21 Years in 21 Pictures
It is so easy to be able to sit back and just buy a card. But when it comes to celebrating one of the greatest days of my life I don’t ever just want it to be easy. So here is a special gift to my bride on May 16th our 21st Anniversary.
I praise God for the woman who has made me better and stronger because she is in my life.
FIVE things to do to start the year off RIGHT!
Here are five things that you can do to start your year off right when it comes to being a team member at Elevation Christian Church. Each one of them will help us accomplish our mission statement: “Develop relational environments where people can become followers of Jesus.”
#5 Set-up Online Giving
As you prepare and plan for this coming year when it comes to your finances get your online giving set-up. I pray that each and everyone of you has set some financial goals that are based in what God wants for you and your family. So make your tithe to the church one of the first things that is taken care of this month. You can get it started in CCB through your login and if you don’t have a login just go to the Community tab on the website and you can ask for one.
#4 Join a Community Group
In the coming weeks we are going to be talking about the importance of having a community of people around you as you walk through life. So why not this weekend make it a priority to get signed up for a community group at the Guest Services booth. It is as easy as picking what night works best for you and your family then getting your name on the Community Group card at the booth. Then the leader will get in touch with you and make sure you are ready to do life with others.
#3 Learn to Laugh
I know that you might think that this is a strange thing to put in this list. But I believe that if we were to live life more in the joy of being a child of God then we wouldn’t be as stressed out. So learn to laugh at the things that are going on in your life and know that there is a Father that loves you in a huge way and is there with you each step. Plus, they say that laughing actually extends your life that means my wife is going to live a long time. (Insert Laugh)
#2 Get to know someone NEW
We are so excited to share with you that on Christmas Eve that we had our largest attended service ever. So that will mean that we will see more and more new people attending our services over the next couple of weeks. Make sure that you take the time to stop and talk to someone new invite them to get a cup of coffee and some cookies in the E-Lounge during the gatherings. Who knows you might even get in a Community Group together.
#1 Learn that WE ARE . . . means something to us all
This month WE ARE going through a series called WE ARE. It is a series that is going to get us focused again on what is important to Elevation. It is a series that is going to push us each to take next steps when it comes to our walks with Jesus Christ. So I am asking you to take the time to see what WE ARE means to you and what God is calling you to do next. Because WE ARE a movement of Jesus Christ and WE ARE not going to sit back and wait anymore.
The First in the WE ARE series
Here is the first message in the series WE ARE . . . for Elevation Christian Church in Aurora, CO. Please take the time to check us out and come and find out more about who we are as a church and a movement of God.
The F-Bomb reading plan. . .
As we take the next month to really walk through and chew on how to live lives where we are dropping the F-bomb all over the place. I would like to encourage you to take the F-Bomb reading challenge. Here on the blog you are able to have different verses from the bible to read that deal with forgiveness. What I would pray that you do is share what you are hearing from God about be a person that is able to accept forgiveness and share forgiveness with all of those around you. Forgiveness is a challenge for each one us, it is a challenge to how we are going to walk through a life that can be filled with pain and hurt. Pain and hurt that comes from people that Jesus loves and was willing to to die for, so willing that he said on the cross, Luke 23:34; “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” There is an example of a life filled with the F-bomb. May we live that life too.
F-Bomb Reading Plan for the month of August:
8th – Genesis 50:15 – 21
9th – Exodus 30:11 – 16
10th – Leviticus 26:13
11th – Judges 15:1
12th – 2 Samuel 12:14
13th – 1 Chronicle 21:8
14th – Psalm 32:1
15th – Matthew 5:32
16th – Matthew 6:14 – 15
17th – John 20:23
18th – John 8:11
19th – Luke 11:4
20th – Luke 15:30
21st – Luke 15:32
22nd – Matthew 28:10
23rd – Acts 8:18-23
24th – Romans 1:5 – 6
25th – Romans 4:6 – 8
26th – Romans 12:17 – 21
27th – Philemon 1:10
28th – Hebrews 9:22
29th – 1 John 1:9
30th – Ephesians 4:32
31st – Luke 23:34
I Want A New Marriage Series
As we head into the month of February we all know that Valentine’s Day is in that month. So with that in mind we decided that it was a great time to talk about relationships, marriage, and all that goes with that. Valentine’s Day is really a day that we celebrate the love and relationships we have and it comes only once a year. What is sad is that may be for some people the most romantic and awesome day they have in the year which is really pathetic! With that in mind we are going through a series called ”I Want A New Marriage” what we want people to really see is that the new marriage or relationship that they want is the one that they already have, it just takes some work. I know that we always hear that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, well that is because someone on the other side of the fence put the work into the yard and that is why it looks the way it does.
