by Garris Elkins | Jan 7, 2020 | Dreams, Faith, Family
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the freedom to imagine. This is part of a generational inheritance we give to our family. While imagination is something most children experience as a normal part of growing up, some imaginations have been hindered...
by Garris Elkins | Jan 7, 2020 | Dreams, Faith, Family, Favor, Fear, Future, Grace, Healing, Hope
This afternoon the sun came out and passed through my truck window to warm my face in the middle of a cold winter day. As soon as I felt the warm sun rays, Bob Marley’s reggae song, Jammin’, came on the radio. In a moment of memory, I was transported back to Kingston,...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 29, 2019 | Family, Grace, Healing, Mercy, Relationships
When my father passed away 30 years ago, I wanted to keep one of his hats. He was from a generation where if a man went outside, he wore a hat. I remember several years after his passing that I picked up one of his hats and held it to my face. I could still smell a...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 23, 2019 | Eternity, Faithfulness, Family, Fathers, Future, Identity, Peace, Thankfulness
As we get older, something visits us with increasing regularity. That visitor is closure. Seasons of life come to an end. Places we once lived change over time and close behind the door of our history. The lives of friends and loved ones end transitioning from this...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 22, 2019 | Creativity, Family, Favor, Fear, Jesus, Mercy, Redemption, Trust
A friend of our family shared this painting of the nativity scene by the artist Gari Melcher on her Facebook wall. When I saw the image, I stopped and stared, stunned by its raw beauty. It conveyed to me something more profound and impactful than any other nativity...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 1, 2019 | Discipline, Family, Forgivness, Grace, Healing, Integrity, Obedience, Peace, Relationships, Women
Our marriage is filled with small rituals. Each morning after Jan and I greet each other, we enjoy a long hug and a kiss. Then we move to our second daily ritual of morning writing. Jan heads off to her chair in our bedroom, and I enter our living room where my...
