Monday (May 31st) was our very first Ellerslie student banquet; a time to welcome and honor the fifty-five Ellerslie students that will be a part of our training program this summer.  A few hours before the banquet started, Eric asked if I could somehow find his old journals from 17 years ago.  Normally, this wouldn’t have been a difficult request, but due to a recent septic back up in our house, our entire storage room was in absolute chaos.  I went down and surveyed the mountains of bins and boxes – and promptly announced to Eric that it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.  But he was determined to dig up those old journals, so we began to sift through the wreckage of our storage room.  After about 20 minutes and zero success, we decided to pray.  Within minutes, we opened a storage container and pulled out the very journal he was looking for. 

It was a mega-sized three ring binder, filled with notebook pages chronicling all of God’s work in a young Eric Ludy’s life – detailing promises and promptings that the Spirit of God had spoken to his heart so long ago.  It was like watching a little kid on Christmas – to see Eric eagerly search through those pages and remember all the precious and amazing promises God had given him, even before we were married.  Eric began searching through the journal, looking for one particular journal entry – a page called “Men of Honor”.  It was a vision God had given him seventeen years ago for a training school in which eager young men (12 to be exact) would come and be grounded and equipped in a life of true Christian service.  He had no idea when, where or how this vision would unfold – only that God was placing it in his heart.  When he finally came to the “Men of Honor” page in his journal and read me the words it contained, both of us just stood there, shaking our heads in amazement.  So many specific details about that vision were now being realized at the launch of our Ellerslie training program.  It was astounding to see the faithfulness of God in unfolding a vision that had begun seventeen years ago.  And it didn’t seem an accident that we had exactly 12 young men for our first summer program (in addition to our 43 girls!)  The name has changed, the concept has expanded – but the original heart and passion is still intact in every way.

That night at the banquet, Eric stood to read some excerpts from the “Men of Honor” journal entry from seventeen years ago – and all he could do was cry.  Crying is not something that comes easily for him, and usually when it happens it means that God is very present.  What a powerful night it was to reflect back on the grace of our God – He truly is faithful to finish the work that He begins!!  In between tears, Eric and I shared many moments and memorials of God’s hand leading and propelling this vision forward.  Our staff (also in tears!) shared the many Heavenly fingerprints they had witnessed along the way.  Hudson (who is beginning to love being on stage with Daddy) spontaneously invited the Ellerslie students to share – and one by one they told testimonies of how God had supernaturally led and enabled them to be a part of this experience.  We all praised God for His perfect faithfulness – and in many ways, it reminded Eric and I of the beauty of our love story…seventeen years ago.  It was the perfect start to our Ellerslie training.

Our summer session is in now full swing, and we are blown away but the incredible group of students we have the privilege of investing into this term.  Truly there are many Hudson Taylors and Amy Carmichaels among them – and we count it the greatest blessing to be a part of their lives.  Who would have thought that a simple promise seventeen years ago would lead to all of this?  What an amazing God we serve.