"When Rose Allison had left the schoolroom, Elsie got up from her desk and knelt down with her Bible before her. In her own simple words, she poured out her story to the dear Savior she loved so well, confessing that when she had done right and suffered for it, she had not endured the injustice. Earnestly, she prayed to be made like the meek and lowly Jesus, and as she prayed, her tears fell on the pages of her Bible. But when she stood again, Elsie's load of sorrow was gone, and as always, her heart was light with a sweet sense of peace and pardon."

~excerpt from Elsie's Endless Wait

One of the things I always find amazing and inspiring about Elsie in the A Life of Faith series is her ability to take any insult or injustice with incredible humility, patience, and peace.

However, she could not do it alone. As you saw in the excerpt above, she leaned on the Lord for all of her strength and peace.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3)

It seems like no matter what happened in Elsie's life, she always desired and tried her best to be like Christ, who was mocked and treated horribly... and yet He did not say a word.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)

This is something I have to work on every day. Sometimes, honestly, it is so difficult not to open my mouth and say something I know I shouldn't whenever someone says something about me that isn't true or teases me. It isn't always easy to lay down our pride and have a gentle, quiet spirit and be meek and lowly like Jesus; but, if we are willing, He will mold us into His image and make us who He wants us to be.


~Zoe

P.S. If you have never heard of or Read the A Life of Faith series by Martha Finley, I highly recommend them. They are definitely some of the best books I have ever read!

Really Good Book Series

I'm reading a really good book. There is a whole series of books. It is the Christy Miller series. It is about a Christian girl living in California. I'm reading the 8th book I think. They come is books w/ 3 each. But they are really good and some people at school read them. Everyone I've talked to likes them. Ya'll should read them. Christy Miller by Robin Jones Gunn. I really have nothing else to say. If you read them tell me how you like them. They are fairly short and really good so I read them fast.

Random thoughts

I am still reading "Piercing The Darkness". I am on chapter nine, I think, now. It is pretty good so far. Alekiel says it gets much better later on! This Present Darkness was awesome!
The book (The Kusadehh Shield) I have been working on writing for the past... what four, almost five years now? (Wow!) - Is similar to it, so I guess I better change some things. I just had some of the same ideas. My latest version is really cool, btw. And yes, I have been working on it lately!!!!!!!!... I didn't stop like I thought I would. Anyway, I'll ttyl. Bye!

P.S. I am writing another song too! It is called Rain. Now I am trying to write words for it, but did I mention I stink at that? lol!

Other books.

Though None Go With Me is another good book I read. It is about a girl named Elizabeth who meets one of there new ministers and decides to give her life completely to God and her life turns upside down and she loses almost everyone she loves. Well I am not going to give too much away. But it is a really good book. There is also a movie which oddly enough I think is even better. One of the main themes in from the song "I have decided to follow Jesus" It is the part that says "Though none go with me, I still will follow, no turning back, no turning back." She decides to follow no matter what and doesn't ever turn back and in the end it is all worth it.

Another one is from The Russians Series by Judith Pella and Michael Phillips I think. Well the first one in the series is the best. It is called The Crown and the Crucible. It is about a peasant girl from the Russian countryside and she moves to St. Petersberg to work at the Winter Palace in the kitchen. She ends up being a personal maid. Well I am still not going to give any away but it is a really good book but you have to continue with the second and third and maybe more but those arn't as good. I loved the book.

Random list of GREAT books

Hey, this is just a random list of awesome books everyone should read. What can I say? I am a bookworm. Oh, and the starred books are part of the trilogy, series, or quartet that I listed above them.

The Chronicles of Narnia - by C. S. Lewis
*The Magician's Nephew
*The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
*The Horse and His Boy
*Prince Caspian
*The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
*The Silver Chair
*The Last Battle
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - by J. R. R. Tolkien
*The Fellowship of the Ring
*The Two Towers
*The Return of the King
The Hobbit - by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Door Within Trilogy - by Wayne Thomas Batson
*The Door Within
*The Rise of the Wyrm Lord
*The Last Battle
The Frank Peretti Books - by Frank E. Peretti (duh)
*This Present Darkness
*Piercing the Darkness
*Prophet (reading it right now)
*The Visitation (haven't read that one yet, but it sounds good!)
Hadassah, One Night with the King - by Tommy Tenney (I've heard there's a sequel!)
The Hidden Treasure of Glaston - by Eleanore M. Jewett (not sure if it's by a Christian author, but it's really good anyway, nothing bad in it)
The Linage of Grace Series - by Francine Rivers (I will list only the 2 I've read, even though there are 5 I think)
*Unashamed (about Rahab)
*Unafraid (about Mary-very touching)
The Screwtape Letters - by C. S. Lewis (I would suggest waiting a while to really comprehend it)
Esther & John in the Bible - by authors inspired by God

All of those books I just listed are really good, not bad at all, and many are encouraging spiritually. And they hold your attention to such a degree that you can't stand to put them down. Hope you like reading them. Oh, and The Hidden Treasure of Glaston is set in a monastery, and they search for the Holy Grail, so I am assuming it is Christian...

-Ellie

Some good books!

Hi! I'm Ellie, and I'm new at this, so bear with me! So, yeah, I just finished this GREAT set of books, called The Door Within trilogy, by Wayne Thomas Batson. They are totally awesome, and you should so read them! They are not just great fantasy books--they are full of Christian symbolism. I was amazed. You see, one of my friends suggested them to me and then I got them for Christmas...the rest is history. I read all three of them in one week--more like devoured them. Even if you aren't a big reader (I am a BIG reader!) they are great books! And if any of you don't know what symbolism is, the Chronicles of Narnia are great examples. The great thing about The Door Within Trilogy is that it is not only full of spiritual symbolism, but they are fast-paced, can't-put-them-down sort of books. So, needless to say, you should definitely read these books. Post later!

-Ellie

P.S. To check out more great books, try the Frank E. Peretti books. The first 2 are This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. I just finished the second one.