Back in June, I joined a group of great friends for dinner and an escape room. The dinner was delicious BBQ in Traverse City, and the escape room was an Alcatraz warden’s office with a time limit of 1 hour. With our collective brains, wit, and laughter, we managed to complete the escape room with about 20 minutes to spare. Sure of ourselves that we must have broken the record, our egos were struck down when we were informed that groups had done it much faster (and better). Oh well!

 

What happened next, we didn’t expect. We found ourselves in another escape room. This time, the escape room was an elevator. A very real elevator where the only escape option was the Traverse City Fire Department. There we were on a hot June day with eight of us crammed into a stuck elevator waiting for either a short fall, a rescue, or heat exhaustion.

 

But truth be told, it actually made for a lot of laughter, fun, and happy memories. We were assured the elevator didn’t get stuck because of our weight (what a relief), nor because it was hanging on by a thread, waiting to fall. Instead, it was a failsafe mechanism that tripped, requiring time and a little know-how.

 

I tell this story to say that I couldn’t imagine being stuck in an elevator with anyone else. These are truly some of the best friends I could ask for, and I am continually thankful that they are in my life. My prayer is that you are lucky enough to have people like that in your life – let’s call them “elevator people.”

 

I recently heard a pastor talk about the value of holy friendships. To be clear, these are not friends who are more holy. Instead, these are friends we have in our life who lift us up and who we can see, not only as parts of our lives, but also part of our spiritual journey. They are people who lift us up, pray for us, support us, challenge us, weep and laugh with us. They are elevator friends who will be with you when life gets incredibly challenging, and when things are moving along swimmingly.

 

And, if you’re reading this and find yourself all to much aware that you don’t have these holy friends in your life, I want to simply remind you that your church is full of holy friends – if you’ll allow it.

 

I’m thankful for my friends – my holy friends – who God has placed in my life. I am thankful for their wisdom, their laughter, and their willingness to journey with me through this journey of life and faith.

 

Who are your holy friends – or, who will you let be your holy friends?

 

With love,

Pastor Brian