Let's Wrap up 2024

Where to begin?

I rarely get sentimental or personal about aspects of my life outside of writing and encouraging others, but I have to say 2024 was a whirlwind of chaos and unpredictability. It has been a year of drastic change and a great deal of learning and discovery. While I began the year on a huge positive note by completing the novel, The Cyprus Journal, and then releasing it on Orthodox Easter, things quickly changed. 

The Ichthys Letters: The Letter to Philadelphia (The One that Began it All)

Greetings, 

With my introduction to the Ichthys Letters being released just under a week ago now, I thought it would be really fun to share the very first letter, as it was written for my college assignment, here for everyone to see. I am going to re-write this one in the tone, and mindset, that I write today, and will also give you more background into these characters in another post, but it's always fun to remember, isn't it? I will publish the second one soon as well. Without further ado? 

Simple Things- The Journaling Phenomenon

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4 ESV

A journal is something that almost everyone has taken upon themselves to write as they have grown up. How long the commitment was may not have been the best but the idea of writing down your thoughts and experiences is something that many have wondered about, and were most likely forced to do in school.  

Journaling your thoughts on a daily basis can give you something to refer to when difficult times come, as sort of a guide of it’s own. It can show you where you’ve been and give you a clearer picture of what God is trying to reveal to you in your time with.

There have been many times others have been impacted by an entry in their personal journal that was scribbled down several months or even years back.  God has a great way of taking our experiences from the past and bringing back to the forefront of our mind. Having a Journal to refer back to when these times come can be very encouraging.

Today, I still look back on several of my blog posts or “journal entries” and learn something new.  The Bible is the same way. Some of my best ideas come from when I journal about a scripture that has really impacted my life. The result of writing that passage down, along with a few of my thoughts, has birthed most of what I write.

Blessings in Christ and Thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room."

"Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord." 45.3.20

M.J. Elliott

Reflecting Christmas Movies

Greetings,

As many of you know, Our Christmas eBook will be offered at .99 for 80hrs starting on Dec. 19th, Yes, that is just two days from now. :-). It will then go up to 1.99 the 80hrs following the first.

Part of the content in this Christmas eBook uses good wholesome movies to share the lessons I learned as I researched and created this project. So I thought I'd offer a few links to those movies for you to check out for yourself.

So, Here they are :-). Feel free to check them out on. All you need to do is click on the movie and it will take you to it's Amazon page.

Blessings in Christ and Thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room."

"Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord." 45.3.20

M.J. Elliott

Simple Things- The Ambulance Effect

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

- Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

 As a child growing up my mother had this little thing she would do every time she heard a siren, hence the name: The Ambulance Effect. She would stop everything she was doing and say a simple prayer, “Lord be with them and keep them in your love and give them understanding. Amen.” Many times us kids would ask why and she’d simply answer, “because Jesus would.”

That answer is the root of everything I hold dear in my life, many who know me know one of my ministry sayings is “Love them Crazy, Just like Jesus.” My mother taught me this and while she never really found out what became of all those she prayed for, it was important that she took the time to stop and do something for someone else, regardless of knowing the outcome.

As an adult, I have continued to follow her lead. I have adapted my prayers a little but still, there is something that clicks in my heart when I embrace an opportunity to help someone else in need, whether it be through these simple prayers or something bigger. So next time you see someone struggling embrace the ambulance effect.

It will do more than change your heart, it will change the hearts of others as well when they see the example you set with whatever assistance you offer those around you. One of the ways I like to keep track of those moments where embracing the ambulance effect really makes a difference is by journaling the events that lead to them.

Blessings in Christ and Thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room."

"Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord." 45.3.20

M.J. Elliott

A Vision Changed

Greetings Dear Readers, 

It feels like it has been a long time since I last wrote a post like this, but I've got the motivation today so I'm going for it. Lets see where it takes me.

First off, I have to admit something to you all. I've been struggling as of late. I know, I know, you struggling, unheard of, I don't believe it. Well, it's true and it's okay to believe it. :-). Its been an interesting month and a lot has happened in our lives since my last family update back in February. I won't bore you with all the details, so lets just say if you want the details just ask and I'll share them in another post.

