I am often asked how to read Scripture. My response is to allow the Word to read you, to have the Word speak to you as a love letter from God the Father. When I read Scripture, I ask the Lord to speak to me through His Word and journal what I sense He is saying to me. Today’s post is from my devotional, Sitting at His Feet. It is a compilation of journal entries from my personal quiet times with the Lord. These writings come out of my wrestling through issues with Him in the Word and in prayer and the comfort He has given me in the process. They come from a heart to heart meeting with the L ..read more

Good morning making space friends. This blog is designed to help us make space for God so that we will not be overwhelmed with life. Jesus’s words remind us that we are the branch to the vine; that He refreshes and fills us as we draw near to Him. As we have all witnessed the last few months during the worldwide pandemic, we have felt a greater need to draw near to the Source of Living Water. On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living wate ..read more

We have exciting news to share! Watch Joanne’s latest video on what is coming soon to Drawing Near To God! The post Coming Soon! appeared first on Joanne Ellison ..read more

Happy Memorial Day! Today on my Making Space for God blog I wanted to share with you some facts about the observance of Memorial Day. It was designated as a day on which those who died in active military service are remembered. Originally known as Decoration Day, it was traditionally observed on May 30th but in 1971 Congress established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May. It began as an observance for the military personnel who died in the Civil War and continued as an observance for the following wars and casualties. Civil War Roughly 620,000 Americans died making it the deadlies ..read more

As we have been sheltering in place, I have heard comments that range from “ I am struggling with home schooling, I need a break” to “ I am lonely and feeling isolated.” We can all agree that the pandemic has impacted each of in different ways. Many have lost their jobs and their sense of security is threatened for the future. Some have contracted the virus and others live in fear that they will get it. As Christians, we are asking ourselves what is God saying in the midst of this? For me, it has been a reset of my life. The spinning plates no longer spinning and time to make space to hear ..read more

We are just beginning to emerge from from a world wide “time out”. It is surreal to think that the pandemic caused many of us to shelter at home. Now we are beginning to reopen cities, jobs returning and a new normal is being set for us. But before we race off to the new normal, it is good for us to make space to consider our old normal. Were we making abiding space? Space to not simply read Scripture but have Scripture read us? Were we finding times to “be still” and reflect on life, on God, on our hopes and dreams or simply spinning out of control? Were we discovering our creative selves ..read more

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.   James 2:14-17  Faith, according to Scripture, is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. (Hebrews 11:1) Faith is the certainty of God at work even though we don’t physically ..read more

My Daughters and I Since Yesterday was Mother’s Day, I want to direct this post to mothers around the country and encourage all of you mothers out there who are discouraged, weary, guilt-ridden-stressed-filled, and simply worn out. Some of you may not be Moms yet or are spiritual Moms but the principle of seeking Jesus first is the same. I know. I am part of your club. And now I have joined another club. Grand-parenting. Mothers everywhere –  be encouraged. We all feel this way or have felt this way at times. The question is what to do about it? A Mother’s heart   This bl ..read more

Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Isaiah 49:13   Isaiah told the people that God would bring strength to the weary, increase the power of the weak, and bring streams in the desert. Although the people returning from captivity were weary and discouraged, He promised them that He would give them strength to rebuild their land from a desert into fertile ground again. The Jewish rabbis refer to Isaiah 40-66 as the “Book of Consolation.” Isaiah sought to comfort the Jewis ..read more

  Good morning making space for God friends. Today we are going to look at the subject of worrying. Throughout the years my Mother told me that worrying is a sin. I always rolled my eyes until recently when I pondered what she meant by that. The Greek word for sin is amartia which means missing the mark. In light of that definition of sin, worry is missing the mark. The mark we need to hit is peace. And Jesus assured us that He would give us peace: I am leaving you with a gift– my peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled ..read more