Today I have another faith challenge.  I have to visit a building and go to the third floor.  To get there I have to take an elevator.

Yes, I am claustrophobic and so taking this elevator becomes a matter of concern for me.  Will I search for stairs so I can avoid it?  Will I just grit my teeth and take it?

I don’t want to live my life in fear.  I would love to dispose of this fear once and for all.

I remember a few months ago when I was called to jury duty.  All week long, I had to release the outcome of the next day to God trusting that I would be alright.  Fears popped up:  they have elevators in court buildings too!  What if I am sequestered for a murder trial? Early on in that “trial” I was given the realization that releasing my worry was freeing.  Each afternoon I went through a period of exercising my faith that felt good.  I just let the next day go into God’s hands.  I actually began thanking God for this opportunity to use and stretch my faith.

A number of years ago I had to take an elevator each week to visit a man in a nursing home.  How I did it was I kept praying this prayer “Thy will, not mine be done.”  And it helped.  It freed me to focus on my purpose for being there.

Today’s purpose is to speak to seniors about the reality of scams and how to avoid them.  This is an important matter.

In my devotions this morning, I came across this line:  he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God (Romans 4:20b NRSV) It’s a reference to Abraham’s ability to wait a long time to see God’s promise of a son come true for him and his wife.   His secret was he kept giving glory to God.

I have seen the exact same thing in my life.  Today as I enter the elevator I will give glory to God who has given me an important message to share with people who may have been or may become victims of scam.