ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

CELEBRATION!  The more we have to celebrate, the deeper our gratitude is!  Especially when looking back … and you recall those times when you wondered if there would be anything at all to celebrate in days to come. 

For us, once upon a time – ten years ago now, there was birthed out of great pain – and nauseousness from that pain, a new ministry work that became known as Elevation North!  But before that birthing, in a moment’s time, our world as we knew it was suddenly turned upside down and a great part of it ceased to exist.  Emotions swirled … and tears spilled.  Our questions came in torrential unbelief at what had occurred.  But in the dark of that first night as we lay on our bed, tears streaming down our faces with no more words with which to even ask God “why” ~ we remember saying to Him, “For as long as You will give us breath, we will praise You with all that is within us!” 

What should have broken us and perhaps slowly destroyed us … actually strengthened us and impassioned us to the ministry work God had called us to as young people who did not even know each other at the time.  God revealed to us that the nauseousness and pain we had experienced for nearly nine months was because we were pregnant with the seed of a new church, a new ministry work.  We kept running to Jesus with each new wave of hurt and grief, but still engulfed in the struggle to survive, we had not discerned what God was doing … until He told us!  And when He did, it all made total sense!  And so, in due time … in God’s perfect time … Elevation North was birthed!  And we had no clue what God had in store for this brand new baby church! 

The story of this ten-year journey from that first night to this day, if written, could fill the pages of a book!  My pastor-husband and I had never walked this way before.  The other churches God had called us to were already in existence with a history behind them, plus everything they needed to continue to move forward.  With Elevation North, all we had was an unknown future with unmarked paths … but what we DID have was THE LORD GOD, JEHOVAH … GOD ALMIGHTY … EMMANUEL:  GOD WITH US!  And THAT was good enough for us!  And so we embraced the call of God to move past the pregnancy to the present … which brought untold opportunities to be God’s church wherever He placed us in our nomadic style of being the church!

You see, we had no building.  No permanent place to call “home”.  So we relied on God to lead us just as He had led the Israelites in the wilderness.  He led.  We followed.  We were not mature enough or old enough yet to have a church building, and so God led us to rental locations which we fleshed out with blood, sweat, tears, AND great joy to become a “home” for Elevation North.  We invited the presence of the Living God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit to fill every nook and cranny of each place we worshiped.  Yes, each place.  There were several – because when the owners could rent to someone with greater funds than we had, we needed to move on and begin the search all over again, waiting to hear from God clearly before making final decisions.  We wanted HIS perfect will more than anything else!

The greatest beauty of this journey is that in each place, God’s Spirit drew people to that place.  Together we prayed, we sang, we worshiped, we preached, we loved, and we listened.  God’s Spirit fell and lives were saved and changed.  God’s Spirit fell and then chains fell and people were delivered.  God’s Spirit fell and people were healed.  God’s Word and His truth were our foundation.  The blood of Jesus brought victory and the power to overcome as we took authority over the enemy of our souls in each situation that came to thwart God’s call upon this ministry.  We climbed spiritual mountains, feeling the burn of the upward trail, nearly slipping off the path when the rocks were so sharp and treacherous … but we heard God telling us to keep our eyes fixed on Him and to keep running the race with our eyes on the goal.  And so we kept putting one foot in front of the other, no matter what the trail looked like.  Time after time after time.  Step after step after step.

While the journey will ever be described by us as precious and powerful … we would not be honest and transparent if we did not confess that at times when facing the grim reality of the circumstances, questions came and brought discouragement with them.  Thank God, all of that was stopped short of despair – because there is no room for despair in the light of God’s presence and love.  The two can not co-exist!  In those lowest moments when we were on the verge of thinking – just perhaps God was leading us to gracefully quit and wrap it up neatly (which we really did NOT believe was what God wanted) … suddenly God would break through in such a miraculous, intentional, personal way for Elevation North, that we just stopped in our tracks and stood still, giving God full attention and saying, “We get it, God!  There is not a soul who knows what we were wondering and thinking, but You!  There is not a soul that we shared our desperate needs with, but You!  And You came through so magnificently, lovingly, abundantly, and timely, that we can point the glory ONLY TO YOU!  Which of course, is where it belongs!  Thank You, thank You, thank You, Jesus!  We will keep moving forward in Your strength and Your provision!”

And that is exactly the same pattern that we experienced when we felt God leading us – even PUSHING us, out of our last rental location to the search for a building to permanently house Elevation North in for each time we would meet together.  Of course, the truth of it is that when we are not meeting together in the place we call our “church” … we as God’s people become HIS church all over the community and in every place He takes us to!  He gives us opportunities galore to reflect Him and share Him … and to BE the church wherever we are at!!  Shining His light from us becomes contagious as others are touched by His Spirit that lives within us.  But … back to the building search.  Countless hours were poured into taking our purchase plans for a building that God presented before us to  a bank.  The location was great, and the price was right due to the generosity of a godly couple who felt led to make the special offer to Elevation North.  My husband would take unending documents as requested to a bank for the purchase application and process, and we would be told that the closing date was approaching.  And just before that time came, the bank backed out.  He repeated this process a few more times, and the same ending always slammed the door shut.  Was there no bank that would see our track record of having paid every bill we ever owed … and having paid every bill on time?  Though that was a miracle due to our small numbers, it was also a reality!  After having not given up and having pursued bank after bank after bank … and getting so close to wondering if this was really meant to be, God placed a business man in front of my husband who told him that he had heard of our struggle with the banks (we had never told him!).  And he said he wanted to give us the name of another bank and the phone number of the vice-president.  He said he felt he could help us out and would put in a good word for us with the banker.  That was the miraculous change-point in the purchase process.  My husband met with the banker, whose bank is family-owned, and who provides loans for more churches than anyone in this part of the state.  And things moved forward at a constant pace as together we persevered together.  Before long, we were sitting in an office at the bank for the signing of the title and the church mortgage documents.  We will never forget the awesome awareness of God’s presence filling that room.  It was thick in that place, and we had NO doubt but that God had brought us to this place for this time to continue forward with HIS work!  Will we give up?  Never!!  God’s hand is all over the ministry of Elevation North and His plan is sure that we will have a future working alongside Him in these last days, bringing as many souls to His Kingdom as we can through His Spirit!

We love the people that God has sent to Elevation North ~ each one is precious and valuable in His sight!  Each one has a ministry of their own – and a heart big enough to love every new person that God sends our way!  Are any of us perfect?  Unbroken?  Without sin?  No, a million times “no”!  But as we come to Him and say “yes” to the gift of God’s love and forgiveness through His Son, Jesus, we can say that we are now called by new names:  Redeemed, Blood-bought, Overcomers, Victorious, Delivered, Mended, Healed, Sinners saved by Grace, Called, Chosen, Partners in His Kingdom Work, and Dearly Beloved!  THAT is WHO Elevation North is, as this year in 2018, WE CELEBRATE GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO US through all these past ten years, KNOWING THAT THE BEST IS YET TO COME, as He continues to use all of us for His glory!  Everlasting God, may you ever set our hearts on fire so that you can use us as You wish … keep us on track with You … and make us pure and holy and righteous so that we will reflect You always!  We are so excited as we anticipate what You have in store for us in the days to come!  We are Yours, O God! 

REMEMBER . . .

“Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, 

according to His power that is at work within us,

to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, 

forever and ever!  Amen!” 

~ Ephesians 3:20-21  

Joyfully Serving Christ . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

EYE-CATCHING … THOUGHT-PROVOKING!  Isn’t that of utmost importance these days in the marketing world?  The goal seems to be to catch the attention of the consumers and then to make them stop long enough to think and make a decision to act on the offer.  The other day one of those ads caught my eye … and … my attention.  Not necessarily because of what it was advertising, though there was much truth to it; but because of how it rang true in the spiritual sense.  Here, let me share it with you!  A local funeral home published this eye-catching … thought-provoking ad.  “ ‘Someday’ is not the time to preplan your funeral or memorial service.  Last time we checked there is no ‘someday’ on the calendar.  Plan TODAY!  Your family will thank you.”  Powerful, you have to admit.  It caught my eye and made me think.  But within seconds, I “saw” other words appear in my mind that would be equally eye-catching and compelling as an advertisement for those who do not know Christ personally.  It goes like this:  “ ‘Someday’ is not the time to preplan your eternal destination – where you will live forever.  Last time we checked, there is no ‘someday’ on the calendar.  Plan TODAY!  Not only will YOU be forever grateful that you did, but your family who wants you to know Jesus so you can all spend Eternity together, will be so very grateful!”  Thought-provoking, for sure!  The words compel the “consumer” to make a decision to act on the offer – God’s offer of salvation and a forever Home in heaven with Him and loved ones who already know Jesus!  Who would intentionally turn that offer down, or just ignore it?

