"It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up." Vince Lombardi
This season Peyton Manning has showed why he is one of the greatest QB's to ever play the game. After being written off after suffering a neck injury and missing the entire 2011 season, Manning has regained MVP form and currently has his team back on the biggest stage. I must admit that although my team is not in the Super Bowl, I have been mystified by Manning this season. His incredible journey teaches us a couple of vital lessons about bouncing back.
First, his story illuminates the idea that having painful experiences doesn’t have to paralyze our productivity. After suffering the neck injury, many questioned his ability to ever play football again. However, even at the age of 37, Manning set numerous records this season including; most passing yards, and most passing TD’s in a season. What a lesson for those currently dealing with the side effects of pain from the past. Maybe it’s the pain of losing someone or something that was dear. Maybe it’s the pain from someone that let you down. Whatever it may be, always remember that the God we serve is able to use the pain that should disable us to instead develop us for greater productivity!
Secondly, his story illustrates that sometimes let downs can become set ups! Manning helped the Indianapolis Colts become one of the most successful NFL franchises, even leading them to a Super Bowl in 2006. However, after his injury, Peyton was thrown under the bus by his former team. Have you ever experienced a letdown that knocked you down robbing you of vim, vigor, and vitality? This can be difficult especially when you're hurt by someone you've helped. But Manning shows us that even when one team thinks you’re finished, you can find another team that believes you still have a future! We would not even be talking about the Broncos in the Super Bowl had they not picked Manning up as a free agent in 2012. Just goes to show for every Colt that lets you down there is a Bronco ready to give you a ride! Let me ask you a question: Where would you be today had you not gotten knocked down on yesterday? I’m with Marvin Sapp, I’m stronger, wiser, and better not in spite of my let downs but because of my let downs!
Lastly, Manning‘s story indicates that champions are made not born. Although Peyton has a famous football father, Archie Manning, his performance on the field can be attributed to a couple of factors. Manning is meticulous when comes to mental preparation. Few players are willing to invest the amount of time and attention to detail as Manning does. In essence he is willing to put the work in. Is winning, in your family, on the job, in the ministry, worth putting in the work? Interestingly beyond the commitment that Manning displays on the field, his commitment to his faith has helped him become the consummate professional athlete. Manning has opened up about this and says faith has been number one since he was 13 years old, when he first made a commitment to Christ. For him, football has always been number four behind his faith, family, and friends. If you were to prioritize your life right now, where would your faith fall?
Regardless of who wins on Sunday, Peyton Manning has proven this season that he has bounced back to a championship level. My friend, our God is also able to help you bounce back from life’s setbacks.
My prayer for you today is that God will enable you to bounce back from your setbacks!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Making it thru the Meantime!
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Students and staff stuck in a snowstorm! At the beginning of the day I never planned on being stuck at school. As a matter of fact my day started like any other day thankful for the privilege to educate students. However, as snow flakes began to accumulate and the road conditions begin to worsen, staff and students were left wondering would we be able to make it home safely. As time passed and the reality of our situation settled in, other questions filled our mental skies such as; what would we provide for the students to eat, where would they sleep, and exactly what would the night hold? In a real sense we found ourselves in the meantime. Have you ever been stuck in a situation in which you didn't know what to do? Have you ever found yourself in a meantime situation? The meantime is the in-between time when you don't know what to expect, and you don't know exactly what is next. If we are honest, many of our moments are spent meandering through the meantime as we are left waiting and wondering when and how our situation will ever change. Thankfully the above text teaches us how we can make it through the meantime!
First of all when we find ourselves experiencing a meantime moment, we have to be productive (Jeremiah 29:5-6). While we were stuck in the snowstorm, what started out as dreariness soon became delight. The environment was energized with the excitement and the enjoyment of playing games, watching movies, and collaborating with one another. This experience set the stage for creativity, ingenuity, and resourcefulness to come forth. As many of my colleagues began to pitch in to make sure needs were met, we found out that they were good cooks! This meantime moment also was a time of opportunity as some of our students had a chance to experience snow cream for the very first time. Did you catch that? They were able to take something that was negative and use it for something positive! My friend, in this life we often face a plethora of problems. However God can use them to bring out the best in you! In the midst of your problems don't lose your productivity.
