In America, each year in November we celebrate our national holiday called Thanksgiving.

Every school child learns the story of the courageous Pilgrims who set sail on the Mayflower from Europe, braving the elements for two months before arriving in Plymouth, Massachusetts in November 1620. They came seeking a New World, religious freedom, and a better life.

A year later, the pilgrims celebrated God’s gracious gifts with prayer, thanksgiving, and a special feast. The tradition continued, and in 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. The date was set as the fourth Thursday in November. 

The timing of Lincoln’s Proclamation was significant, being delivered during the height of the bloody Civil War. Nevertheless, Lincoln called all Americans to prayer with a message of optimism and genuine thankfulness, reminding them that even in the midst of dark days there is much to be thankful for.

The Proclamation began:

The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

As the Pilgrims journeyed in search of the New World, Scripture reminds us that as Christians our journey through life on this earth is also one as sojourners (those who stay somewhere temporarily) and pilgrims (those on a journey to a better, sacred place).

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light . . . Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims . . . that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God . . .   (I Peter 2:9, 11-12) 

Hebrews 11 outlines many heroes of the faith, concluding in verse 13:

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

Despite the mounting troubles and distress in our world today, the message throughout Scripture is one of hope—of a better day coming when there will be no more sorrow, sickness, war, or death. A message of life eternal.

God encourages us to keep our eyes on what lies ahead:

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

Is your journey focused on what lies ahead? Are you a pilgrim?

As we gather this Thanksgiving, may our hearts be filled with thanks for God’s abundant blessings—family, food, friends, another year. Throughout our darkest days we remember that our journey through this life on earth is only a part of our final destiny.

In Christ alone we have this Hope. In Him we give thanks.

Copyright © 2024 Cheryl Elton

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George Müller’s ministry to orphans began almost 200 years ago, yet the example of his uncomplicated trust in God for every daily provision continues to inspire people around the world today.

In The Autobiography of George Müller, his richness of faith is on full display. The book gives a rare glimpse into Müller’s life through excerpts from his personal diary. We see his early life of rebellion lead to a striking conversion as a young man. We share his daily struggles and triumphs as he answers God’s call to establish the first orphan houses in Bristol, England.

During his lifetime (1805-1898), Müller cared for more than 10,000 orphans as the director of the Ashley Down orphanage and provided Christian education to over 120,000 children in the 117 schools he established.

Yet in all these endeavors Müller never asked anyone for financial support, held a fundraiser, or went into debt. He only petitioned God for his needs and waited for him to move through people. Often he received food donations only hours before they were needed to feed the children. Through countless struggles God supplied every need—each victory further bolstering Müller’s faith.

Christians can find inspiring takeaways sprinkled throughout this book. Mine follow:

Müller spent much time in prayer. He learned that his first concern of the day was not how to serve the Lord, but to have his soul nourished. Müller found rising early in the morning to do so worked best.

Müller meditated on Scripture before praying. Thus, he said his heart was “comforted, encouraged, warned, reproved, and instructed.” This also helped him combat a wandering mind while praying.

Müller trusted God’s timing. Müller faced continual challenges and uncertainties in ministry just as we do. He persisted in prayer for more than 3 years for enough funds to come in to begin building the large Ashley Down orphanage. Because he was certain that the assignment was from God, Müller fully trusted He would supply. When money didn’t come in as soon as he would have liked, he adjusted his thinking to trust God’s timing, which always proved right.

Müller never borrowed money. Frequently he was questioned as to why he didn’t buy supplies on credit and trust God to pay for them later.  “I could buy a considerable amount of goods on credit, but the next time we were in need, I would turn to further credit instead of turning to the Lord,” he said. “We consider it our precious privilege to continue to wait upon the Lord instead of buying goods on credit or borrowing money from kind friends. God is now in the tenth year of feeding these orphans, and He has never allowed them to go hungry. He will care for them in the future also.”

Let God work for you. Müller learned that when we work deliverance to a problem solely on our own and don’t wait patiently for God’s help and solution, with every subsequent trial our faith decreases. He shows us that God will prove His willingness to help and deliver at the perfect time. Our faith then will increase.

At first glance this book could be viewed as a dry and boring read, but it progresses into an inspiring testament of unwavering faith. Müller’s words of wisdom on how to trust God in life and ministry will inspire any Christian who wants to wholeheartedly serve the Lord they love. It’s a book I’m glad I read, and will continue to glean inspiration from throughout the coming days.

Copyright © 2021 Cheryl Elton

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FIVE—FOUR—THREE—TWO—

I’m teetering at the top of a 130’ vertical rock face high in the mountains of New Mexico, knees shaking, heart pounding, and after two false starts am expected to take that first courageous step at the count of

–O-N-E—to begin my rappel down the cliff—face first!

It’s an Australian rappel: a controlled descent, face first using ropes, off a vertical surface. Standing at the top, I wondered how I could even walk facing down a vertical cliff. Believe me, it goes against all natural instincts!

Trusting to do what appeared impossible was huge, even with the assurance that my belayer on the ground would do his job with the ropes, and that those ropes would hold me if I fell.

But beating out my fear, I took that first step, and scampering down the cliff safely to the ground was an exhilarating thrill I’ll never forget. Especially for a 24-year-old city girl who had never even been hiking!

Trusting, even when things seem impossible, can be difficult. Many of us  struggle with trusting God—who we cannot see—for what we cannot see.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

This well-known passage may come to mind before giving our situation or need to God in prayer. But how often, right after doing so, does our mind quickly begin formulating scenarios and well-crafted plans of how we think, or hope, God will work?

Like taking that first step off the cliff—trusting with full surrender is key to truly trusting God.

Wrestling with solutions from within our own intrinsic inability—or leaning on our own understanding—results in not trusting Him.

Only when we relinquish our issue to the Lord with genuine finality does it assure that He can go to work. He meets our “God, I’m done with this, You have to do the rest” with ease, once we step out of His way.

A pastor I know shared with me how he learned this through a situation earlier this year. The ministry needed $12,000 to cover previous and pending expenses for its work in Africa. After much prayer, it was coming down to the wire and still funds were lacking.

“Thursday I fully surrendered my prayer of trust to God, and finalized it with Proverbs 3:5,” he said. “Friday I rested in its peace. Saturday morning the Lord told me to go to the post office. There I found a letter of Ephesians 3:20 proportion. It contained a check for $20,000!”

Are you trusting God with all your heart, or are you still hanging on to things?

We can trust God for what we cannot see. We simply need to fully surrender our needs and situations into His capable hands, get out of His way, and let Him do the work only He can do!

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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Recently I’m hearing a lot of talk about how and what it looks like to live pleasing to God. In this quest, we often long to understand God’s will, or His plan for our life. Even those with years of faith-filled living, at times find themselves asking, “What does God want me to be doing?”

Psalm 37 gives three simple directives, which when applied to daily living can help us find the answers we seek.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.  (Psalm 37:3-5 NKJV) 

TRUST. In any relationship, bonds of trust are built through time together, and much conversation. Why do we think the same wouldn’t apply to God?  

DELIGHT. When we delight in God, His delight becomes reciprocal. The Hebrew word for delight (anag) is a reflexive verb, meaning the action falls back onto the subject. This is why “yourself” is included after the word “delight.”

God delights in us spending time with Him. And when His presence becomes the joy of our hearts, our very nature undergoes transformation—becoming more like Him—and in the process He gives, or puts desires on our hearts.

COMMIT. To commit means to “roll.” I commit, or roll my way off of myself, away from myself, and onto Him. In doing so, the progression of trusting, delighting and committing goes full circle: by committing my life to Him, I again display trust and delight, and in the process, He brings to pass those desires on my heart.

God takes care of our plans, our future, our dreams and aspirations as we TRUST Him, DELIGHT in Him, and COMMIT ourselves to Him.

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.   (Psalm 37:23-25 NLT)

As we seek His presence and live close to Him, our lives will be blessed and guided by His plans and purposes. The Lord aims to transform us into His likeness through a life of faith—trusting, delighting, and committing ourselves to Him.

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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Throughout the summer, early morning birdsongs often welcome us into the day. I’m learning to recognize many of the varied species and sounds of the birds right in my own backyard.

Our friend Rich S. has helped me appreciate our feathered friends much more. A retired outdoor educator, Rich now takes groups on nature walks, or “birding” expeditions, watching and listening for up to 50 different species on an outing!

Earlier this summer, I discovered the piping plover on the beaches of Maine. Signs instructed visitors to stay away from restricted areas where the birds were nesting.

Unlike many species, plover parents don’t bring food back to the nest for their young. Rather, the chicks head out along the shoreline right after birth to forage for food themselves, up until about four weeks when they can fly.

When I spotted one of these frail little creatures scurrying along the shoreline at low tide, I thought how amazing it is that they survive. I then recalled the subzero days last winter, when I saw small fragile birds gathering at our feeder and flitting across the snow.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus reminds us of how valuable we are to God by illustrating simple truths from nature. As the baby plover doesn’t go uncared for, so God promises to provide for us.

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?   (Matthew 6:25-26)

What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.  (Matthew 10:29-31) 

When needs surface, it seems our default setting often is to worry rather than to trust God. But the truth is God provides for the birds of the field!

If His smallest of creatures’ needs are met, how much more can and will He provide for His most valued ones—us!

How wonderful it is that God has put birds everywhere. Whether you live in the inner city, a small town, a rural farm, or the North woods, you will hear and see these creatures.

Observing the birds around you can serve as a daily invitation to trust God—and a reminder of how valuable you are to Him.

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

Photo Credit Piping Plover: Cameron Darnell

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Our third year of marriage unexpectedly found my husband looking for a new job. His company had undergone massive layoffs, and Rich’s department was among them.

With many unknowns suddenly facing us, Rich began meeting with recruiters and mapping out potential interviews.

Attracted to the quaintness and quietness of Vermont, we decided to set our sights there. We began praying while staying open to God’s leading, and trusted His hand to be upon the process.

Over the following three months, Rich sent numerous resumes to prospective companies in Vermont, and throughout the northeast. He landed some interviews, but to our disappointment, Vermont remained silent.

We continued praying, waiting . . .

Finally, three job offers came in within days! Company A, based in New York not far from the Vermont border needed a quick answer, while B and C were also pending. We decided Rich would accept company A’s offer the following morning.

While on the phone, in a shocking move the company pulled the rug out from under us, reneging their offer and saying they decided to cancel the position: the door not only shutting, but slamming in our faces!

Later that afternoon Rich called company B, and accepted their offer in northern New York. The rest is history.

Today, we look back on a long and fruitful career in a place we love, the years filled with blessings we never could have imagined! We are thankful we didn’t go to Vermont.

You see, several years into his new job, unforeseen and difficult challenges arose in our lives, which we realized in hindsight we never would have been equipped to handle if we’d been in Vermont.

We’ve learned that sometimes what we think we want isn’t ultimately the best for us. But God knows what we need, and lovingly directs our paths as we seek and trust Him above all else.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Are we willing to surrender our own agendas, and trust that God sees the big picture and can supply what we need in the best possible way?

What need are you facing? Perhaps it’s a new job or a relationship decision; wisdom concerning a wayward child, or an aging parent.

Whatever it is, you can trust your Heavenly Father, for He is your rock, your strength, your deliverer—your high tower.

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2)

God is our high tower, and from His vantage point sees what we cannot see.

Place your need in His capable hands. You can rest in Him and trust that He not only sees the long view of your life, but can give you the best of His blessings.

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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As a young man, Smith Wigglesworth knew God’s plan for Christians involved power—spiritual power that could not be of ourselves. 

When he learned from the Scriptures that speaking in tongues was the natural outflow of being baptized in the Spirit, it propelled his ministry to new and even greater dimensions. 

Please enjoy this 8-minute video showing how Wigglesworth used the power of speaking in tongues to supercharge his ministry: perhaps his greatest “secret” of all!

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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For Smith Wigglesworth, experiencing the miraculous was not a rare occurrence, but part of everyday life.

Throughout his amazing ministry, countless people were healed of serious illnesses and disease, 14 people were raised from the dead, and thousands came to faith in Christ in his meetings.

So . . . what were Wigglesworth’s “secrets” to such a powerful walk with God?

His ability to flow in the Spirit was simple: he had a consuming love for the Word of God, and he lived in the presence of the Lord he loved with all his heart—thereby hearing and obeying the voice of the Spirit as he moved among people.

While Christians often look for specific “keys” or “techniques” for ministering, Wigglesworth had none.

His walk by the Spirit was so precise, that no two situations were handled the same.

While ministering to the sick, for example, some he anointed with oil, others he laid hands on, and at times, he just spoke the Word of God.

Regardless of the method, the results were the same.

What other secrets contributed to Wigglesworth’s dynamic lifestyle of faith?

Wigglesworth was a man of prayer. When asked if he regularly spent long sessions in prayer, he said, “I don’t very often spend more than a half hour in prayer at a time, but I never go more than a half hour without praying.”

Wigglesworth had great love and compassion for those in need. Like Jesus, he was “moved with compassion” when encountering those needing healing, or without God. (Matthew 9:36, Mark 1:40-41)

Wigglesworth knew the danger of pride, and never let it invade the sanctity of his fellowship with God. To do this, he took Communion every day, recognizing that the acknowledgment of Christ’s accomplishments served as a powerful antidote against pride.

He saw earth’s circumstances from heaven’s perspective. As a result, he carried a calmness and peace known only to those who live in the Spirit, and was always ready for service, never taken by surprise.

He directed all his actions toward “soulwinning”. As far as he was concerned, seeking God’s direction about where and how to share Christ was the only valid approach to witnessing.

Wigglesworth had great spiritual discernment. He allowed the Spirit to reveal the source of a person’s affliction.

When confronting powers of darkness, he was never afraid. For him, discerning satanic activity came from simply living in the presence of Him who is holy.

Before going to bed, Wigglesworth filled his mind with the Word of God. During sleep, his subconscious mind had the pure Word to digest, and he often woke with a fresh revelation thought.

He believed every child of God holds the potential for the miraculous. He said people tend to categorize things—including sins and miracles—as big or small. To God there is no difference between healing a toothache or raising the dead. A miracle is a miracle.

Wigglesworth lived by the word of God and saw God confirm His word to such an extent that he was surprised when a miracle didn’t happen!

He knew that of ourselves, we are nothing, but in God we can be mighty.

His success was not in his ability, but in his availability to be used of God.

When Wigglesworth was baptized in the Spirit and spoke in tongues, it set the foundation for new and higher dimensions of ministry.

In Part 3, we’ll focus specifically on how he used this tremendous power base!

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NOTE: The book Smith Wigglesworth: The Secret Of His Power, by Albert Hibbert, is the source for much of the information in this post. A highly recommended read!

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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It’s been said that a person was never the same after an encounter with Smith Wigglesworth.

Known as the “apostle of faith,” Wigglesworth (1859-1947) was a British evangelist who spearheaded a powerful healing and deliverance ministry that ultimately led to the foundation of the modern Pentecostal movement.

Wigglesworth would pray, and broken limbs were healed, people came out of wheelchairs; cancers were destroyed, blind eyes saw. His life exuded the power of God in manifestation in ways few have ever seen.

During his lifetime, fourteen confirmed incidents of raising people from the dead occurred. In one case, Wigglesworth went to the home of a family mourning the death of their little boy, just five years old.

Tears ran down Wigglesworth’s face as he stood looking at the boy lying in the coffin. He asked the family to leave the room, then lifted the boy’s body and stood it in the corner of the room. Rebuking death in the name of Jesus Christ, he commanded it to surrender its victim. The boy returned to life!

Supernatural signs such as this followed Wigglesworth’s ministry everywhere he went. As requests poured in, he taught and ministered in Europe, Asia, America, South Africa, and many other areas, impacting whole continents for Christ in his lifetime.

Throughout Wigglesworth’s amazing ministry, countless people were healed of serious illnesses and disease, and thousands came to faith in Christ in his meetings.

Wigglesworth scorned people’s praise for any miracle, wanting only Christ to be seen. All glory must go to God alone.

Surprisingly, Wigglesworth never went to school. From age seven he was sent to the mill to work, sometimes 12-14 hours a day to help provide for his poor family.

Not until age 26 did he learn to read and write, when his wife Polly taught him.

Yet Wigglesworth said, “I could not recollect a time when I did not long for God. I was always seeking Him. As a young lad, I would kneel down and ask Him to help me.”

His insatiable hunger for God caused him to faithfully wait upon the Lord until he was transformed and cleansed of self—a process he recognized took time.

Wigglesworth never got involved in theological debates. Rather, he filled his mind with the Word of God and relied on the Holy Spirit to be his teacher and guide. The revelation he received was tremendous.

He couldn’t accept the idea of engaging in God’s work without Him supplying the power to do so. For Wigglesworth, the anointing of the Holy Spirit was the key requisite for ministry, and that which should supply the enabling power in every Christian endeavor.

Always seeking the presence of the Lord, he kept a ready ear for the voice of the God’s Holy Spirit, and followed His leading.

The more Wigglesworth experienced God, the more he wanted of Him. His only desire was to be like Christ.

Albert Hibbert, a personal friend, summed up Wigglesworth’s passionate hunger well by sharing these words:

All of self, none of God.
Less of self, more of God.
None of self, all of God.

For Smith Wigglesworth, experiencing the miraculous was not a rare occurrence, but rather part of everyday life.

How did he achieve this? Stay tuned—Part 2 will highlight many of Wigglesworth’s secrets!

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NOTE: The book Smith Wigglesworth: The Secret Of His Power, by Albert Hibbert, is the source for much of the information in this post. A highly recommended read!

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

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A small group of us were still gathered after church when the news came—a dear brother in the Lord we had been praying for, died.

A couple weeks earlier, the doctors had said the cancer was too widespread, too severe. “There is nothing else we can do.”

But knowing God could, many people continued fervently in prayer.

Yet . . . the miracle didn’t come.

This latest blow hit on the heels of the shock from six days earlier—when the man’s wife unexpectedly passed away in her sleep at home. A heart attack, it was determined.

Why??

We quickly reconvened in a circle, heads bowed, holding hands, to do the thing we knew best—pray.

Loss causes us to grieve, and with grief comes questions. Our minds grapple with the “whys” and “if onlys”.

We wrestle to find answers, presuming they will provide comfort, and ease the pain of loss.

Yet in our longing for understanding, we mustn’t lose sight of the truths we are sure of—the words from God that bring our lives comfort, and clarity:

• God never leaves us or forsakes us. (Hebrews 13:5)
• Nothing can separate us from God’s love. (Romans 8:35-39)
• His strength is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• God’s grace is sufficient for every need. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• He sees the end from the beginning. (Isaiah 46:9-10)
• God comforts our hearts. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
• We have a glorious hope in Christ. (Revelation 21:1-4)
• We don’t sorrow as others who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
• Jesus Christ gives us peace. (John 14:27)
• Our times are in His hands. (Psalm 31:14-15)

We will certainly miss our friends. But we rejoice knowing that as Christians, it’s not “goodbye,” but “goodbye for now.”

In times of loss, our sadness can easily overshadow His presence. Our questions can conceal His love. Our doubt can deter us from trusting His words.

Faith yields strength through life’s trials as well as triumphs. We trust God because He is faithful.

We gain perspective, hope, comfort, and peace, as we take time to rest our hearts in His presence.

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

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