Summit Stories

This from Psalm 149: "Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints." The question is, how new is your song? Probably as new as your growth in the Lord. I ask myself, how well do I know the Lord? Is my understanding of Him greater today than it was a few days or even years ago? In part, I have to read about Him from the Bible daily. It is His desire to reveal Himself to me everyday as our relationship goes deeper. As I read, I open myself to what the Lord might be saying to me; something new that I didn't know about Him yesterday. As I understand His heart, I grow in my knowledge of just how much He loves and cares for me. Don't all relationships stay intimate and joyful when we decide to be open and transparent with one another? Everyday I learn a little more how to have a joy filled relationship with my wife. It takes transparency in her part, but it also takes searching on my part. Why should it be different wi...

I will not place my hope: In temperatures on the thermometer. In certain items on the grocery store shelf. Nor my ability to predict tomorrow or next month. I will not place my hope or security in my emotional stability or my children’s behavior, nor the presence of certain comforts I’m still able to enjoy. I place my hope in Him alone. The unchanging, ever present, loving God, who is available and active. Who knows my yesterdays and tomorrows and has secured eternity for me. I will fix my gaze on Him again and again. He never fails, even as my own vision may, He never does. 🌡 This little one has had a fever on and off over the past few days. In these crazy times we have no other option but to assume it could be covid-19 and totally quarantine for two weeks. Honestly, the constant changes and roller coaster of emotions of the last few weeks has started to feel like the new normal- and we’re finding peace in the Lord. Grateful for the incredible reality of His...

My girls have been so peaceful, so blissfully unaware. We’ve explained that things are canceled, that some people are sick, that we need to keep our distance so we don’t get them sick and they don’t get us sick. They get it, sort of, but they carry on. They play, laugh, they squabble a bit, but mostly they’ve just been in their imaginations, little beds on the book shelves, taking care of all their babies, coloring- sometimes in places they are not supposed to, making pies an d creations out of dirt and snow, eating cookies and chocolate eggs. They hold their baby sister, talk to her, and cheer her on when she rolls over and tell me again and again to come see. There’s an subtle panic happening below the surface for so many of us right now, as we grocery shop and think about the future, but inside this house, you wouldn’t hardly know it. The difference between their little world and the worlds. And I’m wondering, where does my mind dwell right now? In the peace and care of my He...

Last Thursday, March 19th, our neighborhood received close to 8-10 inches of snow.  It was 42 degrees (warm for us), so it melted almost as quickly as it came down. Larry and I were enjoying a wonderful hike when we came across this bench under a HUGE spreading fir tree. It was the ONLY area on the 4 mile hike, which had no snow accumulation, as the branches were so thick from years of growth, it sheltered the bench below from the elements! Later that day, I had to google..'SHELTER IN PLACE'...it was a statement I read on my internet news feed. I had no idea what it meant, until I read the definition and examples from the world's current fight against the C-19 virus.  I immediately recalled this photo I had snapped earlier in the day, as it spoke to me...even then... of shelter in a storm, protection, provision and rest.  It reminded me of how my God does all that for me, through His Holy Spirit inside of me.  I have shelter, protection, provision and a restful p...

One of these days, we’ll look back on this time and say to one another “Wow!  How did we get though that??” How are YOU getting through it? Here are a few ways I’m getting through it: -      Remembering what I KNOW is true .   It’s important to distinguish what is speculation from what you know is truth.   What do I know, for sure?   That God is good.   He’s always been good.   He never changes.   He loves us.   He’s never surprised.   Now is the time   to review daily and many times a day the foundation our faith is built on.   Some things are within my control and some things aren’t.   They things that aren’t belong to the Lord.   Don’t mess with the Lord’s stuff! -      Speaking to my soul .   Unless I’m careful, my mind can run away with speculating, imagining all sorts of things that haven’t happened.   I remember how David in the Psalms speaks to his o...

Whether your political views fall more closely to Rage Against Machines or Trace Adkins, this season of life should have nothing to do with poltics and everything to do with being a human. Thankfully, in our little bubble of Estes Park, we are seeing all things put aside for the sake of another. A crisis like this, as tragic as it is on many levels, brings us all to a space where our heart strings are being pulled again. We are LOVINGLY taking on the responsibility to care of each other and humbly accepting people's help. We are doing what is good for all and not our selfish desires. I think, when it comes down to these catastrophic experiences, we naturally pull together because we were created to do so! We need each other. Even though we are forced to be isolated, it's almost like we've never been so close as a community. Light is shining through in the darkest of times. Love is what wins this fight. Author: Taylor Bodin