Here is God’s take on this eye-catching …thought-provoking ad.  He actually wrote His own long ago and it is so important that He put a non-stop run on its length of time for publication.  The message has never been pulled; the “ad” still runs.  Look at what it says . . . (2 Corinthians 6:2)

“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, 
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 

(New King James Version)

“For He says: ‘I listened to you at the time of My favor.  

And the day when you needed salvation, I came to your aid.’

So can’t you see?  Now is the time to respond to His favor! Now is the day of salvation!”

(The Passion Translation)

So, do you hear the invitation God gives, the help He offers, and the urgency of receiving the offer NOW?  There is no “someday” included in this invitation.  No expiration date is included, because for each of us – that date will be different.  We are not guaranteed our next breath, much less another day or month or year.  That is precisely why God urges us that “NOW” is the time to respond affirmatively to His offer of salvation!!  In the very moment we accept His gift of salvation, our reservation in Heaven is secured for all of Eternity!  I plead with anyone and everyone reading this, as well – please do not intentionally delay your decision, or turn God’s offer down, or worse yet, just ignore it!  This offer WILL expire the day and the moment God has already ordained to be your last breath on earth.  So if you have never said “yes” to Jesus … please say “yes” right now!  God purchased your one-way entrance ticket at Calvary with the price of His Son’s blood – and then printed His invitation with your name on it – and all that still needs to be done is for you to reach out and take it and say “yes” … “I receive You as my Lord and Savior!  I choose to spend eternity in heaven with You – and with those I love who have already said ‘yes’ to You!”  It IS that easy, that simple, and it IS completely free!  TODAY is THE day … for YOU!  This is the most important “ad” you will ever respond to because it will change your forever destination from Hell to Heaven!  I’ve already preplanned for Heaven … will you please join me today?!  More than anything ~ I want to see You there!  And so does He!

REMEMBER . . .

“Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

~ Luke 15:10 (New King James Version)  

Joyfully Serving Christ . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

TRUE FREEDOM ISN’T INDEPENDENCE AT ALL … BUT RATHER A TOTAL DEPENDENCE UPON GOD!  Allow me, please, to share something I wrote back in 1999 for our then-church family in my monthly, “Ponderings from the Pastor’s Wife”.  God brought a part of it to my mind yesterday, and I knew this would be my message to you, our now-church family!!  Here it is!

Morning will soon be dawning.  This is such a perfect time to think … to do some soul-searching.  I love the peace and solitude of the pre-dawn hours before the world awakens to its runaway schedules.  Nothing compares … especially when the only one to communicate with is the Lord Almighty – my Lord!  At this hour of the day (night?) I find God to be even more personal … I find Him to be even closer to me ~ no, I think it’s that I’m closer to Him.  Yet, amazingly enough, I find specific instances when I’m in the middle of the most demanding, hectic, noisy schedule, that He’s as close as He could ever be.  I find myself so aware of the presence of God, that I have to smile as I shake my head in amazement!  Sometimes, it’s His voice I hear ~ there’s no mistaking it!  Sometimes, it’s just an extra sense of being upheld and cradled in the palm of His hands ~ how reassuring it is!  And at other times, it’s something that happens ~ and I know that no other could have arranged such an occurrence at just that precise moment!  Just my Lord!

It’s like a TV commercial I saw the other night.  (Remember this is 1999!)  This man comes into a town and makes it his mission to “convert” all the townspeople over to his newly discovered brand of cellular phone … “the best there is,” according to him.  You can tell he really believes in his product, and he wants everyone else to have the same benefits he now knows about!  I was reminded how so often when I experience something deeper, something more precious, some eye-opener in my walk with the Lord, I just want to “drive into town” and “tell everyone” what I’ve discovered ~ that they need the best connection there is!  The best, being Jesus!

As our country’s celebration of the Fourth of July nears, our thoughts turn to freedom … Independence Day!  Just what does freedom really mean?  I remember growing up and some of the phrases I’d hear, like, “Your freedom ends where someone else’s begins” or “With freedom comes responsibility”.  You’ve most likely heard them, plus many others.  More and more, I’m realizing that true freedom isn’t independence at all, but rather a total dependence upon God.  And independence is actually when I insist on doing it my own way.  My moments of greatest freedom come at the times I’m most dependent on God for the answer, when I need Him the most to be my total Source.  Living that kind of lifestyle is comparatively much more exciting than attempting to find my own answers, trying to do it all in my own strength.

