WEBVTT - I Know The Way (Holly Furtick) 0:00:02.000 --> 0:00:04.519 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdeck. I'm the pastor of Elevation 0:00:04.800 --> 0:00:07.040 Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 0:00:07.040 --> 0:00:10.400 you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 0:00:10.400 --> 0:00:12.440 it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 0:00:12.440 --> 0:00:17.599 see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. Well, 0:00:17.640 --> 0:00:20.799 we bring you greetings today. You know it's weird. I 0:00:20.840 --> 0:00:24.040 can't see you. I can't see your face, but I 0:00:24.040 --> 0:00:26.280 can see you in the chat. And I just want 0:00:26.320 --> 0:00:28.400 to welcome a few of you. Let me know where 0:00:28.400 --> 0:00:32.160 you're watching from today. This ministry is reaching all over 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:35.800 the world today. We pray that wherever you are, that 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:39.599 this time of worship will reach you. So right now 0:00:39.640 --> 0:00:42.760 I'm looking on my YouTube feed and I'm looking to 0:00:42.800 --> 0:00:46.720 see who you are and where you're from. So that 0:00:46.760 --> 0:00:50.839 way we can just have one big choir today. I 0:00:50.880 --> 0:00:54.800 see Donna from Harrison, Arkansas. It's good to see you, Donna. 0:00:56.240 --> 0:01:03.640 I see Chris, Chris from London. I see Patty from Valentine. 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:06.479 This is the building I'm in Valentine. Let me tell 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:10.000 you something, Patty. It looks really different here today. It 0:01:10.040 --> 0:01:12.640 looks like the rapture happened and we missed it today. 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:16.800 I'm telling you, it's just really something to get used to. 0:01:18.080 --> 0:01:22.640 I wish we'd all been ready, Chris, did the rapture 0:01:22.680 --> 0:01:25.959 happen and we missed it? Well, God's presence is still 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:30.120 in the place wherever you're watching from, whether that's Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:37.360 I see you, Jakarta, Indonesia. Wow, Vermont is joining us today. 0:01:37.800 --> 0:01:40.840 You don't see Vermont in the chat al lot. I 0:01:40.920 --> 0:01:42.640 just want to. I want to put out a campaign 0:01:42.680 --> 0:01:46.640 for Vermont to come a little stronger next week all 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:50.400 right on Easter. Hey, we're having Easter next weekend. Did 0:01:50.440 --> 0:01:54.800 you hear that the resurrection wasn't canceled? Say that again, 0:01:55.000 --> 0:02:00.400 Pastor Vernick. The resurrection passing not bit castled, and it 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:06.840 will be televised. Thank you Lord. The resurrection has not 0:02:07.000 --> 0:02:09.560 been canceled. I might use that for the title of 0:02:09.560 --> 0:02:14.359 my sermon for Easter. The Resurrection has not been canceled. 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:16.400 Put it in the chat if you know that's true. 0:02:17.040 --> 0:02:21.600 God is still raising up the dead things in our life. 0:02:22.200 --> 0:02:24.840 When we speak the name of Jesus and believed in faith, 0:02:25.400 --> 0:02:30.280 miracles still happen, Miracles still happen, bodies are still being healed. 0:02:30.800 --> 0:02:33.280 How does that song go. Bodies are still being raised. 0:02:34.000 --> 0:02:37.920 Bodies are the resurrection has not been canceled. Aymen, we 0:02:37.960 --> 0:02:40.680 can't go into that again. Brandon starts speaking in tongues 0:02:40.720 --> 0:02:42.560 and all the Baptists people log off the stream, so 0:02:42.600 --> 0:02:46.000 we can't do it. India's here, New York City is here, 0:02:46.360 --> 0:02:49.280 praise the name of the Lord. New Jersey is here. 0:02:49.400 --> 0:02:54.640 That's right, the resurrection has not been canceled. I'm still here, Devil. 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:58.840 I'm still here from Kansas. I'm still here from Romania. 