\t\t\t\t\tOverview:<\/p>\n
Shewanda Riley, author and podcast host, shares her message on “Elevate with Excellence” from her recent speech at the New Mt. Rose Missionary Baptist Church’s Red Hat Tea. Riley emphasizes that excellence is not just about hard work, but about intentionally persisting in a Christ-centered identity and focus. She advises that elevation comes after years of being excellent, and that we must move in the direction that God has for us, following a Kingdom vision. Riley concludes that when we elevate with excellence, we choose not to settle or compromise for less than what God has promised.<\/p>\n
Recently, I was honored to be at the guest speaker at the New Mt. Rose Missionary Baptist
Church\u2019s Red Hat Tea. Special thanks to Pastor Rev. Kyev Tatum and First Lady Tonya Tatum for
the opportunity. I\u2019d like to share part of that message in this week\u2019s column. The tea\u2019s theme was
\u2018Elevate with Excellence,\u2019 and the scripture reference was Colossians 3:23:24:<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,\u00a0 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;\u00a0for\u00a0you serve the Lord Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n
As I studied the theme, I started to think about how elevation happens and how to define excellence. We have to do three things to elevate with excellence:<\/p>\n
We have to walk in excellence before you get elevated. <\/p>\n
Next, we have to move in the direction that God has for us.<\/p>\n
Then, we have to follow a Kingdom vision and follow an internal compass of Christ-centered
integrity.<\/p>\n
Elevation is a phrase that we as Christians are familiar with. In fact, we often pray things like, Lord take me to next level. But the question remains: What are we doing at the level that we are currently at?<\/p>\n
Elevation occurs after years of being excellent. You don\u2019t become excellent immediately after the promotion. You walk in excellence before it happens. This means that you start getting to
work on time or even early. It means you change your attitude before you start working in
ministry, no longer using the excuse that you will \u201cGet right once God blesses you.\u201d In other
words, you have to be it so you can see it and then you become it.<\/p>\n
In looking at elevating with excellence, I also looked at the word \u201cwith\u201d and found one definition that says it means to move in the same direction. How does this connect with elevation and excellence? We have to go back to Colossians 3:23: <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.\u201d <\/p>\n