Copied From the Personal Notebook of Elisabeth Elliot

Sitting in the audience, feverishly taking notes, I tried desperately to capture her every word. Elisabeth Elliot’s topic was, “For the Sake of the Joy.” Afterward, knowing I missed a bit, I approached the podium and asked, “May I please copy from your own notes the reference to Andrew Murray?”

With only a nanosecond of hesitation (and I wasn’t sure of the answer), she said, “Yes, Here it is. But please don’t’ lose it. Please. I have no other copy.”

With that, Elisabeth Elliot, our conference speaker, closed her small, very worn three-ring leather binder and placed it into my outstretched hand. Having respect for the countless hours of labor contained in this aged volume, I quickly set about transcribing from her notebook into mine the content below. At the top of my page, I began with this inscription:

Copied from the personal notebook of Elisabeth Elliot, September 13, 1987

Andrew Murray’s Rules for Himself

1. He brought me here, it is by His will that I am in this strait place: in that fact I will rest.

2. He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child.

3. He will make the trail a blessing, teach me the lessons He intends for me to learn, and work in me the grace He means to bestow.

4. In His good time He can bring me out again - - how and when He knows.

Let me say, I am here:

1. By God’s appointment

2. In His keeping

3. Under His training

4. For His time

When my task of transcribing was complete, I closed the cover, studied the item in my hand, rubbed my fingers over the aged leather, and forthwith returned it to its rightful owner. With relief, she said, “Thank you; oh, thank you!”

I’m not sure what taught me more, Andrew Murray’s Rules for Himself or Elisabeth Elliot’s willingness to trust her only teaching notebook into the hands of a spiritual neophyte. For both I, to this day, remain grateful.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“He has also set eternity in the heart of man.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11b).

Do you find yourself in a hard place, approaching a hard place, or recently coming out of a hard place?

How did God meet you?

What aspect of Andrew Murray’s Rule #2 relates to your situation?

Consider how this content speaks to both the sovereignty of God and the compassion of God?

Join Candice and Me for a Conversation Over Dinner

Meet my friend Candice—vibrant, fun-loving, generous, and loyal. Like a treasured antique, our relationship is a classic, which has withstood the test of time (and geography). Trains, trunks, boxes, suitcases, and moving vans have transported both our families across the globe in different directions. Thankfully, our friendship has survived the chaos of transitions.

Whenever possible, Candice and I relish the opportunity for a visit. Picking up right where we last left off, she and I launch headlong into heart-to-heart sharing.

On one particular evening, she and I sat for one of our marathon dinners. Sensing the gravity of her topic, I put my fork down and gave her 100% focus.

“I am overwhelmed at a recent occurrence God brought about in my life. ”

— Candice Holtz

“I am overwhelmed at a recent occurrence God brought about in my life. Recently, while sitting at a traffic light, I turned my head and noticed a sad sight; a poor woman walked down the sidewalk pushing a grocery cart.”

“Since this was not an area of poverty, her presence stood in stark contrast to her surroundings. Though I pitied her, I pulled away when the light changed and distanced myself from the sight of the poor woman. At least I thought I did.”

“Into the next few blocks, the Holy Spirit began speaking to me. He made it clear that I was to stop, interrupt my busy day, turn around, and go back to that woman. Sensing that the Lord offered no option for me to wiggle out of, I returned, parked my car, and located the woman who had by now rested on a bench.”

“Without fanfare, I pulled out several bills and offered them to her. She looked up at me and said, ‘I didn’t ask you for money.’ ‘I know,’ I said, ‘but the Lord told me to give it to you. In the name of Jesus I offer you this.’ ”

— Candice Holtz

“Without fanfare, I pulled out several bills and offered them to her. She looked up at me and said, ‘I didn’t ask you for money.’ ‘I know,’ I said, ‘but the Lord told me to give it to you. In the name of Jesus I offer you this.’ She hesitantly pulled her hand from her ragged coat pocket and took the cash. I smiled at her, turned, and walked away. Though I regularly drive past that bench, I have never seen her again.”

I sensed that Candice was not done. After pausing to take a swallow of water, she continued.

“I am so excited to share this story with you, Debby, because the episode was totally from the Lord. This was so unlike me. I don’t consider myself to be very compassionate, and normally I wouldn’t have taken the time to be bothered about such a woman.”

Continuing through tears, my friend said, “I truly see Jesus working in my life, softening my heart, and making me more compassionate. I am so excited to see that He is changing me.”

What a story! This incredible example, lifted from the pages of life, displays authentic ongoing growth in Christ.

For a Child of God, growth is the godly, intentional pursuit of Christ-likeness. This spiritual dynamic takes place when we grant the Holy Spirit access to every area of our lives. He involves people; He incorporates community to move us toward His desired outcome.

Candice, thank you for allowing us to see the Holy Spirit at work through your vulnerable, motivational example.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“He has also set eternity in the human heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

God longs to make us more like Jesus. “For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29a). In your life, what does growth look like?

How do we know if we are, in fact, growing in “the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18)?

Where do you see yourself, like Candice, growing in Christ-likeness?

Consider making a dinner reservation in the near future to discuss the topic with a dear friend.

10 Travel-Tested Tips

Not long ago, I sat beside my granddaughter for our upcoming flight. With a sigh of personal defeat, I said, “Well, Sweetheart, I did it again. I over-packed.”

Without batting an eye, the adorable twelve-year-old looked squarely at me and said, “I over-packed, and I am proud of it.”

““I over-packed, and I am proud of it.””

— My Grandaughter

With my outburst of howling laughter, I marveled. Where was this self-accepting declaration when I needed it years ago? If only.

The scene of humiliation: My innermost beings lay strewn across the tile floor of the airport lobby. The check-in agent had declared my bag overweight, and the painful drama of purging commenced.

The subsequent slinging, flinging, shoving, and stuffing provided entertainment for curious onlookers. Some passengers offered unsolicited bits of advice as they stepped around me. Others glared. A few groaned with sympathy; none were helpful. In a race against the clock, I gritted my teeth and muttered under my breath, “If I ever get out of this alive, it will NEVER happen again.”

Thankfully, that disastrous day is a distant memory. After wrestling my suitcase into submission, I managed to make that flight—and many more. Hence, after more than 50 years of travel, I confidently offer these 10 Travel-Tested Tips which hopefully, you find helpful.

1. Pray. Take charge. Don’t overthink; be decisive.

2. Start two days ahead and do your laundry first.

3. Put your suitcase in a separate room other than your bedroom. Place hanging clothes on a door rack to view your choices.

4. Pack in daylight, not at night. Begin by counting out underwear.

5. Use Eagle Creek packing cubes for categories.

6. Think simple, think solids.

7. Minimize shoes. Always take a dress.

8. Remove at least 2 items. Be realistic, but not ruthless. You do need clothes and supplies where you are going.

9. Place a versatile windbreaker and a small empty duffle in the outside pocket of your suitcase.

10. Take my advice and weigh bags at home.

Once the suitcase is zipped and loaded, you can pull up to the airport curb without a knot in your stomach. As the ticket agent smiles at you and says, “Place your luggage here on the scale,” you can confidently look her in the eye, knowing already that you made the cut. Bye-bye bag!

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

My author friend DiAnn Mills offers excellent advice in her recent post, How to Pack for the Perfect Vacation. Click this link to benefit from her experience.

Since you and I connect on multiple levels here, travel and packing are relevant topics. So, tell us,

What is your best packing tip?