Just for fun!

This is just a fun picture that I thought I'd post...to make someone smile :) You know, I have never been at a gas station barefoot! :) Anyways, I am washing the windows of the Dallas Ministry Center's van and one of the girls jumped out and snapped a picture of Jennifer Smith enjoying herself in the front seat...which was staged..without me knowing! :) I saw this picture as I was going through my photos and thought that you all might enjoy it!

"Be Much with Me"

This is another quote from the book that I am passionately enjoying! :) I thought I would share a piece of a section that I read yesterday that challenged and confirmed what God is doing in my life...ponder it! Love to you all!

"Be more with Me, and let My Spirit pervade your spirit, and then you shall be more influenced by Me than by the world around you. But be prepared for the fact that you will then be of a different mind and attitude than those around you, and be willing to accept the difference and be able to ignore misunderstanding.
For many will not accept a message of warning, because they have set their own personal ambition against the will of God, and they are so intent upon their own pursuits that they refuse to tolerate the thought of possible interference of any kind.
But you, beloved, be much with Me, for there is a great and heavy burden on My heart. For God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. My long-suffering and grace have continued because I deeply desire that all should come to repentance."

This is something that I have been pondering among many other things in life right now and am desperately trying to learn the lesson within it. :) This my friends is not the lesson in and of itself...for it is just an added aspect to the picture. I find that as I read it, it gives comfort and added insight to what the Lord is already teaching me through His Word. I wish that time would permit me to go into further detail however I would take up so much blog space and fear that I would bore you with the details and have decided to leave details out. However, they may show up as the Lord continues to work in days to come! :) For many, know that I too am learning the lessons that God has called me to learn and desire for you all to know that life is not perfect....even for Elisabeth :)

Lord's richest blessings upon you!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Just a thought for those that read my posts...my family received this poem or quote, whichever preferred, in the masses of mail that we gratefully receive every year and it was so profound to me that I wanted to share it with you all as you celebrate Christmas with your families and friends! :)

My Birthday

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated. During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many TV commercials, special songs are heard on the radio, and all around the world everyone is talking about my birthday.

It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago. At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did for them, but in these times, few seem to know the reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration.

I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautiful wrapped gifts. But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation. The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside. They closed the door in my face. And I so wanted to be with them and share their table!

One person they did invite was this big fat man all dressed in red with a long white beard. He came into the room yelling "Ho-Ho-Ho!" He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him saying, "Santa Claus, Santa Claus"--as if the party were in his honor! At 12 midnight all the people began to hug each other and share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expression. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me.

In truth, that didn't surprise me because every year it gets worse. People only remember the food, the gifts, the parties and they forget about me. This Christmas I would love it if you'd allow me to enter into your celebration. I want you to remember that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life to you, on the cross, to save you. Today, I only want you to believe this with all your heart.

I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration , a spectacular party, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined. I'm still making the final arrangements. Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party. Those who don't answer the invite, will be left outside.

Be prepared, because when all is ready, you will be part of my great party. I love you,

Jesus"

-Unknown author

As you can see this is truly an evangelism tool, a great one at that. Yet I was struck by the true fact of our lives being so caught up in the materialism of Christmas. We have lost the meaning of Christmas and I am sad to say that I am part of that. However, this is a great reminder of what Christmas is all about, not Santa, not presents, not food, not football, not selfishness, not anything else, but the TRUE gift and that being the birth of our precious LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, what He came to do, and the greatest gift He gave. So, I challenge you, as I challenge myself, will you invite Jesus in this year? Or will He be left out of all the memories, laughter, joy, and blessings He desires to be in? My prayer is that you, as I, will celebrate His greatest birth and the gifts He gave! For we truly have been blessed! :)

May The Lord continue to graciously bless you all! Love to you and a

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Stop :)

This quote came across my path the other day and had a huge and profound effect on me. I have been pondering on it's significance as the days go by and as I prepare for what is ahead. I hope that it has a challenging effect on you as it did me! :) It truly is easy to get caught up in our lives to the point that we forget what is really important...or we become so swamped in what others have put upon us (expectations, desires, and other) that eventually all else becomes our focus and the thought of stopping and listening to that still small voice becomes that thought that is distant in our minds. ;)

I know that it is Christmas time and the end of this year is ending, yet as I challenge myself, I am also challenging those that read this to take time and "stop and listen to what God has commanded"... search out His will for year 2008 and focus on it! I pray that we would not let the desires or expectations of man bind us but drive us to our knees knowing that each day, we must take direction from the greatest Commander who has the greatest and best plan for our lives before us!

"If the Christian is too busy to stop, take spiritual inventory,

and receive his assignments from God, he becomes a slave

to the tyranny of the urgent. He may work

day and night to achieve much that seems

significant to himself and others, but he will not

finish the work God has for him to do."

