Philip James Elliot's challenge to us

Though I didn’t know my dad, I’m overwhelmed at times by what he wrote, what he stood for, and what he did!  

I think of these verses when I think of him, because he truly and completely wanted to do God’s will above all else.

I John 2:15-17--.  “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life - is not from the Father but is from the world.  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

He followed God wholeheartedly, like Caleb, and he did not let his second love, which was my mother, sway him, even though he struggled with the temptation to do that. He believed in the motto that used to be the Coast Guard’s: “You have to go out, but you don’t have to come back!”

He wanted with all his heart to glorify Him in his life and his death.  My favorite quote of his is --“I have covenanted with the Father, that He would either glorify Himself to the utmost in me, or slay me.”

He had a love of adventure and daring and lived out his own motto: “Wherever you are, be ALL THERE, in every situation you find yourself, life life to the hilt!” He did not fear what men could do to him, and he especially was disgusted with American Christians and their apathy.  He said “most Americans don’t need a call, they need a kick in the pants!”

So...God called him and 4 other dedicated missionaries to bring the Gospel to the unreached.  They sang with their wives, the beautiful hymn, right before getting in the plane to fly to Palm Beach.

“We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!

We go not forth alone against the foe;

Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,

‘we rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go,’ (repeat)

Yea, ‘in Thy Name,’ O Captain of salvation!

In Thy dear Name, all other names above;

Jesus our Righteousness, our sure foundation, Our Prince of Glory and our King of love….(repeat)

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,

And needing more each day Thy grace to know;

Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing;

We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.”(repeat)

God’s ways are not our ways- His ways are higher, and tho’ mysterious, He knows what is Best for us.

He wrote in his journal about his father’s preaching: “Dad’s talks shame me to silence.

I know nothing of the Word, little of God’s ways, when I think of how far he has gone into the secret riches of the Father’s purposes in Christ. O Lord, let me learn tenderness and silence in my spirit, fruits of Thy knowledge.  Burden, burn, break me, Lord.”  And I think of my own weakness in focusing on meditation of His Word and my lukewarmness, at times, and I am also shamed to silence!

He wrote this poem shortly after that journal entry.

“O God, that goadest me with hunger-pricks for Thee within,

By stealing from my heart its dearest stays,

And staying me with tendrils of Thy love--

A token of friendship from a dear one in Thee,

A word of Holy Writ, a song,

A thousand things of spider-thong

Which lift my heart from seen things, sturdy, strong,

And rest me, relaxed, hung from an unseen stay above--

Wise-goading God, teach me to rest in love.”

That kind of mind which can write a poem, deep and beautiful in meaning, astounds me!

He found his complete joy and satisfaction in Christ alone- and that singleness of purpose and devoted heart also amaze me.

He prayed, “Father, let me not be dissipated on non-essentials...sublimate these huge hungers to the obedience of Christ. Above all these things, I would have holinesss- tho- I covet the power of holiness just now.  Let me not err in feeling.  Teach me the path of faith. “

May we, who follow in the train of disciples, be that kind of disciple, so longing to know Him, that everything else pales in comparison, that nothing sways us from pursuing hard after God, that we give room (time and space) in our lives to seek His face alone, as Jesus did in the wilderness.  My father said,

“Be on guard, my soul, of complicating your environment, so that you have neither time nor room for growth.”  

May we discipline ourselves diligently to sit at Christ’s feet, and learn of Him.

Elisabeth Elliot's Memorial Service at Wheaton

Live Life to the Hilt

Elisabeth Elliot's Memorial Service Will be at Wheaton College on July 26, 2015.  We hope anyone who is able will join us.  

There will be an informal hymn sing at 3:00 in Edman Chapel at Wheaton College on July 26, followed by the "official" memorial service starting at 3:15. The public is invited. Afterwards there will be a light refreshment at a reception in the Kresge Room and possibly outside where we will have chocolate chip cookies, Elisabeth Elliot's favorite.

If you would like to donate something to the Elisabeth Elliot memorial funds, please give to www.coastalchurch.org (by mail), the address is:
CCC, PO Box 11107, Southport, NC  28461

The Memorial Service will be streamed live at 3 pm on the 26th at a link to be announced. 


The Funeral Service from Gordon College is still available at 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L7dbNlD9Ak
or just search Elisabeth Elliot Memorial Service.

funeral and memorial service for Elisabeth Elliot

The funeral for my mother will be on Tuesday the 23rd of June at 10:30 in the  A. J. Gordon chapel at Gordon College, 255 Grapevine Rd, in Wenham, Massachusetts.  There will also be visitation on Monday night  at 6-8:30  at the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington Street, Gloucester.  More visitation on Monday at 9 AM at Gordon, before the funeral. 

We are holding a memorial service on July 26th in Wheaton, Ill. Stay posted for details- it will be in the afternoon, but time and place are still not decided. The public is invited to both. 

