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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“Peace is something that we all desire, yet often feels elusive in today’s world. Even before the pandemic hit, the fast pace of American culture combined with the ever-increasing usage of technology has many of us feeling frantic and frazzled. Cheryl Elton has made it a life goal to pursue Christ’s perfect peace, and today she shares what she has learned through Scripture and experience about finding peace in a chaotic world.” (From Hope Unyielding podcast show notes)

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In July 2013 I ventured solo to Philadelphia to attend my first-ever writers’ conference—The Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference. As I sat down the first day in my first workshop, the first person I spoke with was the woman sitting next to me, Sarah Lynn Phillips.

We quickly discovered we both were working on books, and instantly hit if off. Since that time, we have cheered one another on to see each of our books not only reach publication, but also win awards!

Penned Without Ink: Trusting God to Write Your Story is a book about trusting God, even when the unthinkable happens. Sarah writes with humility, transparency, and vulnerability the true story of a tragic car accident that left her with a broken neck, her daughters injured and shaken, and her husband teetering on the brink of death from a traumatic brain injury.

As the family gradually healed during the weeks and months following, they had to navigate new ways of living and interacting with each other.

Sarah captures the essence of hope as she recounts how she moved past the “whys” and “what-ifs” and learned to trust and rely on God, even through unexplainable losses.

With the backdrop that God has a hand in writing each of our life stories, through sharing hers Sarah inspires us to explore our own journey of trust in an ever faithful and loving God.

I highly recommend this well-written and inspiring book to anyone who needs help negotiating through tough times and finding God’s place in them.

Find more about Penned Without Ink here.

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

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Last week, while browsing books at the Montrose Christian Writers Conference, I discovered Break Out—a short easy read that did not disappoint.

It’s the incredible story of Jed Lindstrom, who left behind the unfulfilling life of drugs and crime to ultimately become a bold evangelist. 

Today, as Founder and Director of Lets Go Ministry, he goes into what he calls “no go” places—places others do not want to go—to reach those mired in the distress of drug and alcohol addiction with the gospel of Christ.

In his simple conversational style Jed shares his story, and how by age 13 he found himself sliding into drugs, alcohol, and crime.

For the next 10 years his life spiraled out of control as he dealt drugs, was almost always high, stole to support his habit, and spent time in and out of jail. At different points he became suicidal and homicidal yet somehow lived, at times against all odds.

Throughout this time God was quietly planting seeds, beginning with his encounter with Jacob Damkani, a man from Israel who shared Christ with Jed during a lengthy conversation in an office supply store. From that encounter, Jed says something in him changed, but not enough to quit his lifestyle until five years later. Throughout that time he says, “God chipped away at my stony heart.”

Finally, on a memorable day in October 2004, he landed in a jail cell during one of the lowest points in his life. Hours later, kneeling on the cold cell floor he begged God to spare his life and surrendered all to Jesus Christ—thereby discovering there is hope for change and a reason to go on living.

As Jed’s new life in Christ unfolds, God brings miraculous restoration to his broken life, including a wonderful wife, and the reconciliation of relationship with a daughter he never knew.

Jed shares from his experience that often the medications doctors prescribed and the rehab programs he was in and out of put a bandage on his problems, but didn’t address the roots. He believes that although helpful, these were never meant to be permanent solutions. Only Jesus is the great healer.

Today, Jed and Lets Go Ministry mobilize churches and ministries, by teaching in prisons, on the streets, in drug rehab facilities, and high schools around the world.

Although a life of drug addiction and crime is something I’ve never experienced, I have perceived the pull of the struggle with family members and friends.

Perhaps you have too.

Break Out is a quick yet powerful read of one man’s story—offering inspiration and hope to those struggling with addictions of any kind.

For more info on the book and Jed’s ministry, see www.LetsGoMinistry.com

Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton

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Last summer I had the joy of sitting in a class at the Montrose Christian Writers Conference taught by James Watkins.

I immediately sensed him as a man who deeply loves the Lord and desires to live for Him.

This month I’ve been enjoying a new book compiled and edited by Watkins called The Imitation of Christ: Classic Devotions in Today’s Language by Thomas à Kempis. For five hundred years à Kempis’ devotional classic has brought wisdom and comfort to millions of readers in over fifty languages—second only to the Bible in sales!

Watkins’ new paraphrased version has “modern and inclusive language that remains faithful to the original message,” making it easier to read and contemplate à Kempis’ profound insights on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

The book is set up in a clear readable format arranged by topic. True to the original, at times it is written from the perspective of the Disciple and at other times as if Christ was speaking directly to us.

The meditations of à Kempis invite deep contemplative thinking and insight. Perhaps that’s why this book has been changing lives for centuries. I’m finding my love for the Lord deepening in the process of reading just a few pages each day.

Here’s a sampling from p. 62-63, On Wisdom In Action:

The Disciple

“You must not trust every word of others or feelings within yourselves, but cautiously and patiently ask if the matter is godly. Unhappily, we are so weak that we find it easier to believe and speak evil of others, rather than their good. But Christ-like people do not pay attention to every bit of news, because they know that in human weakness they are prone to evil and untruthful words.

This is great wisdom for us: do not to be hasty in our actions or stubborn in our own opinions. A part of this wisdom also is not to believe every word we hear, nor to tell others all that we hear, nor even though we believe it. Take advice from a person who is wise and has a good conscience. Let us seek to learn from one wiser than ourselves rather than follow our own imaginations. A good life makes us wise toward God and gives us experience in many things. The more humble we are and the more obedient we are toward God, the wiser we will be in all things, and the more our souls will be at peace.”

I believe this book can help any serious Christ follower appreciate our Lord, grow closer to Him, and take greater joy in His presence.

Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton

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