There’s a Disney children’s story that our sons all loved to have me read them when they were small.  It went something like this … A young sailor was swept onto shore during a storm at sea, and when he revived and awakened, he discovered he could not move.  Upon closer inspection, he soon discovered that his body was criss-crossed with dozens of ropes anchored to pegs in the beach.  A few more looks revealed to the sailor that his captors were tiny, miniature people frightened by his normal size – to them, he was huge.  For the first few days, the men stood guard; the women brought him bread and fruit.  The children were the first to lose their fear and to play near him, then they began to climb all over him.  Finally one day trust overcame their fear, and the little people of Lilliput cut the ropes and freed the “giant” stranger who had been washed to their shores.  And just in time … for pirate ships were appearing on the horizon, and the Lilliputians had no way to defend themselves.  King Lilliput climbed into the palm of the sailor’s hand, and the sailor walked out into the water.  At the command of the King, the sailor inhaled deeply and then blew the tiny pirate ships far away to the ends of the horizon!!  The country of Lilliput was safe … and the tiny people were glad they had freed the “huge” sailor who had become their friend and saved them, giving them freedom from their enemy!

Sometimes, in my own strength, I, too, get all wrapped up in “ropes” that strap me down.  Freedom escapes me.  I find myself “tied down” by this commitment and that appointment and this schedule and that deadline … ‘til I’m so criss-crossed with “ropes” that I’m prohibited from doing anything.  So now, when I start feeling the “constraints of captivity” ~ I run for the “scissors” to set myself free.  The other day I ran to Jesus … He’s got the scissors to cut me free, you know.  Actually, I crawled, because the ropes were getting quite constricting.  But when I got there, I just sat there at His feet for a while.  It was great!  At first, neither of us said anything.  He didn’t have to.  And I couldn’t.  In my frazzled condition, I just sat there and soaked in the warmth of His presence ~ it just felt good to be near Him.  I felt safe, secure.  I breathed in deep.  It was like I breathed Him right into me, and when I exhaled, the most incredible thing happened.  One of the ropes came loose and fell at my side.  I looked at Him.  He smiled at me.  I felt more cares melting away.  More ropes dropped away.  I sat there in His presence, still … for I don’t know how long.  He eyes turned to His Book.  I reached for it and gently, eagerly opened it.  Now He spoke to me, as I read.  It was like He had written these pages just for me.  How wondrous His scissors are!  Rope after rope was being cut away, ‘til I sat there, free to go.  I could move.  But I didn’t want to leave.  At least not for a while longer.  So I stayed longer, filling myself with all I’d need to face the “new rope tricks” out there.  This time, I prayed for discernment to recognize them, to take authority over them.  I prayed that no matter where I am, no matter what I have, that I will always be totally dependent on God … then I will truly be free!

The other day, before I ran to God for His scissors, I missed an important event.  Well, it could have been an important event.  I missed stopping at a lemonade stand with two little girls by the side of the street, and because the ropes were tightening so much, I didn’t feel free to take the time.  I’ve regretted it ever since.  I’m sure they didn’t miss my coins as much as I missed giving them and getting their sweet drink.  I lost that opportunity … but you can be sure I will stop at the next lemonade stand I see, ‘cuz I won’t have any ropes tying me down!  And if I feel any starting to strap me down again, I’ll just ask my Father to start snipping!

Are you feeling frazzled instead of free?  Then we need to learn to think like Him.  Peter, in his first book by his name, in chapter four, tells us this:  “Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like Him.  Think of your suffering as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way.  Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.  Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted.  Stay wide-awake in prayer.  Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it.  Love makes up for practically anything.  Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless ~ cheerfully.  Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it:  if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help.  That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and He’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything ~ encores to the end of time.  Oh, yes!”  (The Message Bible – I Peter 4:1-2, 7-11)

Happy rope-cutting!  Celebrate your freedom, dear ones!

REMEMBER . . .