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:04.000 I'm still here from Kingsville, Texas. The resurrection has not 0:03:04.200 --> 0:03:07.320 been canceled. I see you. So we're going to see 0:03:07.320 --> 0:03:11.120 you next weekend. We're not closing. The sermons about to 0:03:11.160 --> 0:03:13.280 happen in a minute, but I'm going to I'm going 0:03:13.360 --> 0:03:16.600 to just put out a word that Easter, this Easter 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:20.000 is going to be magnificent. And what we're going to do, 0:03:20.919 --> 0:03:24.040 We're going to bring resurrection to your home. We're going 0:03:24.080 --> 0:03:27.680 to bring resurrection to your home, resurrection power to your home. 0:03:28.240 --> 0:03:31.040 And how many of you could use some resurrection power 0:03:31.120 --> 0:03:34.399 right now, just even for your energy, or your emotions, 0:03:34.480 --> 0:03:39.440 or your patience, or your or your checking account. I 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:43.320 don't mean to get personal. God is so good and uh, 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:46.320 what we're really deciding in this season. I was telling 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:49.240 the church a few weeks ago. I gathered some of 0:03:49.240 --> 0:03:52.640 our leaders online. These are people who serve and give 0:03:52.840 --> 0:03:56.080 and make such a difference, and I was showing them 0:03:56.720 --> 0:04:00.680 that because they continue to honor God, especially in the 0:04:00.760 --> 0:04:04.880 area of finances, this ministry is positioned for a miracle, 0:04:05.680 --> 0:04:08.120 position for a miracle, and a lot of times I 0:04:08.160 --> 0:04:10.400 think when we say a miracle, we're thinking about the 0:04:10.400 --> 0:04:13.400 miracle that we want to see, But what about the 0:04:13.440 --> 0:04:17.080 miracle that we need to be That's important right now, 0:04:17.480 --> 0:04:20.080 that's important. So if you've been following, we've been trying 0:04:20.120 --> 0:04:22.440 to show you as a church family, I'm like stuck 0:04:22.480 --> 0:04:25.520 on this one camera. Let me give this camera some love. Yeah, 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:28.040 I feel like I'm really really like these other two 0:04:28.120 --> 0:04:30.640 cameras are probably feeling really left out. Hello, other camera. 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:34.679 So I was sharing with them how when we trust God, 0:04:34.760 --> 0:04:37.719 we crown him as king by the decisions that we make. 0:04:38.520 --> 0:04:41.880 And so this is the season of our lives, my life, 0:04:41.920 --> 0:04:46.400 your life, Chet's life, Holly's life. Where we decide is 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:49.960 Jesus king and not like a Burger king, you know, 0:04:49.960 --> 0:04:52.760 Burger King is like, have it your way. Burger King 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:55.680 is the Jesus who was feeding the five thousand and 0:04:55.720 --> 0:04:59.799 then when he said eat my flesh and drink my blood, 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:03.120 eye and the bread of life. Then many followed him 0:05:03.160 --> 0:05:05.920 no more, and they decided they didn't want that kind 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:09.520 of king. And that's kind of what happened leading up 0:05:09.520 --> 0:05:12.520 to Easter Week. We call this Palm Sunday all around 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:17.600 the world, and it represents the triumphant entry. We call 0:05:17.640 --> 0:05:20.720 it when Jesus came into Jerusalem, but he was riding 0:05:20.720 --> 0:05:25.000 on a donkey, which is such a crazy transportation means 0:05:25.000 --> 0:05:28.640 for a king. It's a prophecy in Zechariah nine to 0:05:28.720 --> 0:05:30.400 nine it said that your king will come, but he's 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:32.200 going to be riding on a donkey or a cold 0:05:33.200 --> 0:05:37.280 And so when he came into Jerusalem, they were like, Hosanna, hosanna, 0:05:38.120 --> 0:05:42.720 you know, which means save now help us, and they 0:05:43.160 --> 0:05:46.680 threw their cloaks on the road for their king. But 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:48.440 you know, by the time he got to the cross 0:05:48.480 --> 0:05:53.680 on Friday, they had kind of decided maybe that they 0:05:53.720 --> 0:05:56.960 didn't want this kind of king. Maybe they wanted the 0:05:57.040 --> 0:06:00.640 kind of king that always met their expectations, that liberated 0:06:00.680 --> 0:06:03.960 them from everything oppressive. But the way into his kingdom 0:06:04.040 --> 0:06:06.880 was through suffering, And sometimes we don't like to think 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:10.240 about that, but it doesn't make it any less true. 0:06:10.320 --> 0:06:12.400 And in a time like this, where there is so 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:15.880 much suffering and so much uncertainty, and so much confusion, 0:06:15.920 --> 0:06:18.640 and so much despair, and I'm not talking about what's 0:06:18.640 --> 0:06:20.200 going on in the world, I'm talking about what's going 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:23.279 on in my heart and your heart. And we're praying 0:06:23.320 --> 0:06:26.080 for those who are on the front lines and those 0:06:26.120 --> 0:06:29.640 who are putting their own bodies and lives at risk 0:06:30.160 --> 0:06:33.480 to help us through this time. And we're praying for them, 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:36.039 but we also have to make a decision who's on 0:06:36.080 --> 0:06:38.680 the throne in our hearts. And what I thought was 0:06:38.720 --> 0:06:44.040 so cool Chunks, I copied the text that you showed 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:46.520 me from. I'm not going to say his name, but 0:06:47.800 --> 0:06:53.400 one of our og elevators, original glorifiers, that's what OG 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:57.640 stands for. In this pulpit. He has been in the 0:06:57.760 --> 0:06:59.880 church for I want to say a decade or more. 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:03.360 He's not some fly by night click online. Oh, I'm 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:05.800 gonna check out five different churches on YouTube and see 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:07.480 which one I like. Oh, he's saying something I don't like. 0:07:07.520 --> 0:07:09.600 I'm gonna skip that one. He's not that kind of 0:07:09.720 --> 0:07:13.120 church member. He's in it all the way, and so 0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:15.400 I copied this. Let me find it real quick what 0:07:15.520 --> 0:07:20.040 he texted to his campus faster listen to this. This 0:07:20.080 --> 0:07:21.960 is such a great message for us as a church, 0:07:22.680 --> 0:07:26.560 as we are positioned to be a miracle, as we 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:29.760 are positioned to reach people during this time. He was 0:07:29.760 --> 0:07:32.760 sharing after our leadership event. He said, I'm so thankful 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:36.520 for this message. He said, I have gotten caught up 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:39.680 into doing what I say I will never do, and 0:07:39.720 --> 0:07:42.200 that is listen to a lot of news and opinions 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:47.000 that are negative that draw you into dark places. Funny 0:07:47.000 --> 0:07:49.960 how addicting it is, and once you start, it's hard 0:07:49.960 --> 0:07:55.240 to quit, like eating carbs. It's so cool to see 0:07:55.280 --> 0:07:58.760 how we at Elevation have been able to help other 0:07:58.880 --> 0:08:02.560 churches and even increase our outreach and grow in a 0:08:02.600 --> 0:08:06.560 time everyone else is shrinking. It made me very excited 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:09.680 to know we have been a part of this. Somebody 0:08:09.720 --> 0:08:12.320 put it in the chat on position for a miracle. 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:15.920 And then he goes on to say, I have questioned 0:08:15.960 --> 0:08:20.960 my giving decisions at times. Who wouldn't you know? The 0:08:21.000 --> 0:08:23.120 first thing that you want to do when things are 0:08:23.200 --> 0:08:27.520 unstable is try to hold on tighter. And so he says, 0:08:27.640 --> 0:08:31.120 I have invested a whole lot into elevation. I started 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:35.000 to think it wasn't very prudent, but I realize now 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:39.480 I have a diverse giving portfolio. I like that he's 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:41.599 