From the Presiding Elders Desk

The Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual Conference

of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church

~ MID-WEEK MEDITATION ~
Based on Luke 9:18-23
Im writing this weeks Meditation from Florence, SC - the site of the Seventh Episcopal District of
the AME Churchs Annual Summer Leadership Congress. When traveling out of town on Tuesdays in
the past, I sent out the Mid-Week Meditation a day early, since doing it on my iPad instead of on my home
desktop was more than a little bit difficult and inconvenient.

That changed a few months ago when my desktop was showing signs of an impending crash.
I nstead of getting a new desktop, I opted for a laptop. I t stays in my home office most of the time but
when Im traveling for more than a day or two, I simply unplug it and take it with me. Its portable but
powerful, and enables me to do things on the road that I formerly had to do at home. I can now almost
literally take my office with me and be more productive.

Portable technology makes me more productive and less stressed, and what could creatively be
called portable faith can do the same for our spiritual lives. Many decent and well-meaning people
limit their relationship to God to an hour or two on Sundays, when they worship with those who share
their faith and then go home and leave their Sunday religion in the pew with the hymnals and Bibles.

Sunday morning religion, however, cant help you to cope with lifes daily rough spots and
challenges or enable you to love God and love others as Gods Word directs us to do - it can leave you
feeling isolated and incomplete for the rest of the week. When we take the time each day, however, to
pause, pray and count our blessings, well have more than Sunday religion. Well love serve, praise
and call on the Lord each day, realizing that God gives us peace of mind and productively guides us
through each new day.

Well find new meaning, completeness and assurance in our lives when we take God off of our to
do list and allow God to direct our thoughts, words and deeds. Give God control of your life and take the
Name of J esus with you wherever you go. Youll make new progress, experience new peace of mind, and
be able to joyfully say with those who continually called on the Lord in spite of slaverys chains, I woke
up this morning with my mind stayed on Jesus.

This Meditation is also available on the Beaufort Districts Website:
www.beaufortdistrict.org

and on Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/BeaufortDistrictAMEC

Get Ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship!