Elevation North has News for YOU!

“LET GOD BE GOD!” A few months ago a wonderful friend of mine gave me a new CD that I didn’t have, by three pastors: Phillips, Craig, and Dean. And I absolutely LOVE their music! What would life be like without music and all its melodies and messages??? Maybe I love their music so much because I know they truly understand ministry and the desire to be there for the people you shepherd and nurture and want to encourage. At any rate, this is a first-rate CD – not a song to dislike on the entire album. It would be hard to say which song I like the most. In fact, when I was chatting with my brother the other evening, I just had to share one of the songs that could have been written for him to sing. So I read him the lyrics over the phone. Yesterday something occurred that kind of shook the ground under our feet – at least for awhile. It’s one of those personal quakes that slam the uncertainty of life straight into your face. You shiver and shake for a bit … and then you’ve got to get a hold of yourself and decide where your trust lies. Of course, in that split-second, we affirmed that our trust lies in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ – and nothing or no one can ever be more deserving of our trust than He is. And so you trust … and wait … to see if present foundations will crumble, or if the rumbling and shaking will settle down - and life as you know it will resume. In some of those first quaking moments, God reminded me of one of the songs on the CD that I’ve just mentioned; and of all of the titles, the one He brought to mind was “LET GOD BE GOD!” I had to smile and that kind of peace that you just cannot describe to anyone else, came flowing o’er my entire being and flooding my soul. Without knowing what the final outcome would be … somehow I could say in my heart, “All is well … it is well with my soul!” If you’ve never heard this song, then I’d love to share the profound message in it as written by Dan Dean and Bernie Herms: “You said ‘lights on’ / And a blindin’ sea of stars began to shine / You said ‘birds sing’ / And a million melodies filled up the sky / You said ‘this world, spinning through a crowded milky way’ / Well the sun comes up and the sun goes down / God doesn’t seem to need my help / But the one who holds the sea in place / Is watchin’ out for every step I take // Chorus: I think I’ll let God be God / Givin’ up control / Think I’ll relax, step back / It’s time for letting go / If You kept the universe in sync / A million years or so / Since the Keeper of creation knows / I think I’ll let God be God // You clapped Your hands / The thunder rose and lightning filled the sky / You bring new life / A tiny newborn baby starts to cry / Time rolls in and it rolls back out / Never has God needed me to help / The One who sees the sparrow fall / What I need before I even call // Chorus: I think I’ll let God be God / Givin’ up control / Think I’ll relax, step back / It’s time for letting go / If You kept the universe in sync / A million years or so / Since the Keeper of creation knows / I think I’ll let God be God // Yeah, nothin’ takes You by surprise / Never late, always on time / The One who holds the sea in place / Is watchin’ out for every step I take // Chorus //”. Read those words again … run out and buy the CD and play that song over and over again until you believe those words, can say those words and mean them, and can live by them! What a powerful message put to music! I know God anoints song-writers to put words to music that minister to us at just the exact point and time that we need it! And you know what else? Before the day ended … as I finished work late at night and drove into our garage, I saw sitting off to the side a huge box. I could tell it had been opened and there was lots of foam stuffing in it. I didn’t have a clue as to what could have come in that box – we were not expecting anything. Coming inside and up the steps, I walked in to the living room only to see a large, incredibly stunning cross and fish symbol intertwined. It was beautifully hewn on a base with words inscribed up and down on the beautiful shape. This is what I read: “Whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life.” I was speechless and couldn’t wait to find my husband to see who it had come from! But those words … echoed in my heart – and were the conclusion of the first part of the message I had received earlier in the day. So, putting it all together, it was as if God was reassuring us and saying, “Let God be God, for whoever believes in Him shall have eternal life!” What more could we ask for? Whatever comes our way, our God can handle! And whatever shakes us at the core, cannot strip away the life we have even into eternity!!! My heart danced, and when I was told who gave it to us … tears rose in my eyes. Who could have known what we would need on a day like this ~ except God? I think we’ll definitely LET GOD BE GOD!!! Back to dancing!

- IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- OUR GOD IS AMAZING! His Word is true … and each week we come together and by His Spirit we listen and learn and grow in Him! This has been a great series from the book of I John for these days that we are living in! It just goes to prove that God’s Word is never out of date – but always timely for every season and situation! - SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS to Sharon, who participated in and won the consolation bracket with her team in the State Basketball competition this past week! We are so proud of you, Sharon! - BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Jimmy who will be celebrating on April 5th! May God bless you with all His good gifts on your birthday and all year long!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 3RD: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP & COMMUNION as we exalt our Lord Jesus Christ together with all that is within us! The concluding message in the I John series stretched one more week to this Sunday, and Pastor Doug will be preaching from I John, chapter 4. Join us in discovering how we can work right alongside God in our world by allowing Him to use us! - 11:15 A.M. – KINGDOM CONNECTION/FELLOWSHIP TIME – How we love to see God’s love being practiced among all of you in this interaction time! Continue to seek God to see how He can use YOU to touch others! - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6TH: 7:00 – 8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY! This is the perfect time to set aside everything else and just focus on what a wealth of information God has tucked inside His Word! Join us at the home of Pastor Doug and Debbie ~ they’ll be waiting for YOU! - NEXT SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with the entire service centered around a pre-Easter series that will lead us to take a lingering look at the cross and what Christ did for us there – and beyond! - STILL TO COME: Spaghetti Feed for the family, Easter Celebration Services, Mother/Daughter Tea with “Heirborne” in concert, Women of Faith in the fall, and more events and ministries in the works! Be watching!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- SOMETIMES WE FORGET that our needs are only opportunities for God to provide His answers and His miracles! And along with that, these needs bring to each of us the opportunity to stand in the gap for each other! This week is no exception as we lift up: Sean in surgery, Wayne for healing of a blood clot, Eva and Megan, Josh & Sarah & family, Julia, Shirley, Merv & Kathy, Johnny & Cherry & family, Hazel’s nieces, Chuck, Pam’s dad, Jimmy’s healing, Isaac, Mary, and many unspoken, urgent needs that God knows all about! How we praise God that He is EVERYTHING that we can ever need! Let’s remember to pray for others outside of our church family, and for God to continue to use Elevation North as a lighthouse and safe haven in this community ~ for HIS GLORY!

