by Elaine Olsen | Jun 22, 2014 | blessing, cancer volume 4, church life, dad, Holy Spirit, kingdom, living God's truth, ministry life, pilgrimage, strength, truth, words, worship
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” -1 Cor. 3:6-7 Today was watering day at Ebenezer UMC. I took my watering can and applied it heartily to the...
by Elaine Olsen | Jun 14, 2014 | dad, faith, family fun, heaven, letting go, obedience, packing up, parenting, pilgrimage, surrender, trust
Through the front windshield, I could see that they were talking – daddy telling a story to my thirteen-year-old son, sharing a ride together in that ’93 Chevy truck that’s been in the family for over two decades. I followed closely behind, staying in the...
by Elaine Olsen | May 21, 2014 | courage, creation, fellowship with God, peace, pilgrimage, provision, rest, trust
This has been my saving grace in this season. Mind you, not the grace that saves me from my sin but, rather, the grace that keeps my sanity intact. Whenever the stressors in my life seem too big and my capacity for handling them feels too small, I strap on my tennis...
by Elaine Olsen | Apr 24, 2014 | a quick word, discipleship, friendship, kingdom, living God's truth, ministry life, peace, peace for the journey, pilgrimage
A few things occur to me this morning while reading Luke’s account of “Jesus sending out the seventy-two” (Luke 10:1-24). In particular, I’m focusing on two sentiments/phrases that Jesus instructed his disciples to use in their evangelism campaigns. What...
by Elaine Olsen | Apr 22, 2014 | brokenness, calling, faith, grace, living God's truth, ministry life, peace for the journey, pilgrimage
“But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; … There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything...
by Elaine Olsen | Apr 9, 2014 | freedom, grace, hope, kingdom, living God's truth, pilgrimage, thanksgiving
I’m turning forty-eight this week … again. Let me explain. For the past year, I’ve been telling folks that I’m forty-eight. I’m not kidding. Somewhere in the madness of this last year called My Life, I lost a year. So when my birthday rolls around on Thursday, really...