“Your Heavenly Father knows your needs.  He will always give you all you need from day to day …

For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”

~ Luke 12:30-32 (TLB)  

Joyfully Serving Christ . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY FATHER … there is NO one like HIM!  Lots more about Him, though, in a minute or two!  So, I actually have two other fathers who are now in Heaven, and I loved calling them “Dad” while they were here on earth with me.  They taught me life-lessons by their example, and I still remember what I’ve learned from them.  I was born to my first dad, the first of our family’s four children, and I adored him.  He was my hero, my teacher, my best friend.  He was soft-spoken and gentle, fun-loving with a twinkle in his eye, as honest as any man could be.  Yet he commanded respect, and when he spoke with expectation, he did not need ever to repeat himself.  We knew he was serious, and we did not want to disappoint our dad – nor did we want to experience the consequences of disobedience.  We knew without a doubt that he meant what he said.  Our growing up years on the farm gifted us with rich, valuable experiences.  Not rich in the financial sense, but God always provided everything we needed.  And Dad taught us the value of hard-earned money, the dangers of indebtedness, and how to budget what we earned on the farm as young children.  If a man could get to heaven by his own goodness and integrity, my dad would have been the one!  But, God’s Word tells us there is only one way to have eternal life:  through acceptance of Jesus and the gift of His shed blood for the forgiveness of our sins.  And so we prayed.  We prayed up a storm for our daddy – because while he was the most wonderful man ever, he had not yet felt the need for a personal relationship with Christ.  Unfortunately, he had witnessed the behavior of too many hypocrites and had allowed their lack of genuine Christ-like living to sour his sense of true Christianity.  But it’s like I would often remind our youngest son as he was growing up in the church:  “Please don’t judge God by people, son … He is not judgmental and cruel and negative.  He loves you unconditionally, and will always be more than enough your whole life long!”  I’m so glad that our son was able to differentiate between the two, and made that choice to pursue God rather then blame Him for man’s failures.  And I can say the same for my Dad, who one day made the choice to follow God, no matter how people acted.  To this day, I do not know who was instrumental in his change of heart.  But God answered our prayers, and when He called our dad home at age 48 with a massive cardiac arrest, we were crushed with the incredible loss of the dad we loved so very much – but comforted and held by the assurance that Dad was Home with Jesus and we would see him again some day! 

My second earthly father became my “dad” a few years after my birth dad had died; never to replace him but to add to the richness of my life.  Dad Jones was also a gentle, loving man who fully loved and devoted himself to God, and I loved having his presence in my life until God called him home at an elderly age, following several health issues and several ensuing miracles that testified to the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ! 

In this season of my life, I am so grateful to my God for the gift of all the dads God continues to bless me with from generation to generation:  my husband and sons and grandsons – each amazing dads in their own right!  I see Jesus in them as they walk out their faith in life-lessons taught with unconditional love to their own children.  And I am moved to tears at the faithfulness of God!  While none of us as parents get it right all the time, even though we know the Lord; He continues to be gracious to answer our prayers!  And truly, our deepest heart’s cry is this:  that one day EACH one of us will be together to share eternity with our Father in heaven . . . forever and ever and ever!!

Back to MY Father, the One who deserves way more words than I have space for here … HE is the most amazing, indescribable Father of all!  Often when in prayer, I find myself calling Him by Name – His many Names, from A to Z.  I challenge you to do that, as well; it brings us to the place of remembering that He is our Everything, though our human limitation to describe Who He is, falls far short of covering His limitless attributes!  He speaks every life-lesson I could ever learn; if I will only listen.  Sitting in His presence, soaking in His presence … I know there is no place I would rather be!  No where at all.  In His presence, I am loved, healed, taught, put back together again, empowered, led, strengthened, helped, called, gifted, anointed … and so much more.  And when I ask what’s on HIS heart and when He wants me to know, He reveals things to me.  You see, He WANTS us to be a part of what He is doing on this earth!  He invites us to be actively engaged in His Kingdom work on this earth in these present days.  His plan was not that He would create us only to have us sit on the sidelines and just be a passive observer.  His joy is for us to jump in along side Him wherever He is working – and He uses us, imperfect as we are.  He understands we are His work in progress, and if we will choose to be yielded to our Father, He will pour into us anything and everything we need to be used for His glory and His honor!  God our Father would have never given Jesus, His only Son, as a sacrifice on Calvary for us … to just leave us lost, broken, and unusable.  When a Father pays that kind of a price … He will go to the ends of the earth to save us, rescue us, transform us, renew us, and revive us to be ALL that He planned before the beginning of time that we could be!  What a Father we have that we can call Him “Abba, Daddy” and crawl up in His lap and be held as little children, even though we are adults.  We will always be His children if we have asked Him to be our Savior!  That’s one prayer that gets instant response – and it is always a loving, resounding “yes”!  Of course, God our Father, like any good father, can and will use tough love when He knows it is what we need to get us back on the right path.  When He knows it will clear our vision.  When He knows it will help us hear His heartbeat for us – and for the crazed, out-of-control world around us. 

