Discovering the Goodness of God

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I love to know and learn things. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved being “in the know”. I used to love being one of the first to know things so that I could be the first to tell things. In fact, my nickname growing up was “the informer”. I’m still that way in many ways. I would pick a documentary or docuseries over just about any other genre any day- anything from BBC Planet Earth to a dark true crime series. I literally love watching the morning news, reading my daily Wikipedia article, getting my dictionary word of the day, and even my daily Bible verse. I listen to educational podcasts for fun, and I’m in a million and one Facebook groups to discuss various topics. I love it all because I love learning and knowing. I guess that makes me a bit of a know at all lol.

The issue I have is that this crosses over into every area of my life, including my faith. I’ve recently been struggling in this area because there are so many things that I don’t understand when it comes to how God operates. In the last few months, I’ve found myself questioning God a lot. Not His existence or his sovereignty, but his reasoning. Becoming a mom has softened my heart to so many issues in this world that I then take to God and ask why they are happening. It’s left me with many sleepless nights and rant sessions with God. And if I’m being quite honest, there have been a few times I’ve been downright angry with Him. Why do some prayers get answered and some don’t. Why do some people seem to ALWAYS get blessed while others are left in what seems to be a perpetual struggle. Why do some people receive their healing here on earth, while others receive it in heaven, leaving their family, friends, and community devastated? I could go on and on with questions. I was to the point that the generic “we live in a fallen world that’s imperfect” answer wasn’t cutting it. That seemed like a cop-out that people used because they didn’t have the answers either.

It was so dang frustrating because I know the goodness of God. I’ve seen it in my life time and time again, but nevertheless, I was left extremely frustrated, having gone through some really tough things too, as well as having seen my loved ones and even those I’ve never met go through so much pain and struggle.

Then, then other day I saw a post that humbled me pretty quickly. It was a post that Brian Johnson shares of a quote from his dad, Bill Johnson. It was so simple, yet so profound. “We need mystery as much as we need revelation.” At first I read it and scrolled right on by, but something told me to go back and read it again. After reading it a few more times, I was so wrecked, so humbled, and so convicted all at the same time. I’ve spent the better part of the last year genuinely angry with God because I didn’t understand a lot of what was happening around me, but in that moment I knew that I was never meant to understand most of it. That was a hard pill for me to swallow given my personality, but as I’ve mulled over it the last few days, the more I’ve begun to understand that I don’t need to know everything.
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If we as humans knew all of Gods reasoning and all of his plans, there would be no need for a God at all. And how very self righteous of me to assume that I should know everything he does?! See, while we should strive to gain revelation and understanding of who God is and what His heart is towards us, we also need to acknowledge his sovereignty and majesty, which is far beyond our understanding. Ultimately, we need to be more concerned with acquainting ourselves with Gods character rather than His reasoning, because when we know who He is and understand His heart, we understand that no matter the circumstances, he is always working things for our good!

Obviously, this wasn’t a fix-all. My questions didn’t just magically melt away because of this post/revelation, but it gave me a new way to combat my emotional responses towards God. I know my curiosity isn’t a bad thing- it’s how God created me to to be! And through my curiosity, I’m able to gain so much fresh revelation about Him, but I have to also be conscious of my mind and not allow it to wander. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:2 “Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.” This is in the Passion Translation, and I absolutely love the way it reads. We have control over where we allow our minds to go! And when we partner with the Holy Spirit, it results in a total reformation of how we think. Not only will it result in a reformation of how we think, but it will allow us to discern and understand God’s will for our lives. Wow- that’s so dang powerful!

It’s amazing how much one little quote can change the way you approach so much. It was so timely and so needed. And it served as a reminder that I truly need God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit- everyday, in everything I do, think, and say. We all do! We all go through some really tough stuff throughout the course of our lives, and i think because of that, we can all be left questioning or doubting the goodness of God. I personally believe that, if we allow them to, these are often times the moments that result in us growing closer to God than ever before. The key is to press in, be curious, and learn more about God, who he is, and what his promises are for our lives! That being said, I want to leave you with some scriptures to help guide you through those tough times.