watching the dal Jones go down, but he's watching the 0:08:41.640 --> 0:08:44.960 Kingdom of God move forward. He said, I have a 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:49.800 diverse giving portfolio, heavily loaded with growth stocks. And then 0:08:49.800 --> 0:08:52.040 he spells it out in case in case we're slow, 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:56.600 I mean elevation and not so much in investments on 0:08:56.640 --> 0:08:59.640 this earth. Last night, he said, seeing what the church 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:02.560 has done and uplifted my spirits knowing that I had 0:09:02.679 --> 0:09:06.840 zero regrets in my giving. It's truly a high growth, 0:09:06.920 --> 0:09:12.000 high yield investment with a great err eternal rate of return. 0:09:12.960 --> 0:09:15.679 I just made that up, he says in parentheses. Now 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:17.160 listen to this. This is what I want to say 0:09:17.160 --> 0:09:20.800 to you. Cash is king is the mantra right now 0:09:20.840 --> 0:09:24.320 in business. It is the oxygen to get you through 0:09:24.360 --> 0:09:28.599 this uncertain time. Delay payable, stay on top of receivables, 0:09:28.600 --> 0:09:33.880 and liquidate slow moving inventory. Get and keep cash. The 0:09:33.920 --> 0:09:36.880 next ninety days will be extremely tough and many won't survive. 0:09:37.160 --> 0:09:38.880 We know if we can survive, we will drive. On 0:09:38.920 --> 0:09:42.760 the other end, he says, I believed and have focused 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:45.840 on cash is King, and it hit me I was 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:53.640 being a heretic. Christ is King. Christ is King. Right 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:56.959 here on the verge of Easter Sunday, we declare Christ 0:09:57.000 --> 0:09:59.520 is King. That's what you ought to type right now 0:09:59.600 --> 0:10:03.360 in the chat. Christ is King and my rock and 0:10:03.360 --> 0:10:07.160 where my refuge is. Yes, cash is extremely important, and 0:10:07.200 --> 0:10:10.120 we will focus on cash flow management. But there can 0:10:10.200 --> 0:10:14.760 only be one king. He hasn't failed me yet, and 0:10:14.800 --> 0:10:18.160 we especially need to remember that now. He said, I 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:21.160 should write a song about that. A crazy thought hit me, 0:10:21.520 --> 0:10:24.080 and this really blessed me because you know, we sing 0:10:24.120 --> 0:10:27.120 songs to God, but where our treasure is, that's where 0:10:27.160 --> 0:10:29.960 our heart is. So listen what he said. A crazy 0:10:30.040 --> 0:10:33.840 thought hit me. What if I give a big check 0:10:33.920 --> 0:10:38.160 now in a time of uncertainty and everyone and everything 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:41.319 is saying that would be stupid in a time when 0:10:41.320 --> 0:10:44.120 we are losing money and should reduce or eliminate giving. 0:10:44.320 --> 0:10:48.679 What if I wrote the single largest check that I've 0:10:48.720 --> 0:10:51.600 ever written to the church. And then he asked how 0:10:51.679 --> 0:10:53.920 much is that because he didn't have the record and 0:10:53.960 --> 0:10:57.640 then he did it. And I just think that's awesome 0:10:58.920 --> 0:11:01.559 because the man who's that text is watching right now. 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:06.560 And because of you and your faithfulness to Jesus Christ, 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:10.480 we're positioned for a miracle because you crown Christ as king, 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:14.360 not just with your lips, Hosannah, Hosanna, Hosannah, but with 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:17.040 your life. And I want to thank God for the 0:11:17.240 --> 0:11:20.640 thousands of you who do that. You pray, you give, 0:11:21.120 --> 0:11:24.760 you serve, and we're not stopping. Christ is King. If 0:11:24.760 --> 0:11:27.120 you believe it, put it in the chat, and don't 0:11:27.160 --> 0:11:31.120 just put it in the chat. Tell your checkbook, come on, 0:11:31.280 --> 0:11:34.120 tell your you got to tell your emotions. Christ is 0:11:34.320 --> 0:11:37.720 King and everything that comes against him must bow in 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:40.160 the name of Jesus. If you believe it, give me 0:11:40.240 --> 0:11:44.360 about nineteen twenty second praise break right now, just to 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:51.000 declare Christ is King. Christ is King, Christ is King. 