- REMEMBER . . . “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE HEARD IT ALL … you hear yet something else! These past few weeks my husband and I have become acutely aware of throngs of hurting people. We say “throngs” because for the many that we know of … these are just a small representation of people all over our nation and around the world who are hurting just like them. Because we know how we have felt in dire circumstances, our hearts go out to these individuals who are seemingly battling the very enemy of our souls – and fighting to survive and overcome! It’s like the recent gloomy days filled with bizarre weather (who ever heard of hail turning everything totally white in March???) … and then finally seeing the sun break through and chase all that grayish gloom away! Thank God for the sunshine! How it literally lifts everyone’s spirits! Because that same concept also occurs spiritually, today I want to declare God’s Word over each of you who is hurting and struggling. It doesn’t matter what it is that you are facing … it can feel massive enough to roll over you, consume you, and put you under. And when that happens, the only thing that can break through and chase away that gloom and doom … is the SONSHINE!!! All too often the darkness and fear that encompasses us, dims our sight and clouds our memory of what we presently see and know. So, precious ones, be reminded of WHO God is … yesterday, today, and forever, and ALL He is … yesterday, today, and forever! May these reminders of God’s promises and truth be a literal transfusion to your soul today! Begin to praise God for these things that are spoken to you from His Word. Did you know that praising God makes Him smile – and Heaven rejoice? Psalm 103 tells us that we should not forget a single blessing: “He forgives your sins – every one. He heals your diseases – every one. He redeems you from hell – saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy – a paradise crown. He wraps you in goodness – beauty eternal. He renews your youth – you’re always young in His presence. God makes everything come out right; He puts victims back on their feet.” When we cannot see through the darkness, He tells us, “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” (John 8:12) When you think you cannot go on or take even one more step, or when you think you’re not strong enough to stand against the evils of this world, hear Christ saying, “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; He’ll always be there to help you come through it.” (I Corinthians 10:13) We more frequently think of our bodies when it comes to being hungry and thirsty, but God being God, of course – is thinking of both our souls and our bodies. First, “… Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen Me in action, you don’t really believe Me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to Me. And once that person is with Me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from Heaven not to follow My own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent Me.’” (John 6:35-38) In Luke chapter 12:29-31, Jesus tells us not to worry about what we’ll have to wear or to eat or drink, because our Father in Heaven knows that we need all these things. What He really desires is for us to seek HIM first, and then all these other things will be taken care of. Listen to how He puts it: “What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way He works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how He works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.” I could fill unending pages with God’s declarations, but when all you can see is gloomy circumstances, just let the Sonshine in!!! The bright rays of promise and provision and peace will chase away everything that does not belong in the kingdom that God wants us to have and enjoy and live in! Throw open the windows of your soul and bask in the Sonshine that streams in!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- EACH SUNDAY at Elevation North, God proves His faithfulness ~ over and over! We come as needy human beings, but with hearts ready to worship and praise … and somehow, in His divine love, God meets us in fresh, personal ways! We never leave disappointed – because we’ve been with Jesus! Being in God’s House with His people is like experiencing an oasis in the desert!
- WELCOME BACK to Mike and Mary Jo and family who came to join us again in worship; we pray that you were blessed and filled with the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ! Your presence in our midst was a great encouragement to all of us at Elevation North!
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES for a great birthday for Darrius on April 2nd … may God bless you on your special day – and all year long, Darrius!!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 27TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with the concluding message by Pastor Doug in the challenging series from I John … this week focusing on “God Demonstrating His Love for Others through Us!” Follow along in your Bibles to see how He can use you to bless others and make a difference!
- 11:15 A.M, - KINGDOM CONNECTION/FELLOWSHIP TIME – It’s an exciting thing to see what God is birthing out of this relational, learning time which fits right in with today’s message from the Word of God!
- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30TH: 7:00 – 8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY! If you desire to learn more about what is tucked inside the pages of the Bible – then join us at the home of Pastor Doug and Debbie! It’s a great time of digging deeper, thought-provoking discussion, and spending time in God’s Word!
- NEXT SUNDAY, APRIL 3RD: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, beginning a new series in our preparation for celebrating Easter and remembering Christ’s sacrificial gift on Calvary! Invite some friends to share this series with us!

- COMING SOON: Spaghetti Feed event, Easter Celebration Services, Mother/Daughter Tea with “Heir-Borne” in concert, Women of Faith in the fall, and lots of new things to be announced soon! Watch for dates & details!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- SOMETIMES OUR LISTS SEEM SO LONG, and our needs so crucial … we just need to be reminded that God is bigger than any of our mountains! Let’s continue to be in fervent prayer for several unspoken major needs, for Johnny & Cherry & family, Julia, Shirley, Sean, Wayne, Hazel’s nieces, and our youth! Let’s hold up Lundstroms and Seykoras and claim God’s anointing for them as they minister to the lost and encourage believers. Let’s uphold our nation and its leaders in government, and let’s stand in the gap for all who are shepherding God’s people in churches around the world! We are continuing to trust God for the provision of a “home” for Elevation North – in His time!

- REMEMBER . . . “In impossible situations, be worshippers of God … in your demeanor, your actions, your speech, your giving, and your praise! That will unlock Heaven’s solutions and victories!” ~ Debbie Jones


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON??? Well, if we look one place … we’ll have all the answers we need! Just open the pages of the Bible and you’ll pretty much find the script that the news commentators are reading off their prompters. Oh, I know – the scriptures aren’t the sources they are getting their updates from. But the actual happenings that the news from these past few days are made of – are definitely linked back to prophetic words spoken long ago! For years and years our parents and grandparents and ancestors have READ about what would be taking place in the last days. Today, you and I are watching it happen … and even experiencing the events – depending where in the world we are living in these days. This old earth is shaking and ripping apart and groaning and going through all kinds of upheaval. You’d think it was about to come apart at the seams. And yet, as children of God, we are not to be fearful. What? How can people not be fearful when we see everything we used to know as stable and sure, now imploding and churning, rising and falling, igniting and disappearing? (That includes the economy!) Well, as God’s children, instead of running away in fear – we need to run TO the only One who can stabilize the conditions of our hearts and emotions in the midst of all these unexpected events. For those who have been in the Word and studied it and believed it … I guess these happenings are not totally unexpected. We’ve been warned. For many others, it’s so easy to think that because what our parents and others have talked about for years and years without it yet happening … that it probably will not come about in our lifetime, either. But guess what, people? All of these things that were foretold by the prophets long ago are now happening right before our very eyes! We are living in exciting days … and that excitement should not be lost in the flurry of unexpected trials and terrors! If we lose that, then we lose out on the purpose for which we were chosen to live in this season. God’s Word tells us exactly what to do in times like these … He tells us to be thankful – and to worship! Actually living out these two practices daily will ensure that we keep our sanity and clarity so that we can rise to the occasion and stand effectively strong for whatever each new day will bring. Listen to the words of Hebrews 12:28-29: “Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (NIV) Did you catch the “cannot be shaken” phrase? I did! That’s the total opposite of the “shaking” that is happening to this world that we are presently living in. Total opposite! Let’s hear those words again, this time from the Message Bible: “Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable Kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander, He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and He won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God Himself is Fire!” This Kingdom being mentioned is an everlasting Kingdom – yes, the one we still get to look forward to. The one that will be ours to live in forever from the moment we enter the presence of our Lord and Savior when we take that first step into Heaven! But that same Kingdom was designed by God to be in place as we live on this earth – it’s just up to us if we are going to choose to live like Kingdom people here and now – or if we think we’ve got to wait ‘til we get to Heaven. What did Jesus pray at the close of the Lord’s Prayer? He said, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” What was that? On earth? On earth – as it is in Heaven? Yes, you read that right! You’ve even prayed that same prayer – probably many times. But did you really understand it? Did you really mean it? When we begin living in God’s Kingdom on this earth … we will not be shaken, dear people! We will not fall apart … we will not lose it! Not only will our faith and trust and hope deepen, but we will experience a level of peace that we cannot even begin to describe! We will experience a level of joy and happiness that increases with each coming event … because we are not a part of this earthly kingdom! We just happen to reside here – for now. One of these days we’re going to be moving into our new home ~ the one that will be ours FOREVER! In the meantime, we do not have to give up laughing or exploring or adventuring … awakening the child within … sleeping peacefully … staying calm while the storms rage around us … or seeking out more ways to allow God to use us mightily in view of the many opportunities that will continue to come our way! More and more people are going to be willing to listen to the answers we have in a world that is falling apart from the inside out … so let’s be ready to share our Jesus with them!!! We have an audience that fills the stage of this entire world!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE … no, we didn’t happen to sing that song this past Sunday, but it was resounding loudly within our souls as we worshipped our God! Our hearts were filled with gratitude for the gift of God’s Son ~ and for the gift of each other!
- OUR SPECIAL WELCOME to Eva, Megan, and Jeff as they joined us in worship for the first time this past Sunday morning! What a blessing it was to have you in our midst – and we pray that you were blessed and uplifted!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES are going out to Pam on March 22nd, and ANNIVERSARY WISHES are shared with James and Tina on March 24th! May God bless each of you with His amazing love all year long!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 20TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with another continuing message by Pastor Doug in the series from I John … this week in chapter 4, “Living Victoriously in God’s Love!” Bring your Bibles!!
- 11:15 A.M. – KINGDOM CONNECTION/FELLOWSHIP TIME – sharing with your Elevation North family and reaching out to others! Let’s aspire to be more like Jesus in all of our relationships!
- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23RD: 7:00 – 8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY! You are encouraged to join Pastor Doug and Debbie in their home for some in-depth study and exciting discussion as we see God’s Word opened up to us in fresh, new ways! Bring your notebooks and Bibles!
- NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 27TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP w/the final message of this series, “Demonstrating God’s Love to Each Other!” Come and learn exciting and practical ways to live like this!
- STILL TO COME: Spaghetti Feed/with a great movie and ice cream sundaes, your style … Easter Services, beginning with a Sunrise Celebration and Easter Egg Hunt … Mother/Daughter Tea w/a rose theme, gourmet refreshments, and an awesome concert … plans for Women of Faith in October … and much more – just for you!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- THERE IS NO NEED SO GREAT, THAT OUR GOD IS NOT GREATER YET! No matter what you’ve faced this week … God is the answer for it! He continues to love you and to bring His plans to pass, and in the end … all will be well! We encourage you to pray for healing for Sean, Shirley, & Wayne, and we thank God for answered prayer for Tina! Let’s continue to hold up Cherry and Johnny and all the family, and spend some time before the Lord on behalf of our brothers & sisters in Japan in their time of loss & grief – for God’s comfort and provision!