Psalm 23 (TPT)
“So why would I fear the future? For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life…”

1 John 1:5 (TPT)
“This is the life-giving message we heard him share and it’s still ringing in our ears. We now repeat his words to you: God is pure light. You will never find even a trace of darkness in him.”
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James 1:17 (TPT)
“Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change.”
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Matthew 6:25-34 (TPT)
“… Look at all the birds—do you think they worry about their existence? They don’t plant or reap or store up food, yet your heavenly Father provides them each with food. Aren’t you much more valuable to your Father than they?”
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Romans 8:28-39
“So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose. For he knew all about us before we were born and he destined us from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son. This means the Son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become just like him. Having determined our destiny ahead of time, he called us to himself and transferred his perfect righteousness to everyone he called. And those who possess his perfect righteousness he co-glorified with his Son! So, what does all this mean? If God has determined to stand with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us? For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give. Who then would dare to accuse those whom God has chosen in love to be his? God himself is the judge who has issued his final verdict over them—“Not guilty!” Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph? Who could ever separate us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, even though it is written: All day long we face death threats for your sake, God. We are considered to be nothing more than sheep to be slaughtered! Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything! So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!”
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Why are some of your favorite scriptures of God’s goodness? I’d love to hear from you! Drop them in the comments below. Thanks so much for reading- I hope to see you next week

Xoxo
ELK

My First Trimester

Holy Moly! It doesn’t seem possible that I’m already writing about my first trimester! I am 13 weeks and 1 day today, so I am officially in the second trimester. The first 12 weeks of my pregnancy were quite eventful and interesting, but let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

Back in August, I was at work one day when I started, what I thought was, my period. I carried on through the rest of the day as planned, but when I got home, I noticed that there was much less bleeding than normal for me. I thought maybe things were just taking some time to start up, but found it suspicious when there was zero bleeding at all the next day. I called my mom on that Friday morning, two days after “starting”, and told her about the weirdness of this period. She got very quiet for a minute then asked if I thought I could be pregnant. Now, Jon-Paul and I weren’t necessarily preventing anything at this point, because I had been given a 2% chance of conceiving naturally due to PCOS. I told her that yes, there was a chance, but that it was highly unlikely. She told me that she thought I may be pregnant or possibly having an early miscarriage, and to take a test the next morning if nothing started up by then. So, the next morning, I went to the bathroom armed with my pee stick. To my great surprise, two very bright pink lines popped up VERY quickly. I was in shock. So much so, that I ran to the bedroom and grabbed one of the more expensive digital test we had and used that one too. Sure enough the word “pregnant” popped up after waiting the longest 3 minutes of my life. I was immediately overcome by a mix of emotions. I knew this meant that I was pregnant, but could still mean that I was having/just had a miscarriage. I sprinted back into the bedroom and shook Jon-Paul awake, waving the tests in his face. Mind you, this was at 7am on a Saturday, so he was very confused. He saw how distraught I was and called his mom immediately to help talk me down. After talking with his mom, my mom, and one of my moms friends who is an OB nurse who just happened to be at football practice that morning, I was much calmer, and slightly more convinced that I was pregnant and not miscarrying. After a weekend of worry and wonder, I ended up taking a third test on Sunday, just to see if my hormone levels were still strong enough to register positive. They were!

I made an appointment for the following Thursday, where I found out that they were guessing I was about 5 weeks along, but couldn’t tell if It was an ectopic pregnancy or not based on a mass they found on my fallopian tube. They put me on a progesterone supplement due to the PCOS, and had me come back in the next week. After another week of worry and lots of prayer, the ultrasound that week showed a 6 week embryo safely in utero. Now came the real fun. The progesterone pills began to take their toll on my body, and thus came the dreaded morning sickness. Only this wasn’t just morning sickness- It was literally all day and all night. At 7 weeks, I ended up in the ER because I couldn’t even keep water down. The doctors diagnosed me with Hyperemesis Gravidarum- basically a severe form of morning sickness. After getting some fluids and nausea meds, I was sent home and lived off of mashed potatoes, apple sauce, and bananas for the next two weeks. I was also given meds to take daily for the nausea.

At our 8 week appointment (usually a woman’s first OB appointment), we got to hear the heartbeat! It was so perfect with a bmp of 169. Around 10 weeks, I started to feel much better. I began weaning myself off of the nausea meds and eating actual meals again at 11 weeks.

Through all of the ups and downs and trials and triumphs, God has been so constant. I have surrounded myself with worship pretty much 24/7. In the moments where I felt most sick, it was prayer and worship that got me through. There have also been literally hundreds of phone calls between me and my mom and my mother in law filled with me asking all of my questions, and them offering all of their love and advice. I’m so grateful for their love! And as I said in my last post, Jon-Paul has been my rock. He has been so supportive and kind and caring.