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:54.839 Come on, you don't have to be contye ain't to know. 0:11:55.679 --> 0:12:01.520 Jesus Christ is King of kings. We crowned kings. So 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:06.040 thank you, Thank you for your continued generosity positioning us. 0:12:06.320 --> 0:12:09.480 We've reached record numbers of people during this time, and 0:12:09.520 --> 0:12:12.640 we're gonna keep on reaching. So join me this Friday, 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:17.360 remember seven pm Eastern Time, with a rebroadcast at ten 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:20.199 Eastern time, and you can do the math on your 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:23.120 time zone. We're gonna be having a special Good Friday 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:26.240 time of communion, prayer and worship with me and Holly 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:29.760 and our team. And then on Easter Sunday we're going 0:12:29.880 --> 0:12:34.240 to add a special extra service for two pm Eastern Time. 0:12:34.520 --> 0:12:36.040 We're just gonna have church all day. We're gonna have 0:12:36.120 --> 0:12:38.800 church until Jesus comes back again. If you didn't already 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:41.680 come and we missed it, We're gonna keep being here 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:45.400 showing up. Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord 0:12:45.440 --> 0:12:49.360 of lords. I'm excited about it. Are you excited about 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:54.959 the Word of God? Thank you Jesus. Well, I'm bringing 0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:58.400 out the secret weapon today. Holly Ferdick is preaching the 0:12:58.400 --> 0:13:03.320 Word of God. Everybody, say hey, Holly, come on, say 0:13:03.320 --> 0:13:06.640 it in a chat so she can see it. Say 0:13:06.679 --> 0:13:11.280 it from Whales and where else from. Welcome her from 0:13:11.280 --> 0:13:14.640 all over the world. This is my wife, this is 0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:18.360 the love of my life. This is my partner. This 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:25.320 is Somebody said that Holly was their favorite verdict and 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:27.960 they were like, no, offense, but Hally's my favorite verdict. 0:13:28.360 --> 0:13:30.719 I was like, hey, man, I'm the president of the 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:33.920 fan club. I am the president of your fan club. 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:38.160 You live what you teach. You're a better woman than 0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:40.679 even you are a minister. But today, as you look 0:13:40.720 --> 0:13:43.640 into that camera and welcome the world into the presence 0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:47.400 of God, I pray that God would use you. Thank 0:13:47.440 --> 0:13:54.200 you to bring comfort, healing, hope and perspective. Thank you 0:13:55.120 --> 0:13:57.720 to each and every one of us. God, thank you 0:13:57.800 --> 0:14:01.000 for your servant, for this woman of God. Bless it 0:14:01.559 --> 0:14:04.240 as she who comes in the name of the Lord 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:09.040 in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen, Come on, receive Holly, not 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:19.160 with a kiss, but just tell her hello. I love you, babe. 0:14:19.360 --> 0:14:21.640 Did you just get choked up while you were praying 0:14:21.640 --> 0:14:24.960 for me? I think he did. I really think he did. 0:14:25.120 --> 0:14:30.200 That touches me. I just want to say welcome to 0:14:30.320 --> 0:14:34.440 everyone who's joining us this morning, Happy Palm Sunday. My 0:14:34.560 --> 0:14:37.480 kids have been doing online school, as I know many 0:14:37.520 --> 0:14:41.040 of yours are too, and my kids actually have daily 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:43.720 check ins where their teachers take role and they type 0:14:43.720 --> 0:14:46.720 in the chat here. So I thought I could take 0:14:46.800 --> 0:14:49.040 roll this morning. I used to be a teacher, so 0:14:49.440 --> 0:14:51.720 let me know if you're here, where you're watching from 0:14:52.120 --> 0:14:55.040 give me some love. Maybe tell me who's watching with you. 0:14:55.840 --> 0:14:58.680 I have my daughter Abby here this morning. She's sitting 0:14:58.720 --> 0:15:03.280 with her dad in my very small cheering section. And 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:07.640 you know, speaking of Abby's dad who got choked up 0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:12.240 praying for me. There is no way to begin to 0:15:12.400 --> 0:15:16.480 describe the gifting and the anointing that is on my 0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:22.200 husband's life. It can truly only be experienced. And he 0:15:22.320 --> 0:15:25.120 has helped us through so many tough seasons and this 0:15:25.200 --> 0:15:29.960 one is no exception. I wish you could see the 0:15:30.000 --> 0:15:34.200 way he is leading our staff, our teams, our church. 0:15:34.840 --> 0:15:38.520 We are on the move and we have a general 0:15:38.600 --> 0:15:41.160 who is leading the charge. And I don't know if 0:15:41.200 --> 0:15:44.320 you're grateful for him, but I'm grateful for him. So 0:15:44.360 --> 0:15:46.920 when you type in the chat, we love you, Pastor Stephen, 0:15:47.360 --> 0:15:51.800 his messages have just been as always. They inspire me 0:15:52.000 --> 0:15:54.680 and they encourage me, and they challenge me and they're 0:15:54.720 --> 0:15:57.120 relevant all at the same time. And I really don't 0:15:57.160 --> 0:16:00.120 know how he does it. And also I want to 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:03.480 say I am so proud of our church. I know 0:16:03.560 --> 0:16:07.120 that my husband just read that amazing text message and 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:10.920 we have gotten to see every week how our church 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:14.640 is giving back to our communities all around. And I 0:16:14.760 --> 0:16:17.840 just want to encourage you and invite you to be 0:16:18.120 --> 0:16:21.760 involved in our church more now, more than ever. Our 0:16:21.800 --> 0:16:26.120 campus pastors at all of our campuses, our EPAM, they 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:30.160 are available, They're praying for people. Get involved on your 0:16:30.200 --> 0:16:34.480 campus Facebook page. God is moving and God is working 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.480 and he is ministering to us during this time. And 0:16:37.600 --> 0:16:39.840 our staff. I am so proud of our staff, from 0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:43.280 e kids to outreach to all of our pastoral staff. 0:16:43.320 --> 0:16:46.440 So I just want to encourage you. Don't draw back 0:16:46.520 --> 0:16:50.880 during this time, move forward, get more involved and allow 0:16:51.000 --> 0:16:53.760 us to speak over you and encourage you and pray 0:16:53.800 --> 0:16:57.720 for you. And retweet. I'm not even on Twitter. I 0:16:57.760 --> 0:17:01.320 don't know why I'm saying retweet, but share the things 0:17:01.360 --> 0:17:03.520 that are going on with our church and invite your 0:17:03.600 --> 0:17:06.760 friends to join in what's going on. I feel like 0:17:07.000 --> 0:17:11.240 people are thirstier than ever right now, and they're more 0:17:11.359 --> 0:17:15.080 open because I mean, in reality, they're home and they're bored. 0:17:15.200 --> 0:17:18.359 And so if this message and these the messages of 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:22.399 this church are speaking to you, share it personally, share it, 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.040 text someone and say this really helped me. I think 0:17:25.040 --> 0:17:27.760 that you'll like it. There's so much content coming out 0:17:27.800 --> 0:17:31.040 of our church right now, and I am so proud 0:17:31.280 --> 0:17:34.159 of to be a part of this movement and to 0:17:35.640 --> 0:17:39.920 be included among the generous people of Elevation Church. It's 0:17:40.040 --> 0:17:43.240 just such an amazing time to be