- REMEMBER . . . “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept … shine … be generous with your lives.” (Matthew 5:14-16)


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

DOES GOD SPEAK TO YOU? How real is your faith? Do you just believe it … or do you KNOW it! Believing God can do something – or – KNOWING that He WILL do it … are two vastly different things. Stop and think about that for a moment. We can read in God’s Word how He did such great and mighty things – and we can even believe it. But when we KNOW that God will do those same things for us, in our lives – and we experience them firsthand … wow, it’s amazing! Truly amazing! It’s the “knowing” that makes the difference. Our faith is activated and things begin to happen! God just reminded me of how strongly He spoke to us this past Christmas. Let me do a rewind to two Christmases ago, actually. Sharing what I am going to share opens up some very private and deep emotions. But if God can use our experiences to help someone else, then it is worth it. Two years ago, we had continued on our journey of intense work weeks mixed with as much ministry as God gave us divine strength and anointing for. We sought to put Him first in everything, and He provided. Our needs were met, not only through our paychecks, but through gifts from people who obediently gave when God put our names in their hearts. Soon, it was time to plan Christmas gifts for our family, and we were trusting God for the funds to be able to share with those we love so much. December 9th rolled around, and out of what we thought was a routine check-up on our vehicle, came a $2,800+ repair bill. Where would that come from? Well, from a variety of resources at our disposal, we were able to pay the repair company, but our family told us that we should absolutely NOT give them Christmas gifts that year, and they assured us that they understood. Totally. What a gift our children are to us! But it broke our hearts to not be able to do what comes so naturally to us … to give! The one recipient we kept intact was: Jesus. After all, it was His birthday – and no matter what our circumstances, we refused to not honor Him. God provided miraculously for what He laid on our hearts to do. You might wonder, why would we give gifts to Jesus for His birthday – when we couldn’t give to our own children and grandchildren? Well, we’ve always taught our family what we find in God’s Word: that we are to love Him first and foremost, and from that foundational priority in our lives, everything else will be built on and multiplied from. And so, for Christmas, 2009, we honored our Lord and followed our children’s request. When 2010 arrived, we continued to work the long, intense hours, even adding some to the existing schedule as God opened doors for more provision. God blessed, and out of those blessings, we were able to bless Him back more. Fast forward the twelve months to Christmas, 2010 … and while God had definitely provided all we needed throughout the year, Christmas giving was still under the “trusting God for” category. It was almost exactly a year later, to the day, from when we had been “surprised” with that huge repair bill on our vehicle. And now in early December, 2010, a man appeared at our doorstep on a morning when I am usually at work. But I “just happened” to be at home. He hand-delivered a Christmas card for my husband and I. But because he was one of my husband’s employers, I waited to open it until Doug returned home from taking someone to the airport. When he returned and I showed him the envelope, he proceeded to open it, and much to our surprise, a bonus check fell out that was double what we had been given the year before. Just a few feet from us stood a young man in our home who had stopped by with my husband, and we knew he was going through a tough time financially – and had no money to buy Christmas gifts for his three small children. Doug and I looked at each other, and both of us heard God speak this young man’s name to us. As we wrote out a check for a portion of that bonus and gave it to him, it was as if God placed in our hearts the realization that He was calling us to give everything away that He would be giving to us monetarily this Christmas. More bonuses came, and God would speak a name to us, and we would give it away. Another card would come with money in it, and God would impress on our hearts someone with a need. We would pass it on to them. When the first bonus came, we knew it was God providing for Christmas gifts for our moms and children and grandchildren – after the young man’s gift. What we could not do last year, God provided wonderfully for this year. And as He brought face after face, and name after name before us all season – it became our great joy to gift others with His divine provision! And of course, the greatest joy of all was to present His birthday gifts to Him … more than the year before! “Why” we experienced what we did in 2009 ~ and the turnaround in 2010 … we may never know. But we DO KNOW that God does speak … and He speaks all year long if we get our hearts attuned to His voice … and we just LISTEN and OBEY! There are yet many opportunities for all of us to hear God speaking throughout 2011 … what will He say to us? And will we get on board with what He wants to do through us? I hope so! I really hope so!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- COMING TOGETHER TO WORSHIP GOD … is the best part of the week! There’s no place we’d rather be! And no matter what we’re going through, God never disappoints us! He meets with us and gifts us with His presence and His power ~ and we leave church different than when we came! We’ve been touched by the Spirit of God! And this past Sunday was no exception! God was in our midst!
- OUR SPECIAL THANKS to Hazel for arranging for the post-Valentine’s luncheon decorations and being the one behind the scenes that helped make it all happen! What a lovely atmosphere for our celebration and what a great menu we all enjoyed! Thanks to everyone who brought such delicious salads and for helping with the set-up and take-down! We are so blessed by our church family!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES are sent to Nancy who will be celebrating on March 15th! May God bless you, Nancy, with an incredible day and entire year, is our prayer!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

-THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 13TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with another of Pastor Doug’s messages in the Love Series on “Demonstrating God’s Love to Each Other!” Come with your Bibles, expecting to hear God’s heart for us, His people!
- 11:15 A.M. – KINGDOM CONNECTION/FELLOWSHIP TIME with your church family and new visitors! Let’s grow together!
- NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 20TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, with another practical, challenging message in the Love Series from God’s Word on: “Putting God’s Love into Action!” Don’t miss it!
- WATCH FOR COMING MINISTRIES/EVENTS: Spaghetti Feed/with a movie and make your own sundaes … Easter Services, including a Sunrise Celebration and Easter Egg Hunt … Mother/Daughter Tea w/gourmet refreshments and a concert … Women of Faith Conference in the fall … and many more exciting things in the works!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- WE NEVER RUN OUT OF THINGS to bring before our Father in Heaven! Hopefully, we always remember to THANK Him and express our gratitude for all He is – and all He has already done! And yes, there are always people and circumstances to lift before the Lord each new day! As a church family, let’s continue to be on our knees for: miracles for Johnny, Cherry, and family; for healing for Sean and Wayne; for leading for Landon’s and Rogers’ as they plan their upcoming moves; for the ministries of the Lundstroms and the Seykoras, and for God’s mighty works to be done as He expands the outreach of Elevation North! What a privilege we have in prayer!

