by Elaine Olsen | Oct 22, 2014 | christian perfection, faith, holiness, Lessons from the Lunchroom, living God's truth, pain, pilgrimage, surrender, trust
It’s the heart stuff that concerns me most … both theirs and mine. Growing pains. A soul stretch. A sacred wrecking … reckoning. We’re in this together, and (at this point in the journey) we’re standing at a crossroads. Either we’re going deeper into this holy...
by Elaine Olsen | Sep 12, 2014 | anchor verse, courage, faith, obedience, peace, peace for the journey, pilgrimage, trust
Sometimes we cannot see the way that God is taking us. Really, most days it’s that way, is it not? Just steppin’ on in faith because it’s the best we can do. As a people deeply connected to the heart of God, we try to honor that connection through our obedience and...
by Elaine Olsen | Aug 30, 2014 | eternity, kingdom, Lessons from the Lunchroom, living God's truth, ministry life, obedience, trust
I told them to keep working . . . that I needed to take some pictures and not to pay any attention to me. After eight days of getting to know their new teacher, they are beginning to understand that I am a woman who lives for the moments. Too many of these moments are...
by Elaine Olsen | Aug 17, 2014 | baptism, faith, kingdom, living God's truth, obedience, pilgrimage, trust, truth
My heart’s been moved again by the story of Philip and the Ethiopian as found in Acts 8:26-40. This encounter unfolds like a series of rapid succession snapshots, sort of like living a narrative through the lens of a view-finder. Remember those? Philip’s story is a...
by Elaine Olsen | Jul 20, 2014 | book special, contests, faith, fellowship with God, God's voice, knowing God, living God's truth, obedience, peace, peace for the journey, pilgrimage, trust
I came across a verse this Sabbath afternoon while working my way through HeBrews: a Better Blend. I don’t think my author-friend, Leah, meant for me to park my thoughts at this particular verse for any length of time; nevertheless it parked alongside me, keeping...
by Elaine Olsen | Jul 17, 2014 | artistry, friendship, grace, trust
“There’s something in there, Elaine. I’m not quite sure what ‘it’ is, but there’s something in there.” So says my artist friend while staring at a pile of scraps in her attic sanctuary. To the casual onlooker, those scraps don’t look like much. Just a pile of colorful...