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I am looking forward to the much talked about second trimester- supposedly filled with lots of cravings, glowing, and energy- things I’ve been seriously lacking the past 12 weeks lol!

XOXO

ELK

April Showers Bring… Baby Keller!

That’s right! We are expecting!

Baby Keller will be joining our journey on April 24, 2019.

Wow! It feels so good to finally say that. If you know me, you know that it is so beyond difficult for me to keep my own secrets. And this has been the secret of the decade for me haha. I will have several posts coming up detailing the first trimester, our testimony, answering your FAQs, as well as updates all throughout my pregnancy on how I’m feeling, what products I’m loving, and updates on baby K!

I will be 12 weeks on Wednesday, but we wanted to announce this on our anniversary (Happy Anniversary, Babes!). The first trimester has been an interesting one, filled with lots of changes, and even more morning sickness, but it has been so worth it. I will be going into more detail in my next post, but for now I’ll give you the basics. We found out super early- about 4 weeks and a couple days. We had our first appointment at 5 weeks, and due to some concerns, we had another at 6 weeks, and then the regular 8 weeks. We have our next appointment on Friday, and I am so excited!

To those who knew and kept our secret, THANK YOU!! And we are so grateful for all fo the love and support we have already received. I am so looking forward to sharing this journey will y’all. I plan on staying true to me and remaining 100% transparent through this whole process. Thank you in advance for your love and support!

XOXO

ELK and Baby K

See You Soon

It’s hard to believe that ELK is almost a year old! What a crazy year it has been- the launch of ELK, our decision to move across the country, our actual move across the county, and all of the craziness and adventure that met us in our new home of Atlanta- just to name a few things! It feels a bit strange to have the title of this blog as “See You Soon”. I have been very distant the past couple of months here on the blog, and even on Instagram. There are a couple of reasons for that absence, including the worst case of writer’s block ever, as well as just simply trying to adjust to our new life here- work, friends, family, etc. Many of you may remember that last year around this time, God placed it on my heart to take a month off of social media to seek Him and what it was that He wanted me to do with ELK. Coincidentally, that lined up perfectly with the month leading up to my 21st birthday. This past week as I was praying, God placed something similar on my heart. I felt Him telling me that I needed to do some refocusing and reprioritizing before entering into my 22nd year of life.

That being said, I will be fasting for the next month leading up to September 12th- my 22nd birthday. My goal with this fast is to do just what God said I needed to- refocus and reprioritize my life. I will be fasting from a few things, one of which is social media. I will more than likely share more about my fasting experience once I’m back online. I am so looking forward to what God has for me and for ELK in this next year, and I am so excited to see what is revealed to me during this time of fasting.

My next blog will be posted on September 12th. I am not sure what it will be about, but I’m sure it’s gonna be good!

Thank you so much for all of your continued support! See you soon- when I’m feelin’ 22!

XOXO

ELK

You’re Never Gonna Let Me Down

I have been stressing about writing this blog for a long time now! I was supposed to do a “first week in Atlanta” update and got completely swamped with the move. I was honestly so stressed because I made a commitment to building up the blog this year, and in order to build it, I had to actually be posting on it! We had so many great things happen in that first week, but I just didn’t feel led to write- something that I rely on God heavily for. If He doesn’t give me the okay to release something, it doesn’t get released! Needless to say, there’s quite a few backlogged blogs! But now, after more than a month here in the blessed ATL, I understand why God had me wait.

Today is a special day. It’s the day we set aside to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Every church will have a special service planned out that was undoubtedly rehearsed at least 3 or 4 times. The choirs and pews will be significantly more full, attire will be nicer, and hats will be bigger- if you’re in the south, that is. The band will rehearse to make sure every note is perfect. The singers will make sure the know every lyric. The preachers will try to write the perfect message to inspire newcomers and veterans alike. I truly love the excellence that we strive for on special services- in fact, I think we should have that standard for every service- but what’s so funny and so beautiful is, the Spirit Of God will show up regardless of our attempts at perfection. He always does, as long as He’s invited! I think sometimes we forget that. We get into a situation and wonder if God will show up this time.

I’ve found myself in a couple of scenarios recently where I got to the point of wondering if God would show up. Just because Jon-Paul and I had the faith to make this move to Atlanta does not mean that that faith hasn’t been tested. We have faced circumstances that seemed insurmountable. And at times I wondered how in the world God was going to provide and what I could do to “help” him. I was driving down the road one day and felt to Holy Spirit say, “Baby, how can you have enough faith in God to obey Him and pick up and move your family across the country, and not believe He will provide in your everyday life?”