- REMEMBER . . . “Hope is faith holding out its hands in the dark.” ~ George Iles


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

RADICAL COMMITMENT! To what? To whom? These days it seems like our commitment gets sliced up into a pie with many more slices than we can even think of eating! Each slice has a name on it – like … work, eat, sleep. But that’s only three slices of the pie, and often it seems like that’s the only kind of pie we get to eat! When that’s all there is, it can get pretty boring or tasteless, if we let it. But most often, it gets a little (or a lot!) tiring! Thank God, our multi-faceted work is never boring, it is definitely flavored, and most of the time we are so aware that we are being held up by God’s righteous right hand! But there ARE those moments when we look at our circumstances (our first mistake!) – and we find ourselves longing so deeply for a reprieve in our schedule! Now that’s not all bad. You see, God Himself placed rest and relaxation as a very high priority; in fact, He set aside the first day of the week, Sunday, as HIS day, and He rested. Oh, that all of us who are His kids would do the same. How very essential it is that we give His day back to Him and honor Him in worship and in praise. And how we need to pull back from all of the demands in our lives for a period of time, where it’s just Jesus and us. How necessary it is, as well, that we set everything else aside for a time and just spend time with our spouse, our children, and our grandchildren. And beyond that, it is of utmost importance that we gift ourselves with some rare, precious moments of solitude and peace, and yes, laughter! All of these things are crucial for our well-being: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. When we get it right with how we slice our pie and what “names” we place on each piece, we will find our lives so much healthier in every way! Our demeanor, our clarity, our productivity, and especially, our priorities will all come to the forefront – and we’ll begin to love living all over again! Living life should never get lost in the shuffle of the craziness that our world heaves upon us – yet often it does. The one life God gives each of us here on this earth is way too precious to waste with the toxicity of stress and despair and fatigue. God meant for the life He has given us to be so much more than that! He wants us to be able to live in extreme joy – in spite of the challenges that come. Oh, we’ll experience the initial sadness, anger, and hopelessness that comes attached to our struggles … but because of the radical commitment we can have to our Lord, we can rise above each emotion that washes over us. Over the past three plus years, my husband and I have left our home early in the morning and have not come home until evening – sometimes very late. Day after day after day. That’s why Sundays are so meaningful for us! We get to literally set everything else aside and join with other believers and together lift up the Name of Jesus! Together we get to experience the powerful anointing of God as His Spirit falls upon our congregation! We enjoy a peaceful, leisurely noon meal – often with others … what sweet, fun fellowship! And then as we come home … HOME … we feel like little children all excited about getting to open a present! We get to sit back within our four walls and relax … and rest … and chat with family on the phone … and perhaps even take a rare, short nap! (That’s rest!!!) That’s getting our head back on straight – and our heart ready – for the ensuing deluge of work for the coming week! We find a few moments here and there to catch up on a phone call to a friend that we haven’t talked to in months and months. We carve out a few more moments to write a very belated thank you note that’s been in our hearts but never gotten onto paper. We choose to look at our pathway to freedom from debt – to make sure we’re on target. And of course, we never want to lose sight of our giving to God … of our devotion, our time, our money, our very lives. That is foundational to all else that we ever hope to accomplish! We choose to ask ourselves some pointed questions: God, do we look like You? Do we reflect You? Do we act like You? Do we talk like You? Do we carry the very fragrance of Christ? And when we don’t … we cry out for His immediate help! After all, He promises to be our ever present help in time of trouble. And when we’re not radically committed to Him – we’re in trouble! Right now we’re in a season of taking time to stop and smell the roses. Though the scented moments may be brief, we’re radically committed to enjoying ALL that God has for us in the midst of this intense journey we’re still on. But … we’re beginning to see a tiny ray of light at the end of the tunnel ~ and it’s getting brighter and stronger with each passing day! We can hardly wait to experience the transition to whatever changes God has in store just up ahead as we continue to engage in His Kingdom work on this earth! Will you join us in this radical commitment to allow God to “spend” us for His glory?! Yes, that’s “you” and “us”!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT AN INCREDIBLE LORD’S DAY at Elevation North this past Sunday! The power of God descended in our midst, and when we left, we knew that we had been with Jesus! How we love coming to meet with our Lord and to lavish our love on Him! He’s so deserving!
- OUR SPECIAL WELCOME to friends and family who came with Harold and LaFawn this past Sunday … our prayer is that you experienced God’s blessings anew! And WELCOME BACK to Carianne and Isaiah, Elyse, and Kaitlyn! It was great having you in God’s House with us again! May God bless each of you!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 6TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with our service being centered around “The Sacrificial Love of Christ”, in message, in song, and partaking of Communion together. If you are longing for precious, priceless love that gives its all … God’s love will not disappoint you! Come and worship with us!
- 11:15 A.M. – POST-VALENTINE’S LUNCHEON CELEBRATION – finally, as our weather cooperates so we can enjoy a scrumptious noon meal in an atmosphere of love, with beautiful décor to match! Remember to bring your assorted salads to complement the Baked Ham w/Cherry Sauce entrée, finishing up w/Black Forest Cheesecake!
- ALL YOUTH are invited to a RE: FUEL event with Pastor D and Debbie ~ attending a fun movie following the noon meal. Ticket monies will be provided … please bring your own snack money! Invite some friends to join us!!
- NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 13TH: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE continuing with the Love Series … this week preaching on “Demonstrating God’s Love to Each Other”! It’s a love that too great to keep to ourselves – it must be shared! DON’T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD ONE HOUR ON SATURDAY NIGHT for Daylight Savings Time!
- FUTURE MINISTRIES/EVENTS: Spaghetti Feed w/a movie and sundaes … Easter Services, including Sunrise Celebration and Easter Egg Hunt … Mother/Daughter Tea w/gourmet refreshments and a concert … Women of Faith Conference in the fall … and much more!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- ALWAYS THERE IS MUCH to thank God for … and much to ask Him for! Let’s do both this week! This week let’s pray for Johnny and Cherry and all the family, for the Rogers family, for Hazel’s sister in the hospital, for Julia, for several unspoken needs, for relationships, for revival in our land, for God’s leading and provision of miracles for our church! All in the powerful and marvelous Name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior! Watch … and see what God will do!

