Monday, March 18, 2013

Elisabeth Elliot's Visit & What's On JuanaMikels.com this Week

I cannot tell you what a privilege it is to be serving Elisabeth Elliot and her husband in our home this weekend. They have decided to stay an extra night, so I am re-arranging my blog this week. You can read the post I wrote earlier this week getting her room and meals ready here! 

I am not the same wife and mother I would have been, without her influence. I met her throught her radio program, and we began a writing correspondence. She later came to visit me on several occasions, and asked me to be on her radio program for three days. She helped so many young women to love their husbands and children!

You have no idea the blessing it is taking care of the woman who is a spiritual mother to me. I have been able to take care of her personal needs and even got to put her to bed last night and tuck her in. I am witnessing God-honoring, graceful dementia right before my eyes that stems out of a lifetime lived with acceptance and trust in God. One of Elisabeth's favorite quotes came from Amy Carmichael, who Elisabeth greatly admired, who said, "In acceptance, lieth peace."

Oh! How Elisabeth's life reflects that!

I will try to write back this week to share more with reflections with you of our time together this weekend, and some precious photos below from the weekend, including Elisabeth with my Mary touching her hands, and singing to her. Please continue to pray for the Grens (Elisabeth's husband's name is Lars Gren).



My Husband, Terry (purple), Lars, Elisabeth's husband (red), friends Jim & Thomas
(Thomas in his beautiful Congolese accent),
all praying over Elisabeth and her husband at the end of our Sunday School class. 
Elisabeth holding the 35 letters that she wrote me over a ten year period that I treasure!

Elsabeth's dear hands on the hymnbook.
I started with one of her favorite hymns,
A Mighty Fortress,
and sang several for her.
Her big blue eyes looked into my eyes as I sang all the verses.


I'm speaking this upcoming weekend (much of what Elisabeth taught me!), March 22-23 at Christ Covenant Church in Raleigh for their women's retreat on Seeing God in Everything on Saturday morning, after giving my testimony first on Friday night. Please pray for all of us to hear from the Holy Spirit and for me to share out of this weekend with the freshness God is still showing me as he teaches me through Elisabeth's life.

If any of you live in the Raleigh area, they may still have a few spots. You can check by clicking here

Part Three of my vlog that I had planned this week with Nancy Cobb will be rescheduled on my blog next week!

We will be having prayer on my blog this Wednesday and every Wednesday. Be sure to come back and list your prayer request then to be prayed over! It was such a joy last week to pray for so many of you. There are so many needs out there, but we serve a great God who longs to hear from us!


I'd love to connect with you wherever you most like on FacebookInstagramPinterest, or Twitter. You may follow my blog here.

Walk by Faith,

29 comments:

  1. OH.MY.WORD! I knew there was a reason I had such a heart connection with you Juana!!! Elizabeth Elliot is - hands down - my favorite author and a huge influence in my course of life.

    I went to Moody Bible Institute as a missions major after reading "Through Gates of Splendor"...my major later changed and I never made it to the mission field but her writing on marriage and living the crucified life is at the heart of my message to women today.

    YOU loving on her is just so.precious! I can't wait to see her in heaven! And thank you for sharing this with us!
    Love you,
    Courtney

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    1. Yes my hands-down favorite too. Love your blog and your sweet spirit and loving you received back from Elisabeth also I am sure. Knowing her love of The Lord has to shine through in spite of all of our human frailties. Love to you in Christ, Barb

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  2. Loved your story of Elizabeth Elliot. I used to spend my lunch hour in my car just so I could listen to her radio broadcast. I learned so much from her that left a permanent impact on me & how I view my Christian faith. I was so sorry to hear of her condition, but if ever that were to be my fate, I pray to God our merciful Father that I will bear it with that kind of inner beauty & grace that he has blessed her with.She truly is a remarkable woman of God !God Bless you & your ministry. Sincerely, Deborah Sipes

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    1. Hello! Did you know that Elisabeth's "Gateway To Joy" programs are now being played again on BBN at 11:15 EST and you an get it online anytime. www.bbnradio.org Be blessed!

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  3. What an incredible experience! I too have been influenced by this amazing woman of God! It was so beautiful reading your story and seeing your pictures, thank you so much for sharing. I love that you honored her so greatly by singing to her... precious!

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  4. How wonderful to hear how your relationship with Elizabeht Elliot developed. I also got to learn a lot from her and still love her teachings. Some of her books were translated in my mothertongue (Dutch) and I treasure them. Love her insightful and practical teachings and in my studies I prepare for womengroups I enclose quite a bit of here sayings.
    Greetings from Belgium, Wilma

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  5. Elisabeth Elliot is one of my spiritual heroes. I want to run downstairs to my bookshelves and pull her books off and read them again after reading this. What a sweet, sweet treasure you have been given to spend this time with her. I am sure you must be a blessing to her in knowing how God has used her to minister to you and now you are ministering to others! Blessings to you, my dear sister.