I was so taken aback, and in that moment, my faith was taken to a whole new level. In our short time here, we’ve seen God move more powerfully than ever before. We’ve seen our bank account tripled TWICE, been offered and accepted amazing jobs, locked into a great church, and seen God provide every step of the way. We’ve been given prophetic words and words of wisdom left and right- as if God is reassuring us that we made the right decision. To use the words of Jon-Paul, it’s like we are reading a book and there’s a new surprise on every page. We didn’t have all the answers when we came here and we still don’t , but God does. He has been so unbelievably faithful.

I think it’s so easy for us to underestimate God. We think we have to help Him out, like He isn’t capable of doing it himself. Or even worse, we think he’s too busy with other stuff to show up. But honey, He always shows up. Every time. He gave His only son for you. And that Son was beaten, whipped, scared, hung on a cross, and pierced; he died, took the keys to death, hell, and the grave, rose again and ascended into heaven ALL FOR YOU. What makes you think he will let you down now?! He worked to hard to save you to let you go now! He loves you too much! If he battled hell for you, I can guarantee you He’s willing to take on your current earthly circumstances.

On this Easter Sunday, while you are in your church service or eating a delicious meal, just remember how much you are loved and cherished. You are loved by a God who will never let you down. He will show up in your life and meet you right where you’re at. You just have to invite Him (Revelation 3:20). I sincerely pray that you have a wonderful, joyful, safe, fun-filled day.

Happy Easter, Y’all!

XOXO

ELK

Georgia On My Mind

The saying, “God works in mysterious ways” is used pretty commonly- Lord knows I’ve said it way too many times to count. It is usually the follow-up to an ironic story with a happy ending, or when something happens in our lives that we don’t quite understand. It’s like implying that, though you may not know how something is going to play out, but you know that God will work it all out for your good. He knows how to orchestrate events in your life- good or bad- to bring you out on top. He takes the ugly and makes it beautiful, the tragic and makes it joyous, and the unknown and makes it territory to conquer. We go through life as Christians knowing this and believing it, but it’s not until we have to fully rely on God to make our nonsensical situation make sense that we truly understand the beauty and the mystery that is our loving Father.

For Jon-Paul and I, that season is in a way just finishing, but also just beginning. We have recently been going through a season of having to fully entrust our entire lives to God more than ever before and believing that He would make a way where there quite literally seemed to be none. It’s so funny, because we thought before this season that we had given it all to God. But, it took going through this for us to realize that there were so many areas we were still relying on our own strength in and not giving God room to be God. At one point it seemed that we were getting bombarded from every angle possible with problems, from finances, to family, to friends, it seemed like new wounds were being made and old wounds reopened every way we turned. Needless to say, it was a very trying season. But, hindsight is 20/20. I still 100% believe that we heard the Holy Spirit clearly. I believe it was a God ordained season that we had to go through in order to draw closer to Him. He does, after all, work in mysterious ways.

Rather than focusing on the negative consequences that were many, but brief, I want to take time to give honor where honor is due. We talk about God being our loving Father God (any Father-God-ers out there???), but what Jon-Paul and I had the privilege of experiencing over these past few months made that more real to us than ever before. It was like when a parent takes the training wheels off of their kids bike for the first time. You get them all ready- elbow pads, knee pads, and a helmet- and take them out to the street, show them how balance and steer, and hold the bike as they start to pedal. They are wobbly at first but soon have the hang of it, so long as you are holding onto the back. Then the time comes for them to try it on their own. You tell them to start pedaling and they yell pack, white knuckling the handle bars, “Don’t let go!” You tell them you won’t, knowing full well that if they are going to learn how to ride, you are going to have to let go at some point. But, just because you let go doesn’t mean that you aren’t still running behind the bike, ready to pick them up when they inevitably take a tumble. You pick them up and dust them off and tell them to try again.

I believe that God sometimes allows us to go through things so that we learn to rely on Him and become even closer to Him. He’s like the parent teaching their child to ride a bike. He gets us ready- prepares us with a vision or word, gives us the tools through His word, and gives us promises that He’s faithful to the end and never forsakes us- and then begins to teach us. He doesn’t cause the storm or hardship, but He uses to His advantage what the devil meant to take you out, knowing full well that you have the full armor of God and can handle anything with His help. I believe this is why we went through the season we did. We followed God’s word, and though He didn’t cause the problems, He used them to draw us closer to him. He drew us out into the deep where the waves were crashing, and we had to realize that he didn’t want us to fight to keep our heads above water, but rather He wanted us to let go so he could guide us safely to the other side. We had to rely on Him like a child does with their Father. He had to dust us off, bandage our wounds, and take us to a vulnerable place to give Jon-Paul the biggest word He’s given us in our relationship.

