by Elaine Olsen | Dec 15, 2017 | dad, family fun, God's voice, knowing God, ministry life, pilgrimage, right words; right timing, words
I had a dream last night. So strong in its witness, I needed to “get it down” on paper this morning. Perhaps in doing so, it will get down to a deeper place inside of me so that I might more fully live it outside of me. The sermon that was never heard. Allow me to...
by Elaine Olsen | Oct 1, 2016 | conviction, discipleship, fellowship with God, God's voice, God's Word, kingdom, living God's truth, ministry life, obedience, truth, words
My students and I have just finished reading Song of the Brook by Matlida Nordtvedt. As literary prose goes, it doesn’t measure up to the classics, but it does serve a purpose in our classroom. It’s one book in a continuing series of books presented annually to...
by Elaine Olsen | Jul 23, 2016 | calling, knowing God, living God's truth, ministry life
“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” –Psalm 84:10 There was a defining moment in my ministry life several years ago. It happened unexpectedly but not...
by Elaine Olsen | Jun 9, 2015 | christian perfection, discipleship, faith, kingdom, Lessons from the Lunchroom, ministry life, obedience, trust
Rough edges. I have some. They were readily exposed for me to clearly see this past year. The catalyst for that exposure? Fifteen students hand-picked by God to move me on toward my perfection! For the past several years, I’ve been incubated from such exposure; life...
by Elaine Olsen | Apr 22, 2015 | calling, hunger, Lessons from the Lunchroom, ministry life, Setting the Table for Communion
She asked if we could take an extra lap around the ball field at recess. I didn’t mind. Some conversations require an extra lap … or two. Her heart is so tender, so easily touched by these morning, God-conversations we’ve been having for the past 148 school days....
by Elaine Olsen | Oct 1, 2014 | book release, calling, eternity, kingdom, Lessons from the Lunchroom, ministry life, obedience, peace for the journey
“ … lift them up.” Chambers’ words have shadowed my heart today. They’ve stepped all around and into my thoughts, throwing down the gauntlet for obedience. I warm to them, slowly melt into them knowing that they are the remedy for this stretched-out submission...
