Words of Faith: Ellie's story about faith, songs and victory

Look Up, Let Go and Let God
A Words of Faith story by Ellie Gustafson 

King Jehoshaphat, one of the few godly kings in the line of David, had the pagan nations of Moab and Ammon breathing down his neck. In faith, he prayed that Yahweh would help him defeat these enemies. 

Here’s what the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 20:20-22 (NIV), as they set out for battle: Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

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God promised to lead, provide, and care for his people if they would stick tight to Him. Failure to do so inevitably brought trouble. Read the Book of Judges for the horrendous result of disobedience. But when they obeyed, the Israelites rode the crest of God’s promises.

Why am I here, living in Haverhill, Massachusetts? God could have plunked me down anywhere in the world. But He chose to let me land in northern New Jersey with an average family and an above-average IQ. I did well in three schools, married well, bore three wonderful kids, and attended church all my life. These are the outer, human aspects of my life—the physical clothes I wear, so to speak.

A benign context, yes. But whose way would I choose in that context—God’s or my own? Marriage became my first “battlefield.” Jim and I locked horns repeatedly, with no hope of persuading the other of the “rightness” of our own positions. We would sit, staring grimly at the darkness. But then would come a moment of choice. Okay—can’t fight your way out of the problem? Try an apology. Back down. Refuse to fight.

Bingo!

But apart from the occasional World War, we’re often annoyed and quick to spout mean stuff. A really nasty wife is hiding inside me, and if I said everything that comes to mind, we’d likely be in divorce court.

I don’t want to be nasty, though, and my antidote is God’s inner clothing that gives me access to his grace, forgiveness, and joy. Bite back that ugly rejoinder. Don’t give in to the urge to fight. I can be a good wife if I stick tight to my Lord and keep my mouth shut. Jehoshaphat’s God is my God in a very real battle.

I am also a writer, desiring to link others with the God who cares and provides. It has not come easily, though. Wanting to write is a far cry from getting published.

Case in point: My book, The Stones: A Novel of the Life of King David, took at least 15 years of research and writing, along with the hunt for a publisher. Had good endorsements, but no one wanted to take me on.

Enter God. An interim pastor returned and asked if I had found a publisher yet. He whipped out his son’s business card as a contact for Whitaker House.

Bingo again!

My second novel with Whitaker House seemed doomed at the start, but again, God provided an unusual circumstance to make it happen. Another novel is once more in the waiting room, and total trust is my best and only resource.

I’m getting long in the tooth—an expression that comes from telling a horse’s age by the length of its teeth. I have chosen to fix my eyes ahead, rather than on now or ago. Worship has special meaning for me. I study the Psalms, Ezekiel, Revelation, glorying in that ringside seat on the Real Life and Action of heaven. One foot here, the other there.

This sustains my faith walk with God. My basic job here is to sing the beauty and glory of the revealed I AM.

Let's revisit the text I mentioned earlier from the 2 Chronicles:

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” 

Remember this lesson, in light of that Bible verse:

When life’s challenges seem insurmountable, it’s time to look up.

Sing!

Praise God for the splendor of his holiness!

Give thanks—for his love endures forever!

~*~
Author bio:

Ellie Gustafson began thinking up stories at a young age but did not begin writing and publishing until 1978. 

A graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois, she has been actively involved in church life as a minister’s wife, teacher, musician, writer, and encourager. Additional experiences include gardening, house construction, tree farming, parenting, and mouse wars—all of which have helped bring color and humor to her fiction. 

One of her major writing goals has been to make scriptural principles understandable and relevant for today’s readers through the undeniable power of story. Learn more at www.eleanorgustafson.com

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Music as an act of worship, A devotional written by Ellie

My guest today, Ellie, has a unique but perhaps common take on music--she sees it as an "act of worship." Curious to know why? Read on and enjoy this devotional written by the same woman who writes novels for the Christian book market! :)

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An Act of Worship
A devotional written by Eleanor K. Gustafson a.k.a. “Ellie”

I sometimes listen to high and holy music, such as John Rutter’s Gloria. A deliberate act, done alone, with no one watching—no one to see the first tears that turn into violent sobs. No one to see but God.

A deliberate act of worship.

I sit in the middle of that musical maelstrom, caught up, whirled around, shaken and wrung, emptied of self and filled with the glory of God that burst through the temporary tear in the fabric of the universe.

I don’t do this often. Such moments of pure worship cannot be borne easily. They exact a cost, as Daniel and Ezekiel and other prophets well knew. In Daniel’s encounter with a heavenly being, he says, “I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless.” (Daniel 10:8) The angel began speaking to Daniel, but the latter cried, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, and I am helpless. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe." (Daniel 10:16, 17) After at least one of his visions, Daniel lay exhausted and ill for several days. (Daniel 8:27)

Prophets in general were prickly—not the sort you’d invite to afternoon tea. But when you consider their occupational hazards—Moses’ thunderbolts atop Mt. Sinai, Ezekiel’s UFOs, Isaiah’s burning coals—we can understand their lack of patience for banalities. Standing as they did at the interface of heaven and earth, such details as an altered order of worship or too-loud drums wouldn’t have mattered to them.

Worship music is different for different people. People who love contemporary praise songs might hold their ears against Rutter, whereas Rutter lovers are often bored by praise songs. I often find myself weeping through praise music, as well as classical, but then, God seems to have given me the gift of tears.

Might I suggest that the higher we reach both spiritually and musically, the closer we get to heaven’s musical interface. God spoke music into the world; music continues to speak his word.

God’s musical language penetrates every fiber and bone of my body. It is physical. It is emotional. It is spiritual. It knows me. It finds my weaknesses. It cannot remove weaknesses; only the blood of Jesus can do that. It can only touch sore points and make me weep. It gathers all human sorrows and joys from every land and every time. I see these sorrows and joys and cry out, “Lord God, King of heaven, thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.”

