Piloting Faith: Stopping on every floor...
A Word for the Day...
This week I’ve been in New York for a series of meetings, including a fundraising event for a non-profit I support called Stop the Traffik. The event was hosted in a fun space called The Sixth Floor Loft in Manhattan. As the name suggests, you had to take the elevator to the sixth floor of the building to access the space.
The challenge last night, however, was that the elevator was broken. You could ride it up and down, but you had to stop on every floor along the way.
I rode that elevator a few times last night, helping to bring supplies in and out. On my first ride, I was confused and annoyed. I thought, “Seriously? Do we have to stop at every floor??? Ugh!” The second time I made that journey, I looked out the door on each floor. I became curious. I noticed that each floor was different and had its own unique vibe. I began to wonder about who lived and worked on these floors. What stories could they tell?
By the end of the evening, I found myself enjoying the ride. I appreciated the “scenic tour” and the way this elevator slowed me down so that I could see the details of what was happening around me. I felt like I could breathe. In an odd way, I feel as if I know the whole of that building, not just the Sixth Floor Loft.
It’s funny how life works this way. We are surprised by unexpected “stops” along the way that irritates us, intrigue us, and finally teach us if we are willing to learn.
As you navigate today, stop on all the floors and learn all you can about the undiscovered mysteries of this beautiful world in which we live.
- Rev. Cameron Trimble, author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight
Prayer for the Week
God,
In every season,
In every moment,
May I find Your presence calling me
more fully into myself. Remembering,
I am your beloved child.
You are waiting for me. Always.
Amen.