I thought that we could start out the month by giving people some tools that they can use when it comes to the relationships in their lives. But I want you to realize that the tools are only good if you use them. Here are two books that I have read in the last couple of weeks that I think have great information and practicality in them for relationships.
“Love & War: Finding the marriage that you dreamed of” by John and Stasi Eldredge you can also find the 8 week Devotional for Couples that is great.
“The Marriage You’ve Always Wanted” by Gary Chapman it too has a companion book that you can go through as a couple for Bible Study.
“Love & War” is a great book that walks you through their relationship and all that they struggled with to be where they are today. It is a great read if there are things in your marriage and relationship that are keeping you part. ”The Marriage You’ve Always Wanted” is a great book that will actually give you work to do at the end of each chapter that allows you to put into practice what you are learning, if you are not a big reader then this is the one that you will what to get. I hope that this is a help to get things rolling in your relationships and marriages. Even if you are a single person these are great to read because it prepares you to think now about what you will want in your marriage. If you are a single guy then I would encourage you STRONGLY to read these because it will prepare you to be the husband that I guarantee a lady is looking for in her life.
Dalton Elementary Teacher’s Lounge Makeover
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Here are to many words to count, we were so blessed to be able to honor the teachers of Dalton Elementary.
Thank you to all the where a part of this, Team Elevation, Walmart, Home Depot, Best Buy, and the Principal of Dalton.
Thank you Super Summer!
After spending a week at Super Summer Montana, all I can say is WOW! We were so blessed by all of the churches that were there. The staff of the camp and the students that attended.
It was most of all awesome to see 46 students cross the line of faith for the first time. What an incredible week to watch the great “I AM” show up and do His thing.
Thank you for the time we were able to spend as a family and the encouragement that we took with us for the start of Elevation Christian Church.
Thank you,
The Bloyer Family
Luggage Language
I was recently traveling and while we were sitting still at the gate I was able to see the baggage handlers loading another plane that was docked next to us also still at the gate. There were bags that were being left at the top of the stairs obviously that would not fit into the over head bins. What I saw was the flight attendant place them nicely at the top of the stairs then go inside. Then came the baggage handler and he chucked, slide, and tossed the luggage down a shoot to the cart. In fact I saw one of the bags come flying out of the dangerous luggage slide of death to the pavement below. I wanted to run out of the plane shouting; “Don’t you know what you are doing? That is someone’s belongings, don’t you care?” It was at that moment that I was really convicted of a thought. Isn’t that what you do Scott with your words. You chuck them at people and don’t think about what they might do to someone. This verse is what came to my mind:
Matthew 12:35 (NLT) A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart.
The part that always gets to me is not about the words but the “HEART”. What people don’t realize is that the words that we choose every day and the things that we say to one another reflects what is going on in our heart.
How he handles luggage may be the way you handle your words.
I pray that this is an opportunity to for all of us to think about how we are speaking to one another. May we see that the ways we sometime choose our words is no different then the way some people handle baggage. What do you want people to hear from you?
New and Old Beginnings
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- The place where we sat when I proposed.
While I was in Colorado visiting with some church leaders about the start of a new church. I had the great opportunity to be able to go have lunch with a new friend in an old and very important place. You see we met at Senor Ric’s it was the place where 18 years ago I proposed to Michelle to marry me. Now some of you may be thinking wow Scott you are a big spender, doesn’t look like much. Well, I was twenty two and that was where Michelle told me it was her favorite place to eat. Had nothing to do with being fancy it had to do with it being the place that they lady I liked a lot love to go too.
I remember that after I had gone and asked her dad if it was OK to marry Michelle that I had to go and get the ring that she had already told me that she liked. I just want to remind then young guys out there that yes you need to ask the father to marry the daughter. (My thought is that if you don’t have the guts to ask for her hand in marriage then as a father how do I know that you are going to have the guts to stand up for her.)
