A First Week at Ellerslie

Well, I have officially been at Ellerslie for a week! I cannot even express in words how amazing this week has been! We had church on Sunday, tours, and banquet night! Banquet night was an incredible time. I don’t think I have ever felt so honored! The guys lined up and escorted us to our tables then Hudson (Eric Ludy's 7 year old son) gave us each a gorgeous rose. Monday was mainly orientation, then we dived into sessions on Tuesday! The session titles have been: Foundations, In Christ, Majesty Lost, Opposition, Right-handedness, The Anatomy of Faith, and The Body. Though each message is different, the main topic of the week has been simply dying to self and allowing Jesus to live the impossible Christian life through us. We must allow Him to put to death the flesh within us. We must give up our right and control to experience all the greatness of Who He is. Though I had listened to these sessions before, Jesus has continually been pressing them deeper in my life. Oh, how He has wooed me this week! It has truly been incredible. He daily increases my joy and draws me away with Himself. I cannot help but exclaim His praise! He has also been teaching me to reckon (Romans 6 KJV) these truths. I can’t just acknowledge them anymore. I must actually take them as my own. They belong to me, and I can have the fullness of what was purchased on the cross! No longer must I succumb to sin and its power. I am dead to sin and alive in Christ! Therefore, sin has no legal access! What a glorious reality!

Two verses stood out to me today while I was studying:

“Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.”

                                                               Jeremiah 3: 23

This verse captures what I have been taught this week and what Jesus continually is refining in me. So often I place my hope in temporary, earthly things. I turn to things other than Jesus to satisfy me. However, He alone can satisfy. If I am to  have true fulfillment, it must come from Him alone!

“O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.”

                                                           Psalm 68: 10

God lavishes His goodness upon those who humble themselves, those who don’t try to take the pen of their live story out of His hands. If we will give Him full access and control, we have access to ALL of His goodness.

Oh, how good He is! I'll hopefully be posting more updates soon. As for now, I'm off the the little Thai restaurant here in Windsor with some lovely ladies!