Lets, get to the point. We are awaiting the birth of our 3rd child in a few months, I've been promoted, our kids have been learning and growing, our ministry website has began to build a following and God has been changing our hearts.  That about sums it all up so lets move on to the motivation behind this post.

Secondly, The struggle I've been working through has been one of identity. Yes, it's true, I've been searching deep with in, longing for God to show me who I am today, I've been searching for a new voice so to speak. I've been wondering what am I passionate about now that my spirit has changed. The time that my family and I have been here in California has given me an entirely new perspective on life, but where has all this change been leading?

To be honest, I still don't really know. To be completely upfront, I had given up on trying to figure it all out. However, I have experienced a few things recently that have given me motivation to begin the search again. I will bring you the details of these experiences in a post I will share later this week but for now I want to leave you with a new vision that I believe God has given me. It is posted on my updated author page on Facebook, but here it is for you today.

"Live your life to the fullest, embracing each refreshing moment that comes from the Lord. Be free to share God's encouraging love with any and all who will accept it and use what God has shown you as the vessel to do so."

Blessings in Christ and Thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room."

"Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord." 45.3.20

M.J. Elliott

A Living Sacrifice Embraces True Worship

How does giving myself as a living sacrifice become true worship?

The other day someone asked me this question and it really got me thinking about what worship truly is. I was reminded of something I created a long time ago. It was a covenant that I wrote for the worship band I was leading. I thought I’d share a few of the lines of that covenant with you. When this covenant was created it’s purpose was to give the members of this worship band a guideline to follow as they sought after the idea that our lives should be a worship song. It really made a difference in how the members played their instruments and lived their lives.

“The purpose of worship is to please God, and that every word and act in worship creates a witness about God as well as an offering to Him.Seeking God’s heart must be the motivating inspiration behind everything that I do in my life”

“The responsibility of a Worship Band member is a sacred one. It requires us to be prepared, committed, and motivated as we strive to attain the heart of a servant in our everyday life.”

“As a member in good standing of this worship band I attest that true worship is our response to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I commit to strive with all that i am to be someone who will seek His will in my lives and not that of my own desire.”

Granted, this does not really answer the question that was asked, but it does provide a starting point. As I worked with the members of this worship band we all learned a lot about what worship truly is and came to the conclusion our lifestyle should be one of true worship.

As I thought further into answering this question my mind was drawn to the greek word Gonupeteo, which means to bend a knee. To bend a knee or bow is a sign of respect for someone who has a higher rank than you. Within the context of worship this could actually be attributed to showing humility and respect for God as we honor him .In other words, we honor God by giving ourselves in humility and respect for Him.This is what lead us back to the question, How does giving myself as a living sacrifice become true worship?

We offer ourselves to God by bending a knee in honor of serving him and strive to seek Him in all aspects of our lives. We sacrifice the desires of our heart so that we can honor the desires of His heart and commit to giving ourselves to Him with each day that we are given. In doing this we become true worshipers. All to often, we get so caught up in the world around us that we lose sight of what it truly means to worship God. Worshiping God starts with bending a knee and embracing whatever path He may have for us, not the embrace of worldly pleasures.True worship is felt inwardly and then comes out through our actions.

There is a passage of scripture in John chapter four that speaks to the heart of true worship and to what it means for us.  This passage reminds us that true worship is striving to seek Him in all things. It shows us what He desires of those who honor Him.

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." - John 4:23-24 (NIV)

In the end, it comes down to this. Offering ourselves as a living sacrifice is striving to give God all that we are and striving to honor Him in humility with our lives. As we do this we are, indeed, truly worshiping Him.That is why Paul urges the Romans in chapter 12 to offer themselves as living sacrifices; so that they will know more of the desires of God’s heart. Just as we have done in today's world, the Romans gave in to the temptations their world pushed on them. Because of this, Paul called upon them to break free from conforming to the world around them.and challenge them to embrace a life honors God through humility.

We are tasked with the same call to repentance that they were tasked with. This leads to living a life of worship and to honoring Him with all that we are, as a living sacrifice and a True Worshiper.

Blessings in Christ and thanks again for visiting us at "The Gathering Room"

Stand Strong and continue to believe the teachings given to you... (2 Thes. 2:15b NCV),

M.E.