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  6. Oh, how I wish I could have been there to see her! (And to meet you, of course). Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your visit and I'll look forward to hearing more. I've described Elisabeth as my "spiritual mother" as well, and we too have had a written correspondence over the years. I've been so blessed and ministered by her since I was a single girl (a long time ago!:) Thanks again. Many blessings on you both!

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  7. My daughter and I still use her words of wisdom in our Christian lives. I was just looking at one of her books on Amazon, because of some quotes my daughter sent me. Such a woman of wisdom.

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  8. Oh everyone your comments are just beautiful! I will be back soon & will reply to each one. I have to get ready to speak for two days, and I am not ready. I would love your prayers. The good thing is much of my talks are right out of Elisabeth's influence, so I am going to add in new content as well from these precious days with her. I loved hearing from all of you! Isn't it amazing how wide the territory that the Lord allowed Elisabeth to have influence? It is mind-bottling!! We are ALL SO TOUCH to live more for Christ through her witness, life and teaching! As she says, TO GOD BE THE GLORY! Back soon to reply to you individually, it might take me a few days! I didn't even reply to email while she was here nor did I even wash my hair before church and one day I never got a bath, Ssshhhh!!!! It was SO WORTH IT!!! Can't wait to tell you all about it!

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  9. Thank you for sharing this visit with us. Though i have never seen Elisabeth before yet the aroma of her has gotten to me in Nigeria. I long to fulfil God's call upon my life as a Woman. God Bless Elisabeth and may God help us to do things that will outlive us. Amen. Lots of luv. Bunmi from Nigeria

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    1. Oh, Bunmi, you have blessed me today all the way from Nigeria! I somehow missed your message when you posted it on April 12, and just read it today! So it was a special blessing for today nearly 2 weeks later. Elisabeth has blessed so many women by her life of obedience. I want to be that kind of women, a women whose confidence is in her Lord! May you be that kind of woman today on the other side of the globe in what God has called you to do!

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  10. I've been heart-broken about Elisabeth Elliot's dementia. And I've been seeking the Lord on why He would allow this in her life.

    But after reading your post today, I understand. I really do.

    (I cared for my Mother after her stroke and severe dementia for two years.
    Totally understand the "no bath" days :). I'm so glad the Grens are surrounded by such love).

    ginny

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    1. Ginny, She is such a picture of what she taught us all for years: "In acceptance, lies peace." (from her mentor, that she never met, Amy Carmichael)

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  11. I had the blessing of hearing and meeting her thirty years ago. I will be a blessing to someday sit and talk with her again in the Kingdom of our God.

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  12. thanks so much for sharing your time with Elisabeth with us.I am writing from Malaysia and want so much for Elisabeth to know what a great blessing,influence and encouragement she has been in my life,my family's and countless women who have undergone severe trials in their lives including ones who lost their husbands to cancer .she has so faithfully pointed us back to Christ again and again,enriching our trust in our heavenly father.knowing we are always secure in his everlasting arms,no matter what happens,thank you dearest Elisabeth and to god be all glory.I pray for you Elisabeth that you will be comforted and strengthened by the deep love of our god even as you face dementia.I pray for you Juana that you will minister powerfully to many in Jesus name.I am not sure how to pass this message to Elisabeth so would be so wonderful if you could forward this to her and Lars.thanks so much.In christ,maxine

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    1. Hi Maxine, I can hear right through your typed words your love for precious Elisabeth! Isn't it amazing how many lifes her one life influenced all over the globe? I was also so touched with your prayer for me. I really appreciate your prayer, and do not take it for granted. I hope we can see them in the next several weeks, & if so, will read your note to them. If you'd like, you can write them by snail mail, and Lars will read it. It's:
      Mr. and Mrs. Lars Gren
      10 Strawberry Cove
      Magnolia, Massachusetts

      In the words that Elisabeth opened her radio program with, "You are loved with an everlasting love," all the way in Malaysia, Sister!

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  13. Oh thank you for posting these precious pictures and this very special story of your unforgettable visit! I call her my "spiritual mentor" for that is what she is and I treasure her. Thank you, Juana, for caring so tenderly for her. God has used her to shape my life again and again, and how neat to see and read your blog and know she is even now, surrounded by love and care. Blessings to you! -Jen

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    1. Oh, Yes, Jen! So glad to "meet" you here! I will be writing more about her in the future. She is such a treasure! My Mary sang, "Over the Rainbow" to her on the phone last night:-) So sweet! Love, Juana

