God has given us all a purpose that He wants us to live out. A quote from Office Space,"People were not created to sit behind desks in little cubicles." Through my growth over the last few months God has shown me what His purpose is for me. It has not been something I am fighting, I eagerly want to live out God's plan.
1. I want to be all for God. I want to live out His will not my own. Everyday I want to grow more and more in the Lord's image. This consists of bible study, devotion, prayer, worship, and fellowship. Convictions weigh on me whenever I miss any of these aspects in my daily life. I feel like I am missing something or I will feel myself slipping into someone I do not want to be whenever there is a hiatus from my time with the Lord. This is my foundation for my life.
2. I want to be the best man I can be for my family. God has certainly blessed me with a wonderful family, who are there for me at all time. I want to be the best son and brother I can be for them. I love them so much and through God I experience the wonderful joys with my family. I also want to be the greatest husband and father for my family when that time comes. Fulfilling all the needs of my wife and children is something I will strive for everyday. I look forward to being the man of the household and providing for my family. My wife and family deserves all of my heart, love, and affection. Being there for them through anything and everything is one of the great joys of being a husband/father that I joyfully await.
3. I want to be the best friend to all of my friends. I have certainly been blessed with great friends throughout my life. I have not really appreciated this until the last few months, since I have been away from them. I could call on them anytime for anything and they would be there. I want to be the same for them, as I care for them so much. I look forward to raising my family around theirs. Sharing in memories for the rest of my life and having people around me that I can count on at all times.
4. I want to be a servant for God in helping with problems of the world. I feel that God has given me gifts to equip me for apostleship and serving others. I have a heart for those in need and suffering with the problems of the world. I have been involved in some homeless outreach programs in Denver, and there is no greater fulfillment than doing that of God's work. I want to combine serving and being an apostle. I know that my vision and dreams are big, but they are Godly dreams, so I know they are reachable. I want to start in Birmingham with the Dream Center (Church of the Highlands Homeless Outreach/Church) and grow in a Godly environment. Then I want to spread this work across the country and eventually across the world. Working with local churches in cities to build churches/outreaches for the homeless and needy. Not only would it be for worship, but for helping the homeless get back on their feet. Help them discover God's plan for their lives. I have quite a few ideas for seeding this ministry and eventually growing it across the world.
God has blessed me, so I want to do all I can to glorify Him.
be blessed,
your boy elbow
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Great Devotion
"I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 1:8 God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally - "Thy life will I give unto thee for a prey." That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are a matter of indifference, we have to sit loosely to all those things; if we do not, there will be panic and heartbreak and distress. That is the inwardness of the overshadowing of personal deliverance. The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on Jesus Christ's errands, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, Do not be bothered with whether you are being justly dealt with or not. To look for justice is a sign of deflection from devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will begin to grouse and to indulge in the discontent of self-pity - Why should I be treated like this? If we are devoted to Jesus Christ we have nothing to do with what we meet, whether it is just or unjust. Jesus says - Go steadily on with what I have told you to do and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance. The most devout among us become atheistic in this connection; we do not believe God, we enthrone common sense and tack the name of God on to it. We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts. | ||
Thursday, June 26, 2008
thanks
In this life, we are constantly worrying and stressing about things we want. I just want to thank the Lord for the wonderful life He has provided for me. Giving thanks is something I overlook too often and after reading Katie Howton's blog (katiestriptoafrica.blogspot.com) about life in South Africa, I realized how blessed I am. I have such a wonderful and loving family that I am growing to appreciate more and more each day.
I used to be reluctant to discuss my concerns with them, because usually it was me behaving in a way that I was not too proud of. I would just move on to the next thing, rather than engaging the ones who love me the most. My mom might tell you that she enabled me to keep my emotional distance, because she would worry herself sick over my brother and I. There is some truth to that, because there were times in my life that I would intentionally hide things from my parents just so I could be perceived as the "good boy." I wish I would have opened up a long time ago and been real with them.
Now, I share everything with them and it is very rewarding. To have my parents pray for me and to be much more involved in the ongoings of my life, is great. They still worry about me, but that is what parents do. They care so much for Hunter and I that they get scared for us. That is how I want to be with my kids. It shows love. So, Mom, Dad, and Hunter thank you so much for loving me and being there for me every step of the way. Whether it's a late night phone call with my mom, a daily email from my dad, or an "up all night" conversation with Hunter; I know you are there.
