The Orange Code

I wanted to share something that some of the leaders at Elevation: Boone Extension have been meditating on for awhile. We are currently reading The Orange Code by Arkadi Kuhlmann and Bruce Philp. It's actually the book that Elevation Church used to found their code on which they built the church. The book is incredibly strategic in how to create a successful business and how to build strong leadership - I have found it to be absolutely brilliant so far. Our Lead Producer, Matt, shared this quote from Chapter 3 with us tonight and we were all really moved by what it stood for. Suddenly we could see ourselves in the story...as though the "code" was written specific to us and to this ministry we are building...as though we were being told to BRING IT DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN.

"What brought us here? Any one of us could make a living a hundred ways - a hundred easier ways. Why did we choose this 'road not taken'? Maybe it's because we each, for our own reasons, WANTED TO MAKE A STAND. Instead of inheriting someone else's vision, someone else's mountain, we wanted to climb our own, so that when we're done, we can look back at the trip and say, 'I did this.'

And here we are. And we realize...

The thing about making our own road is that,

WE CAN NEVER COAST, or we'll just stop. 

This place is our MOUNTAIN.

We have a good idea, something that will help people.

But it's new.

So we have to inspire them.

Every day.

RELENTLESSLY.

And that is what makes this road so steep…

And why at the end of the day…

 It is one that not everyone is meant to take.

But they say the view is best closest to the edge.

Today, we'll stop and look.

And it will be beautiful. 

And tomorrow will be another mountain."

I love the way that the Elevation Boone staff and volunteers are making themselves indispensable to the cause. I love the way that we are learning to never be satisfied. We are learning to be grateful for everything, because we have seen God constantly prove Himself faithful. We are learning to brace ourselves for the fight, because we find ourselves up to the challenge. We are never discouraged for we have seen the Lord fighting FOR us. And we are in the midst of finding our one pursuit, our one desire, in relentlessly making God's name and renown famous.