Elisabeth Elliot, my dear mother

“Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” by Jim Elliot, whose whole name was Phillip James Elliot

My father lived out this quote of his, and my mother loved him for his absolute commitment to the Kingdom, and courage to do whatever it would take to glorify Him. My mother has now gone on to see Jesus Christ, face to face, and I am so grateful that she has been freed from the chains of this earthly life. In her last 10 years, with dementia, she was peaceful and I saw that serenity most when we sang hymns to her. It used to be that when she and I would sing together, she would point out special lines that meant a great deal to her, and it would give me more appreciation for each one. I would say some of her favorites were:
 Beneath the Cross of Jesus
 Guide me O, Thou great Jehovah
 For all the Saints
 Jesus the Very Thought of Thee
 Jesus keep me Near the Cross
 Jesus Thou Joy of loving Heart
 Tallis's cannon- Glory to Thee, my God, this night
 Praise my soul the King of Heaven which was sung at her second two weddings
 Trust and Obey
 Praise the Savior ye who Know Him
 I cannot Tell, why He whom angels worship
 My Faith has Found a resting place
 The Lord's my Shepherd
 At Even, ere the Sun was Set
 And Can it be

 She knew hundreds and I'm so glad she sang them to me throughout my childhood, especially right before going to sleep. She taught me to pray to our Father, always starting her prayers with "Dear Father." I learned trust and contentment at her side. I learned that God's will was the most important thing to pursue in life. I learned to laugh and enjoy funny, fascinating, and fortifying stories. Several of them were about Gladys Aylward, the "small woman of China." She had heard her speak once and could imitate her perfectly. One of the stories was about her leading a group of children through forest and a mountainous terrain, which had bandits, and singing to them, "I will not be afraid, I will not be afraid, I will look upward, and travel onward, and NOT be afraid!" One of the main themes of her training of me was based on Jesus's teaching of Luke 16:10- "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." I remember that verse almost daily in my routines.

 As the weeks go by, and I think of her teaching and love, I will share more. I'm looking forward to honoring her at the memorial service in July. It will be announced on her website- Elisabethelliot.org and on Face Book.

Praising Him

May the Holy Spirit use these words to help you to praise Him, our Triune God. 

This text is based on the anonymous fourth-century Latin hymn “Te Deum Laudamus," which in one modern English prose translation reads:

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
all creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:

Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all praise,
the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come to be our judge. 

Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

-English Language Liturgical Commission, from Praying Together, 1988

Sometimes our minds need words written centuries before us to focus on what we're really praising and thanking Him for.  May this be a help to your worship today, Good Friday, the day we remember more deeply what Christ went through, all for our sake. "He paid a debt He didn't owe, (because He was sinless), for us who owed a debt we couldn't pay, (because we are sinners)."

A classic text of the church, "Te Deum Laudamus" has been a staple item in many liturgies and is sometimes extended with versicles and responses. It is loved by all traditions of Christendom: Eastern, Roman Catholic, and Protestant. Much of the text consists of liturgical phrases and acclamations, including some from the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (see 247). Over the centuries many composers have set this text in large choral works; it has been translated and versified into many languages and expressed in numerous hymns.

The sacrifice of Genesis 15

"The gospel writers note that when Jesus died, darkness fell over the land, and in that moment, we see the sacrifice God made in order to honor his promises to us. It is a reminder that he went to the grave to give us the skies, became alienated to give us a home, and experienced deep darkness to bring us into the light. In fact, this vision is what comforted Abraham’s fear in Genesis 15:1" (“Fear not, Abram, I am your shield.”)

Genesis 15 is a mysterious story of Abraham's asking assurance from God that He would give him a land that he had never seen. God represents Himself as a smoking pot and a torch, and Abraham experiences dreadful darkness. The quote above is from my Youversion devotional of reading the plan "Preparing our hearts for Easter." What an awesome God we are saved by, serve, love, and are sanctified by!  May this season prepare us not only for the mysterious gift of Christ risen to make all things new, but also the command of our God to trust Him, be at rest because of His sacrifice, and to live in holiness. My heart is so unholy, still, like a butterfly, being distracted by this flower or that, the visual things around me taking the place of the spiritual call for me to abide with and IN HIM. Lord, make our hearts whole and completely given to honoring You first!

Working on a book, and not going to be speaking as much next fall and spring

Hi readers, I am working on a book about my father's letters to my mother and their journals. I am excited and eager to work hard on it, learning now not to procrastinate, but as my oldest son suggested to me at Christmas this past year, that I try to do 45 minutes a day on it. Most days, if I'm not traveling to a speaking engagement, I am able to do this and it has been a joy. Please pray for me to continue on in this coming year, hoping to have at least 3/4 of it done by June, 2016. I will not be taking speaking engagements for fall of 2015 or spring of 2016 except for 2 I accepted in Mich. and Iowa in Sept. of this year. I will speak within 2 hrs of home, but not further, as that usually involves staying overnight.

Poem of my father

6/5/48 "O Lord, against this bosom-blast of coiled and seething feelings, Batt’ring passions, ebbing yearnings, oozing ache of inner man, Raise Thou the flinty walls of stuff of which Thy Son was made- Yea, build in me the buttressed bastions of faith That shall resist the under-suck- ing flow of soulish tide, And make me to endure this late attack, I pray, In Jesus’ name."

JuanaMikels.com: Choosing Him Marriage Blog Tour!

JuanaMikels.com: Choosing Him Marriage Blog Tour!

Live Life to the Hilt

Book review-Choosing him all over Again

My friend Juana Mikels has written a lovely book about her journey from selfishness to Christ-centeredness, in her experience of leaving her husband because of self-love and discontentment, to coming to Christ, and learning what true love is. It is clearly God's pursuit of her, her slowly coming to faith in Him, and then going back to her husband, because of God's new control of her. I am blessed to recommend it to any woman, as a very good read, and as a help in understanding our own need of Christ as our First Love. The love in a marriage that He may give to us is blessed only if Christ is the True Pursuit and center. Thank you, Juana, for writing a Real Story- the one God gave you to write!