Preparing for board meetings is always—always—intense. Just ask my executive team. Better yet, just ask my wife!

For four-to-six weeks prior to every such event, assorted numbers are crunched, strategic plans reviewed—and assessed—and a zillion-plus words are digitally prepared for Board read-through, review, and reaction.

And all the while, I'm locked away in my office. In front of my screen. Thinking, writing, praying, sometime worrying. And praying.

So as I write this June column, we're but a little under two weeks from our June session. And, as usual, I'm a little over two weeks behind in my preparation.

I guess you could say "I'm Board!"

Still, in addition to the opportunity to meet with women and men I deeply respect and who are deeply committed to our double bottom line—being strong both missionally and financially—the frantic prep that defines every pre-Board time also allows me to once more reflect upon God's grace notes in our recent past and his hand of leading for the days ahead.

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As for those grace notes? Two immediately come to mind. No, make that three.

First, we're slightly ahead of our budget (although it still has a distinct reddish hue). No small matter in an economy and an industry still keynoted by chaos. I'm again impressed—and humbled—by the efforts of a staff that is truly God sent. From my vantage point, Christianity Today has been consistently blessed with the best Kingdom workers over its 55-plus years of faithful and effective ministry. And from my corner office, I have never seen this reality more clearly evident than in the past few months!

Second, the content you read and, I trust, enjoy on our websites and in our various print publications received 43 award recognitions at last month's annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association! That's an extraordinarily high number of recognitions; and it again speaks to the quality of our staff, not to mention God's hand of blessing on each writer, editor, designer, and techie.

The third grace note was receiving word just a couple of weeks ago that a major grant had been approved securing the final 18 months of Christianity Today's "This Is Our City" initiative. As you know, CT is a nonprofit ministry and consequently relies on the generosity of foundations and individuals like you to help us maintain the breadth and quality of our content—like this multi-media effort describing the creative efforts of women and men in urban settings across America.

if you'd like to know more about CT's expanding content reach and the part you can play in helping that content engage, encourage, and equip the church worldwide, be sure to check out ChristianityToday.org.

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There are other grace notes, to be sure. But I'll leave them for our board meeting in a couple of weeks :).

However, looking ahead, let me close this column by quickly sharing one or two specifics speaking to God's direction for our ministry in the days to come.

In about a week's time, the redesigned ChristianityToday.com will go live. The new site is designed to display many more articles than currently possible and—even more exciting for the journalist in so many of us—more breaking news and analysis.

In short, ChristianityToday.com will strengthen its position as the source for news and commentary pertaining to all that God is doing in and through his people around the globe.

Then nearer the end of summer, a storied name from CT's past will re-emerge with not only a new look but a more dynamic editorial vision.

I'd tell you more about this exciting relaunch, but the staff hard at work on its finishing touches have asked that I not "jump the gun." So I'll stop right here (as much as I don't want to stop right here) and simply encourage you to be looking for a big announcement sometime next month.

All to say, then, that there's never a dull moment here at Christianity Today. In fact, after finishing up this column, I'm thinking that once again I'll have more than enough to share with our Board later this month.

To God's glory alone!

Harold Smith
President and CEO