- REMEMBER . . . “You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him.” ~ Teresa of Avila


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

SOMETIMES IT’S HARD TO WRAP MY MIND around the truth that God’s all-surpassing, incomparable power is within me. WITHIN me! No matter what my day is going to be like … no matter what I’m going to be facing … no matter how insufficient I might feel, I do have God’s all-surpassing, incomparable power right inside of me. I’m learning just a little more with each passing day to plug into that power and let a little more of it out into the world around me. You see, no matter what my body feels like, or how my emotions are taking my mind hostage, or what my circumstances are … I am carrying around this astounding, incredible power of God within ME … just little me! But when I access this power, I’m no longer weak … or tired … or lacking … or overcome by my circumstances! I COULD be – but I don’t HAVE to be. So I choose NOT to be! Now remember, it’s not MY power … it is GOD’S POWER within me! And that makes all the difference in the world; for there is a huge difference between God’s power and mine. Mine would wane and run out. I would grow weary in my own strength. I could be defeated just by giving in to my own limiting thoughts. Thinking I could do it all on my own, I would soon find out how little I can actually do on my own. And so, I must get back to what I know is true. I must depend on God’s power as if my very life depended on it. Because, it does! And because I feel like so many of God’s children – including you and me – just barely scratch the surface of accessing God’s all-surpassing power, my spirit is on fire that we MUST begin to tap into ALL that we can! I so wish I could explain adequately what God is laying on my heart … but I believe the only words that will convey the message like it needs to be said, come directly from God’s Word. So, listen to these down-to-earth words from II Corinthians chapter 5, beginning at verse 5: “Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, ‘Light up the darkness!’ and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful. If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power within us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us – trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, He does in us – He lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best! We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, ‘I believe it, so I said it,’ we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” (through verse 18, The Message Bible) Last Sunday right after we made the last phone call to you, our church people, to cancel the morning service because of the severe winter storm, my husband and I bravely and carefully made our way slowly on the frontage road to the church to drop off some things. Dragging snow beneath the vehicle, we finally arrived, knowing we had made the right decision by canceling. We did what we needed to, and then we stood there in the silence and emptiness of the church. But it wasn’t empty. There were no worshippers there, but God was there. We could sense Him. So we just stopped and held hands and lifted up our voices in prayer. We told God how much we loved Him and we thanked Him for Elevation North and for each of you. We lifted YOU up in prayer before the Lord and asked Him to bless you and keep you. As we said, “Amen”, we knew He had heard and was answering. We gently closed the door and made our way back into the blowing snow, confident that the power of Jesus Christ will keep all of us here and now right where we are at – and until eternity, when He calls us home to be with Him forever! Precious people, may God’s love move us to use the amazing power that is ours through Christ! May we seek to please Him in everything we say and do, and may “His love have the first and last word in everything we do.” (from II Corinthians 5:14-15)

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES from all of us to: Johnny, who celebrated on February 19th … to Cherry, who celebrated on February 25th …and to Charlotte, who will celebrate on March 4th!
- LOVING BIRTHDAY WISHES to our daughter-in-love, Becky, who will be celebrating on March 4th ~ and to our grandson, Wade, who will celebrating his 17th birthday on March 7th! We love you both so very much and thank God for bringing you into our lives! You bring so much joy to us – each in your own way! May God bless you incredibly!!!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with Pastor Doug preaching the message he was planning for last Sunday before the weather cancellation: “God’s Extraordinary, Extravagant Love” from several scriptures in the Old and New Testament. This promises to be a power-packed service as we demonstrate God’s kind of love, reaching out to each other in love and in prayer! We encourage you to come and worship with us!
- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2ND: 7:00-8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY! You are invited to share this time of learning more from God’s Word with Pastor Doug and Debbie right in their home ~ they’ll be waiting for you! Be sure to bring your Bibles and a desire for more of what we can take in and in turn give out!
- NEXT SUNDAY: MARCH 6TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP & COMMUNION – as we turn our hearts to “The Sacrificial Love of Christ”. That love didn’t just occur on Calvary … it is still being experienced by millions today!
- 11:15 A.M. – POST-VALENTINE’S LUNCHEON CELEBRATION – postponed because of weather and repairs at Clinton Falls! Plan to bring assorted salads like we originally planned, and all of us will enjoy a delicious lunch of Baked Ham with all the trimmings, complete with Black Forest Cheesecake in an atmosphere of Valentine décor!
- IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE LUNCHEON, all RE: FUEL YOUTH are invited to attend a movie with Pastor Doug and Debbie! Be sure to invite some friends to join us for a great afternoon!
- BE SURE TO CHECK LAST WEEK’S BLOG for other future ministries and events coming up!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR OUR GOD? NO! A MILLION TIMES NO!!! This week, let’s be in special prayer for a very special, urgent, unspoken request! Let’s also lift up those who are in need of God’s healing touch, extra strength, financial resources, and direction and guidance. May we daily be in prayer for Lundstroms and Seykoras as they take the message of Christ to this nation and around the world. And may we be on our knees before God claiming His anointing and God-appointments for the coming week, that we might be His hand extended to those around us! Let’s make our lives count!

- REMEMBER . . . “Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father’s heart.” ~ Ellen G. White / “Remember you are very special to God as His precious child. He has promised to complete the good work He has begun in you.” ~ Gary Smalley

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

HOW I LOVE IT WHEN EVEN THE WORLD ACKNOWLEDGES THINGS OF GOD! All day I’ve been thinking about God’s covenants with us. These covenants are recorded hundreds of times in the Bible. How I would love to be able to sit down and read in one sitting, each covenant that is mentioned in God’s Word. But lest we get confused about what a covenant is, I checked out the definition in about four different resources. These sources of information all confirmed that a covenant is “a binding, solemn agreement between two individuals or parties to do or keep from doing a specific thing.” Then I got really excited when I read the last meaning, which was the last one listed of the many definitions. Stated as a theological meaning, ‘covenant’ was defined as “the promises made by God to man, as recorded in the Bible.” So even the world acknowledges that God’s promises to us are covenants made with us – and they are binding and solemn. In other words, we should never ever need to wonder if God is going to come through for us! He will not revoke His covenant – it’s a done deal. Many of God’s promises to us were made by a covenant, and often they required two parts: God’s and ours! I absolutely love the 55th chapter of the book of Isaiah! In verse 3, God is inviting us to come close to Him, like we do when we have something really special or important to tell someone else! Let’s hear what He is saying: “Pay attention, come close now, listen carefully to My life-giving, life-nourishing words. I’m making a lasting covenant with you, the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.” God goes on: “I set him up as a witness to the nations, made him a prince and leader of the nations, And now I’m doing it to you: You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of, and nations who’ve never heard of you will come running to you because of Me, your God, because The Holy of Israel has honored you.” Is that exciting, or what? There’s something else we should consider very solemnly when it comes to promises, namely, the nation of Israel. These days the Middle Eastern countries dominate our daily news. There is unrest, protests, clashes, fights, battles, terrorism … all of these descriptions of daily life there remind us of the unleashed upheaval being experienced. And of course, all of this was prophesied so long ago. Checking the daily on-line news alerts is like reading the Bible; seeing the news highlights on television is like watching prophesy being played out before our very eyes! So why should any of this concern us? Why should it matter to those of us who are believers a half a world away? Well, according to God’s Word, these events should make us more alert than ever, and we should be on our knees in prayer for the nation of Israel. After all, Israel is God’s chosen nation and its people are God’s chosen people. God’s covenant promises to Abraham were for his physical descendants, yes; but they were also for us who are his spiritual descendants. Just what did God tell Abraham in that covenant relationship? Listen: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3) You see, God is committed to Israel. Period. He is committed to His covenant promise with Abraham. Period. And as Abraham’s spiritual descendants, He is committed to us. Period. Forever! Always! He longs that we would fall in love with His nation and His people; that we would honor them and pray for them and support them. He longs for His people to know that He is the true Messiah and that He is coming again. When the world turns their backs on the tiny nation of Israel leaving them to stand virtually alone against the raging hatred of the bordering Islamic nations, what will we do as true believers of Christ? Will we bless this nation and stand with them? Will we stand in the gap for them with our prayers and our offerings? Will we experience God’s blessings as we are obedient to bless them, according to the covenant – or will we bring curses on ourselves because we do nothing for this land and this people that our God is so passionately in love with and devoted to. In my days of seeking God regarding His nation of Israel, my heart has been tugged at, pulled, and stretched, that we might embrace the Jewish people now in these days more than ever before. Why? First of all, because it’s God’s command. And second of all, because it comes with an undeniable, alignable, attractive promise! When we bless Israel, we will be blessed! I challenge you to make a promise to God regarding His land and His people that you will keep … no matter what! Enlarge your world, burst out of your binding boundaries, and begin to see just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to God’s blessings! Get into covenant with the God of the universe!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT A GREAT TIME OF WORSHIP we experienced as we met together in a different place! God’s presence saturated our hearts and we sensed the blessings of the Lord as we focused on “God-Head Love” from the Word of God! Wherever we meet, God is our same faithful God – He doesn’t change!
- OUR SPECIAL WELCOME to our guests from SouthWay Manor who worshipped with us for the first time! We were honored to have you come, and we pray that you were encouraged and blessed, as well!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with Pastor Doug continuing his messages in the new series on “God’s Love”. This week, he will be preaching on “God’s Extraordinary, Extravagant Love” from both Old and New Testament selections. Isn’t this the kind of love we all desire? Don’t miss out!
- 11:15 A.M. – POST-VALENTINE’S LUNCHEON CELEBRATION, with festive decorations and an outstanding menu! The Baked Ham w/Cherry Sauce/St. Louis Potatoes/Fresh Home-baked Rolls/& Black Forest Cheesecake will be provided, as well as the beverages. All you need to bring is a salad to share! Come expecting a time of wonderful fellowship!!!
- FUN EVENT for RE: FUEL YOUTH will follow the luncheon. See Pastor Doug for the latest details! And be sure to invite some friends to hang out with us!
- WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD: 7:00-8:00 P.M. – ‘LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY! Pastor Doug and Debbie invite you to their home to dig into the Word and to learn how it applies to us in practical ways!
- NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP & COMMUNION - centering on “The Sacrificial Love of Christ”. Come prepared to open your hearts to receive such an incredible love as His was – and still is!
- MARCH 20TH: SPAGHETTI FEED with the double bonus of making your own sundaes and enjoying a movie after!
- APRIL 24TH: EASTER SERVICES, including Sunrise Celebration, Continental Breakfast, & Easter Egg Hunt!
- APRIL 30TH: MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA with a “Rose” theme, gourmet refreshments, and a special concert!
- WOMEN OF FAITH UPDATES to come with on-line accounts to save money for your conference tickets for October in St. Paul!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- MAY GOD WATER OUR HEARTS with divine expectations for spiritual breakthroughs in our bodies, finances, relationships, but mostly in our walk with God … and in our desire and involvement to win the lost for Christ! We declare sickness and lack of provision to be broken, in the Name of Jesus! We declare harmony and restoration in families and marriages to be nurtured to fullness, in the Name of Jesus! We declare surrender on our part for God’s will to be done, in the Name of Jesus! And we declare passion and participation on our part as we pursue the lost for God’s Kingdom, in the Name of Jesus! Make the above your daily prayer this week … over and over!

- REMEMBER . . . “When we call on God, He bends down His ear to listen, as a father bends down to listen to his little child.” ~ Elizabeth Charles


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

GIFTS OF LOVE COME IN SO MANY DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES!!! Leaving work last evening, I listened to my voicemails on my cell phone, and here was this sweet little voice, saying, “Gramma, will you pray for me?” Our ten year old granddaughter had called and left a list of several things that had happened to her in the last few days. None of them sounded much fun, including falling out of her chair and getting a fat lip and a headache. And she was asking me to pray that no more of these occurrences would take place. Immediately, on my drive home, I began to lift her up before the Lord and declare good things for her life. And my heart was so filled! I’ve always told our children and grandchildren that they can gift me with nothing greater than asking me to pray for them! My heart always leaps with joy when they call and ask for prayer for something specific! I consider it a true privilege to be able to lift up our family in prayer, as well as anyone else who calls with needs in their lives. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s a common thing to be thinking of valentine cards and chocolate candies … heart decorations and an endless list of gifts to show our love! But today I’m thinking of another kind of gift that has come in different forms and was also “decorated” in red. Such a long time ago a precious Papa decided to send His only Son to earth so that He could personally deliver our valentine invitation to us – for a party that will last forever! And this first-time hand-delivered valentine continues to be sent, day after day, year after year. Without fail, God keeps the invitation open, hoping that more and more people on earth will decide to RSVP that they are coming! There has never been, nor will there ever be, a valentine that costs as much as this one did. I just read about a lady that collects old valentines – many of them fragile and yellowed, but exquisite, nonetheless. And depending on their age and condition, she could command quite a price for some of them if she ever decided to part with them. But the incredible beauty and value of God’s valentine, is that it cost Him the very life of His Son. His Son was in the very prime of His earthly life, yet He decided to give Him up … for us! He knew that was the only way His valentine would hold any value, any hope, any power to free us from sin. Do you see it? There the Invitation hangs, pegged to a cross with spikes, the red blood of His very life staining His head and brows and covering His hands and feet. Drops of blood, for you and for me. His life-blood decorated the Father’s plan, and He willingly wrote out His love in red. And if there was any chance at all that we might not hear about this Gift, God had it recorded in black and white in a book we call the Bible. His Words declare the power of this Invitation all stained in red, and we are drawn by the Holy Spirit to make our decision to accept it – rather than refuse it. Yet, the final decision is up to us! Knowing what little we know of the real Heaven and the real Hell … still we know enough to know that we’d much rather spend our forever in Heaven! And hearing testimonies of individuals who have gone to Heaven or to Hell for a short period of time and then returned to earth after their real encounters, their descriptions of both places would surely cinch a person’s decision of which place they’d rather spend forever in! I’m truly not trying to make this Valentine message heavy, but I do not apologize for wanting to try to paint the picture of the love that God has for us, and the life-and-death choice every person on this earth faces, accepting it or rejecting it. Who will you share God’s valentine with this week? It could make an eternal difference for that person! Please recognize the importance of “sending out God’s valentines” to everyone you know! They are “written in red” ~ like a very beautiful song states. Just today someone we know experienced a powerful valentine gift from God following hours of prayer, even in the night and throughout the morning! What could have been devastating, causing her and many others to lose everything, was all changed by the Valentine gift written in red: an answer to all the prayers, bringing complete victory and favor through the shed blood of Jesus that day at Calvary! What a God we serve ~ who loves us passionately and fully and pursues us with an everlasting love! (Jeremiah 31:3) His valentines are ever-ready … they are sent to us daily in various forms! May we open our eyes and not miss them, for they cost God what was most precious to Him! Your phone is ringing … it might just be another valentine from God!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- NO MATTER WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON, come Sunday morning, we find the greatest experiences in the presence of our Lord God Almighty! And how blessed and challenged we were as Pastor Doug preached his heart out about “Praising God: and how blessing Him opens the floodgates for blessings into our lives!”
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Mike and Mary Jo Haley and their family as they visited us for the first time! We pray that you sensed God’s Spirit in our midst and were blessed by your time with us! We hope you will visit us again soon!
- LOVING BIRTHDAY WISHES to our daughter-in-love, Melissa, who celebrates on February 14th – may you be blessed wonderfully by our Lord! We thank God for you and love you so much! Also, special anniversary wishes to Jimmy and Nancy on the 14th … and special birthday wishes to Ernie on the 17th! May God’s best be yours is our prayer!
- OUR CONGRATULATIONS to Pam and Chuck on the birth of their new little grandson, Eric James, who was born on February 7th! And congratulations to his mommy, Hannah! May God bless all of you!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with Pastor Doug beginning a new series of messages on “God-head Love” – this Sunday sharing about the depths of God’s love from a variety of scriptures. God’s Word is packed full of verses about His love – come and drink in!
- 11:15 A.M. – KINGDOM CONNECTION TIME – your opportunity to grow in fellowship as we live out God’s plan for godly relationships within the body of Christ!
- ELEVATION NORTH 21-DAY FAST – Comes to completion this Sunday, the 13th, and perhaps we will never fully know until eternity just what all was accomplished through this time of prayer and fasting as a church family. May God be glorified as spiritual breakthroughs continue to become evident!
- WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH: 7:00-8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY at Pastor Doug’s and Debbie’s home. Come prepared with eager hearts and your Bibles in hand!
- NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with a Post-Valentine’s Luncheon Celebration to follow - be sure to add your name to the sign-up sheet!
- COMING IN MARCH – SPAGHETTI FEED on the 20th featuring “make your own sundaes” for dessert / and a movie to follow! Invite some friends to church and to lunch and a movie afterwards!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- GOD PROMISES HIS POWER to us ~ because He lives we can face our tough times and come through victorious! This week, let’s continue to lift our church family up in prayer and our evangelists and missionaries as they bring the gospel to those across our nation and around the world!