to be a 0:17:43.240 --> 0:17:47.440 part of the family of God. So, Okay, I am 0:17:47.840 --> 0:17:50.359 really excited to get to speak to you this morning 0:17:50.480 --> 0:17:54.320 because God has been speaking so much to me over 0:17:54.359 --> 0:17:57.080 the past few weeks, and I truly I'm bursting. I 0:17:57.119 --> 0:17:59.800 cannot wait to share it with you. I believe that 0:17:59.840 --> 0:18:02.800 you are going to be blessed by this today. So 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:05.680 would you do me a favor, And wherever you are, 0:18:05.960 --> 0:18:08.680 just turn your hands up in a posture of receiving, 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:12.080 and I'm going to pray for us. So, Lord, we 0:18:12.200 --> 0:18:15.480 join our hearts together. We join our faith together, all 0:18:15.520 --> 0:18:19.280 across this world, from people who are in their living rooms, 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:23.320 in their bedrooms, in their kitchens, in their workplaces. God, 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:27.280 we join our faith together, and we collectively ask that 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:31.280 you would speak to us. Our hands are open as 0:18:31.320 --> 0:18:34.320 a symbol that we want to receive a word from 0:18:34.400 --> 0:18:38.280 you today. Would you speak to us God, We are listening. 0:18:38.359 --> 0:18:42.959 It's in Jesus name. I pray amen. All right, So 0:18:43.920 --> 0:18:47.480 several weeks ago back when our children went to this 0:18:47.640 --> 0:18:51.479 place called school, my husband and I decided to go 0:18:51.520 --> 0:18:54.760 on a hike on his day off. And here in Charlotte, 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:57.800 you can drive about an hour to find a decent hike. 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:00.679 So this particular day, I did a little bit of research, 0:19:00.720 --> 0:19:02.280 and I decided that we were going to go to 0:19:02.880 --> 0:19:06.520 Morol Mountain State Park. And I looked on the park 0:19:06.560 --> 0:19:09.600 website because I wanted to find the most challenging hike, 0:19:09.680 --> 0:19:11.360 and so I decided that we were going to hike 0:19:11.640 --> 0:19:15.440 sugar Loaf Trail. Now, I don't know if you've ever 0:19:15.480 --> 0:19:17.800 tried to hike the state park trails. I don't even 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:20.959 know if the state parks in other states are different 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:23.480 than the ones here in North Carolina. But I personally 0:19:24.000 --> 0:19:27.680 have found in my limited experience that the maps make 0:19:27.880 --> 0:19:32.199 everything look so easy on paper. Sugar Loaf Trail is 0:19:32.280 --> 0:19:35.200 the orange triangles. All you have to do is follow 0:19:35.200 --> 0:19:38.800 the orange triangles. But it's a totally different story when 0:19:38.840 --> 0:19:42.719 you actually get on the trail because the trails overlap 0:19:43.240 --> 0:19:45.720 and it can be tricky to stay on the one 0:19:45.720 --> 0:19:48.040 that you want. You would think follow the orange triangles 0:19:48.119 --> 0:19:52.280 is easy, but it's just not not for us. So 0:19:52.520 --> 0:19:55.440 almost every time that we go hiking, which really isn't 0:19:55.480 --> 0:19:58.879 that much, we start on one trail and then we 0:19:58.960 --> 0:20:01.240 finish on another, and it usually isn't that big of 0:20:01.280 --> 0:20:03.800 a deal as long as you end up at your car, right, 0:20:04.320 --> 0:20:07.760 I mean, look, the verdicts we aren't the most skilled 0:20:07.760 --> 0:20:10.000 when it comes to hiking. We're a little bit better 0:20:10.040 --> 0:20:14.199 at Netflix, but sometimes we have to force ourselves to 0:20:14.240 --> 0:20:16.480 go outdoors and when we do, we don't regret it. 0:20:16.560 --> 0:20:20.399 So anyway, this particular time, I am determined that we 0:20:20.440 --> 0:20:24.000 are going to stay on sugar Loaf Trail because I 0:20:24.040 --> 0:20:27.320 wanted to count as my exercise for the day, and 0:20:27.720 --> 0:20:31.640 the park information said sugar Loaf had the best incline. 