by Garris Elkins | Dec 5, 2019 | Creativity, Discipline, Faith, Gifts, Humility, Obedience, Teaching
Whenever I write, whether it is a short article or something more substantial, like a book, I do two things in the process. I write the piece first, then I read it. In the writing part, it’s not that I don’t actually read while I am writing, it is just a different...
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...
by Garris Elkins | Nov 5, 2019 | Change, Church, Creativity, Faith, Kingdom of God, Obedience, Truth
For 18 months, I did not read the Bible. I listened to it on a Bible audio app. I wanted to experience the Word like someone sitting in a home meeting 2,000 years ago when a letter from Paul was read to the small group gathered. Not everyone present in those meetings...
by Garris Elkins | Nov 4, 2019 | Creativity, Dreams, Eternity, Faithfulness, Favor, Fear, Freedom, Future, God, Holy Spirit, Identity, Mercy, Obedience, Peace, Thankfulness, Transition, Trust, Wisdom
When I write a book or an article, it is rarely done in a linear fashion. I am not a traditional author who works from an outline. Donald Miller, the author of Blue Like Jazz, once said of his writing style, “If you want to see where my next book will come from, read...
by Garris Elkins | Oct 30, 2019 | Discernment, Discipleship, Dreams, Faithfulness, Grace, Kingdom, Kingdom of God, Obedience, Wisdom
Nine times in the first six chapters of Ecclesiastes, Solomon uses the phrase “chasing after the wind.” He implies that to chase after even the good things in life without a greater purpose on the horizon of our efforts will enslave us to spend our lives chasing only...
by Garris Elkins | Oct 17, 2019 | Change, Courage, Faithfulness, Obedience, Transition
Jan reminded me of something we don’t often consider when we enter a time of change and transition. Using the Israelites as an example, they had to break camp before they could move. Transition is not always immediate. It is a process that involves breaking camp with...