- REMEMBER . . . “ … as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love.” Psalm 108:11

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

POSITIONING OURSELVES IN GOD! I am amazed at the wisdom God is imparting to the next generation and the next! I was talking with a young man in his mid-twenties a few days ago, and during the conversation, he revealed his vision for his place in the company he works for. What he revealed was the result of time and planning, you could tell, as he laid out the steps to get where his dream was taking him. On-line schooling with a degree will position him for his next promotion and next step in salary. Add a few more years of experience after that with continued proof of leadership skills and ability, and he was factoring in the possibility of yet another promotion near the top – and a salary that would be astounding for someone that age. Obviously, none of this will become a reality without the dream and the hard work and the commitment to follow through with each step at each level. But, knowing this person’s dedication to something he believes in … I fully believe it will happen! God stirred my heart as I caught a glimpse of what this young person is undertaking. Cannot this same kind of positioning work for us at any age? Cannot this same kind of positioning work for our businesses, careers, and jobs? Cannot this same kind of positioning work for every arena of our lives? For our families, for our finances? And most certainly, cannot this kind of positioning work for God’s Kingdom, including His church? For our personal walk with God? So, what will it take for us to position ourselves in this way? Though it would seem to be difficult at the outset, it really comes down to a very non-complex formula: having a dream or vision; believing enough in that dream to flesh it out with a precise plan; and sticking to that plan, step-by-step, until the dream becomes a reality! Is there anything … anything at all, where we position ourselves in that fashion, where the end results do not take place? Let’s look at it in this simple illustration: a mom wants to make a special meal for her family. She has the idea (the dream, the desire) for the exact menu she wants to prepare. Now she must put her plan on paper, jotting down every ingredient she will need. She plans the trip to the grocery store, she sketches out the time needed to prepare and cook and bake - and serve the meal at the appointed time. Then, amazingly, she has to DO it. If she deviates from her dream and her plan, the meal she had intended will not be served. But most often, most moms do this everyday. They have an idea in their mind for the next meal, and they just do whatever it takes to get that meal prepared and served to their family in a timely fashion. So, what I’m getting at, is if we can position ourselves for something that we could call “as simple as that” ~ then why can we not position ourselves for other dreams God has given us? Most especially, for spiritual dreams and desires to serve God with our all. Most especially, for bringing to reality the most important positioning of all: sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone we can, whether through our local church ministry or every other place we happen to be at! I was sharing the story of Jack LaLanne’s life of nearly 97 years with my ladies at the Senior Chair Exercise Session this week. From a sickly child to the all-time fitness guru he became, he lived out his goal to help others. His dream to become fit and stay fit took shape only as he positioned himself into a plan that would bring it to pass. Once that was achieved, he wasn’t content to keep that knowledge to himself, so he began to live out his goal of helping people help themselves. In later years, in addition to the physical fitness aspect of his legacy, he became known as “that juicer guy” – touting the benefits of great natural foods and nutrition. His physical feats through the years left people shaking their heads in amazement! Example: Swimming handcuffed and shackled, towing 65 boats filled with 6500 pounds of freight, near Tokyo, Japan - or – doing 1,000 star jumps and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes – or – at age 70, once again handcuffed and shackled, Jack, fighting strong winds and currents as he swam 1.5 miles while towing 70 boats (bearing a total of 70 people) from the Queen’s Way Bridge in Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary! If we as human beings can accomplish these kinds of feats physically … and in business … is there anything too hard for God and us to accomplish together? God’s advice to us for positioning ourselves in Him and in our lives on this earth (which should be one and the same) is this: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) Dear people of God, get ready, get set, and GO! Awaken your God-given dreams and begin to position yourself for the realization of those dreams!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- IT’S EXCITING TO GO TO CHURCH! That’s how we feel about being in God’s House with His people … deepening our faith in His ways! What a power-packed sermon Pastor Doug gave this past Sunday about “Fasting ~ Seeking God for Breakthrough!” The reports are already surfacing of what God is doing in us as His church through this time of setting other things aside and seeking His face. He has SO much in store!
- OUR SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES go out to Sean on the 9th, Kathy on the 12th, and belatedly to Dan, for January 30th! Our prayer is that God’s blessings will amaze you and uphold you all throughout the year to come!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with Pastor Doug sharing the final message in the 3-part series on “Prayer, Fasting, and Praise”. Our entire service will be a celebration of praise to our Heavenly Father, along with searching the scriptures to see what God has to say about praise to us, His people! Come with a praise-filled heart, and leave with a praise-changed life!
- 11:15 A.M. – ANNUAL VISIONARY MEETING with our “DANIEL FAST” CHURCH LUNCHEON to follow – along with the opportunity for great fellowship with your church family! Remember to bring foods that will be in line with the foods that can be enjoyed while on this fast. And plan to be an active part of our church vision for 2011!
- ELEVATION NORTH 21-DAY FAST continues – on Monday we enter our third week of fasting and prayer for divine breakthrough in so many arenas – for our church, for others, and for ourselves! May our God be glorified above all else!
- WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH: 7:00-8:00 P.M. – ‘LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY at the home of Pastor Doug and Debbie! They will be awaiting you for this time of focused study, learning, and discussion!
- NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP w/a new series of messages by Pastor D!
- COMING SOON . . . SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH: Post-Valentines’ Dinner Celebration – look for the sign-up sheet!
SUNDAY, MARCH 20TH: SPAGHETTI FEED with all the trimmings, plus “make your own sundaes” for dessert / with a movie afterwards!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- WHO ARE GOD’S GIFTS FOR, if not for His children?! This week, let’s claim those gifts for the Rogers and Spitzack families in their recent losses, for Sharon, Pam, Julia, Brandon and family, Aletta, Roger & Cindy, Kay, and Karrie! May He breathe comfort and healing and life into each one as we lift them up in prayer!