"Families are like fudge: really sweet with a few nuts."
be blessed,
your boy elbow
I used to be reluctant to discuss my concerns with them, because usually it was me behaving in a way that I was not too proud of. I would just move on to the next thing, rather than engaging the ones who love me the most. My mom might tell you that she enabled me to keep my emotional distance, because she would worry herself sick over my brother and I. There is some truth to that, because there were times in my life that I would intentionally hide things from my parents just so I could be perceived as the "good boy." I wish I would have opened up a long time ago and been real with them.
Now, I share everything with them and it is very rewarding. To have my parents pray for me and to be much more involved in the ongoings of my life, is great. They still worry about me, but that is what parents do. They care so much for Hunter and I that they get scared for us. That is how I want to be with my kids. It shows love. So, Mom, Dad, and Hunter thank you so much for loving me and being there for me every step of the way. Whether it's a late night phone call with my mom, a daily email from my dad, or an "up all night" conversation with Hunter; I know you are there.
"Families are like fudge: really sweet with a few nuts."
be blessed,
your boy elbow
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
blessed are the meek
It was amazing the things God would show me when I first began living for the Lord. I rememeber someone saying to me, "Aw I wish I was there again, when I first got saved God would show me the most incredible things." Why can't it be like that everyday?
God wants to show us His amazing love all the time and wants us to receive it abundantly. When we first grow in God's image, we depend on Him for everything. Atleast for me, as I was going through the hardest time in my life I needed God minute by minute. He would guide me along and calm my broken heart. God showed me over and over that everything would be ok.
It all goes back to being meek and depending on God for ALL things. As, we grow in our walk with the Lord, why do revert back and rely on our own worldly understanding. I found myself pondering, why can't I go back to when it was a lot harder, so that I would depend on God for everything. God tells us that enduring suffering is the greatest honor in His Kingdom.
I am so thankful the Lord was there to bring me through all of my hard times and I am still battling them daily. But I want to live in meekness and lean on God's understanding, not of my own.
As the good word tells us: "blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5
I pray that I can grow more in my walk, but as I grow I want to be more childlike, so I can depend more on God for ALL.
be blessed,
your boy elbow
God wants to show us His amazing love all the time and wants us to receive it abundantly. When we first grow in God's image, we depend on Him for everything. Atleast for me, as I was going through the hardest time in my life I needed God minute by minute. He would guide me along and calm my broken heart. God showed me over and over that everything would be ok.
It all goes back to being meek and depending on God for ALL things. As, we grow in our walk with the Lord, why do revert back and rely on our own worldly understanding. I found myself pondering, why can't I go back to when it was a lot harder, so that I would depend on God for everything. God tells us that enduring suffering is the greatest honor in His Kingdom.
I am so thankful the Lord was there to bring me through all of my hard times and I am still battling them daily. But I want to live in meekness and lean on God's understanding, not of my own.
As the good word tells us: "blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5
I pray that I can grow more in my walk, but as I grow I want to be more childlike, so I can depend more on God for ALL.
be blessed,
your boy elbow
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Ask what to ask
This morning God struck me with a revelation, that seems so simple, I cannot believe I had not realized a lot sooner. It is simply ask God what to do. I had been dealing with an issue close to my heart, a same situation the Lord had brought me along through the entire time. And sometimes I feel that I will get stuck, not knowing what to do, and there God is waiting to show me something either simple or amazing, but usually both.
He showed me this morning as I got out of the shower, just ask God what we need to ask for. Then He will show you what is next. After this was realized to me so many things that had boggled me over the last few days, became so clear. There was even an advertisement I saw a couple of times at the Rockies game, "if you do not ask, she can't say yes." I asked my mom if she could figure out why this ad was rattling around my
head. This morning God showed me, ask Him what to do and say. There was a John Mayer song at the end of, "The BucketList," which Hunter and I just watched, and he kept signing over and over, "say what you need to say." In my situation I know I need to say how I feel, but I did not know what to say. So, this morning I began to pray, God tell me what to say, instead of me wasting hours trying to figure out what to say, because I had been doing that for the last two weeks. I know He will speak through me with His words.
I know because when I did my devotion this morning after my revelation, the following verse was revealed to me:
"Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction. "Deuteronomy 33:3
It is so awesome when I get stunned by God's works or blessings. I know He is there with me at all times, He just wants me to lean on Him.
I wanted to share the people that Hunter and I have been in fellowship with over the last few months. I will probably mention them throughout my blog and wanted to identify them. We all tend to congregate at the SnoBall Shack on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver. The reason we all meet here is because our good friend Dominic owns the stand. We are either there or at Leela's, 24 hour coffee shop right near where we live.
The crew:
Dominic- I met him last year at the Black Arts Festival at City Park in Denver. I knew there was something neat about this guy when I first met him. I was not saved when I met him last year. Then when I noticed him on the mall a few months ago, I told him I loved his snoballs and reminded him we met last year. We began talking and I quickly realized he was a very Godly man. He shared with me that God had brought him through a lot of hard times and now he was to broadcast God's abundant love through the tasty flavors of New Orlean's (hometown) style SnoBalls. That's another reason we are always kicking it at the shack, because Dominic's summer treats are delicious. This man has a lot of soul and his heart if full of compassion and warmth. He is always bumping great music, but is always doing what He can to help out others. His father and his family are also there to help out. His buddy CJ, from South Caroling, is here helping out for the summer. Dominic is a truly inspired man, who I admire greatly.
Jay aka Big Daddy Black- This man has a singing voice that is unbelievable. Also from the state of Louisiana, this man has a giant heart and cares deeply about the ones around him. Jay plays his guitar on the 16th Street Mall and by mid-afternoon would be parked by the SnoBall Shack, he even wrote a theme song for the Shack. When I first met Jay I could tell he was a bit unsettled about some things in his life. Yet, as we all began to hang out more and more, the Lord really started to work in Jay's life. He was the one teaching us the scriptures and how awesome God's Love is for all. Jay just recently moved to Colorado Springs, but he said the Lord was directing him there. He knew for quite some time God had been calling him there, but he was not listening. I believe over the weeks we spent with Big Daddy, God spoke to him and showed him what was best for him. On Jay's last night in Denver we were all at Leela's for Chris' show and by the end of the night Jay was singing his heart out up on stage. A great site to see and hear. He even brought a friend that has now become part of the crew.
Casey- Jay had just met Casey his last day in Denver and they were playing music together on the mall. Casey had told Jay that he had just moved to Denver from Oklahoma City. Jay
invited him to come to Leela's that evening as we were going to watch Chris perform. He met us all there and by the end of the night Jay and Casey were playing together on stage. It seemed as if Big Daddy had been grooming Casey for years as they played together. Their performance was awesome. Hunter and I invited Casey to go to church with us the next morning and we have built a great friendship since then. We quickly came to find out that Casey was a stud athlete and he now plays on our softball team. He was the runningback for the college he had just left in OK City. A natural athlete, great musician, and an awesome friend. Check him out www.caseyess.blogspot.com yeaaasss!
Chris and Ryan Cavanaugh- We met these brothers at Leela's one evening as Chris was performing one evening. We could tell something was wonderfully different about his music. He was singing from his heart about how God had touched his life. The Holy Spirit told me to catch up with him out in the parking lot and find out what his story was. Come to find out he had just been saved like me and it came though a broken relationship and realizing the life he was living was for himself. It was wild how God orchestrated the two of us meeting. Even crazier his family was from Gainesville and had a few cousins visiting and were at the show. Well I got Chris' number that night and we told each other we had to stay in touch. Chris lost his phone over the next month and I never heard from him. Then one day Hunter and I were coming home from church and stopped at the Shack. We were ordering and with our backs turned we hear from behind us, "Yo Elliot and Hunter." Turn around and it's Chris, Ryan, and their cousins. So funny they happen to see us and at the Shack of all places. Since then our friendships have grown. They have been such wonderful friends and brothers in Christ. We are getting a bible study together, taking a trip at the end of the summer, and possibly getting a house together in the fall. They have an amazing family and their Dad is the pastor of their church. Ryan also just bought a 1972 Volkswagen Bus and is restoring it. It was recently just named the Big Daddy Black Shack(might sell snoballs out of it). Also, they are big fans of obscure root beers, which is awesome.
Mike Maddox- This man is engulfed in the word of God. He is a member of Dominic's church and has a testimony that will define the grace of God. He studies the word of God, deeply. He even sends out morning text messages that can be applied to the lives of his friends. It is so wonderful to be awoken every morning with a verse Mike has relayed to all of us. Mike wants to continue pushing himself spiritually and wants to bring everyone he can along with him. He is working becoming a pastor and trust me he would make a great one. I feel the Holy Spirit moving every time I get a chance to talk with Mike.
Paul- This guy also has a strong testimony as God has delivered him through troubled waters. He is originally from the Ukraine. He works downtown at a hot dog stand, serving others and serving God by passing along scriptures at all times. I have never met someone who can quote the bible, quite like Paul can. He spends countless hours cruising up and down the mall sharing the Gospel to anyone and everyone. He frequents the Shack more on the weekends. Paul is a very strong debater when it comes to people of other religions trying to outprove Christian beliefs. It is amazing how God gives us all unique gifts, because I could not intellectually battle people like this man.
You will hear us refer:
Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
be blessed,
your boy elbow
He showed me this morning as I got out of the shower, just ask God what we need to ask for. Then He will show you what is next. After this was realized to me so many things that had boggled me over the last few days, became so clear. There was even an advertisement I saw a couple of times at the Rockies game, "if you do not ask, she can't say yes." I asked my mom if she could figure out why this ad was rattling around my
head. This morning God showed me, ask Him what to do and say. There was a John Mayer song at the end of, "The BucketList," which Hunter and I just watched, and he kept signing over and over, "say what you need to say." In my situation I know I need to say how I feel, but I did not know what to say. So, this morning I began to pray, God tell me what to say, instead of me wasting hours trying to figure out what to say, because I had been doing that for the last two weeks. I know He will speak through me with His words.
I know because when I did my devotion this morning after my revelation, the following verse was revealed to me:
"Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction. "Deuteronomy 33:3
It is so awesome when I get stunned by God's works or blessings. I know He is there with me at all times, He just wants me to lean on Him.
I wanted to share the people that Hunter and I have been in fellowship with over the last few months. I will probably mention them throughout my blog and wanted to identify them. We all tend to congregate at the SnoBall Shack on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver. The reason we all meet here is because our good friend Dominic owns the stand. We are either there or at Leela's, 24 hour coffee shop right near where we live.
The crew:
Dominic- I met him last year at the Black Arts Festival at City Park in Denver. I knew there was something neat about this guy when I first met him. I was not saved when I met him last year. Then when I noticed him on the mall a few months ago, I told him I loved his snoballs and reminded him we met last year. We began talking and I quickly realized he was a very Godly man. He shared with me that God had brought him through a lot of hard times and now he was to broadcast God's abundant love through the tasty flavors of New Orlean's (hometown) style SnoBalls. That's another reason we are always kicking it at the shack, because Dominic's summer treats are delicious. This man has a lot of soul and his heart if full of compassion and warmth. He is always bumping great music, but is always doing what He can to help out others. His father and his family are also there to help out. His buddy CJ, from South Caroling, is here helping out for the summer. Dominic is a truly inspired man, who I admire greatly.
Jay aka Big Daddy Black- This man has a singing voice that is unbelievable. Also from the state of Louisiana, this man has a giant heart and cares deeply about the ones around him. Jay plays his guitar on the 16th Street Mall and by mid-afternoon would be parked by the SnoBall Shack, he even wrote a theme song for the Shack. When I first met Jay I could tell he was a bit unsettled about some things in his life. Yet, as we all began to hang out more and more, the Lord really started to work in Jay's life. He was the one teaching us the scriptures and how awesome God's Love is for all. Jay just recently moved to Colorado Springs, but he said the Lord was directing him there. He knew for quite some time God had been calling him there, but he was not listening. I believe over the weeks we spent with Big Daddy, God spoke to him and showed him what was best for him. On Jay's last night in Denver we were all at Leela's for Chris' show and by the end of the night Jay was singing his heart out up on stage. A great site to see and hear. He even brought a friend that has now become part of the crew.
Casey- Jay had just met Casey his last day in Denver and they were playing music together on the mall. Casey had told Jay that he had just moved to Denver from Oklahoma City. Jay
invited him to come to Leela's that evening as we were going to watch Chris perform. He met us all there and by the end of the night Jay and Casey were playing together on stage. It seemed as if Big Daddy had been grooming Casey for years as they played together. Their performance was awesome. Hunter and I invited Casey to go to church with us the next morning and we have built a great friendship since then. We quickly came to find out that Casey was a stud athlete and he now plays on our softball team. He was the runningback for the college he had just left in OK City. A natural athlete, great musician, and an awesome friend. Check him out www.caseyess.blogspot.com yeaaasss!Chris and Ryan Cavanaugh- We met these brothers at Leela's one evening as Chris was performing one evening. We could tell something was wonderfully different about his music. He was singing from his heart about how God had touched his life. The Holy Spirit told me to catch up with him out in the parking lot and find out what his story was. Come to find out he had just been saved like me and it came though a broken relationship and realizing the life he was living was for himself. It was wild how God orchestrated the two of us meeting. Even crazier his family was from Gainesville and had a few cousins visiting and were at the show. Well I got Chris' number that night and we told each other we had to stay in touch. Chris lost his phone over the next month and I never heard from him. Then one day Hunter and I were coming home from church and stopped at the Shack. We were ordering and with our backs turned we hear from behind us, "Yo Elliot and Hunter." Turn around and it's Chris, Ryan, and their cousins. So funny they happen to see us and at the Shack of all places. Since then our friendships have grown. They have been such wonderful friends and brothers in Christ. We are getting a bible study together, taking a trip at the end of the summer, and possibly getting a house together in the fall. They have an amazing family and their Dad is the pastor of their church. Ryan also just bought a 1972 Volkswagen Bus and is restoring it. It was recently just named the Big Daddy Black Shack(might sell snoballs out of it). Also, they are big fans of obscure root beers, which is awesome.
Mike Maddox- This man is engulfed in the word of God. He is a member of Dominic's church and has a testimony that will define the grace of God. He studies the word of God, deeply. He even sends out morning text messages that can be applied to the lives of his friends. It is so wonderful to be awoken every morning with a verse Mike has relayed to all of us. Mike wants to continue pushing himself spiritually and wants to bring everyone he can along with him. He is working becoming a pastor and trust me he would make a great one. I feel the Holy Spirit moving every time I get a chance to talk with Mike.
Paul- This guy also has a strong testimony as God has delivered him through troubled waters. He is originally from the Ukraine. He works downtown at a hot dog stand, serving others and serving God by passing along scriptures at all times. I have never met someone who can quote the bible, quite like Paul can. He spends countless hours cruising up and down the mall sharing the Gospel to anyone and everyone. He frequents the Shack more on the weekends. Paul is a very strong debater when it comes to people of other religions trying to outprove Christian beliefs. It is amazing how God gives us all unique gifts, because I could not intellectually battle people like this man.
You will hear us refer:
Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
be blessed,
your boy elbow
Monday, June 23, 2008
Inagural Blog!
I am now venturing into the blog world. At first I thought this was way too "techy" for me, but then I realized, wow this is a great way to get my thoughts out and share them with the world. I believe the Lord wants me to be more expressive, because I used to have such issues with suppressing my thoughts and then they would spill out when I was either drunk or upset. Not anymore my friends and for anyone in the past who has been a recipient of my "vomit" of emotions, I am so sorry. I believe blogging will help me to express some of the things I might be struggling with. A verse that struck me a few weeks ago relates perfectly with this.
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Profound.
My blog will not just be about me sharing my hardtimes, struggles, and sufferings. How depressing would that be? I will share how the Lord is using me, the joys I share with my family and friends, and interesting stories from Colorado. Well, I hope this will be enough for you guys to click on my blog ever so often.
be blessed,
your boy elbow
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Profound.
My blog will not just be about me sharing my hardtimes, struggles, and sufferings. How depressing would that be? I will share how the Lord is using me, the joys I share with my family and friends, and interesting stories from Colorado. Well, I hope this will be enough for you guys to click on my blog ever so often.
be blessed,
your boy elbow
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