I began to prepare for the evening by asking Michelle if she wanted to go out and get some food. I told her that I would take her to her favorite place, “Senor Ric’s”. She was way excited and so was I, so excited that I began to sweat just thinking about the coming evening. So I bought some flowers in an arrangement to place the ring case in for her to receive from the waiter as he came to the table with our drinks. I took the flowers and the ring to the restaurant that afternoon with the understanding that if they were not there when I showed up with my girl that someone would surely would get to meet Jesus personally face to face.
We made it to the restaurant and we were sat down at the table next to the kitchen. With the waiter that knew what was going on. Michelle and I ordered our drinks and the waiter went on his way. I just remember that as he walked away to get our drinks I remember that my mouth went dry real fast and my heart began to beat louder then it had ever before. I also remember seeing all of the kitchen staff and other staff of the restaurant begin to be hanging around the door. Then there it was the tray with the flowers and the ring. The waiter walked out and placed it on the table in front of Michelle and I sat there caught in the moment watching her face search the flowers and with surprise notice the open box with the ring in it. I then made my way to one knew next to the table and grabbed her by the hand and asked her to marry me. I have to say that in that moment between the question and the answer I felt my heart almost stop and wait just like the kitchen staff that were standing around the room. I will never ever forget the joy and warmth that I experienced when she said, “Yes”. It was in that moment that I even remember the couple next to us in the other table stop and watch as I grabbed her hand and placed the ring on her finger. I was so excited that I almost didn’t notice the tears in her eyes and the cheer that we received from the room and that group of kitchen staff that had waited as long as I had that day to hear her answer.
It was that day I remember thinking that this is the beginning to a new, exciting, and amazing phase in my life. I have not be disappointed one bit! Having Michelle on loan to me as my wife is amazing and I will never be able to express to her how much that one word of “Yes” ever meant to me.
Think about the places that you have made decisions in or places that have great meaning to your walk with those in your life, or in your walk with Christ and know that there can always be new memories in old places.
Singing in the Shower!
First day of summer break and I catch my youngest daughter Morgan singing in the shower. It is awesome to hear her sing but it was hilarious to get caught while making the video.
Pretty awesome that she loves to sing worship songs in the shower. She even extends grace to her crazy dad for making a video of her singing. I love my kids.
New Church Planters
I have to apologize for not being diligent with making posts for the BLOG this last week. Michelle and I were at a church planters assessment here in Northern California for Stadia West. Along with three other couples we spent time working together, meeting with church leaders, and sharing our stories along with vision for what we see the Lord leading us to do in church planting. It was an amazing time we were able to meet some incredible people that are planning to do some really cool ministry. There is Ray and Ruth that are looking to do ministry in Compton, CA meeting the needs of the community that the Lord has placed them in. Then there was Jeff and Melany they are a part of a creative ministry where they are doing church through a coffee shop and art in Omaha, NE. Finally we met Angel and Diana they are planning on starting a church in a town on the Arizona and Mexico border. Each couple with a vision to bring Jesus to different communities using different plans to accomplish it. What an amazing time to be starting a church. What an opportunity to share with others what God has placed on our hearts as we plan to move to Colorado to start a church. I ask that you pray for these couples as they too seek the Lord in every step of the way in starting new churches.
17 year Wedding Anniversary
Celebrating 17 years of marriage.
Today I have the awesome opportunity to celebrate 17 years of marriage to my beautiful wife Michelle. We have walked through seasons of babies being born (oldest two are only 10 months apart), moving from state to state, living with my family while I was going to school, to a new adventure of starting a church, having teenagers driving, and moving again. I have to say that without a doubt I could have not become the man that God wanted me to be with out her love, care, and encouragement. She was exactly what I need in a wife, mother to our kids, and my best friend. I am so thankful that the good Lord has loaned her to me for the time that we have had together, so far. I know that as we continue on in this new season of life that there will be new and exciting challenges, but with the Lord in my heart and my bride by my side I can not wait.
Michelle you are the example of what Proverbs 12: 4a “A worthy wife is her husbands joy and crown”. I am so blessed to have you in my life and to have you as my wife. I pray for the day that our daughters grow up to be wives and mothers, because they had a great example in you.
I love you, thank you for a great 17 years.
Mother’s Day
I love hanging out with my family. They know how to have fun no matter what is going on. I had just finished barbecuing dinner for mother’s day, we ate, the dishes were clean. So I went to the back of the house to do a little reading. When I came out this is what I found going on in the living room. I want you all to know that yes I like sports and yes I like competition, but there is one person in the house that is way more competitive them me.
