If you are one who reads Elevate Blog regularly, first my apologies for not having more content, I have allowed myself to get over-busy (which usually means more running around and less accomplished.) I appreciate Glen sending in a Blog Article. If you ever have one to share send it to me. Here is Glen's submission:

Boomerang

It’s been a while since I wrote anything but something happened the other day that I just needed to share. You see, I had just had a pretty physically busy work week plus after work I had been on a mission to do my spring cleaning from 2007 (maybe 2006 or 2005) if you know what I mean. I was also going through a trial of a personal nature that had me mentally worn and just plain bummed out.

I had been singing with the worship team at my church on Saturday nights but had told the Pastor I wouldn’t be there because I had plans. Well, my plans fell through and I had spent the whole morning and part of the afternoon trying to recover physically and mentally from the week I had. As I was sitting in my chair I realized that I still might have time to go to church and help with the music but my heart was just not in it. The more I thought about it though, the more I thought that maybe sitting at home all tired and bummed out might not be the best choice, so I kind of made a deal with God that if I could still get up and get ready in time that I would go…knowing that I probably wouldn’t make it.

I slowly went through my routine of getting up and ready, even dragging my feet a little. I didn’t look at the clock even once because in my mind it was a moot point anyway…I didn’t feel like going and I wouldn’t be ready in time anyway. Well, worship team practice started at 3:30pm and when I was dressed and finished getting ready, I was shocked to look at the clock and see that it read 3:15pm. I had to look at another clock to be sure…no way! I said to myself. I had to laugh a little knowing what a tricky guy God is. Ok…I’m going, I told him.

I walked down to my car and started it up to head to church and I immediately began to feel a change in the way I felt. My spirits were lifting! I was listening to the radio and singing along (don’t laugh) with the music. I actually got to church at straight up 3:30pm! As I got out of my car and walked inside I was feeling better and better. Then practice started and a smile began to reappear on my face as everything around me began to disappear and I felt as if it were just me and God there. I could feel God’s presence as I stood alone worshipping to him…the audience of one. For the moment I felt fully restored…the tiredness gone…the heartache gone…all the pain was just gone, and I felt content, joyful, and happy again.

But I haven’t got to the best part yet because something happened afterward that just blew me away. You see, after the service I was hanging out talking to some of the youth and this guy walks up that looked kind of familiar. Turns out he was an older version of a young man from the youth group at our church that I used to talk to and sometimes give a ride home. He lived about 10 miles away so it gave us a little time to talk, but to be honest I don’t think I could have told you one thing we talked about on those drives. It had been 3-4 years and I don’t remember all conversations…plus I’m a guy, and us guys know when the conversations over…it’s usually forgotten. Which gets us in trouble sometimes…but that’s another story.

Anyway…I asked him how things had been going and he said things were fine and that he had just been trying to follow some of my advice. Now I was really curious what I might have said to this young man that he actually thought worthy of following, so I asked, “what advice are you talking about?” And this is what he said…

”You said that sometimes when you really don’t feel like going to church…is when you really need to go the most.”

When he said that I new God had brought his word back to me, like a boomerang, at a time when I needed to hear it the most and I confessed to my young friend that that was exactly what had happened to me that evening and that I was so glad that I had not avoided time with God that night.

I’m glad I had taken my own advice…with a little help from God…and a slow clock!

By Glen Bryant