“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.”
[Ecclesiastes 12:1]

I’m not much of a bookworm but I do, every now and then, read a few good ones. This time, two of my friends from church gave me really interesting books.

The first one is entitled, Spiritual Leadership, by J. Oswald Sanders. My former discipleship classmate, Venus, gave it to me as a going away present [uhm, she was the one who went away… to Canada].

The second one is called, Experiencing God, which was given to me by one of the young men in our cell group – one Famous Warrior.

God has been preparing me for something greater in the past few months, and with these books He’s thrown my way, I’m getting an idea of what it is. I continue to pray that the Lord would sustain me and enable me to learn what I need to learn in this season of testing, training and fine-tuning.

I’ve already read the first five chapters of SL, with a plan – a concrete one – to finish it by next Wednesday. I’m also planning to finish EG in a week’s time. This book reading schedule is actually leaps and bounds beyond what I used to do – it used to take me two to three months to finish a single novel (I’m progressing! God is a progressive God!).

Lord, let my days of experiencing God propel me to true spiritual leadership…

… but first, please help me get over my lack of interest in books.

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To Venus and Louie: Thanks for the books, guys. Thank you for sowing Kingdom seeds into my life. The Lord bless you and keep you, and return what you have sown in due time through a harvest of righteousness.

God bless you!

One of the most consistent ways that the Lord speaks to me is through “dreams.” Once again, by the grace and faithfulness of God, the Holy Spirit gave me a very vivid instructional dream. The dream was filled with color and emotions, but no words. I do feel that this dream has meaning for me in a personal manner and yet contains truths that are for the Body of Christ. So let me unfold it.

I was attempting to stand in a room where there was a low ceiling. It was an old room filled with religious senses all around it. It was a room representing the Church in its present condition and, in particular, the overall condition of the church where I live in Greater Nashville, Tennessee.

I was standing on the outer edge of the room and I kept trying to stand up. As I would do this, my head would butt against the ceiling, and I could actually feel the weight of the stone ceiling on my head in the dream. I kept trying to raise the roof off by standing up, but it was not working. Then something like a giant, heavenly can opener came down from above and cut a huge hole in the stone roof. The hole appeared in the center of the room. I then moved from the outer edge to the center of the room, and as I did - I looked up.

The sky was filled with the promises of God!

There was now a brilliant “Open Heaven” stationed right over my head. The sky was blue and there were beautiful clouds hovering. I could feel the warmth of the sun upon my body. The atmosphere was filled with faith, hope, love and life.

I then proceeded, in the dream, back to the edge of the room where the ceiling was still intact, and yes, still quite low. Again, I had to crouch down to get under the low ceiling. I attempted to “stand upright” only to feel the weight of the ceiling suppressing me once again. So I stepped back into the center of the room. What a contrast!

Oh, there was clean air to breathe. There was light and no darkness. There was a sense of purpose and destiny fulfilled. I was now positioned correctly under an open heaven, enabling me to achieve the purposes of God. I was centered and walking in the light.

Interpreting the Experience

As I woke up, I had several “knowings” as a result of this dream experience. Again, there were no audible words in this dream. But the feeling dimension was very alive! I did feel a word dropped inside of me, though, as I woke up - “Get Positioned for an Open Heaven.”

God wants us each to be properly aligned in this hour with Him and His purposes. He wants to lift the lid off the can, but we must position ourselves properly as this occurs. We must move from the side issues to the central ones. We must be centered on Him.

Walking in Open Heavens deals more with His work versus ours. Our efforts to push through and even “stand uprightly” are acknowledged, but it is truly His work from above that creates a sustained place or Open Heavens for His presence. He has the ability to break through even the hardest of places, circumstances and low ceilings.

Again, in the dream, the Lord saw my efforts and acknowledged them, but then He did the work that I could not. I find it quite interesting that it is more about His work from above than our work from beneath. He does respond, however, to our efforts. But we do not create an Open Heaven - He does. He is the Creator - I am not. I am a responder to His great love and initiative. Yet, what goes up must come down!

