by Elaine Olsen | Jun 19, 2013 | church life, faith, knowing God, letting go, living God's truth, ministry life, packing up, pilgrimage
This isn’t my first rodeo. In the course of my lifetime, I’ve lived in five different states, ten cities, and changed physical addresses at least eighteen times. My family and I are less than a week away from making it number nineteen. A new home. New...
by Elaine Olsen | Apr 17, 2013 | conviction, faith, holiness, living God's truth, parenting
Messy and mad. Life is. I am. Messy life. Mad me. There’s no prettying up this one, not enough shine and polish to make it less obvious to others. Anyway, what’s the point of a cover-up other than to possibly fool someone into thinking I have it altogether? I...
by Elaine Olsen | Apr 11, 2013 | courage, desert dwelling, evil, faith, living God's truth, ministry life, packing up, right words; right timing, strength, trust
A couple of nights ago, I called my older boys and offered them this caution: “Be on guard, sons. Apparently our family is now Satan’s new, favorite chew-toy.” The next morning, my mother called with a similar warning: “Elaine, I’ve been standing here in front of the...
by Elaine Olsen | Apr 7, 2013 | faith, living God's truth, ministry life, packing up, pilgrimage, surrender, trust
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.” –Psalm 84:5 Her heart spilled over into mine as I read the struggle in her words. Another pastor’s wife, just like me, living the itinerant lifestyle—a nomadic calling...
by Elaine Olsen | Jan 12, 2013 | faith, ministry life, pilgrimage, speaking, video
Every now and again, you find something you weren’t looking for—a surprise tucked into routine. Sometimes the discovery proffers pain; sometimes promise. Today I straddle the fence between both of them, pain and promise. Let me explain. For over a week now, we’ve been...
by Elaine Olsen | Dec 16, 2012 | Advent, christmas, evil, faith, grief, pain, trust
My daughter could barely get through the final paragraph. Her tears prevented her progress, her heart tenderly wrapped around and invested in the story of the faithful saint, Corrie ten Boom. Corrie finished her earthly chapter on her ninety-first birthday, only to...
