by Garris Elkins | Sep 18, 2018 | Change, Creativity, Faith, Joy, Justice, Peace, Wisdom
I like the sound of creaky wood-framed screen doors. Streets without curbs and gutters. Old dogs. Rifles with wood stocks and the feel of a well worn genuine leather Bible. What I like about each of these things is the longevity they represent. There is nothing wrong...
by Garris Elkins | Sep 18, 2018 | Creativity, Culture, Discipline, Freedom, Gifts, Honor, Humility, Justice, Pride, Promotion, Reconciliation, Relationships, Teaching, Truth, Wisdom
I use a writing program called Grammarly. Grammarly was suggested to me by a friend who is an accomplished, best-selling author. The program has been very helpful. It has revealed the places in my grammar that need improvement. Each month, I get a copy of...
by Garris Elkins | Sep 13, 2018 | Culture, Death, Fear, Justice, Peace, Rest, Revelation
Yesterday, I read a news article about a woman who was killed by a cougar while hiking on Mount Hood just east of Portland, Oregon. The reporter said it was the first documented fatal encounter with a cougar in the state’s history. It is not surprising something...
by Garris Elkins | Sep 1, 2018 | Courage, Culture, Discipline, Fear, Freedom, Honor, Justice, Leadership, Mercy, Pride, Reconciliation
Lately, my dreams have been intensifying. The level of reality and color in what I dream is becoming high-definition in nature. Each night, I kneel at our bed and pray for the night. I pray for protection, and I pray for revelation in my dreams. Two nights ago,...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 22, 2018 | Discipleship, Discipline, Father, Forgiveness, Freedom, Giving, God, Honor, Justice, Kingdom of God, Mercy, Obedience, Peace, Pride, Restoration, Wisdom
The word “they” has been used to distance people from each other ever since the first tribe went to war with a neighboring tribe. The problem with the word is the separation it creates between people. I have used the word in negative tones and so have you. Here is...
by Garris Elkins | Aug 12, 2018 | Change, Deliverance, Discipleship, Freedom, Joy, Justice, Mercy, Peace, Promotion, Relationships, Restoration, Revelation, Transition, Trust, Vision., Worship
When we moved into our home 16 years ago, our trees were not as large as they are today. One maple tree grows in the center of the lawn in our backyard. As the rotating sprinkler fans out its spray, the trunk of the maple tree blocks a narrow slice of the stream of...