Happy Elevated Friday! Today we highlight a story that shows that no matter what you may feel qualified to do, you can still make a big difference in the world. Amy Wolff used to feel helpless in the face of the rising tides of mental illness in our society. She wanted to help, but because she knew she wasn’t a trained therapist and she didn't know anyone personally who was struggling with mental illness, she didn't feel qualified to make a difference – or even know where to

Special Counsel Bob Mueller made a rare and interesting public statement yesterday, sending the media and anyone who pays attention to politics into a tornado of speculation as to what will happen next. It’s no secret that many people are frustrated at Washington these days no matter what side of the political aisle they side with. But when things move too fast, mistakes are made. In addition, when the politics of power outweigh the desire to do good, regret is the consequenc

The Supreme Court made news with a decision yesterday and is sure to make more waves as the next month continues. They are given the power in our society to make the most importance decisions on the issues of the day. We inevitably will sometimes agree with their decisions and sometimes disagree. But if the world around us is changing or being shaped in ways that we disagree with, it does not mean that we cannot still lives happy, fulfilled, and blessed lives. No matter what

As we all head back to work after a three day weekend, thankfulness for our careers and jobs might be the furthest thing from our minds. We spent the last three days being thankful to our brave servicemen and women who have given their lives for our freedom, but do we really need to be thankful for the jobs we have to work in order to get by? Thankfulness in all things is a Biblical principle because without a spirit of thankfulness towards every aspect of our lives, we do no

There is a great irony in Memorial Day each year, the day we honor, remember, and wholeheartedly thank those men and women who have died in defense of our nation and the freedoms we enjoy. The Bible tells us, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” For most of us this takes the form of opening doors for others (both figuratively and literally), thinking of others feelings and needs before our own, or giving

Happy Elevated Friday! Today we highlight a story of a sharing of a burden and the relief it brought to a deserving man. Becca Bundy’s daughter was saved by a firefighter named Bill Cox three years ago when she was having a seizure. Becca was always very thankful to Bill and last year ran into him at a charity event he was bartending. However, she was struck by the shirt he was wearing that read, “My Name is Bill. I’m in end stage KIDNEY FAILURE and in need of a KIDNEY.” Beca

President Trump and the Democratic leaders had an angry exchange yesterday over accusations made by the Democrats that led to the ending of talks about a bipartisan infrastructure deal. These sorts of communication breakdowns are common in Washington, but withdrawing from those different than us instead of working with them is just as common outside of Washington, too. Consider a basketball team: if they had 5 small, agile point guards, they might win a few games, but would l

Love for those different than you is probably one of the toughest of Jesus’ lessons to learn and embody in life, but it is also the greatest of Jesus’ teachings. It is exactly what Jesus embodied himself when he died on the cross for us. We all think that it is tough to love someone whom you disagree with vehemently or that you feel actually hates you. But how much harder do you think it was for Jesus to love us when all he saw were sinners — people not only opposed to his Fa

As the presidential race continues for 2020, if recent history shows anything, another season of bitter division is coming towards our country. We will be tempted each day to ridicule others who think differently than us, bash others online, or even close ourselves off from people who we used to be friendly with because they are voting a different way than us. We have a decision to make each day going forward: to choose to love others regardless of their politics or give into

Part of the reason our nation is so bitterly divided is because many have forgotten how to love each other. In today’s America, more and more people are choosing only to love those who agree with them on “the important issues.” For some, this can even just boil down to whom they voted for three years ago. One of the strongest forms of love, if not the strongest, is that of a parent to their child. God embodies this to each of us as well as those who are fortunate enough to ha