Gateways to Joy

Y esterday while watching and listening to my children interact with their friends, I began to wonder about their life's course and ponder on the many road's my life has taken. I've made so many mistakes friends until I also wonder if those mistakes haven't prevented me from being where I should be.  However, I also know that those mistakes—in hindsight are my life's lessons.  They have taught me well.   I've learned things about myself, God and others that I know I would not have learned had I not gone through my many "gateways." No circumstance or situation that God allows to take place in our live's is insignificant. "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." ~ Phil. 1:6 God is at work. He's working in the lives of His children.  Do you believe that? Skeptical, are you?  Think back with me for a moment ... remember:  Adam & Eve's...

Y esterday a friend and I discussed the highs and lows of our quiet time and our Christian walk over the phone.  We meet like this regularly just to lend support and encouragement to each other— an ear.  "Oh and how are you doing?"  She asked With much attitude, and wanting her to pick up on it so that she would back-off I said, "Fine.  I'm fine." I knew she wasn't really asking about my well-being, but rather about a specific situation that I am going through. "Um-hum."  She replied. "Okay, ok.  I'll tell you the truth!  My quiet time is going great!  God and I are having good conversations ... the intimacy is really good ... but my mind still tries to take me back.  It keeps wanting to drudge up all of those old memories and thoughts." She had sooo much to say.  I sat and listened. After a while though, my mind began to drift to the book of Romans and the conflict of our two natures ....

I n January 1956 the world was shocked when learning that five American missionaries had been speared to death in the Equardorian jungles by the Auca Indians who were reported, at that time, to be the most savage tribe on earth.  "What seemed to all the world like a tragic ending of the missionaries' dream to reach this isolated tribe was only the first chapter of one of the most breathtaking missionary stories of the twentieth century" In the video below the wives of the five men speak of their husbands. Below are some pictures of Jim & Elisabeth Elliot's daughter Valerie Elliot Shepard and her family.  For any of you who have Elisabeth's book The Savage My Kinsman , she's the little blond haired darling who is all grown up now with not only children of her own, but grandchildren too.  Valerie gave me access to these pictures to share about a year and a half-ago now.  I had them up on one of my blogs, but took them down because folks were dow...