SOAR. While it is not my "star word" for 2017, it is my word for this summer and possibly this season of my life. For me, SOAR stands for "Summer of Authentic Relationships," and it's a commitment I'm making to the families, children, and youth here at Church of the Covenant. The acronym is cute and helpful, but soaring involves living in a different realm, out of our comfort zone. It involves letting go of the sturdy ground, putting in the effort and energy of a climb, breathing in the sites and sounds from above, and utilizing the 360 degree view to asses where to land.

The prophet Isaiah says in chapter 40 verse 31:

Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not grow weary;

they shall walk and not grow faint.

Genuinely waiting on the Lord can feel much like the process necessary to get to a place of soaring. The fear of letting go is real and the discipline and practice are arduous, but the reward of rest and peace, strength and endurance, in having faith in the faithfulness and love of God is well worth the climb.