ContemplativeJourney

School is back in session, all around us.  On Monday, school begins in the districts surrounding my neighborhood. It's been my habit to blog periodically on the topic of each Sunday's sermon. I sometimes get out of the habit, as was the case between May and this month, but our sermons at Elevate Church myelevatechurch.com have been so good, I can't help but share.  Something I was taught long ago, and still practice today: taking notes.  You will always absorb and remember more of what you hear, when you take notes. It's also true that sharing information with others helps us to learn the material ourselves, and part of my reason for sharing is my own desire to internalize these messages. We are excited to welcome new children's ministers to our leadership team this month, and today's sermon was shared by Phillip Heider, our new Children's and Family Life pastor.  He began by sharing about God's calling on his life - a passion for discipling the...

Some days feel like a vortex. Today was one of those days.  Not a bad day at all. No.  Just a swirl that seemed to go faster and tighter as the day progressed.  I looked at the clock and it was 2:15. The next time I had any awareness of time, I had missed a scheduled call at 3:30. Jumped on the phone to re-initiate the call, and the next thing I knew, it was past 5 o'clock.  Heads down in an attorney's redline of a Lease, it was suddenly 6:30.  Suffice to say, the time got away from me, and I didn't come close to finishing everything I had promised to various people before I left the office.  Finishing up those items comes next, after I take these few moments to process a few things. During the month of August, my church has been focused on a 21-day prayer challenge. We do this every August, which I think is a spectacular way to lead up to the beginning of the school year.  I don't have kids in school, but the seasonality of the school ...