by Garris Elkins | Aug 13, 2017 | Creativity, Discipleship, Father, Giving, Honor, Hope, Identity, Mercy, Obedience, Redemption
My father was a contractor. He built houses. Most of my summers were filled with manual labor on his job sites. My brother and I were my father’s backhoe. I spent many a hot summer day down in a ditch with a pick and shovel. Our crew was a constantly changing group...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 6, 2017 | Deliverance, Favor, Fear, Gifts, Holy Spirit, Identity, Intimacy, Pentecost, Power, Spiritual Warfare
You are stronger than your circumstances reveal. You are better than the opinion other people have about you. There is more going on under the surface of your life than a casual observation can reveal. In 1996, an athletic clothing line was developed by a frustrated...
by Garris Elkins | Jul 30, 2017 | Apostle, Change, Church, Courage, Five-Fold Ministry, Gifts, Identity, Prohecy, Promise
As a teenager growing up in the 1960’s, I remember the great folk-rock classics of that era. I can still sing many of those songs from memory. One song that always created an emotional response in me was written by Stephen Stills and performed by Buffalo Springfield....
by Garris Elkins | Jul 7, 2017 | Honor, Identity, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Pride, Promise
If you want to impact an emerging generation or a group of people you will need to remove complaint and criticism from your conversation. No one lends an ear to a negative spirit. Phrases like, “The youth of today…” or “Those people…” are introductory phrases that...
by Garris Elkins | Jul 5, 2017 | Courage, Culture, Discipleship, Discipline, Fear, Forgivenss, Holy Spirit, Humility, Identity, Mercy, Pride, Reconciliation
It is always a dangerous game to judge a person based on rumor and second-hand information. I have stopped coming to any conclusion about someone unless I have firsthand information about them from personal interaction with them. The higher in public visibility you...
by Garris Elkins | Jul 1, 2017 | Future, Hope, Identity, Peace, Transition, Wisdom
At age 15, 25 or 39 if you asked me about crossing the age-threshold of 60, I would have had no comment. In fact, that passage would have been seen as a place set aside for grandparents, older people and Social Security recipients to park until they died. Now that I...