0:20:31.680 --> 0:20:34.560 It actually described it as strenuous. But don't get excited 0:20:34.600 --> 0:20:37.600 if you live in Colorado. Don't picture free solo. This 0:20:37.680 --> 0:20:41.480 is the foothills of North Carolina. Okay. So I told Stephen, 0:20:42.000 --> 0:20:44.840 because maybe I should back up and explain to you 0:20:45.200 --> 0:20:48.320 that my husband doesn't have a very good sense of direction. 0:20:50.440 --> 0:20:52.240 I hope he doesn't get mad at me for telling 0:20:52.240 --> 0:20:58.840 you this, But this very morning, this very morning, he 0:20:58.920 --> 0:21:03.000 told me that he got lost coming to Valentine from 0:21:03.080 --> 0:21:06.600 our house and he says, he just missed the turn. 0:21:06.680 --> 0:21:08.879 The thing is, he had so much on his mind. 0:21:09.640 --> 0:21:12.840 He's just so brilliant and so creative that he can't 0:21:12.880 --> 0:21:15.760 pay attention to the turn. So when anyway, that's not 0:21:15.840 --> 0:21:18.240 the point. When we go on a hike, I'm in 0:21:18.359 --> 0:21:21.679 charge of where to go, and so I said to him. 0:21:21.720 --> 0:21:23.760 I was like, this is gonna be The problem is 0:21:23.800 --> 0:21:25.920 I don't have the greatest sense of It's not my 0:21:26.040 --> 0:21:28.840 sense of direction, it's more of my ability to stay 0:21:28.840 --> 0:21:31.439 on track and pay attention. But I'm in charge, and 0:21:31.520 --> 0:21:33.280 so I said, this is going to be so easy. 0:21:33.359 --> 0:21:35.320 All we have to do is follow the orange triangles. 0:21:36.160 --> 0:21:39.640 So everything starts off great. We're walking at a nice pace, 0:21:39.800 --> 0:21:43.199 and we're talking without being interrupted. I think we are 0:21:43.240 --> 0:21:45.840 even holding hands at one point, and the trail is 0:21:45.840 --> 0:21:49.320 so peaceful, and we even walk through this really cool 0:21:49.400 --> 0:21:52.520 tunnel of like baby pine trees that were growing up. 0:21:52.520 --> 0:21:54.680 I think I have a picture here. We are, aren't 0:21:54.680 --> 0:21:57.439 we cute? Don't we look like we're enjoying the great outdoors? 0:21:58.320 --> 0:22:02.440 So we're weaving our way down the trail, and just 0:22:02.480 --> 0:22:06.520 like I expected, we start getting blue squares and white 0:22:06.640 --> 0:22:10.399 circles along with our orange triangles. And I get to 0:22:10.480 --> 0:22:16.320 talking and like I always do, and I realized at 0:22:16.320 --> 0:22:19.199 one point I haven't seen an orange triangle in a 0:22:19.200 --> 0:22:22.000 little while, and so I keep talking and acting like 0:22:22.040 --> 0:22:24.639 everything's okay, and we continue on and I keep thinking 0:22:24.680 --> 0:22:27.240 the orange triangles are going to reappear, but they don't, 0:22:27.480 --> 0:22:30.880 and it doesn't feel right because the trail is getting easier, 0:22:30.920 --> 0:22:37.040 and I started I saw a picnic table, so I remembered, okay, 0:22:37.440 --> 0:22:40.240 a while back, we passed the split in the trail, 0:22:40.720 --> 0:22:43.400 so I think we need to double back and take 0:22:43.440 --> 0:22:46.560 the other path. And I can start to feel pastor 0:22:46.680 --> 0:22:51.560 Steven tense up because he does not like to be lost. 0:22:52.000 --> 0:22:54.560 He doesn't want to be lost in a car, he 0:22:54.600 --> 0:22:56.879 doesn't want to be lost walking in a city, and 0:22:56.920 --> 0:22:59.879 he certainly does not want to be lost hiking in 0:23:00.000 --> 0:23:04.639 the woods. Remember we're Netflix people, so some of you 0:23:04.720 --> 0:23:06.320 might be thinking, what's the big deal of me being 0:23:06.359 --> 0:23:09.640 lost as an adventure, not to him. So we're on 0:23:09.680 --> 0:23:14.240 the second path and we come to this tunnel of 0:23:14.400 --> 0:23:17.800 baby pine trees, and I realized that now we're walking 0:23:17.920 --> 0:23:21.960 back to our car, and so I say, okay, I 0:23:21.960 --> 0:23:24.280 think we need to turn around again, and Stephen looks 0:23:24.320 --> 0:23:27.840 at me. I swear he looks at me and he says, Holly, 0:23:28.200 --> 0:23:31.359 I'm not going to be lost much longer. And I said, 0:23:31.520 --> 0:23:35.920 don't worry. I know exactly where we are now, I 0:23:36.000 --> 0:23:40.720 know the way. I totally lied, thankfully. When we circle 0:23:40.760 --> 0:23:44.040 back one more time, I finally spotted the little orange 0:23:44.080 --> 0:23:47.439 triangle on a tree off in the distance, on a 0:23:47.560 --> 0:23:49.439 very small trail, and we were back on track, and 0:23:49.480 --> 0:23:52.480