This morning I am sitting in the Fellowship Area of the church drinking a cup of coffee and looking out into the B. Still Prayer Garden while the rain comes down. I love this! This is such a wonderful relief from the hot summer we have had so far.

I love summertime, but I am already looking forward to the fall. Our very warm summer has me looking forward to crisp autumn days, Pumpkin Patch, football games, and pumpkin spice everything! For my two boys Summer is almost over, they begin school next week and we have already begun the process of getting them ready for the back to school schedule. Although they are heading back to school and summer vacation is ending for them, summer is not quite over. Officially summer does not end until September 22nd. That means we still have some warm days ahead of us. As much as we would like to believe that relief of fall from the summer heat is just around the corner, we have nearly 40 days until that becomes official.

This past Sunday we began a series called “Manna” where we recognize that all good things come from God and we are called to be faithful to God’s instruction. Cornerstone will be celebrating 20 years as a church in less than 4 years and although many wonderful things have happened here, we believe that the best has yet to come. In order to recognize the good things God has in store for us we are committing ourselves to being faithful to God’s instruction for our lives and be a people that is courageous enough to enter into the promised land.

This Sunday we will continue our series by looking at the life of Elijah. Elijah was a prophet found in 1 Kings who defended the worship of our God over the Canaanite deity Baal. His biggest opposers were King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. One day Elijah demonstrates the superiority of our God over Baal and as a result this angers Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah flees for his life by running into the desert. He sits down by a solitary broom bush and waits out his own death expecting to die in his old age, but God shows him differently. God sends sustenance to Elijah and tells him that his journey in life is not over and that he has much left to do.

This morning the rain I watch fall down is a reminder to me. Although this summer is not over, God has provided me much relief from the heat. It is a reminder that our journey is not over, even if like Elijah we wish it, that God will sustain us for the journey that lies ahead. Join us this Sunday (August 12th) for worship at 10:30 AM as we are reminded of this promise.