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19 degrees on Pikes Peak

Message from Pastor Michelson

Take in the View

By Pastor Lowell Michelson

Recently, I spent a week in Colorado as part of a family vacation. We spent one day hiking on legendary Pikes Peak. Actually, we drove up the mountain and then did some hiking. On the morning of our drive, it was mid-60s with a possible 80 degrees by noon, but even from town, we could see that Pikes Peak was snow-covered. As we loaded up, we threw in a couple of fleece jackets in case it was a little cool up there, but we were dressed for frolicking on a summer day.

As we ascended, we could feel the temperature drop. We were not too far into the park before we closed up the windows and knocked on the heat. The wind picked up, too. Large gusts produced almost white-out conditions as we drove along a snowy valley clouded with swirling, whipped-up powder. We rolled in and out of visibility, eventually turning into the parking lot where everything was plowed or packed from foot and vehicle traffic.

The peak was cold — 19 degrees cold — with a blustery wind blowing baseball caps off of unsuspecting tourists. We were grossly unprepared for the realities of 14,110 feet. But there we were, atop Pikes Peak. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so we did our best to improvise a bundling up and prepare for what was ahead. When we thought we were ready, we climbed out of the warm car and into the chilly reality around us.

St. Paul’s letter to a Roman church encourages us to be transformed by God and by our experiences: “Here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life — your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life — and place it before God as an offering… Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” (Romans 12.1-2, The Message translation).

Our lives and experiences shape us. I don’t know if you will head to Colorado this summer, but I do know that you will have the opportunity to experience a shift in perspective. From Colorado Springs, the peak was beautiful and made a nice backdrop for many of our photos. Our time together was that much better, though, when we explored the mountain unknown to us. The journey up and our brief time out in the thin air and freezing temperatures not only introduced us to that beautiful place, but also gave us new sights and views of all that lay around the peak. We could now think about the peaks and the valleys in different ways.

This summer, take time to experience alternate vantage points. You may not be prepared for all that is in store, but exploration and discovery grounded in faith can change your life and the lives of others. There will be plenty of opportunities as we plunge into the Great Bible Reef for Vacation Bible Experience, head to Camp Shalom for family camp, discover our new worship space and service times, and turn our hearts and minds to all that God invites us to explore in the coming year.

Changing our perspective can be as simple as kneeling down to talk with a child at their level, stepping forward to greet your neighbor across the fence, or looking around and noticing others at a red light. Take a pause from the everyday to observe the view around you. Step outside of yourself to experience and embrace these opportunities.

We did not know what was in store atop the chilly and snow-covered Pikes Peak, but we had a mountaintop experience. You may not feel prepared for a new view, because we can never quite be prepared for all that awaits us. God invites you and me to step out of our warm cars and take in the view. We will be changed and may change the lives of others as we see life from a new perspective. Enjoy the view!

Pastor Lowell Michelson,

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