Below you will find a short excerpt from my study guide Revival Breakthrough. In it I give some basic Biblical teaching on Open Heavens, so - “Get Positioned for an Open Heaven!” Get into Kingdom Alignment for such a time as this. Step out of the shadows of the side edges and move into the center of His word, will and ways. Be centered in Him - after all, being “centered in Christ” is the best place to be!

Blowing The Roof Off The House

A. Making Jesus At Home In Your House - Read Mark 2:1- 5 slowly as a parable. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring personal applications to your life.

1. Mark 2:1 - Is Jesus at “Home” in your house, family, congregation, city? What would you need to do to have Him be more than the “honored guest” who occasionally shows up?

2. Mark 2:2 - When Jesus is “in His temple,” people will gather and revelation will rest on the word of God. May God’s house be full to overflowing and may the crowds gather once again to hear the word of the Lord!

3. Mark 2:3 - Some became dissatisfied with the crowds as they were. Four men became desperate for a “breakthrough” on another level. Through the heat of the day they carried their paralytic friend on a stretcher to the house where Jesus was. They worked hard to carry this “dead weight,” possibly at a distance. It cost them something to get him there, but they wanted more!

4. Mark 2:4 - They could not get near to Jesus due to the crowds. They could have given up, but instead - they moved from the natural into the supernatural to find their solution. Then hope came. We will tear the roof off the house. So they proceeded upon the roof to tear it open with their hands. Through great effort - they dug a big hole in the roof (Opened Heavens) and lowered their friend into the presence of the living Messiah.

5. Mark 2:5 - Jesus saw “their faith.” Whose faith? All their faith together! Then he spoke to the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven.” This results in healing the body. May these words echo through our lives today and the sick Body of Christ be raised up to “wholeness.”

B. Opened Heavens

1. Like in Genesis 28:16-17, we need the gates of Heaven opened over our cities, churches and families.

2. Like in Mark 2:1-5, we need to “Blow the Roof Off” our thinking and concepts and believe the Lord for extraordinary works of grace. Desperate times take desperate measures. We need desperate laborers to arise, who are not content with life as it is, to tear the roof off in order to lower another into the presence of Jesus!

THREE KEYS NEEDED

A. Prayer Opens The Way!

1. Testimony of the Hebrides Island Revival in 1952: Two desperate women - Peggy and Christina Smith, 84 and 82 years old - were desperate for a revival on their island off of Scotland. They began praying from Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants.”

They reminded God of His word. Then they began to claim Isaiah 64:1: “O that Thou wouldest rend the heavens, that Thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might quake at Thy presence…”

The oldest sister was blind, but she received a vision and proclaimed, “He’s coming! He’s coming! He’s already here!” The Spirit of God fell in a barn that night where seven young men were praying from Isaiah 62:6,7, where it tells us, “On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; all day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves; and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”

Sure enough, God came. This began the great Hebrides Revival under the preaching of Duncan Campbell. A spiritual radiation zone was created and many souls were saved!

2. Testimony of Evan Roberts and the Welsh Revival of 1904: At the age of 13, young Evan began to seek the Lord. At the age of 26, revival came to his hometown. He taught the people to pray two simple prayers. The first, “Send the Spirit now, for Jesus Christ’s sake.” The second prayer was similar: “Send the Spirit now more powerfully, for Jesus Christ’s sake.” Indeed, God’s Spirit came down and 100,000 souls were swept up into God’s Kingdom.

Today, a cry is arising: “More, Lord!” Yes, there must be a youth revolution come as it was with Evan Roberts. We must have a “trans-generational anointing” as it was with Peggy and Christina Smith. It is time for prayer to arise and to blow the roof off the house!

WHEN WE CARE FOR HIS PRESENCE

I want to tell you a dream that has recently again gripped my soul. In January 1999, while I was having some forced rest due to a hernia surgery, the Lord visited me with a piercing dream that is helping to set my course of direction right now, and I believe is a clear word to His people in this hour.