In November, Jon-Paul and I went to Atlanta to visit his side of our family for my sister-in-love’s wedding and Thanksgiving. Now, on previous trips, I fully enjoyed myself and loved seeing friends and family, but could never see myself living there. If you aren’t familiar with the area, it’s very humid, there’s about a million freeways surrounded by trees, complemented by like 5,000 little small towns and suburbs. It’s all very pretty, but for the absolute most directionally challenged person in the world (a.k.a moi) it can be a little (a LOT) overwhelming. But for some reason, from the moment we landed this time, I felt so at peace being there, and a very strong pull to be there. I was a little (a LOT) freaked out by it to say the least. So much so that I kept this to myself for 5 days. I was concerned that I was just feeling this because of the turbulent season we were in, and I didn’t want to make any rash comments. But after 5 days, the Holy Spirit was not letting up. So on our drive up Chattanooga to see some good friends, I sheepishly asked Jon-Paul how he was feeling about Atlanta. His response was one I was not expecting. He replied, “It’s weird, I’m actually feeling a strong pull to be here.” I couldn’t believe it. He used the EXACT wording I had been mulling over in my head for five days! My first thought once I wrapped my head around that fact was, “Oh, crap.” This had come out of nowhere. Despite the tough season back in Phoenix, we were still so in love with our life here. After all, we have an amazing church, friends, mentors, etc. So we spoke with some mentors in our lives and decided we really needed to lift this up in prayer. We had every reason move- proximity to family, more music opportunities for Jon-Paul, not to mention the undeniable move of the Holy Spirit in giving Jon-Paul and I the same wording; but we also had every reason to stay. So we asked God to give us a “No”- a reason not to move. We prayed and asked God to show us by a specific day. We asked that if He wanted us to go, that he would give us an abundance of confirmation and clarity. The days following that prayer were suspenseful. We were awaiting God to give us direction, and He did.

We are so excited to announce that the Kellers are moving to Atlanta on February 23rd of this year! This is such a bitter-sweet time, to be honest. We are so very excited for what lies ahead, but also very sad to leave this wonderful place called Phoenix. All emotion aside, we know that God has prepared a way for us in the good ol ATL. We are so appreciative of all God has done here in Phoenix. He brought so many amazing people into our lives here, and we will never be the same because of it! I’m a firm believer that we as Christians are not meant to stay put in the same place for our entire lives. I believe that we are to glean from every stop along the way and take with us to the next place everything we have learned. Lord knows the amount of knowledge we have gained here in the past 2 years. So now we are asking you to join us in praying for this journey! We know that God has already gone before us and made a way for us to prosper. We are truly so excited and a little nervous, not gonna lie!

I know now that if we had not been taken to that vulnerable place with God, we may not have been receptive to His word for us to move- especially myself given how closed off I’ve always been to the idea. And as hard as that season was, I would do it all again if it meant I would gain this new level of intimacy with God. Not only did it strengthen our relationships with God, but it made Jon-Paul and I grow closer. We truly relied on each other during that time for strength and emotional support, and also comedic relief! I just love seeing how God works all things for our good! He loves each of us so very much. He knows exactly how to communicate with us and show us His love. He knows what we need in our moments of despair. He knows how to mend our wounds and comfort our hearts. He goes out of His way to show us His love. He is such a magnificent, mighty, loving, kind, powerful, gentle God. If you get one thing from this blog today, I want it to be this- never take for granted a trying season. Never think that just because the seas are rough means that God isn’t there. He is always with you. Guiding you, protecting you, helping you up, dusting you off, and telling you to try again. Even when you can’t feel Him, He’s running right along side you, ready to catch you. He will always catch you. He will always work it together for your good. His plans for your life are so much bigger than your storm. The destiny He’s placed on your life alone is enough to carry you through the hardships. Never doubt God’s intentions for your life. He’s got it all figured out, no matter what you choose to do. He does, after all, work in mysterious ways.

XOXO

ELK

It Is Well

It’s no secret that life can be hard. For some situations, that’s an extreme understatement. It can present situations that are cruel, painful, sorrowful, and seem insurmountable. It is an unchangeable and unfair guarantee that you will face difficulties in your time on this earth. So, how then, do we keep moving forward? Take a look at the lyrics below from the song, “It is Well with My Soul”:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

when sorrows like sea billows roll;

whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:

It is well with my soul,

it is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

let this blest assurance control,

that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

and hath shed his own blood for my soul.