Speaking of the crazed, out-of-control world we live in … Dads and everyone else, I just want to share this challenge with you in closing. While it is easy to feel that there is nothing we can do to make a difference with everything that we hear on the news, there actually is.  We need to be listening to God’s heart, so we can hear what He is asking us to do.  He would not give us His promises and assurances if He did not mean for us to be engaged … either in loving response to those affected by the evil tragedies that come because of hate-filled hearts – or in intercessory prayer for repentance of sin and rebellion so hearts will be changed before they perpetrate the evils we are seeing everywhere we look.  It’s not too late – yet.  Jesus IS coming again, and our passion should be not just that we escape hell, but that we take as many people to heaven with us as we can!  That is the heartbeat of our Father in heaven, and He wants us to make it our heartbeat, as well!  Here is His promise to us!

REMEMBER . . .

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence.

In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration;

but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!

For I have overcome the world. 

[I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

~ John 16:33  

Joyfully Serving Christ . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

FINDING THE HIDING PLACE FOR OUR BATTLE STRATEGIES!  And, let me ask, are you even searching for it?  Which audience is THIS title targeted for, you might ask?  Well, none other than Moms, since Mother’s Day is just around the corner … but in all actuality, this message can apply to everyone!  We all have wars to win, you know.  But life moves in like a flood and the hands on the clocks of our lives seem to spin with an ever-increasing speed that just about takes our breath away!  Just how do we pursue the fleeting hours and days of our lives – and capture what is most precious and treasured and of utmost importance? 

Moms have a calling from God that can literally shape our very world … one life at a time … if we take that calling seriously!  But choosing to obey that calling necessitates laying a foundation from which to influence the hearts of the children God has gifted us with.  Once we mark that place, no matter what age or season of life we find ourselves in, it is never an easy thing to go there faithfully.  What IS easy is to hear the screaming voices of our little ones, or the incessant call of never-ending responsibilities and tasks, or the strong pull of a sea of not-so-important distractions.  Some days it feels like we are having to climb a mountain to get to our quiet retreat.  Other days we cry out for rescue from the quick-sand of the noise of life that is nearly pulling us under, making us feel like it is nearly impossible to reach our hiding place.  And on the days that we can actually think straight, we realize that unless we purposely rise above the challenges that come to us, we will never get to the place where our greatest work is done!  So, where is that place?  Well, it can be anywhere you choose it to be – or the only place in your world that you think will work!!

From the day that I first heard this real-life story about a mom named Susanna Wesley, I have never forgotten the powerful choice she made to go to her secret place.  Take a peek with me into this woman’s life, and you, too, will be shocked – and amazed and inspired!  Born in 1669, she was the youngest of 25 children – and when grown she married a preacher.  Though they had 19 children, nine of them died as infants … and the struggling marriage often left Susanna to care for the children, their schooling, the house, the garden and yard, and the milk cow.  On top of all that, she was desperately sick most of her life.  Her husband was not gifted with money matters, so often there was no money for food, clothes, or anything else – and debt was a constant cloud over them.  Twice fires burned down the house they were living in, her husband was thrown in jail for the debt they could not pay, and they endured persecution from their church members.  But … early in Susanna’s life she had made a promise to God that for every hour she spent enjoying entertainment, she would equally spend an hour in prayer and in His Word.  But her life now seemed to make that vow almost impossibile to keep.  So, get this:  Susanna decided instead to spend two hours a day in prayer!!  Where on earth, with ten children around her, would she find a place that was hers alone to spend in the presence of God?  It is said that what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger … so I am sure Susannah found strength she didn’t have before – and she most likely learned how to make her wishes known!  So she told her ten children in no uncertain terms that when they saw her with her apron over her head, that meant she was praying and she could not be disturbed!!  Through the years, she prayed countless hours in those two hours daily, waging war in the heavenlies as she prayed for her children and for understanding of God’s Word to help her live the life that God had called her to.  And you know what?  She didn’t lose one of those ten children during her hours in prayer – every one of them survived!  In fact, you’ve most likely heard the names of two of her sons:  John and Charles Wesley.  They were called of God to share the Gospel, and in those days, John preached to almost a million people with revival breaking out every place he went.  Charles became the songwriter of over 9,000 hymns, including many that we still love singing today, because his anointed words are timeless and still touch hearts!  Out of the revivals and hymns, together these brothers founded the Methodist Church whose Kingdom work still goes on around the world today!

