“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)

The post Finding Peace in a Chaotic World appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

Normal days are no longer normal.

The world is caught up in a storm, the winds of change fiercely howling; while we’re swirling, swirling, unsure of when we might land.

Bravely venturing out, we find empty shelves in familiar stores, businesses and restaurants closed, church services cancelled. The economy is in a tailspin, with nothing guaranteed but an uncertain future.

Meanwhile, people remain sheltered in their homes, riding out the storm while gripping tightly onto all they thought they knew.

Jesus warns us such trouble is inevitable:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

In this world there will be tribulation. But Jesus Christ has overcome the world! He alone extends victory and hope in the midst of trials. When the volatility of the world around us brings  anxiety, in Him we find peace.

As we draw close to the Lord in the secret place of His presence, He covers us with His feathers. As the tempest swirls around us, He hides us under the shelter of His wing. While the winds howl, we remain securely with the Lord in the eye of the storm—and in this quiet oasis there is rest.

In Him alone, we find peace to guard our hearts through troubled times. In His presence we hear His quiet whispers, gaining the wisdom and strength we need in the moment.

“Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” (Psalm 91:9-11 NKJV)

Do not forsake the One who requires no social distancing. Do not neglect the precious time you spend with Him. Living in the eye of the storm—in His presence—there is peace.

Copyright © 2020 Cheryl Elton

The post Living in the Eye of the Storm appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

The Bible is not a book full of clever maxims, helpful suggestions, or do’s and don’ts—it is the book of LIFE! As such, its many principles and paradoxes challenge our human thinking: when we give, we receive; when we lose ourselves, we find ourselves; to be rich, we must become poor; exalting ourselves, we’ll be humbled, but humbling ourselves, we’ll be exalted.

God longs to fill us and be part of all we do, all we are, and all we become, but His hands are tied if we’re hanging on to our human pride. When we think our ways are better than His and fail to lay down our preconceived ideas and rationalizations rather than accept His truth, He can’t go to work. Relying solely on intellect, talents, relationships, possessions, or wealth to make it through life fails to put us in a position to receive the fulness of grace, peace, and blessing He longs to give us.

The solution? Humility.

Humility is a characteristic God values highly, because He knows He can work with those of a humble heart. Only when we recognize the poverty of our own souls do we realize our desperate need for a Savior.

There’s a wonderful peace when we can honestly approach God, life, and one another with humility. Humility isn’t denying your strengths; it’s being honest about your weaknesses. Humble servants of God recognize that by themselves they can do nothing. Their strength and enablement come from Him alone.

In one of his writings, well-known South African pastor Andrew Murray (1828-1917) describes the Christian heart of humility and the wonderful peace it brings to the soul:

Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.

Are there areas in your life in which pride still has you holding on to the reins? Perhaps it’s time to release them into the Master’s hands.

“And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  (1 Peter 5:5 NLT)

With open arms He’s standing ready to shower your life with grace, to give you perfect quietness of heart, and to fill you with His peace “when all around and above is trouble.”

God values humility.

Copyright © 2020 Cheryl Elton

The post God Values Humility appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

While recently browsing books, I came across Elisabeth Elliot’s Be Still My Soul: Reflections on Living the Christian Life. Perhaps because God’s peace is one of the most meaningful aspects of Christian living for me, and something I seek and write about often, the book quickly grabbed my attention as a “must-read.”

It did not disappoint.

Be Still My Soul proves why Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015) is regarded as one of the most perceptive and popular Christian writers of the 20^th century. She writes with a simple yet profound eloquence that causes us to slow down, ponder deeply, and draw closer to God.

This short book is divided into easily readable chapters with headings that touch on a variety of topics. In a chapter titled “Helps to Holiness,” a section called “Trust and Obey” begins:

There is in each of us a kind of homelessness, a deep, unspoken, inexpressible longing for a safe place away from the clamor. Without God, most of the world tries to satisfy that longing with more money, more leisure, more things. Christians know that is futile, and yet we too hold back from choosing to cling to Him with single-hearted determination.

Another section called “Self-Effacement” in the chapter “A Servant Heart,” begins:

When I get to heaven, I want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” not “good job, excellent and committed CEO.” In spite of the clamor of society around us, the urgings to succeed and conquer, I would rather emulate my fellow believers who have taken the narrow, lower way.

Throughout the book Elliot shares her reflections on many aspects of Christian living, including peace, God’s love, suffering, holiness, prayer, and walking with Jesus.

She has a wonderful way of seamlessly interspersing personal stories and struggles with scripture, thereby relating the big picture of how she has come to view God’s sovereign plan over her life.

If you struggle with the frantic pace of busyness in our can’t-stop world, this book offers an inspiring collection of reflections on living a life that is “far less about doing than it is about receiving grace, peace, and rest for our weary souls.”

Learning to be still, and leaving our anxieties and cares in the hands of a loving God, is what we are called to do, Elliot says. Here, she helps us do just that.

I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to go deeper with the Lord. I know I will return to it again.

Be Still My Soul portrays with simplicity and grace the beauty and wonder of learning to rest in God.

Copyright © 2019 Cheryl Elton

The post Book Review: Be Still My Soul: Reflections on Living the Christian Life appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

With the Christmas season in full swing, it’s easy to become overloaded with the many obligations and expectations it brings.

We can get so busy with the decorating, shopping, concerts, and other activities that we’re fitting into our already packed schedules, that we lose sight of why we’re doing it all to begin with—leaving us feeling drained and overwhelmed.

In an effort to get a handle on our endless to-do lists, it’s easy to rush into the day, spending little or no time with the One who helps us most!

St. Francis de Sales said:

Every Christian needs a half-hour of prayer each day, except when he is busy, then he needs an hour.

Let’s let that sink in!

To spend more time in prayer when we’re busy certainly goes against our natural inclinations. Yet the truth of this statement falls in line with the many paradoxes of Christian living: e.g., when we give, we receive; when we praise God through our difficulties, we find joy. 

When we enter the day from a place of rest, and invite Jesus to partner with us as we go about our tasks, our eyes will be open to see Him working; our hearts will be at peace to hear His voice.

We’ll be sharing the yoke with the Master, allowing Him to lighten our loads.

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

With His peace guarding our hearts, we will do less, but accomplish more.

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest . . .  (Hebrews 4:9-11 NKJV)

In our drive to be productive, let’s remember the thing most worth being concerned about: spending time with the Lord . . . resting in, and enjoying His presence.

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

The post The Remedy for Christmas Overload appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

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

The post How to Trust God appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

I woke to the steady rhythm of waves pounding on the shore, the unremitting rise and fall of the tide easing me out of the night’s slumber.

Outside my window, the beach where folks leisurely walked the night before now covered in water.

High tide. 

Though powerful and dangerous, there’s something calming about the sight and sound of the ocean—the constancy of the waves’ ebb and flow relaxing, reassuring. 

Here we see God’s majesty on full display, and gazing out at the endless sea, we become small. 

Through summer’s warm sunny days, people gather here to enjoy the water, the sun, and the sand. Groups sit and talk, while sharing a picnic lunch. Kids at the water’s edge dig sand tunnels, letting waves fill them with water, while others build sand castles, only to have the breakers knock them down. 

And surprisingly, during my days at the ocean I saw no one on the beach looking at their phones! 

In a world filled with distraction and noise, people still flock here for solace. To be reminded that not everything need be scheduled, that there is a place where it’s okay to unplug and remember a simpler life. 

To gain perspective on life and what’s important. 

To observe God’s faithfulness through the wonder of nature . . . 

Quiet walks along the shore, lying on the sand watching clouds roll by, reveling in the warmth of sunshine on my skin. This is where I long to stay. A place where time loses its urgency, and my to-do list doesn’t matter. 

God speaks to us through the wonder of creation. Here I can praise His presence, perceive His love, and enjoy His peace . . . 

Wherever you are, take time to appreciate God’s creation today.

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

The post Beach Time appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

As we busily move through our days—and especially when things are going well—it’s easy to leave God on the back burner. So often, it’s when the burdens of life become overwhelming, or too tough to handle on our own, that we cry out to Him.

And although in His graciousness and goodness He hears us any time, God never intended that we navigate through life alone. In Christ, by way of the Holy Spirit, He’s given us a helper, a comforter, a companion and friend to walk with us through the peaks and valleys of our journey.

When the stresses of life leave us exhausted and empty, Matthew 11:28-30 is often quoted:

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” 

Yoke is a term rarely used in today’s vernacular. Yet its significance adds astonishing insight to these verses.

A yoke was a farming tool used to join two animals such as oxen, to pull heavy loads. Together, they could share the workload and become more productive. Neither animal could carry the load alone, but in partnership, could shoulder it with ease.

In biblical times, yoke for oxen were often custom made to fit particular animals. It’s believed that Jesus came from a carpenter’s family, so it’s likely He had personal experience in hand carving wooden yokes and making sure they fit well.

Using the illustration of a yoke, Jesus is inviting us to partner with Him in the work of life and ministry. This beautiful section of Scripture clearly implies a continuing relationship with Jesus Christ.

We each have a yoke and a burden, a function and a responsibility as Christ followers. The Lord has a custom yoke ready for each of us when we’re willing to let Him share our daily burden.

When we find ourselves weighted down and weary, the remedy is found in bringing our hearts back to Him, into His presence.

Doing our work with Jesus alongside us sharing the load is not tiresome or burdensome.

Yoked to the Master we find rest to our souls.

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

The post Yoked with the Master appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

Did you know statistics reveal that 75-90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related illnesses?

The pressures of life are constantly bearing down on us. We all face needs that can result in anxieties about our health, finances, safety, relationships, the future. 

While people try many things to bring peace to their lives, Jesus’ words in John 14:27 remain:

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” 

The peace of Christ is something we must invest in daily through our relationship with Him. Just because we were at peace yesterday, doesn’t guarantee we will be today.

This short video offers some great practical tips to more consistently experience God’s peace.

The message beautifully complements Pathway of Peace: Living in a Growing Relationship with Christ.

Enjoy!

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

The post Keys to Being at Peace appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

Last week, during our Midwest travels, my husband and I took a day to enjoy a bike ride along a quiet rail trail in western Michigan. Scenic and flat, it was my kind of trail, and despite the cold weather made for a pleasant outing.

We arrived in a small town called New Era, population 800. After lunch at the village diner where we were obviously “out-of-towners”, we wandered next door to check out a health food/coffee shop.

While waiting for the owner to make hubby’s afternoon espresso, we noticed a sign on her wall:

C.O.F.F.E.E.

Christ Offers Forgiveness For Everyone Everywhere

Within minutes we were chatting away with her about Christ, our shared faith, and the things of God—as if we’ve known each other for years!

Tracey shared with us how after seeking God’s guidance and prayer, He led her to find a new larger building she’ll be moving the business into this summer. How it all came together was clearly a “God thing.”

She desires to have her shop bring glory to God, and provide an oasis of calm to all who enter. She expressed her longing to embrace more of God’s peace in every aspect of her life.

While enjoying coffee, conversation, and finally prayer together standing at the register, “coincidentally” no other customer entered until we were saying “Amen.”

Tracey was one of many “divine appointments” we experienced during our 2 ½ week trip. What joy it is to discover on such a trip again and again life’s greater purpose than sightseeing, seeking relaxation, and enjoying restaurants. 

That we can bless and be blessed by the people we meet!

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

Every day God is showing us where He’s working, and inviting us to get involved. Are we willing to forfeit—even for a few minutes—our own agenda when He calls?

Maybe He’s putting someone in our path we need to speak to or can help. Perhaps He’s bringing a person to mind we can pray for.

When He does, don’t wait! He’s inviting us to act—now!

When we do, we’ll see Him working in ways we could never orchestrate on our own!

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

The post C.O.F.F.E.E. and a New Friend appeared first on Cheryl Elton.