(Refrain)

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

(Refrain)

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

even so, it is well with my soul.

(“It Is Well with My Soul”)

Some of you may be familiar with the story behind this song, but I’m going to go ahead and share it for those who are not. Horatio Spafford was a businessman residing in Chicago with his wife and 4 daughters in the late 19th century. He and his wife, Anna, knew all too well the cruelties of life, as the death of their son to pneumonia and the loss of their business in the Chicago fires happened in the same year. They managed to push forward, trust God, and rebuild a thriving business despite these great losses. Little did they know what lie ahead of them. In 1873, two years after the loss of their son and business, Anna and her 4 daughters boarded a transatlantic ship heading for Europe, leaving Horacio behind to manage the business in their absence. Four days into the trip, the ship carrying the five Spafford ladies collided with a much larger, iron hulled ship, resulting in the death of over 200 passengers- all four of the Spafford daughters included. Anna managed to survive and was taken to Europe. On his way to join her, Horatio Spafford was called up to the captain’s deck 4 days into his journey and told that they were passing over the final resting place of his four beloved daughters. According to Bertha Spafford Vester, a daughter born to Horatio and Anna in later years, her father left the captain’s deck and penned this very song.

After reading this story, I encourage you to re-read those lyrics. What does it mean for it to be will with your soul? How does a man who has lost everything write something so beautiful about the goodness of God? How do you attain a state of wellness of your soul? The answer to that question is a very simple one- you can’t! Not by yourself. No man is strong enough on his own to attain wellness of the soul. Try as you might, it is just not possible. But when you enter into a partnership with God, all it takes is a whisper and He is there to comfort and console you. He sends Holy Spirit to flood every fiber of your being, soul included, with His love, joy, comfort, and peace. There is often confusion during the storms of life that God has brought them about to teach someone a lesson or because He is angry, when, in fact, the storm was never God’s doing at all. The reason we experience hardships in life is not because we have an angry God, but because we live in a fallen world gripped by sin. The good news is, God may not have created the storm, but He can certainly take what the enemy meant to destroy you and make it a platform for you to stand upon, undefeated, to declare the His glory.

In order for it to be well with your soul, your soul must first be healthy. So how do we achieve that? I’m glad you asked! Accessing your direct line to the peace of God is vital to a healthy soul. The Bible speaks so many truths pertaining to the peace that accompanies God. Philippians 4:7 states, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts, your minds through Christ Jesus.” There is no natural way to keep your peace when all hell lets loose- but THANK GOD (literally) we may live in a natural world filled with a million anxiety triggers, but we have the ability to believe and function in the SUPERnatural. God knew exactly what we needed in this life, which is just one of many reasons He sent Jesus to the earth as a model for us. Jesus gave us multiple examples of what it looks like to have peace even in the chaos. He exemplified the attributes of having a soul that is well. He WAS peace. Because his soul was well, he changed the atmosphere just by walking into a room. He could walk into a chaotic situation, and suddenly it was still. Because His soul was well, his physical demeanor followed suit, and in turn, so did the atmosphere wherever He went.

Secondly, He allowed God to be God. If you can grasp the revelation that God is God, and you are not, you will be SO much better off. Who would want that responsibility anyway? You have to know that God is in control. He knows what He is doing. You have to come to the realization that it is not your responsibility to make it all happen- it is your responsibility to let God make it happen, and to open your ears and heart to what He would say to you and where He would lead you. Psalm 23:1 says “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” The reason for you not wanting anything is because your Shepherd already knows everything that you could possibly need and He is ready and willing to give it to you! Part of having a soul that is well is letting go and letting God! Trust Him- He will never fail you.