In this dream, I was holding long loaves of bread each wrapped in their own individual napkin. I was holding these loaves of bread close to my chest, right over my heart. Then I got our youngest child’s (Rachel’s) blanket she has had since birth. I now wrapped these loaves of bread in her dear baby blanket. I held the bread close to my heart and just kind of rocked the bread as you would a newborn child.

Then I heard the words, “When My people will care for, cherish, nurture and love the ‘Bread of My Presence’ like a parent does its newborn child - then revival will come.” I then found myself awakened out of the dream only to find my arms were held out as though holding and rocking something. I then heard myself prophesying out loud in the bedroom the same words I had just heard in the dream as the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit was lingering over my body. The Lord was emphasizing these words by having them repeated twice!

This I know - He wants us to cherish and care for His Presence. Pray for His presence. Love His presence. Nurture His presence; after all, isn’t this what you have longed for all your life? Isn’t this what you were made and created for - to be a carrier of the most brilliant Presence?! Isn’t this the answer to the Church’s cry for more?

When will revival come? You got it! When we get up in the middle of the night - do the night feedings, hold the child close to our bosom, and wash the child of new beginnings with love and compassion - then revival will come!

Join me as we call forth an Open Heaven and Portals of Revelation to be opened across the face of the earth! May the Church around the world drink deeply from the wells of revival!

Let His Presence comes forth!

James W. Goll and the Entire Goll Family!
Encounters Network
Email: info@encountersnetwork.com

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ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

Do you stop loving your sons even when they don’t conform to your idea of who they should be?

One of the Lord’s first leadership/fatherhood questions to me.

Each son is different. Each son has his own anointing, gifting and calling. Each son has his own personality, temperament and character. Each son has his own destiny and identity.

Each will take their own path to who they will become. No path is the same. Each son’s path is unique.

Will you stop loving them when they don’t fit into the image you have of them in your mind?

Will you still care for them when they take a path that’s quite different than the one you thought they’d take?

Dear Friends, Intercessors and Zion Aligned:

Please carefully read the key dream and prophetic interpretation below that applies to all of us.

Dream shared by LeAnn Squier:

“I was in an outdoor stadium, more like a performance hall or coliseum. Not so much the size but the importance of the setting and gathering was key. I arrived early, being one of the first in line to assure that I would be seated properly. I went through the gate and turnstile, and then walked down at an angle to all the seats. The stage was in front of us. When I got down to where my seats were, I looked back and could see that several had gone before and usurped the fences and the boundaries of the order set by the authority over the gathering. Many of the best seats all over the hall had been claimed.

“There was this one section that stood out brilliantly to me in the dream and I knew I was supposed to be seated there. The section had been saved by someone placing bright, hot pink stadium blankets to cover the whole section of seats. I looked around and there was this beautiful, elegant, stately black woman down front and I knew she was the director over everything. I went down to her and said, ‘Is that alright? Are those seats available? Should they have been covered over like that?’ She said, ‘No, you’re welcome to take those seats.’

“At this point I was down front close to the stage, but I knew I must be repositioned for this important meeting. Instead of just taking the easy way, climbing over others by zigzagging and running to secure my seats, I went all the way back to the entryway, and went through the gate and turnstile again. I waited on the three people in front of me.

As I was waiting on this pathway or concourse that you walk on, I stepped out to the aisle and there were children on the ground playing with toys. They obviously had some clear plastic toys that were now totally broken into many parts and pieces. They were all over the pathway. These pieces looked like clear broken glass. I thought, ‘I’ve got to go to my seats, so I will just step on all the broken parts and keep going.’ I felt the plastic pieces getting into my feet. I stopped and grabbed the next post in wonderment, shaking my head, wondering why all this broken stuff was on this pathway or aisle. I was just sitting there, plucking it out of my feet, and I woke up.” -End of dream

I Have Your Next Seat of Authority

LeAnn shared that the key issues in the dream that impressed her were the authorities, the authorization, the positions that were given, the gates, the paths, and the brokenness that could have stopped her. I could sense the interpretation for us as she shared the dream. I heard the Lord say:

“I have destined a place for you. In the midst of My positioning, you are halfway. You are between redemption and purity. I am purifying you now so that you can find the redemptive thread for your life and the entryway into your promise. Your seat and position of authority has been destined.

“I will redeem your place in the midst of those who have broken rank and run ahead of My perfect timing. This will not prevent Me from gathering again those who are willing to hear My call. I am preparing the places of broken, abused and unfulfilled destinies and will reseat My faithful ones that will lead on into the future. Harvest awaits and I will not be stopped.”

GROW, MATURE, INCREASE and ACCELERATE in the Next 30 Days!

Because of our covenant alignment, I find wonderful blessing occurs in my life and this ministry when I pray for you. This is a time of asking the Spirit of the Lord to cleanse our blood and break any spiritual generational iniquitous patterns in our lives. I am declaring that you GROW supernaturally.

May you experience an acceleration and growth in your life in the next 30 days. May you make the sacrifices you need to make for others.

May you grow in your attitude and sustain a loving and respectful manner toward others even though they may not do the same. May you grow and mature in your character traits. You may be anointed, but let the Lord develop your character in a new way. May you react with wisdom and a cool and poised spirit in every difficult situation. May you grow through your resistance to temptation.

May you grow in courage and boldness. May you see abusive, detrimental situations come to an end. May you represent the Lord and be wise as serpents but gentle as lambs. May you always act according to Father’s will and see His blessings manifest in the earth realm. May the Word of God come alive in a new way and your actions of faith increase. May satan’s strategies of decrease be foiled in your life. Grow in resources. Let creativity develop in your difficult situations.

May you grow in your relationships. May you grow in gratefulness for people that God has placed in your life to guide you. May you grow and increase in your good deeds and acts of kindness. Go beyond your natural tendencies! Be compassionate and forgive those who are doing you wrong. Protect your marriage, your friendships, and your covenant ministry partnerships. Show others how to prosper so you may gain an increase yourself.

“Delight yourself in the Word of the Lord. In His law meditate day and night. You will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water. You will yield fruit in due season. You will remain unique and not become barren. Your leaves and life processes will not wither. Whatever you do, you will prosper.

“For if you remain righteous in your acts and character, the LORD, who knows your way, will direct you in a straight path. The wicked will perish! So do not join yourself with those who are doing wrong for ungodly gain! Stay true to our Lord in this season and you will prosper!” (Paraphrased from Psalm 1).

Blessings,
Chuck D. Pierce
Glory of Zion Ministries

Last week we ended our study by asking the questions about knowing our purposes, ministries, gifts, etc., which we have been given by God. If our Word for the Week readers are typical, only about 2 percent could answer all of these questions with “yes,” and less than 10 percent could answer any of them with “yes.” This is remarkable because studies have concluded that the number one question that people have is what their purpose is in life. Every human being knows inherently that they are not here by some random accident, but they have a purpose. Yet most tragically, less than 10 percent of Christians, who know their Creator, have the answer to this.

This reveals what is probably the greatest failure of present church life, but we can expect it to be changed - soon. When this is corrected, and Christians begin to perceive their purposes and the gifts or tools that they have been given for accomplishing their purpose, as well as the corporate purpose of the Church in our time, the result is going to be the release of the most powerful spiritual force the world has seen.

Seeing our own purpose can have the single most powerful impact on our own life after coming to know the Lord, being born again, and being baptized in His Spirit. Every Christian knows they are called to be a witness, but we have a calling in His body that is more specific than that. Every Christian is called to function in at least one spiritual gift, which is the tool that we are given for fulfilling our purpose. So how do we come to the knowledge of these? There is a clear and easy path to it. My purpose for this study is to make it as clear and easy as possible.

How To Know and Fulfill Your Life’s Purpose

I say easy, as in easy to understand, but it can be more difficult to actually walk out. However, not walking this out will result in a much more difficult and frustrating life. Let me first give you an outline of the following factors:

#1) Resolving to live to do the Lord’s will as the chief pursuit of our lives

#2) Beholding the glory of the Lord

#3) Honoring our spiritual fathers and mothers

#4) Finding and becoming a committed part of the Body of Believers we are called to be with

#5) Receiving the ministry of the five equipping ministries listed in Ephesians 4

#6) Being recognized, trained, and discipled

#7) Engaging in our calling

These are necessary for us to accomplish the purpose for which Christ called every one of us and to be a successful human being. The most basic criteria for success as a human, becoming what we were created to be and doing what we were created to do, is loving God. We were created for this and known by God before the foundation of the world. If there is any measure of success for us, it will be to hear from the King on that great judgment day, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (see Matthew 25:21 NIV). Therefore, to hear those words should be the chief pursuit of our lives.

Our Chief Pursuit

Anything that eclipses our devotion to knowing and serving the Lord is an idol. An idol is anything that has more of our affection than He does, and it is also anything that we put our trust in above Him. The Word makes clear no idolaters will inherit the Kingdom of God (see I Corinthians 6:9). In Revelation 21:8, we are told idolaters will be thrown into the lake of fire and suffer the second death. Being an idolater is not something we want to be! That is the negative but, nevertheless, a true and necessary warning, so it is imperative that we not let anything eclipse our love and devotion to the Lord.

The positive is that keeping the Lord as our chief love and devotion is not only the path of life and the true fulfillment in this life, it also leads to eternal life that will be more wonderful than our minds can even now perceive. This present life is but “a vapor,” a wisp that passes with remarkable speed. What we do here on earth establishes our eternal destiny, so we should not take this life or our calling and responsibility lightly but rather with all the seriousness and devotion that it deserves.

The Scriptures are also clear and we can totally trust in the truth that God is good - He is good to all and He loves all, wanting the very best for all. If we do not fulfill our purpose in life, it will not be His fault, but ours. We must want Him and His will enough to seek it.

He wants the best for us; living in His will and doing His will is the best life that we can ever live. This life that has been chosen for us could be hard at times and could even end in martyrdom, but if that is the case it is still the best life that we could ever live, and much better than any other option.

Love is the Foundation, Door and Path

Of course, the most basic calling for everyone is to love God above anyone or anything. Therefore, growing in love for Him is the foundation upon which every truly successful life is built. If we love Him above all and keep Him as our first love, then He will be the continuing devotion and pursuit of our lives. After that, we must love one another. So loving Him and one another is the foundation.

A foundation is something we not only walk on every day and build everything else on, but it must be the strongest part of the building. Since “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing,” this is the main thing that we must always keep the main thing. Everything else is dependent on this. We must never be beguiled from the simplicity of devotion to Christ (see II Corinthians 11:3).

Love is both the door and the path to everything else. One who loves is not only the happiest human being, but the most fulfilled, as long as we keep the order of love right - God first and then people. It is not wrong to love things, but it is right to love the good things God has given to us, receiving them with thanksgiving. However, we must keep our love for the Giver first.

As we grow into the army we are called to be, one of our most powerful weapons is love. In many ways this army is like other armies in devotion, discipline, focus, training, seriousness, and so on, but in some basic ways it is unlike any other army. The weapons of this army are not like any human weapons, but are divinely powerful. We do not hate our enemies, but we love them! We do not fight to kill but to give life - not to conquer, but to set others free.

And this you can count on - you are going to love this job!

Rick Joyner
MorningStar Ministries
Email: info@morningstarministries.org

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

This was the word the Lord gave me, which I shared during my cell group meeting last Saturday (August 23). My cell group leader, Jesse, shared the other Saturday (August 16) his vision for the Davidic Generation (the group’s name) which was to bring people from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God; to establish Christian values in the lives of people; to train then for leadership; and to impact the community with Kingdom standards.

I believe this message that the Lord downloaded to me is in line with this vision. I believe these are some practical ways we, as children of light, can walk out our lives in Kingdom values, standards and principles.

The Apostle Paul admonishes the church in Ephesus in a section of his letter called Living as Children of Light (chapter 4, verse 17 to chapter 5, verse 21).

As I was pondering on this passage, the Lord gave me 8 BE’s that can be found in Paul’s exhortation. I believe the Lord wanted this shared to the group because everyone of us needs to have some practical applications to Kingdom principles.

1. BE SET APART FROM YOUR OLD SELF
Ephesians 4:17-19, 22 – we are to put off our old self and leave old attitudes behind

2. BE RENEWED IN CHRIST
Ephesians 4:20-24 – we are to put on the mind of Christ, wear the attitude of Christ and be covered with the blood of Christ

3. BE A LOVER OF TRUTH
Ephesians 4:25; 5:11-13 – there must be no lies, no falsehood and no half-truths in our lives; we also must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

4. BE IMITATORS OF GOD
Ephesians 5:1-2 – as sons of the King, we must follow and emulate our God; how? By looking to Jesus as our standard

5. BE SANCTIFIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT
Ephesians 4:26-31; 5:3-7 – our bodies and minds are sinful by nature; our flesh is constantly at war with our spirit and with our God; we must allow the Holy Spirit to purify us, sanctify and make us holy.

6. BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE TO ONE ANOTHER
Ephesians 4:32; 5:19-26 – several times the scripture mentions phrases like “prefer one another in love”, “serve one another in love”, and “encourage one another in love”; there has to be that desire to build up others and to edify the body of Christ

7. BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE
Ephesians 5:14-16 – one of the words the Holy Spirit has released for this season is “militant”. I believe now more than ever we need to be watchful of the schemes and tactics of the enemy. At the same time we need to be vigilant about the condition and the attitude of our hearts; remember: the enemy is a roaring lion just waiting around to devour someone.

8. BE AWARE OF GOD’S WILL
Ephesians 5:17-18; 5:8-10 – as children of God, we must know what pleases our Father; as citizens of the Kingdom, we must know what the King says about the Kingdom and about us; we should know what we ought to do as subject of His reign; Romans 12:1-2 tells us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

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ps: i couldn’t find an image of the letters B and E together. i thought the photo of Jerry Seinfeld’s character in Bee Movie might work.

We have moved on to the next level of our Apostolic Discipleship Training Track. For the succeeding Wednesdays, the class will be focusing on the lives of the revivalists, evangelists and preachers who have been chosen by God to do great work in past years. This is in line with our congregation’s preparation for the revival outbreak that will come to the Philippines.

Last week, we studied and discussed the life of William Branham who became known for the notable signs and wonders that followed his ministry. We based that night’s class on the video on Branham’s life in the series called “God’s Generals”, presented by Roberts Liardon.

The class was asked to take down notes on the strength and weaknesses of this revivalist in order to learn from his victories and avoid his mistakes.

One of the things that I thought was Branham’s strengths was his constant confession of his dependence on God; that he was just being used by God, always identifying himself to the people as “just like one of you”. This, to me, spoke of his humility as a vessel and a servant of God, and his reliance on what God can do through him, not on what he thought he could do on his own.

Another thing that I thought was really positive in Branham’s life was the fact that he always waited for the “angel” of the Lord to be present in the healing crusades before doing anything. Again, this goes back to dependence on God. He didn’t go ahead of the supernatural but waited for the presence of the Lord before doing his calling. After all, God is the one who does the healing – Branham was just the vessel.

I also was amazed at how simple his prayers were and how non-theatrical his presence was in the videos that we saw. The people that he prayed healing for didn’t even fall down. I liked the fact that there wasn’t that much drama in his meetings but the power of the Holy Spirit was undeniable.

The most important lesson I learned from Branham’s life was to stick to one’s God-given anointing and calling, because going out of the parameters of ministry, which God gave means going out on your own. This was clear in the later part of Branham’s life. He wanted to be a teacher because it was the trend of the time. So he changed office at will. He moved out of his covering and away from his anointing. The Lord then confirmed to me to stick to my anointing and not try to be someone else He didn’t make me to be.

More on William Branham on God’s Generals.

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250