- REMEMBER . . . “God has a purpose for your life ~ and no one can take your place!” ~ unknown


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

“ . . . DO SOMETHING WITH IT!” Now that could mean a lot of things, but the first part of that statement really is, “JESUS, TAKE MY LIFE AND . . . “. Put it all together and you’ve got something really powerful – that is, if you truly mean it: “JESUS, TAKE MY LIFE AND DO SOMETHING WITH IT!” Some people first heard themselves saying this/praying this when they asked Jesus to come into their heart and forgive their sins so that they could live forever with Him. I think it would be great if, as God’s kids, we could pray that every day and mean it! Jesus, TODAY, take my life and DO SOMETHING with it! I must add a few postscripts to the last blog update about “God Sure Knows How To Throw A Party!” After I had published the blog, God brought to my mind some more “noise-maker” moments from our recent trip, and because they were every bit as special as the other ones … I just want to let you know how “big” this party actually was! Take everything that I told you last week, and then add in these … like: one young person unexpectedly filling our vehicle with gas to help us along on our road trip (oh, he has a big heart – we just never thought about him doing this for us)! Like: leaving the next place, and having this guy sneak our vehicle away to fill it with gas before we left for home (yes, he does this every time we come – yet it was the farthest thing from our mind at the time)! Like: others we stopped in to see who poured out their hearts to us about struggles and doubts, grief and sadness, allowing us the gift of ministering to them and holding hands and praying together – and yet in turn, they ministered right back to us! It seems to me that each of these “givers” I’ve mentioned last week and this, must have at one time said to God, “TAKE MY LIFE AND DO SOMETHING WITH IT!” Because … He sure has! I want to challenge YOU to ask yourself today, “Have I ever prayed that prayer?” If not, then there is no time like the present! I believe that when we begin to pray that prayer daily, there will be a noticeable turning point … change-point, if you will … in our lives! After all, our lives are not our own – but all too often, we live like they are. After all, our time is not our own – but all too often, we live like it is. After all, our bodies are not our own – but all too often, we live like they are. After all, our money and our resources are not our own – but all too often, we live like they are. It’s so easy in the world and day we are living in for life to be “all about us!” Most every voice we hear in the media tells us that we deserve it all – right now. The truth is that through the blood of Jesus, and only through the blood of Jesus, we ARE deserving of God’s best! But when that “best” is given to us, there is a reason for all those blessings. I believe that when God gives us increase, it comes for two purposes: that we might glorify God and bless Him back more … and that we might make a difference in the lives of others and bless them more. Any needs we have personally will be met and more, because we did the right and godly thing with our increase! What an exciting way to live! Again, that daily prayer becomes so relevant: “Jesus, take my life TODAY and do something with it!” Be careful when you ask, though, because when you mean it, He WILL do something with it! Then, don’t just hang on for the ride, but get in the driver’s seat with God as your co-pilot! Together, you will see extraordinary things happen that will take the word “boring” right out of your life! You’ll feel like you’ve been given a brand new lease on life! Everywhere you’re going, God is going right there with you! Everything you’re doing, God is right there in the middle of it! Everything you’re giving, God is right there prompting you and providing the increase! What if all of us at Elevation North began to pray this prayer every day, personally, but also corporately? Praying: “GOD, TODAY TAKE ELEVATION NORTH AND DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR CHURCH!” What do you think He will do? We can only imagine all that He will do in us, with us, and through us ~ FOR HIS GLORY! There’s no other reason to ever pray that prayer … except to glorify Him! And when we finally realize that it truly is “all about Him – and Him alone” … then we will really begin to see things happen in a supernatural way! Any mess we’re in, any lack we have, any struggle we’re battling – can all be fixed by a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our own lives – as well as in the church! God’s given us SO much … and yet we take SO little! In a greedy society, it amazes me that Christians somehow have this skewed belief that they should not be “greedy” when it comes to asking God for ALL He has for His people! We settle for “just a little” ~ “I’ll get by somehow!” I really don’t think Jesus hung on that cross, breathing His last breath so His people, His church could have a “little life” and “somehow just get by!” If so, that was much too big a price to pay for what He gets in return. Let’s put that in perspective and pray with all our might, “JESUS, TAKE MY LIFE … AND OUR CHURCH …TODAY … AND DO SOMETHING WITH IT!” I promise, none of us will ever be the same! (John 10:10)

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT A BLESSED TIME we had in God’s House this past Sunday as Pastor Doug started the special 3-week series on “Prayer, Fasting, and Praise!” We were challenged as we were reminded of the many ways we’re shown the power of prayer in God’s Word! Oh, that we would truly grasp the life-changing effects of prayer – even with eternal impact!
- IT WAS GREAT to have Christian worship with us on Sunday; and a special thanks to him for all the help following the service! We hope you were blessed, and know that you are always welcome!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 30TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with Pastor Doug continuing on with the second message in the series, preaching on “Fasting” from several scriptures. You will be amazed at what God’s Word instructs us to do – and what comes as a result of fasting and prayer! Be sure to bring your Bibles!
- 11:15 A.M. - KINGDOM CONNECTION TIME ~ with fellow believers! Be an encourager and see how God will knit our church family even closer together!
- ELEVATION NORTH 21-DAY FAST – Continue on this journey with your church family as we continue to fast and pray for breakthrough as a church and for provision for a church building, and for spiritual breakthrough in our personal lives, marriage, and families! Remember, God is your strength; draw ever closer to Him and seek His face!
- WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND: 7:00-8:00 P.M. – “LEARN THE BIBLE IN 24 HOURS” STUDY at Pastor Doug’s and Debbie’s home! Plan to come and think of a few friends that would love to be part of a Bible Study and bring them along!
- NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP with the service zeroed in on PRAISE – both in message and music! You will NOT want to miss this time together in the presence of our God!
- 11:15 A.M. – ANNUAL VISIONARY MEETING w/a Daniel Fast luncheon to follow … please bring foods appropriate for our fast! Call Pastor or Debbie if you have any questions!
- COMING SOON: Sunday, February 20th: Post Valentine’s Dinner Celebration – check out the sign-up sheet! / Sunday, March 20th: Spaghetti Feed complete with tossed salad, garlic bread, & “make your own sundaes” ~ and a great movie to follow!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- WHAT AN AMAZING GOD WE SERVE! Just when we think there is no hope – HE is our hope and HE makes a way for us! We want to pray hope and healing this week over Pam, Tina, and Julia; over Samara, Brandon, and Brianna; over Aletta, Roger, Cindy, Kay, and Karrie; trusting God for His mighty work in each one!

- REMEMBER . . . “That we are alive today is proof positive that God has something for us to do today.” ~ Anna R. B. Lindsay


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie