When the Soviet Union launched its Sputnik satellite in 1957, it shocked the United States and sparked the onset of the race to see which of the two Cold War superpowers could achieve dominance in space exploration.

The end of the 1950s saw the U.S.S.R. leading the way with the launch of the first manned spacecraft to successfully orbit the earth. But the U.S. was also working hard through its new federal agency dedicated to space exploration—the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA.

In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced the ambitious goal of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth by the end of the decade. That goal was achieved on July 20, 1969, when for the first time in history a man walked on the surface of the moon.

In 1962, President Kennedy visited NASA for the first time. During his tour he encountered a janitor named Joe Byerly walking down a hallway with a broom. The President asked him what he did for NASA. Byerly replied, “Mr. President, I’m helping put a man on the moon.”

This janitor clearly understood the purpose of his work: to keep the building clean so the scientists, engineers, and astronauts could focus on their mission of putting a man on the moon. Byerly held a deep and inspiring connection between his daily tasks and achieving an overall larger goal.

What is the greater purpose of your daily work?

Do you carry a clear vision of why you do what you do? While at times we all tire of routines or experience frustrating moments, having a goal bigger than ourselves helps us stay focused to keep going, especially during trying times.

As Christians, our great mission is to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Staying mindful of this helps us remember that our words and actions are to be seasoned with God’s love and bring Him glory. When we’re tempted to grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9) or spew unkind words, we can recall the healing power of God’s love that’s been freely given to us (Romans 5:5).

Whether we are constructing buildings, crunching numbers, serving food, or changing diapers, we can have the satisfaction at the end of the day that what we do matters.

Each action done with love holds eternal significance—as we keep our eyes fixed on serving Christ and making Him known to the world.

Copyright © 2025 Cheryl Elton

Photo Credit: Pixabay

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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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There is no greater joy than when you know God has given you an assignment and you carry it out. Today, I am basking in the peaceful satisfaction of completing such a task.

My heart overflows with thanks to our heavenly Father—for life, His love, the blessing of family, friends, and fellowship, and for His faithfulness through every season.

I’m thankful for the desire God put on my heart as a teenager to be a writer. As the years unfolded, it gradually came to fruition as I began writing for a local newspaper, then magazines, and websites—leading to the day 10 years ago when He told me, “it’s time to use your writing for me.”

Recently, God gave me the assignment to write three 40-day devotionals—on the themes of JOY, PEACE, and TRANSFORMATION. Each book in the Moments with the Master series aims to help readers live in union with Christ more.

God gives each of us assignments. They may change throughout the seasons of our lives, yet each is timely, precious, and valuable in His sight.

Daily we have opportunities to serve Him in those assignments. Whether you are setting up chairs for a meeting, cooking for others, building shelves for the homeless shelter, or taking care of grandchildren—when done with love, it yields profit and blessing.

In His eyes, it matters.

What assignment has God given you?

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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January 6, 2021 is a day we will never forget. Watching a massive mob of angry and violent protestors break into our nation’s Capitol, while Congressmen and women cowered on the chamber floor was horrifying and heartbreaking.

It left Americans shaken, scared, uncertain.

Later that day I went out for a walk to think, pray, and try to process what was happening. The beautiful sky and setting sun reminded me of God’s supremacy.

What came to mind were the words on a poster I had as a teenager:

 JESUS CHRIST

Certain in the midst of uncertainty

A firm rock in the sea of speculation

A safe anchorage in the ocean of doubt

Yes, the days we live in are troubling and uncertain. But in the midst of the world’s chaos, Jesus Christ is our certainty. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He gives us a peace the world cannot provide.

In the sea of swirling news and internet speculation, Jesus is the firm Rock on which we stand. All else is sinking sand.

When doubts arise and anxiety grips our hearts, Jesus remains our safe anchorage. His presence is our refuge. The Hope of His coming, our anchor.

Do not neglect your quiet time with God each day. Be salt and light to a troubled world.

That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.  (Philippians 2:15-16 NKJV)

As the days grow darker, the light shines brighter.

Copyright © 2021 Cheryl Elton

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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

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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

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Friday night I attended a special meeting at church for those who are grieving or have experienced loss around the holidays. With me was our good friend R., who recently lost his mother.

It was a quiet, healing time for all. Some, like R., who lost a loved one this year, were deeply comforted by the love of God shared and simply being together.

Others, like myself, had time to reflect on other kinds of losses we have experienced, and how God’s grace and goodness have carried us through.

Jesus tells us that here on earth there will be sorrow, yet in Him we find peace:

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.  (John 16:33)

Seasons of trials, loneliness, and sorrow come to all of us at times. They don’t just disappear because we turn the calendar to December.

While songs of holiday joy fill workplaces and shopping malls, hospitals remain full. For some, loved ones will not be home for Christmas. Family in the military, broken relationships, illness, loss of loved ones, and a thousand other trials big and small continue to fill people’s lives, even through this season of “cheer.”

Christmas isn’t about pretending everything is fine when it isn’t. It’s about turning our eyes to things above, accepting God’s love into our hearts, and remembering the greatest gift ever given: His wonderful Son.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  (John 3:1)

The holidays present a special time to extend the love of Christ to those in need, to bring hope to the hopeless, and to shine as lights in a dark and troubled world.

Do you know someone who is feeling the sting of loss this Christmas?

Reach out to them this week with the love of God, and remind them that they are not alone.

It may be the greatest gift they receive.

Copyright © 2018 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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