Happy Elevated Friday! Today we highlight a story of thankfulness and good news. We’ve all heard of the devastating fires in Australia over the last several months and of many brave American firefighters who volunteered their time and efforts, and risked their lives, to help the Australians in their time of need. This week, the fires were declared contained! The New South Wales Rural Fire Service took the opportunity to thank the US for its support by taking out a 70 foot bil

Unlike generations before, we have more access to information, in real time, and the means to broadcast our opinions with ease. With such power comes the responsibility to manage our intake and outflow of information and opinions judiciously. Have you ever heard someone speak who seemed to strike directly at the heart of an issue with nothing but a short story or turn of phrase? It's powerful and refreshing when we hear truth simply stated against a backdrop of blather and po

The world has a way of draining us. Whether it be from stress, exhaustion, confusion, or countless other things, a day spent “fighting the good fight” against all the world can throw at us is draining. Sometimes, it’s not enough to get a quick word or scripture in the mornings to sustain us through a day of toil. When the world is draining us fastest, we have to be turning to Jesus even more. Jesus is always capable of filling us faster than the world can drain us. Jesus said

We have a nation founded upon justice for the wronged but also upon fair trials for the accused. God speaks many times of the idea of justice in the Bible because it is an idea very close to His heart. Seeking justice for ourselves and for others is one way to draw closer to God. Justice differs from it’s cousin Vengeance, though, because, unlike vengeance, justice is limited and measured. Justice requires fairness; vengeance does not. Justice gives what each deserves while v

As the nation is continuing to choose who they support and want to associate themselves with for President, the idea of association is especially pertinent. Those we choose to associate with have a way of changing us, in small but gradual ways, the more we associate with them. The degree to which we associate with then is really the key — we are much more affected by our close family, spouses, and friends than acquaintances, work colleagues, and others. Since this is true, th

Happy Elevated Friday! Today we highlight a story of impromptu celebration that warmed the hearts of those who received it. Caren and Dustin Moore recently adopted an 8 day old baby girl in Colorado. In order to get home though, they had to fly back to California. During the flight, as one would expect, their new daughter was not exactly quiet. The flight attendants asked the new parents why they chose to fly with a baby so young, and upon learning why, got on the PA system.

Everyone is a little tired and a little angry these days because of the relentless drum beat of politics in our daily lives. It’s ok to be frustrated when something happens we do not agree with and it’s ok to be tired from time to time because of our efforts. But behind faith, perseverance is one of the greatest virtues Jesus desires from us. We will all be dealt setbacks and work ourselves to fatigue in life, but we are not called to give up or give in so easily to sin when

It’s amazing when we think about our lives how much God has done for us. The person we used to be grown into the person we are now, the blessings received, the lessons learned. When we look back, we can easily see that God has always been with us, even we we thought He wasn’t. Since this is the case, why then do we doubt that He will be with us everyday going forward? God is with us everyday and just like how He has brought us this far, He will not leave us now or ever. The B

Our lives are determined by the decisions we make; that is why decisions are so difficult. The older we get, the more we realize that each decision we make carries consequences of some kind. Not one of us is wise enough to make all our decisions by ourselves, but yet we all try to convince ourselves we can at times in our lives. God wants us to call to Him when we are in need of wisdom, and He promises to answer us. God said in the Book of Jeremiah, “Call to me, and I will an

Monday mornings bring new challenges as the first work day of the week, but sometimes those challenges seem more like mountains than hurdles. While we may be able to climb mountains using only our own strength, climbing is not our only option. God is a mountain mover. If you have never experienced God move a mountain in your life, ask any other Christian and they will tell you how God has in theirs. There are things in life that are not meant to be conquered by us alone – the