The first day of spring. The seasons have always been really symbolic to me... experiential imagery that God has used again and again to remind me to trust Him through the changes, to believe He is at work in the hard seasons, to have faith beyond what I can see and touch right now. Last year there was a period of time where for months I just wasn’t sure if I was ever going to be okay again. And then, just like God does, a reassurance came over me that I was going to be okay. That there was no guarantees about difficulties but that I could be okay no matter what. This assurance, this feeling, this deepening of my faith that I can only attribute to His work of showing me my need for hope in the eternal, it occurred very tangibly on this day last year, on the first day of spring. And I’m reminded, as we’re buried in this fog, in what feels like maybe just the beginning of a long winter, I’m reminded to trust Him, despite a complete and utter lack of guaranteed outcomes right ...

I can be these kids’ teacher, I know I can. I’m just not sure I can also be the mom, cook, activity planner, part time employee, and calm voice, among other things. This is hard. And I know I don’t even have what others carry. My only antidote: Keeping Philippians 4:4-7 on repeat. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Author: Nicole Cousineau

David, my son, called me and shared a problem with his car. Of course, he imagined “the worst.“  I encouraged him as best I could. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving , present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard  your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  Phil. 4:6 Then, I wrote this little poem.                                                         ALWAYS ASK GOD                 Good Morning, Son                 So nice to hear...                 And just how is your day?                 You say your car’s stopped working         ...

A much anticipated vacation has been canceled, and I’ve cried a few times. At first I felt guilty because hello this is a vacation, not our jobs being canceled or our income or our health or the health of those we care about... but with that in perspective I’m choosing to still feel what I’m feeling. I’m letting myself be disappointed about it and then I’m turning my gaze towards all that is not canceled. This is sad but God’s goodness is not canceled. Joy is not canceled- good food is not canceled- being outside is not canceled. Love and connection is not canceled. Joy on my kids faces is not canceled, or fun or dancing or singing. Things have felt so quiet lately but laughter is not canceled. Bread is not canceled and neither are chocolate chip cookies or curry. We don’t have my favorite tea right now, but tea time with our little cups is not canceled and we can adjust, this thing right here in front of me, it’s different than I was expecting, but it can still be good. I can still...

This from Psalm 139:  "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." I am not a fatalist, in that I take care to eat right and exercise, use proper hygiene, take medicine for improved control of diabetes, etc. In this time of pandemic, I am careful to limit myself going out to what is necessary and use lots of sanitizer when I do. But I also believe my days a numbered. The only thing the Bible says in regard to changing that is to respect my parents. Too late for that one. I tired but often failed in the arrogance of youth. I believe I was wonderfully made as we all are. Probably, it is more produ...

Teach·a·ble   -   /ˈtēCHəbəl/ " Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning." Proverbs 9:9 Recently, I began helping a friend run for a local government position in my town.   This friend is a professional with a long list of accomplishments, achievements, and accolades in her life.   As sat down to discuss our strategy for the campaign, I immediately told her we would create a Dropbox account in order to share files, pictures, documents, and information.   She smiled, politely nodded, and then said, “I have no idea what that is, but it sounds good.”   For those of you who don’t know, Dropbox is a file sharing application that allows you to easily move and share information from one device to another.   During our meeting, I gave my friend a five-minute lesson on Dropbox and sent her on her way. Later that evening, I was sending her information right and left...

This was written in October, but it seems very timely now.  This is Deer Mountain, located in Rocky Mountain National Park. The aspens are in full color this week, soon to be replaced with flurries this weekend! But for today… their golden hues light up the hillside as they mix with the deep green pines. Beautiful! Change comes slowly it seems and then at times…all of a sudden. Whether its nature, work responsibilities, family dynamics, the economy, health issues…change is bound to happen…sooner or later. I consider myself a ‘recovering perfectionist’…somedays I have more recovery than others. but my goal (foolishly) is to keep the ‘good things’ in my life from NOT changing, while praying for the ‘not so good things’ to change, as of yesterday! This (seemingly to my little brain) keeps me in charge of not feeling grief or loss. The downside of all of this mental/emotional gymnastics is…to not experience growth which ALWAYS comes with change. God forgive my lack of trust. Que...

We all love stories.  And, we all have stories.  For thousands of years, before pens and paper, before typewriters, and certainly before texting, people shared information through storytelling.  Our hope is that through the stories of real, regular people at Summit Church we can share the lessons God is teaching us in our everyday lives.  We hope this will be a platform to share stories, sermons, scriptures, parables, poems, and anything else centered in the Word of God from people at Summit.  May it be a source of encouragement and an opportunity for engagement in an exciting new way.