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  14. Hi Juana,
    I stumbled upon this post and just wanted to share with you that I, too, got to spend some time with Lars and Elisabeth when they were visiting Southern California a few years ago. I had written to them, and Lars invited me to come visit and have some tea with them. He told me not to expect any scintillating conversation (don't you just love the way he talks?), but honestly, he didn't prepare me for how she really was. After realizing that a conversation probably wasn't going to happen, I wasn't sure what to do, but you know, it turned out to be the most wonderful day! We sang hymns, looked at photos, I told her all about her influence on me when I was a new believer and also a young widow, and how her books helped me. I told her about my Dad's grocery store in Germantown, Pa, a town she also had lived in. I told her about a conference I heard her speak at at Grace Community Church and Lars laughed when I shared some of my memories. She'd take my arm when she wanted to move from here to there, and one time she took my arm and headed toward the door and I thought, okay, she's ready for our visit to end, but she said something to Lars that he understood and he told me she wanted to go out for ice cream! Mint chip to be exact! So we hopped in the car and went on a hunt for Mint Chip ice cream. I asked my friend who came with me to pinch me. Were we really taking Elisabeth Elliot out for ice cream? It was surreal but wonderful. Lars later told us we were the first ones to ever cart her off on our own like that before! What a memory! It was such a joy and a privilege, and I know that if you've hosted her in your home, you can definitely relate! She's a special woman to so many, and Lars is just wonderful. I'm glad to see your more recent photos. Thanks for taking such good care of her! I'm sure they appreciated it! In Christ, ~Betsy

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  15. How wonderful that you got to experience this precious experience with Elisabeth. She has been a wonderful Godly role model to me all through my adult life. I even refer to the things I used to hear on her radio program to my adult children now. She impacted me greatly with her books and radio program. I look forward to meeting her in heaven. Thank you for sharing the lovely photos. I have wondered how Elisabeth was and stumbled on your blog when researching information on her. May God richly bless you!

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    1. Amen! Thanks for sharing...
      I was priveliged to meet Elisabeth 13 yrs ago as a college student when she came to speak at my church.
      I will always treasure the memory

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    2. God bless you, Juana, for serving sweet Elisabeth and for sharing about her influence in your life. She has also been a spiritual mother to me since college (a long time ago!). God used her to shape the woman I am today. I have read her books, newsletters and anything I could get my hands on. I homeschooled our children and we listened to her radio program each day. I was heartbroken when it ended; I knew I would greatly miss her daily words. As a young mother I was privileged to meet and speak to Elisabeth at a conference and luncheon. Her encouraging words to me meant so much and I will carry them in my heart the rest of my life!
      My own mother is the same age as Elisabeth and I have helped care for her and my father (when he was alive) for years. They both have/had dementia which is a very sad and debilitating disease. As I care for my mother, though I know she won't remember me being there, God knows, and I serve 'even the least of these' through His love and in His name.
      Thank you for your words of hope and encouragement! Isn't it wonderful that as we serve our Lord through serving others, He blesses them and us, as well? Praise God!
      I am so glad I found your website as I looked for news of Elisabeth today. I needed the reminder... I will be praying for you, Juana. In His Strength, Dixie

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  16. Hello Juana - I was just remembering something Elisabeth had said this morning and was looking it up to get the full meaning - when I found your blog in the search list! What a true blessing to read ! Elisabeth has been used so greatly in my life - I was able to meet her very briefly at a conference in Bakersfield California about 23 years ago- and I treasure that day! God used her radio program, her books, and her articles to encourage me through long years of singleness, infertility and then miscarriages- always with the encouragement to remember the One who holds me - and those I love in His hands..When we were finally able to have our one son- how I looked forward to "Having lunch" with her as I listened to her broadcast.
    Thank you so much for sharing the pictures and the ways you were able to minister to her and Lars.
    And what a blessing and encouragement your website is- thank you!
    Kathy- Fresno CA

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    1. Oh, what a dear post and I can just see you "having lunch" with Elisabeth!!! Somehow I missed this most one year ago!!! You may want to search on my site under her name or click her photo at the top of my site where I am kissing her head because we went to see them in August so many updates in a year! I also soon am going to post a e photo book online of our trip there:-)

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  17. I just happened on this website but it has been a blessing to me. I love Elizabeth & Jim Elliott and the other missionaries and their wives who were a part of the meeting originally with the Aucas so long ago. I could read their stories over and over again and still get something knew to think about each time. They are my heroes! So thankful you got to help her in this way. The faith of these men and women of God lives on and their dedication is amazing to me. They knew the chances of loss of life was great and went gladly on to reach the lost. God bless their families and may God bless the ones that came after them because of their faithfulness.

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    1. So happy you found us here, Pam! Elisabeth is such a hero of the faith to so many! Love to you! Juana

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  18. You've brought tears to my eyes with your love and honor of this dear blessing of a woman. Truly, they are tracing down my face even now. I visited my 92 year old grandmother last week who just last summer was moved to a nursing home. It's so hard to see those we love near the end of the journey, but it's so much easier knowing that their love of God and others will precede them to the throne.

    Blessings to you,
    Laura Lane

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