We will never know today what all will someday be known through our time spent “under the prayer apron” in OUR  secret place.  There is nothing magical about Susannah’s apron over her head … but there is everything miraculous about her time spent in the presence of her God, devoting uninterrupted hours in conversation with her Lord, seeking His face, battling the enemy through the power of the blood of Jesus, drinking in the words of wisdom and laying claim to the promises of God that she found within the pages of her Bible.  Prayed-over children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren are empowered children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren … to each generation to come!  God’s answers to our prayers live on in each succeeding generation of our family – and beyond!  I have a sense that Susannah had no clue while she prayed with covered head in the midst of ten noisy children and such dire circumstances … that such spiritual wonders would take place through her offspring for centuries to come … even into eternity! 

Dear ones:  Moms and everyone else – THIS is what we hold in our hands today!  The opportunity to choose between “distractions of this world” ~ and ~ “finding the hiding place for our battle strategies”.  Do you want to win spiritual battles for your family in every generation?  Then I challenge you today, right now, to promise God to meet with Him daily in your private sanctuary, wherever it might be, whatever it might look like!  All that matters is that you and God are in that place together!  You will be changing the future of our world, for the glory of God!  We CAN make a difference … just take a look at Susannah and God’s faithfulness to answer her prayers!

REMEMBER . . .

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations

 of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” ~ Deuteronomy 7:9  

Joyfully Serving Christ . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

RESURRECTION METAMORPHISIS!

Green, bumpy, crawly, colorful caterpillar …

One given day your painfully slow movements across the green and brown earth

Take you to a chosen branch or limb or stalk high above the ground.

It is there that you attach yourself and begin to spin

The woven cocoon that encircles you, hides you, protects you.

Darkness now falls within the cocoonish walls …

What seems colorless, hard, and lifeless, is silent and still.

Time passes – is this all there is?  How long will you hang suspended there, dear chrysalis?

Suddenly, something stirs within!

An inner struggle ensues in the darkness still –

But struggle you must because to life there is no other way.

Your hard, dried caterpillar shell breaks away

And your now energized movements are giving way to new life!

Out of the cocoon emerge bright, translucent patterned colors

And of all things, wings – that begin to spread as the empty cocoon is left behind!

What are you now?  O cocoon, where is your hold? 

O butterfly, you have been set free to fly and to be

All that God has planned!

Transformed … changed … renewed … liberated … new creation!

Fly, beautiful butterfly … fly!

Your Creator has gifted you with wings!

~

Jesus … divine embryo placed in human womb;

Born in a stable, called to earth to carry out Your Father’s plan.

Loved by earthly parents, You grew in stature with God and man.

Everyday tasks morphed into miracles as You walked amongst the people

Who You came to touch and heal and save!

But Your enemy had other plans  - that played right into Your Father’s will

That took You on a torturous path to a Tree high on a hill.

It is there soldiers attach you to the Cross with nails – and blood begins to flow;

Suspended there, You give Your life … to the very last drop of blood and Your very last breath.

Darkness falls o’er the skies … You are taken off Your Cross and placed in Your Tomb.

You are lifeless, silent and still.  Time passes – is this all there is?  Where is hope, dear Jesus?

Suddenly, Something stirs within the Tomb!

You’ve completed the struggle in the pits of Hell to defeat the enemy and the grave.

There was no other way.

The Spirit of God breathes life into His Son … the graveclothes are flung off …

Jesus folds them and leaves them behind to say, “It is finished!”

Out of the Empty Tomb emerges the Resurrected Lord and Savior in all His glory!

Where is your victory, O death?  Where is your sting, O death?

O Jesus, You have been set free to bring us life and set us free!

Transformed … changed … renewed … liberated … new creations in Christ!

Fly … precious people … fly!

Your Creator and Savior has gifted you with wings!

RESURRECTION MIRACLE!

REMEMBER . . .

“The Lord your God is in your midst, The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.”

~ Zephaniah 3:17  

Joyfully Serving Christ . . .  

Pastor Doug and Debbie