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Author bio:

Ellie grew up in Branchville, N.J. in a county that had more cows than people. She loved horses and the annual County Farm and Horse Show.

Ellie studied music at Wheaton College in Illinois until she "shoved off of music, tried on the cloak of writing and found that it fit quite well."

"God first touched me through a story, and he has molded and kneaded me all my life," Ellie said. "I love Him passionately." A writer of huge influence on Ellie's life is Eugene Peterson. "His books are meaty and challenging," she said. "Having endorsed my novel on King David, The Stones, he is my forever friend."

Ellie and her husband enjoy their 3 kids and 8 grandchildren. Ellie's husband works as a pastor, college professor, tree farmer, organist, writer, etc.

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Buy Ellie's books:

Dynamo - http://amzn.to/1zvs5EF

The Stones: A Novel of the Life of King David - http://amzn.to/1Pbpm4P

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Connect with Ellie:
E-mail - egus@me.com
Website - www.eleanorgustafson.com

Love is in the Air: The Many Dimensions of Spring

Today we have an author who likes for you to call her"Ellie," visiting my blog today! :)

Ellie is a wonderful writer who loves springtime. She says this season has "many dimensions" and has prepared a wonderful devotional for you on that very idea.

I hope you will enjoy your time with Ellie today! :)

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The Many Dimensions of Spring
A devotional written by Eleanor “Ellie” Gustafson

Years ago, I read a love fantasy that had me guessing until at least halfway through. The story started out depicting a grumpy old hag—totally unattractive to the male figure in the story. As time went on, however, she began to take care of herself and look even pleasant. To his surprise, she soon became sumptuous, well-endowed, alluring. But after this tantalizing period, even heavy, multi-colored makeup couldn’t mask her aging.

Have you figured it out? Think of winter, spring, summer, fall as a single character with multiple, evolving personas. A clever plot device.

I love spring. I’ve decided, though, that my favorite part comes before it actually happens. The anticipation of spring quickens me—so close but not yet here. I love summer, too, but with the sun beginning its southward run, can winter be far behind? I watch eagerly for those early, sparse signs of spring, but once spotted, the season quickly becomes an overwhelming flood that leaves me gasping. Not enough time to take all of it in!

I record the yearly dates of Important Spring Things: the first blackbirds, snowdrops, croaking frogs and peepers, forsythia, magnolias, daffodils. AND the first sprigs of asparagus in my garden. I can check previous years in my notebook to see if we’re early or late. Big-time late this year—not surprising, considering our horrendous New England winter.

Getting back to the love story, I see a parallel paradigm. I started my life as a grumpy, wrinkled bit of hardship for my parents. I grew to be reasonably intelligent and capable, became fruitful (three wonderful children) and productive (five published novels with another on the way), and now I’m again collecting wrinkles.

But there’s another level of spring that also has that period of anticipation. Here I am, a bit long in the tooth and nearing the end of the road. But like living in the sure expectation of the glories of spring (note the above), I am similarly anticipating the glories of heaven. I’m not there yet, but as new spring life invariably appears out of winter’s death, so heaven is guaranteed by Jesus’ death. Our Savior took the seed of life into the grave, and there it sprouted, bursting the bonds of Death.

I’ve read enough about near-death experiences to note commonalities: bright light, indescribable colors, vibrancy, overwhelming beauty, boundless energy—on and on. There are, of course, those who get a glimpse of hell and on recovery, quickly change their ways. But heaven is certain Reality for those who commit their lives to Christ.

The difference between our spring and God’s heaven is the problem of death. When spring first appears, it totally conquers winter’s death, but only for a brief moment. Death’s sword will soon leave its mark, first with snowdrops and daffodils, then forsythia. In heaven, though, Death has been totally defeated. We see Life as originally intended in the Garden of Eden.

My novel Dynamo addresses some of these spring-winter issues. Jeth Cavanaugh is searching for a new life along one of Pennsylvania's mountain ridges when he stumbles upon a stable of jumpers, as well as a volatile stallion named Dynamo. Jeth will do anything to work there. He’s hired to train and show the jumpers, but Dynamo becomes his primary passion. Everything changes when God enters his life—by means of a hard slap by his girlfriend. After that slap, their love relationship becomes wintery, at best. Any chance for them to experience spring? It comes, but in a shape neither of them expect.

Yes, enjoy each season of life here on earth, but keep your eyes fixed on the place where we can enjoy a whole, glorious eternity with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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Author bio: 

Ellie grew up in Branchville NJ in a county that had more cows than people. She loved horses and the annual County Farm and Horse Show. Ellie attended Wheaton College in Illinois as a music major. She is married to a pastor/college professor/tree farmer/organist and writer. Together, Ellie and her husband have 3 kids and 8 grandchildren. 

Music was Ellie’s first love until she “tried on the cloak of writing and found that it fit quite well.”

“God first touched me through a story, and he has molded and kneaded me all my life,” Ellie said. “I love Him passionately!”
A writer of huge influence on Ellie’s life is Eugene Peterson. She says Peterson’s books are “meaty and challenging.” Peterson endorsed Ellie’s novel The Stones (about King David) and since then, Ellie refers to Peterson as her “forever friend”.

Ellie hopes that her readers will enjoy all of her books and says, “The Stones may taste good to you too!”

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Buy Ellie’s books:
Dynamo - http://amzn.to/1HW4cHg
The Stones: A Novel of the Life of King David - http://amzn.to/1Pbpm4P

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Connect with Ellie:
Blog/website - www.eleanorgustafson.com
E-mail - egus@me.com