-Charles E. Hummel

(Tyranny of the Urgent)

May the Lord richly bless you all!

Some Pictures from my trip

Giving the Girls their EIC (Excellence in Communication) assignments :)

Great fun! :)

Fabulous Team Leaders! I am so proud of them!

Here we are! The great assistants :)

My new nickname now proceeds me... The Fairy G.

We were visited by the "Veggies"



Here I am in another skit



and another :)

Mr. and Mrs. Bell...EXCEL Directors



Here you can see the Ambassador Hotel a.k.a. Dallas Ministry Center

where I lived while in Dallas

The girls on a bridge located downtown Dallas in a beautiful Park

(I can't remember the exact name of it at the moment)

Just having fun downtown! :)



I thought that this was interesting so I took a picture of it


Rrrrrr!....said the lion and bear

Help Help!....cries the sheep

Just the two of us having fun

Here is a great picture of us (assistants) taken in the gazebo the

2nd to the last week of EXCEL

Just wanted to share some of my piles of pictures...I am planning on posting more...but for now...here they are! Each picture shown has a story behind it. :) As I put this together, tons of memories flooded my mind! :) It seems just like yesterday!

I hope that you all enjoyed! :) Stay tuned for more!

I'm Back :)

It appears to me that I have been away from posting here on this blog for a long time. :) Well, this is true. I look at the date of my last posting and am amazed that I haven't posted since then. However, it just goes to tell you that life carries on and lots has happened in the life of Elisabeth over the past couple of months! :)

I have so much that I would love to post however, it may take me a couple of postings to get all that I have to say and show you out of my heart and on to paper. For now though, I would like to post something that has been deep on my heart lately and was summed up in the book that I am going through as part of my daily Bible reading. The books title is "Come Away My Beloved" and the author is Frances J. Roberts. It is written as from the perspective of letters from the Lord regarding different aspects of life. Throughout the book, there are many sections that are challenging and therefore causes your mind to ponder on them...at least such is my case. This section in particular struck me and continues to challenge me as I re-read what is says.

Your Body, a Living Sacrifice

"Yield Me, your body as a living sacrifice, and do not be conformed to the things

of the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind

(See Romans 12:1-2)

Set your affections on things of the Spirit, and do not

be in bondage to the desires of the flesh.

For I have purchased you at great price.

Yes, you are My special possession and My treasure.

I would have you set your affections and desires upon Me

even as I have set My heart upon you.

It is written that the wife has no power over her own body

except for the husband, nor the husband but for the wife

(see 1 Corinthians 7:4)

So I would that you should yield your body to Me,

otherwise I am limited in My power to work.

For I must have a vessel through which to operate.

dedicated, sanctified for My use; available to Me at all times, and ready

to be used at whatever time I have need of you.

You will not have time to make yourself ready when I need you.

You must be prepared.

You must keep yourself in a state of readiness.

You cannot live to the flesh and at the same time be available

to the Spirit.

You must walk in the Spirit, and in so doing

keep yourself from becoming entangled in worldly things.

You must live in obedience to the Spirit,

and thus be kept from being in bondage to your carnal nature.

I Myself cannot keep you except you first make this choice.

It was concerning this matter that Jude wrote his word of

admonition:"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your

most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in

the love of God" (Jude 20-21)

As you set your soul through deliberate choice of your will

to pursue the worship of God by praying in the Spirit,

you will find your faith strengthened

and your life bathed in the love of God,

With you faith laying hold on God's promises and power,

and your action motivated by the love of God,

you will find yourself in the path of the activity of God;

His blessing shall be upon you,

and He will accomplish His works through you.

You do not need to make plans nor resort to and clever strategy.

Keep yourself in the love of God.

Pray in the Spirit. Rejoice evermore. Set your affections upon Christ.

God will do through you and for His glory such things

as it pleases Him to do, and you will rejoice with Him.

For as your own spirit is aware when His Spirit is grieved within you,

so will you also be aware when His Spirit

rejoices within you. This is His joy.

This is the joy He promised.

This the the greatest joy that can come to the human heart,

for it is joy of God, and the joy of God transcends all human joy.

Surely you will not only rejoice but be exceeding glad,

with a gladness surpassing your power to tell.

In this way you will give this back to Him,

since no other can fully receive it,

even as David poured out to Him

the precious water form the well of Bethlehem

(see 2 Samuel 23:15-16)

Praise His wonderful Name!"

This is something to ponder and I pray that it will be a blessing you all who reads this! :) As I have said before, this book from which I just quoted, is one that has really challenged me to see beyond the end of my nose and think beyond my comprehension. In times ahead, I may post again using sections of this book hoping that they will be as much of a blessing to others as they have been to me! :)

I pray that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! :) We have so much to be grateful for! I sure am counting my blessings!

May the Lord bless you all! I hope to write more soon. :) Love to you!

This is a family picture we took in Michigan at a wedding