I am telling you don’t mess with my bride she will “Dominate”, notice she said, “Going for the kill”. I was scared for the kids. What fun, what a great woman, and I am so blessed to have this woman be the mother of our children. I love you Michelle.
What fun things do you do as a family in the house?
You can’t out give God
SacrificiAl living means you cannot out give or out do God
Did you know that in the Bible God actually says, “Try it! Let me prove it to you” He only says it once and it only is referring to one area of our lives. Want to know what area that is? It is in the area of our finances, yep that’s right our money. In Malachi 3: 8 – 12 God is telling his people through a prophet that they have cheated him of their tithes and offerings. That they have not been giving God what he had told them to give. He goes on to say that they need to bring in the whole tithe into the storehouse of the God. He says that once you do that then, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great that you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you.”
Now I know many people automatically are saying here we go the church has not even started and Scott is talking about money. See I always knew that the church just wanted my money. What I want to say to that is “If you think that is all that I am about or that Jesus us about then you are a MORON!” Of course the church is going to talk about money. Why wouldn’t we Jesus did and I personally think that the church today is way to soft when it comes to this area. I mean Jesus went so far to say in Matthew 6:24 “That no one can serve two masters. For you will hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Unfortunately today a lot of people today make money their God and the God of the Bible is suppose to get the leftovers on Sunday, physically, finacially, and emotionally.
For me this gets really touchy because I really don’t care all that much about money. If I have it that is great, if I don’t well whatever we can have fun without it. But the problem is now as a church leader I really need to set the example when it comes to this area, not that I didn’t before. Michelle and I have always made sure that we were tithing to the church that were involved in. In fact we used to have arguments when we first got married over if we do our tithe or payed a bill. In my mind God always came first and the others would be taken care of. I thought that way long before I read the verse in Malachi, which I have to say was very confirming to me. Michelle and I have been married 17 years on May 16th and we have never starved, all though we were sick of PB&J’s after one season. We have never been without a roof over our head and our kids have always been taken care of in many ways. I say that because Michelle and I have made a commitment to give our regular tithe to the church we are currently serving at and we are going to give another 5% percent to Elevation Community Church. We want to model what Jesus has called us to live, sacrificial lives. It has nothing to do with the exact amount it has to do with giving from our hearts where it becomes a sacrifice. Jesus talks about a widow in Luke 21: 1 – 4 and He says, “but she, as poor as she is, has given everything she has.” This widow was the example that we have been given when it comes to sacrificial giving and living.
When it comes to your life how does sacrificial living play a part?
Easter @ Church with the Bloyers
Just wanted to share some of the fun that we have together at church. Yes that is right we had fun at church during the Easter services. Check out this video that my son put together.
Hope that you had this much fun on Easter at church. I love being a dad and I love being with my kids. More serious stuff to come!
Sleep Walking!
Ok, I have to talk about this because it is so freaking hilarious. Last night as I was working on the computer and watching a movie about 1:00AM I was surprised to have one of my kids get up. This does not happen to often and when it does it usually means someone is sick or bad dreams. But this one was different, the child that was up and walking around decided to take a shower. It was one in the freaking morning who takes a shower? So being the person I am I went and woke-up my wife and asked if this was normal behavior for a girl? You now know that it was not Tyler, edged out by the female comment. So Michelle got up and went in to ask the daughter what was going on. Much to Michelle’s surprise this person was getting ready to go to school. This is where it gets good. This girl then asked “Why was she asking?” Michelle informed her it was one in the morning. While still in the shower the person went dead silent, then began to laugh. ”I thought that it was time to get up I was dreaming that I was getting ready to go to school.” With that Michelle started laughing of course coming straight out to me with the funny information. Obviously Michelle went back to bed but I waited to comfort, make fun of this person. Now this is where I hope you figure out which one of the girls this was, she came out and told me she was going to blow dry her hair at one in the morning so she could look good for school. (Morgan is not totally there yet, I say yet.) Danielle was so hilarious that I could not stop laughing, in fact at 2:00AM when I went to bed laying there I started to laugh again. You know that you are in a routine of getting ready for school when you get up and take a shower because you are dreaming about going to school.
I love my daughter she is truly a joy, and if I was in the South I would probably say to her, “Bless your little heart.”
Bloyer Bowling
Hey I just wanted you to see the seriousness of the bowling day that we had as a family last Monday. I want you to know that by no means am I looking to go on the tour, but someday, I can dream can’t I?
