Happy Elevated Friday! Today we highlight a story of an unexpected hero who, because she was in the right place at the right time, was able to save a life. 65-year-old Dan Magennis from Michigan one day recently decided to call Comcast about his account rather than do the yard work he needed to do. It is a good thing he did, as only a few minutes into the call, he suffered a massive stroke. On the other end of the line was Kimberly Williams in Jackson, Mississippi. Kimberly i

We live in a world where not everyone can succeed and life is not always perfect. Because of that, failure is inevitable at times for each of us. But God did not create failure as a permanent label for us or cause us to live fearfully because of it. God created failure as means to draw us closer to Him. Paul wrote, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so tha

Failure is a part of life that we all face at times. Whether it is in our careers, our relationships, or in our decision making, failure is always tough to stomach and can leave a lasting impression upon our outlook on life. Failure can also hold us back from pursuing what God has prepared for us because we fear its’ consequences so strongly. But Failure is simply an event, not a label or life sentence. When we have faith in God, our failures lead us back to God for support a

Each week presents countless opportunities to bless others, live as a role model to others, or just simply brighten others’ days. Such good deeds are a crucial part of faithful living because no faith can be sincerely held until it is actively lived. While deeds are not required to be saved, proclaiming faith without them is like saying you love nature without ever planting a tree. James wrote, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” Today,

The beginnings of every week bring enormous opportunity but also stress, anxiety, and sometimes, clutter to our minds. Whether it is because of news we consume, concerns with our family, or stress from work, the peace our minds had on Sunday is often erased by what we have to do during the week. When we become anxious over what we have to do during the week, we tend to start thinking of our week as a check-list of tasks to just complete instead of a group of opportunities to

Happy Elevated Friday! Today we highlight a story that shows just how easy it is to lift someone’s spirits simply by including them. In Leesburg, VA, 4-year-old Maren Anderson has just recently made the transition to a wheelchair because of a rare disease caused by a genetic mutation. For the last three months, Maren has been practicing her navigation skills while she adjusted to her new life. Recently, while Maren and her mother were out in town, Maren saw an Ulta beauty ad

We all face both challenges in life as well as real trials. When we try to endure them by ourselves, the enemy’s temptations can grow from quiet whispers to loud shouts and, subsequently, start sounding more reasonable or acceptable to fall victim to. The simple act of walking with God through our difficulties instead of by ourselves will prevent lifetimes of regret, addiction, and consequences from choices made when we were under incredible stress and temptation. God says in

By midweek, we all are starting to feel the wear and tear of the week’s stresses, and rightfully, are looking forward to the weekend. The temptation to just “survive” through to the weekend is strong by this point in the week. However, when we get into survival mode, who suffers is the people we encounter afterwards. Survival mode means that we start thinking about only ourselves and what matters to us. God’s way of life is the opposite of this. Paul wrote, “Whatever you do,

If you watch the news, it's easy to see that accepting responsibility is something incredibly rare amongst public officials and politicians. But, if we are honest with ourselves, the same is true for each of us. No one likes to accept blame when things don’t go according to plan. God knows the days in which he has placed each of us and equipped each of us to face them in His name. It is no accident that each of us is alive today and aware of the many challenges this world fac

Everyday we all have a choice. Most days this choice comes multiple times per day. We choose how we will react when something does not go the way we think it should or wished it would. Whether it is to things in our own lives or things we see happening in the world, we all react in some manner to bad news. It is easy to blame what happens to us or what happens to the world for the words we use or actions we take, but in the eyes of the Lord, our words and actions are solely o