 62:2 KJV). Every believer falls into one of these two categories on the basis of her answer to one simple question: do you base your faith on what God does or who He is?"


Beloved, how is your faith? Do you believe God for who He is? Are you walking steadfastly or riding the roller coster of faith?


Lord, I pray for each of your sweet journey girls this morning. Help them to know in whom they have believed. That YOU are a faithful, loving, good God who desires to walk with us through this journey of faith. You designed us for your pleasure. To commune with you, share our hearts with you and to give you glory. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight. My desire is to have a genuine, steadfast faith based on who YOU are, O Lord. I love you Jesus and praise you for your faithfulness. Thank you for this journey and for these girls who have blessed my life! To YOU be all the glory, honor and praise! Amen


Walking by Faith,
Elisabeth

My heart is hurting today as I see news clips and read the headlines of Haiti. I am praying for those precious people. I can't keep my thoughts off of them.  I cannot imagine what they are going through. It made me reflect back to September 11, 2001. What a tragedy our nation faced that day. It is one I will never forget. I remember where I was when the news broke about the first plane hitting the first tower. I was on my way to a nursing class in Southern IL. I had so much to do that day. I had a test in one of my classes, I had to work and I was finishing up last minute preparations because we were to canidate that next weekend at a church in Kentucky. My heart almost stopped as I listened to the radio. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I just wanted to get home to my husband and son. I wanted to call all my family. I couldn't understand what was happening. I remember the eeriness of that day.


I remember my husband calling the search committee chairman to see if they wanted to postpone our canidacy, but they did not. I will never forget that next weekend. My husband preached a sermon entitled, "Awake the Sleeping Giant." He read from Romans13:10-12 and Revelation 3:1-4. The Holy Spirit moved in a mighty way that Sunday morning.


I also remember hearing our US Congress sing "God Bless America" on the front steps of our nation's capitol. I remember churches holding prayer meetings all across our nation. People turned to God. It grieves my heart when I think of how far we've come in just 8 short years. How quickly we have forgotten. Lord, turn our nation back to you. Help us to seek your heart.


I must admit, sweet Journey Girls, that I have really been struggling last night and today. I can't go into much detail, but I can tell you that I was struggling with our current life situation. I was questioning whether or not the Lord had forgotten about us. I was having my own little pity party. Can anyone relate? As I have shared before, this desert experience has been very difficult for my family. We continue to seek God's perfect plan for our future. Last August, we packed up all of our belongings, took all of our savings and moved to my parents home in Effingham, IL. My husband is currently an interim pastor for a small church in Woodriver IL and I am currently unemployed. We are waiting for our next assignment and it seems as though every door seems to be closing. I know that God has a plan and we just have to wait until He opens the door.


Then, I was reminded of the Haiti tragedy. I felt so convicted for how I had been feeling. I felt as though the Lord was shouting,"Elisabeth, WAKE UP!!" Lord, forgive me for worrying, for doubting and for focusing on my own problems instead of others. I want to have a heart like YOURS! I am just going to continue to trust in you, knowing that your timing is perfect. I love you Lord! Thank you for your many blessings. Thank you for my freedom. Thank you for your loving kindness. Thank you Lord for never leaving or forsaking us. Thank you for your unconditional love. Heal the people of Haiti.


Romans 13:10-12 ~ "Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."


I just wanted to tell you girls how much you mean to me! I am so thankful that the Lord has placed you in my life.  Thank you for going with me on this journey. I would love to hear how God is moving in and through you.  :)


Praying for those who are hurting,
Elisabeth

Journey Girls,
"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and the incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." ~ Ephesians 1:16-21


Praise God for His power, wisdom, and hope for those who believe! Each time I read that passage of scripture I get excited about the extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit that is at work within us! The same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is alive and active in us!


As we continue our journey, let us not forget the power of Christ that is within us! It is so easy to get discouraged along the way. Maybe you feel as though you have gotten behind or you just can't keep up. The enemy whispers to just quit. You can't do it. Don't allow the lies of the enemy to get you down. I know these same feelings. Feelings of inadequacy, feelings that you will never get through your current situation, and feelings of discouragement. I am living proof that God will see you through! He is the lifter of your head. (Psalm 3:3) Look to Jesus!


I know that on any journey, there are potholes, forks in the road & struggles along the way, but we can overcome these obstacles with power of the Holy Spirit. John 16:33 says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." We serve a God who has already overcome on our behalf! We are more than conquerors through Him. (Romans 8:37)


Are you are struggling on the journey? Are you getting weary? Remember to cling to the life map you have been given -God's Holy Word. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 says this, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."


My beloved sisters, with the power of the Most High within you, journey on! Stand up! You CAN do it!! Today is a new day and we serve a God who has overcome on our behalf. He loves us and desires for us to know Him more throughout our journey with Him. There is victory in Jesus!


I am praying for you today. Stay encouraged! I know you can make it! I love you!!


Through His power,
Elisabeth