by Garris Elkins | Dec 15, 2017 | Discipline, Faith, Fear, Freedom, Future, Identity, Kingdom of God, Mercy, Peace, Redemption, Spiritual Warfare, Transition, Trust, Vision., Wisdom
Albania was one of the most isolated and inaccessible nations in Eastern Europe during the years of Communist oppression. When the borders finally opened an outside world stepped across its border to discover a culture trapped in time. On my first visit to Albania, a...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 14, 2017 | Change, Discipleship, Discipline, Evangelism, Faith, Faithfulness, Fear, Future, Holy Spirit, Hope, Humility, Kingdom of God, Peace, Promotion, Reformation, Spiritual Warfare, Truth, Wisdom
I grew up in a construction family. My father built houses. Most of my summers were spent on the end of a shovel. My brother and I were human backhoes. Many times our father would say, “Give me a ditch three feet deep from here to the house. See you at lunch.” It was...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 5, 2017 | Courage, Discipleship, Faith, Father, Five-Fold Ministry, Freedom, Future, Honor, Identity, Leadership, Love, Peace, Promise, Relationships, Teaching, Wisdom
One of my childhood dreams was to learn to fly. As a young 20-something, I began working in a job that afforded me enough extra income to start taking lessons toward the goal of obtaining a Private Pilot’s license. After 10 hours of dual instruction, I felt I was...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 3, 2017 | Destiny, Discipleship, Father, God, Honor, Hope, Jesus, Joy, Peace, Provision, Rest, Revelation, Teaching, Trust, Wisdom
As a little boy, I usually slept like a rock. But one winter night I woke up and walked into the living room. I was about 6 or 7 years old. My stirring also awakened my father. While standing in front of our fireplace staring at the remaining embers of a fire from the...
by Garris Elkins | Dec 2, 2017 | Apostle, Destiny, Eternity, Favor, Fear, Five-Fold Ministry, Future, Honor, Intimacy, Ministry, Obedience, Peace, Redemption, Teaching, Wisdom
Paul wrote the book of II Timothy from a Roman prison shortly before his execution. It would be his last epistle. Because of that sober setting, Paul’s words carry a unique poignancy. Paul said, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time...
by Garris Elkins | Nov 30, 2017 | Courage, Deliverance, Discipline, Family, Fear, Freedom, Future, Hope, Love, Marriage, Obedience, Peace, Power, Prayer, Promise, Reconciliation, Relationships, Revelation, Spiritual Warfare, Vision.
I was sitting in my writing chair listening to some beautiful instrumental Christmas music. It was a piano solo. As the pianist continued to play a soft melody, in the distance, I heard the wailing song of a siren clearing the way in route to an unknown trauma. The...