Communication with God is essential for maintaining the wellness of your soul. This is a two-part explanation. First- like my pastor always says- If you REVEAL it, God can HEAL it! God loves hearing from you. He loves listening to you. I am not a parent yet, but I am a child, and I know for a fact that I annoyed my parents more than once. But, our heavenly Father does not get annoyed with you talking to him- be it your needs and wants, or just conversation with Him. Too often we feel we are burdening God if we present our needs or talk to Him about our problems. Some of you were probably even told growing up that God is too busy with more important things to listen to you “complain”. Well, my friend, that couldn’t be further from the truth. His word would not tell us to cast our cares on Him (Ps. 55:22, I Peter 5:7) if He didn’t want to hear them and help you! God has also given people the gift of the ability to counsel those who are hurting. There is such a negative stigma towards counseling, and it is truly unfortunate. We are such a prideful people that we don’t feel we have license to not be okay. We have to be seen as “perfect” in the eyes of the world, and going to see a shrink must mean there is something wrong with us. But you are only as sick as your secret. I would love to take credit for that awesome revelation, but that belongs to Pastor Carl Lentz. Nevertheless, it’s a profound truth. If you continue to bury and make hidden every hurt, disappointment, frustration, need, want, or desire, it will being to manifest in your behaviour. Part of keeping your soul well is giving God the parts that aren’t.

The second part of this is what happens after the storm, once you’ve decided to ask God for the things He wants to give you and you get them. For most people, our prayer life is never better than when we are in need or when things are cray-cray. We’re like, “God, I need a new, higher paying job, a car, and a few husband prospects STAT!” or, “God, I need you to speak to all 67 of my unsaved family members in a way they understand so that they will be saved by the end of the year. M’kay? Thanks! Love Ya ;)” God, being the loving Father He is, gives us the desires of our heart all in the proper timing, but more often than not, as soon as we get those things, we revert back to maybe praying at church and, if we’re feeling super holy, over our meals, and that’s about it until the next storm. Now, there’s a few problems with operating this way, but a big one is, you get all of these things, and now you have new relationships to build, a new occupation to learn, a car that needs gas and maintenance, a romantic relationship to nurture and a decision to make on whether or not this is the right person for you, and a family of baby Christians to help teach and lead, and you decide to play God and leave Him out of the equation. Cuz you got this, right!? Wrong. Because, then we get mad when we become burnt out, bitter, and back at square one! We are a funny people, aren’t we. The Bible is very clear on how to find rest and sustain it. Matthew 11:28-30 tells us, “28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” It also says in Psalms 55:22, “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you;” As it turns out, the secret to keeping your soul well is not so secret after all. You have to give it to God! And, in order for you to give it to God and for God to sustain you, you have to be in communication with Him! When you have an open line of communication with the Father, He is able to dispatch His Holy Spirit to help you and His angels to protect you. This doesn’t just mean praying here and there once or twice a week- it means being in your Word. If you want to hear what God has to say to you, you’re in luck- there’s a 66 chapter book chock full of His logos words for your life! It means going to church, building relationship with your fellow sheep, and being an active participant in corporate worship, even when you don’t feel like it! Some of the greatest breakthrough comes from pushing through your emotional and physical comfort to connect with the supernatural. Do not disconnect from the source of divine rest for your weary soul (another nugget from Mr. Lentz).

It is possible for it to be well with your soul, even when it is not well with your world. You cannot allow yourself to become a victim of your circumstances. Trust me, I know just how crazy life can be. The enemy is no respecter of persons- his mission is to steal, kill, and destroy anything our God gives us. That includes our peace. But, our Jesus didn’t give His life freely for you to go and live in a constant cycle with the same outcome of a tired and worn out mind, body, and soul. He did it for you to be more than a conqueror, to have the best life possible here on earth because of the beautiful bridge between heaven and earth He created. There comes a point in life where you have to make the conscious effort to say “It IS well!”, even if it’s not. This world is in a very negative state, and if you do not know the worth of your soul, the world will be the first to place a false, cheapened value on it. When your soul is well, nothing negative can stick. Remember that saying “I am rubber you are glue, whatever bounces off of me, sticks to you”? Imagine your healthy soul as rubber and the enemy as glue. When your soul is well, whatever the enemy throws at you bounces off of you and sticks right back onto him. When was the last time you checked up on your soul? Maybe it’s time to start working your way to a healthy soul. That may look different for each of you, but I encourage you- never be ashamed to reach out for help. Sometimes it just takes talking to someone. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in the right direction. If you feel led to go to counseling, do it! It doesn’t mean you’re crazy- it means you’re human. Make sure THE counselor is in on it too. God is the ultimate counselor, and He wants to listen because He loves you more than you will ever know. I definitely do not have it all figured out, but I am here for you, as well. Day or night, call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me! My prayer for you today is that the peace of God- the peace that passes all understanding; the peace that allows parents who have lost everything to rejoice- would flood your heart, mind and soul. I pray it is well with your soul.

XOXO

ELK

What’s Love Got to do with It

Love is an amazing, beautiful, wonderful, mysterious, adventurous thing. It instantly changes an atmosphere. It creates a safe space and a warmth. It births intimacy, both physically and emotionally. Love is empowering- when you know you are loved, you feel as if anything is possible. You feel strong and beautiful and at peace. Love means trust. I honestly don’t think you can have love and not have trust. When you love someone, you will go to the ends of the earth to make sure they are taken care of- that they have everything they need and that they are safe. When someone you love is happy, it makes you happy. When they are hurting, you hurt. When they are sad, you feel sad. When they are angry, part of you feels angry as well. There is such a special bond between people who love each other- be it family, friends, or lovers. Growing up, I loved love. I could sit and watch romantic movies or read romantic books till the cows came home. It was just so beautiful to me. I loved the feeling I got from seeing two people so in love that they would do anything for each other. I loved seeing real life love, too. I had and continue to have a beautiful example of love between my parents and grandparents. I loved seeing couples interact with one another. Seeing true friendships with a foundation of love made my heart happy. Watching a parent’s unwavering love for their child warmed my heart. As I’ve grown older and become married myself, I, too, have been able to experience the wonder that is love. It’s hard to think of a love greater than the love I have for my husband. But I know it’s out there. In fact, I get to experience it every day.

See, when I think of how much I love my family and my husband, and how much I am loved by them, I can’t help but think of how much more God loves me. The love between God and his children is the greatest love story of all. Even when we go back to the old testament, before grace replaced the law, we see His love for us. We see it in His creating Adam and Eve. Again in his warning to Noah, and the promise He made after the flood. Abraham experienced it with the birth of Isaac. Moses saw it time and time again, even in the wilderness. David saw the love of God at every turn in his life, from shepherding as a young boy to being king of Israel. Daniel saw it when he was delivered from the lion’s den, and Jonah from the belly of the whale. Then we move on to the New Testament, and right off the bat, God gives us the greatest show of His love this world will ever experience. He loved us so much that he sent His only Son to endure all of the sin that had ever been and will ever be, and to die on the cross for us. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we get to experience an abundant, grace filled, love filled, everlasting life! How crazy a love is that!? We not only get the amazing examples of love that the Bible gives us through the old testament and the new testament in Jesus, and Paul, and Silas, and Timothy, and John, and all of the miracles that Jesus performed, but we get to experience this love and greater on a daily basis. Every second of every day is filled with the extravagant, unending, unwavering, love of God.

Even more so, when we think of the effects of our love on other people’s lives or vice versa, how much greater, then, is the effect of God’s love in and through our lives? God’s love is what raises the dead to life. It heals the sick and broken. It brings joy and peace and strength and healing, and salvation. In His love we find hope, and vision, and restoration. When being examples of God’s love becomes our sole ambition, we become unstoppable. As a result, when we offer ourselves to be the vessels and conduits of God’s love on the earth, we possess the power to change atmospheres through the power of His love.

Why then, do we feel we have the right to disregard this love? We fear things and become anxious as if God isn’t in control. We become depressed as if we don’t have an unending supply of joy. We feel alone as if we don’t have the Holy Spirit that sticks closer than a brother. We act out in anger as if Jesus isn’t our peace. We mistreat others as if God hasn’t called us to love one another. Worst of all, we become prideful and think we can do this thing by ourselves, when in reality, we desperately need the love, grace, joy, and peace of God. Can you imagine what we would accomplish as a church if we fully grasped the concept of God’s love for us? We would be able to set aside our selfishness and our prideful ambition, and fully chase after the things of God. I believe our generation is one encounter with God’s love away from a total and complete reckless abandon of our selfish ambition and prideful ways. We are one encounter away from an abandonment of our own wills and saying, “God, I don’t care what it looks like, or where you take me, or what I have to go through.” This is because we know that our God’s love is so vast and beautiful that it will carry us through even the darkest and lowest places. Our revelation of God’s love is so very crucial. It is the key to unleashing Heaven on earth. Our being yielded to God’s love is the key to His Kingdom come, and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Today I would encourage you to take a look at your life. Look at the people you come in contact with and influence. I don’t care if it’s for 5 minutes on the bus or train, or if it’s someone you live with. Analyze your interactions with them- have you really been showing the love of God? Trust me, I know this can be difficult, because life isn’t all cotton candy and gumdrops. People can be mean and nasty, and you don’t always want to show them the love. But ask yourself, what do you stand to lose by loving people? I can guarantee it’s nowhere near what you have to gain.

XOXO

ELK