by Garris Elkins | Sep 13, 2011 | Faith, Hope, Obedience, Transition, Vision.
Recently, I was reflecting on Luke 5 where Jesus calls Simon to follow Him after he and his friends had fished all night and caught nothing. As I read the text I thought of all who are now struggling with the implications of the global financial downturn and its...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 18, 2011 | Faith, Hope, Prayer, Prophetic
Recently, the Lord downloaded something into my heart – “If you move the letter “i” in the word “trial” it becomes the word “trail.” Trials without the hope of their becoming trails can feel like desperate and discouraging seasons of life.Trials seem static if they...
by Garris Elkins | Jun 16, 2011 | Church, Hope, Humility, Restoration
On a recent trail hike I noticed a madrone tree branch above my head. I was so impressed by what I saw that I snapped a picture. The image of the twisted branch caught my attention because it had so obviously made a u-turn in its growth pattern. Like other tree...
by Garris Elkins | May 8, 2011 | Church, Culture, Forgiveness, Hope, Transition
Each life is like a photo album that contains snapshots of individual moments in time. No life is fully defined by a single image. We are made up of a composite of our experiences.One snapshot of time does not define our identity.Our identity is in a Person, not in a...
by Garris Elkins | Apr 7, 2011 | Church, Hope, Leadership, Vision.
When I was a young pastor-in-training the church I was part of was Faith Center in Eugene, Oregon,. This wonderful church took a step of faith with me and let me try my hand at counseling people. I was so green and yet there I was – in a real office sitting...
by Garris Elkins | Apr 6, 2011 | Church, Forgiveness, Hope, Restoration
I have a friend who is a really good artist. Kevin has created sculptures that are so life-like that they capture not only the posture of a person, but their very essence. Yesterday, Kevin brought me something. I was out of town so the gift was put in my office...
