i love elisabeth elliot!

this post will be mostly elisabeth's LONG quote from her book (an appropriate title, "The Path of Loneliness")---if you get a chance, you should read it! depressing title, but hope-filled MESSAGE!
first though, i wanted to share a little truth that came into my mind this morning as i was running at shelby farms. a BEAUTIFUL cold day with so many different colored leaves everywhere and every piece of God's creation i saw around me looked so clear and crisp. you know what i'm talking about? as i was running, i glanced over and saw a really pretty white bird flying by itself above the lake. the first thing that came to my mind was that the bird was by itself, lonely probably, and flying around but he was flying with confidence. i started to compare my story to the bird's and thought, that bird has a family, it has life and breath, it is lonely. these things i can relate to, but one stuck out most in my mind, and that is---the bird was created by GOD, the great Creator of the universe. I was created by God. then this verse came to mind from matthew 10:29-32
"are not two sparrows sold for a cent? and yet not one of them will fall the the ground apart from your Father, but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. so do not fear; you are more valuable than MANY sparrows. therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, i will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven".
isn't this so humbling, comforting, and moving? God created that lonely bird that was flying around. God gave it wings, life, breath, flight, family, etc. and that same God, whom i was thinking---wow He created that powerful beautiful bird, created US. and even more, He created us from His image, which makes us beautiful! and more valuable than many sparrows! and in matthew, the truth---"but the very hairs of your head are numbered..." God is loving. He has created us for PURPOSE, for His glory. and how comforting that He cares so much for us. it's funny what people can think up and imagine in their heads while running or just randomly throughout the day so many thoughts will pop into my head like that. they probably aren't "normal"...not many people tell stories about being able to relate to birds they see flying around a lake. but praise the Lord that that image came to mind this morning and i had a beautiful start to the day and an overwhelming sense of His love and presence and that all of this---the beautiful story of the Gospel, Creation, the relationship of a Father and the sacrifice of His only Son, the redemption that His blood has provided, ALL of His Word is real. it's funny because as i have gone through this semester of learning about the complexity of head and neck muscles, the complexity of teeth and if any miniscule part of our body were not where it should be or were not functioning in such a way that it has been created, our bodies, mouths, etc. would not work as they were meant to! and i'll think about one tooth and how much is associated with that one tooth out of many, and all of the characteristics about it and how it fits with the other teeth to make the mouth a certain shape, and i have thought to myself---how can someone NOT believe a supernatural God, a transcendent, personal being made this? it baffles me that people claim a force or a man-made god could have created such intricate, complex things...
now the quote from e.elliot:
"my theme is oblation---the offering up of ourselves, all we are, have, do and suffer. sacrifice means something received and something offered. but some may be wondering, How, exactly do i do this? i hesitate to prescribe a method for so solemn and vital a spiritual transaction. God knows your heart and will accept your offering in any way you can make it, i am sure, but a very simple thing has helped me. it is to kneel with open hands before the Lord. be silent for a few minutes, putting yourself consciously in His presence. think of Him. then think of what you have received in the four categories mentioned (are, have, do, suffer)- the gift of a child, for example, or, years later, the empty nest; the gift of work of the inability to work; marriage or singleness; pleasures or burdens; joy or sorrow. next, visualize as well as you can this gift, resting there in your open hands. thank the Lord for whatever aspect of the gift you can honestly thank Him for---if not for the thing in itself, then for its transformability, for His sovereignty, His will which allows you to have this gift, His unfailing love, the promise of His presence in deep waters and hot fires, the pattern for good which you know He is at work on. then, quite simply, offer it up. make God's gift to you your oblation to Him. lift up your hands. this is a physical act denoting your love, your acceptance, your thanksgiving, and your trust that the Lord will make of it something redemptive for the wholeness of the Body, even for the life of the world. do not look for dramatic effects. there may be no discernible result. as my dear friend Frank Murray, an elder brother to me in the Lord, said regarding a matter we had prayed about, "IT IS A MISTAKE TO MEASURE SUCH THINGS BY INTROSPECTION. HE HEARD AND ANSWERED. THAT IS ALL THERE IS TO IT. LET THE ANSWER BE MANIFESTED IN HIS OWN TIME AND WAY". i think you will begin to know the strange peace that is not the world's kind."- e.elliot...the path of loneliness :)