by Garris Elkins | Dec 26, 2017 | Change, Creativity, Hope, Kingdom of God, Obedience, Power, Revelation
When I traveled to Russia, I came home with gifts for my family. On Arbat Street in Moscow, I purchased a matryoshka doll, also known as a nesting or stacking doll. These dolls are cylindrical wooden containers with the picture of a person painted on their surface....
by Garris Elkins | Dec 22, 2017 | Change, Creativity, Culture, Freedom, Gifts, God, Obedience, Promise, Vision.
God is about to bring understanding to the contrasting, and sometimes confusing seasons of your life. One season does not fully define you. The total must be seen in order for each of the parts to be understood. On my first visit to Madrid, Spain, I was invited...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 19, 2017 | Change, Courage, Destiny, Future
What makes the approach of a New Year so challenging for many of us is not the newness or unfamiliarity that awaits us in the coming year, it is the goodbyes we had to say in the previous year that became painful weights to our soul. These goodbyes are like emotional...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 14, 2017 | Change, Discipleship, Discipline, Evangelism, Faith, Faithfulness, Fear, Future, Holy Spirit, Hope, Humility, Kingdom of God, Peace, Promotion, Reformation, Spiritual Warfare, Truth, Wisdom
I grew up in a construction family. My father built houses. Most of my summers were spent on the end of a shovel. My brother and I were human backhoes. Many times our father would say, “Give me a ditch three feet deep from here to the house. See you at lunch.” It was...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 13, 2017 | Change, Death, Faith, Freedom, Future, Love, Thankfulness, Worship
It has been two weeks since my dog died. Abby was an Australian Shepherd who lived as a member of our family for 15 wonderful years from puppyhood to her dying day. She was a good friend. For all 15 years of her life, Abby went in and out of her doggie door to...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 9, 2017 | Change, Courage, Discipleship, Five-Fold Ministry, Gifts, Justice, Kingdom of God, Mercy, Pride, Teaching, Wisdom
The most significant piece of advice I ever received on how to preach, and for that matter, how to handle most of life, was given to me by my pastor, Roy Hicks. Jr. He said when you prepare to preach you are not yet ready until you can answer three questions. 1....
