Dear CCPC Family,

"But this one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize
of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 3:13-14

On a hot summer afternoon, little girls play in a shady backyard. The hours grow long, and slowly, every toy imaginable ends up in the yard; played with and discarded. The whole yard has the look of a garage sale gone terribly wrong. Eventually Mom notices the mess and comes into the yard pronouncing judgment -- the yard must be cleaned and all the toys need to be put away. With snail's pace the toys start to move to their rightful place. Then something marvelous happens. Mom comes outside again, but this time with good news. "As soon as the toys are picked up we are going to the pool!" All of the sudden the snail's pace quickens, toys fly off the lawn and into toy boxes, and green grass appears all over the yard. The girls press on to their goal and are at the pool in no time!

The Apostle Paul would understand this story. In the letter to the Philippians -- in the midst of many obligations, concerns and demands, and with a tremendous amount of work to do for the infant church -- the Apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of the source of his great energy and drive. Paul suggests, "I know what really matters. I know where to spend my energy. The past does not hold me back, and God's call and promise propels me into the future with joy!" Paul's focus and goal made all the difference in his life, and it can make all the difference in our lives as well.

I pray each of us and our church be given this precious ability to focus upon what really matters. I pray that we might hear God's call in our lives in very real and concrete ways. I pray that we might set our eyes above the busyness and boredom of everyday living and instead catch a glimpse of our true home and life with God. When God's goals for our lives become our goals, there is no end to the energy and joy which follows. Thanks be to God!

Loving God, slow me down today.
Help me to see my life and those I love through Your eyes, if even for a moment.
Help me to remember that in You, things are not always what they seem,
and that even the dreariest duty can have eternal and joyful consequences.
May I, like Paul, forget the past and press
into the future You set before me. In Christ's name, Amen.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Stacy