Next we have to be prayerful (Jeremiah 29:7). Throughout the day I found myself clothed in a spirit of prayer (Who ever said that prayer was taken out of school?) However as time passed my prayer changed from asking God to get us out of the situation, to hoping that He would just keep us while we were in the situation! This is very important because if we are not careful we can become mean during our meantime. During these moments we can also find ourselves sinking in the quick sand of self-pity. In your meantime stay prayerful allowing God to change you before He changes your situation!
Third we must be patient (Jeremiah 29:10). Despite our desire for things to happen swiftly, the reality of our situation was that we would be stuck at school for the night. Our staff had to calm the nerves of some students who couldn't fathom the idea of staying at school overnight. We did so by telling them, "Just hold on, help is on the way!" That's a meaningful message for someone who is the midst of difficulty. As the Scripture says, "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart." Psalms 27:14
Lastly we must be positive (Jeremiah 29:11). We were able to make it through the meantime because everyone stayed positive. During this whole ordeal our students demonstrated exceptional attitudes. Some of them even took advantage of the extra time by doing school work! Staff members had high spirits even though their bodies were tired. What enabled everyone to stay positive? The expectation of being able to go home the next day. We knew that our leaders were working on a plan to get us out. In the same way, you can stay positive in the meantime because you know our Leader, Lord and Liberator has a plan to get you out. As a matter of fact before you ever got to your meantime God had a plan to get you out of the meantime! Stay future-focused believing that His plan will come to pass.
Well I'm glad to report that we are no longer stuck in school! My mind will forever treasure the many memories that were made during that meantime experience!
My prayer for you is that during your meantime moment you will believe that God has a Plan!
Students and staff stuck in a snowstorm! At the beginning of the day I never planned on being stuck at school. As a matter of fact my day started like any other day thankful for the privilege to educate students. However, as snow flakes began to accumulate and the road conditions begin to worsen, staff and students were left wondering would we be able to make it home safely. As time passed and the reality of our situation settled in, other questions filled our mental skies such as; what would we provide for the students to eat, where would they sleep, and exactly what would the night hold? In a real sense we found ourselves in the meantime. Have you ever been stuck in a situation in which you didn't know what to do? Have you ever found yourself in a meantime situation? The meantime is the in-between time when you don't know what to expect, and you don't know exactly what is next. If we are honest, many of our moments are spent meandering through the meantime as we are left waiting and wondering when and how our situation will ever change. Thankfully the above text teaches us how we can make it through the meantime!
First of all when we find ourselves experiencing a meantime moment, we have to be productive (Jeremiah 29:5-6). While we were stuck in the snowstorm, what started out as dreariness soon became delight. The environment was energized with the excitement and the enjoyment of playing games, watching movies, and collaborating with one another. This experience set the stage for creativity, ingenuity, and resourcefulness to come forth. As many of my colleagues began to pitch in to make sure needs were met, we found out that they were good cooks! This meantime moment also was a time of opportunity as some of our students had a chance to experience snow cream for the very first time. Did you catch that? They were able to take something that was negative and use it for something positive! My friend, in this life we often face a plethora of problems. However God can use them to bring out the best in you! In the midst of your problems don't lose your productivity.
Next we have to be prayerful (Jeremiah 29:7). Throughout the day I found myself clothed in a spirit of prayer (Who ever said that prayer was taken out of school?) However as time passed my prayer changed from asking God to get us out of the situation, to hoping that He would just keep us while we were in the situation! This is very important because if we are not careful we can become mean during our meantime. During these moments we can also find ourselves sinking in the quick sand of self-pity. In your meantime stay prayerful allowing God to change you before He changes your situation!
Third we must be patient (Jeremiah 29:10). Despite our desire for things to happen swiftly, the reality of our situation was that we would be stuck at school for the night. Our staff had to calm the nerves of some students who couldn't fathom the idea of staying at school overnight. We did so by telling them, "Just hold on, help is on the way!" That's a meaningful message for someone who is the midst of difficulty. As the Scripture says, "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart." Psalms 27:14
Lastly we must be positive (Jeremiah 29:11). We were able to make it through the meantime because everyone stayed positive. During this whole ordeal our students demonstrated exceptional attitudes. Some of them even took advantage of the extra time by doing school work! Staff members had high spirits even though their bodies were tired. What enabled everyone to stay positive? The expectation of being able to go home the next day. We knew that our leaders were working on a plan to get us out. In the same way, you can stay positive in the meantime because you know our Leader, Lord and Liberator has a plan to get you out. As a matter of fact before you ever got to your meantime God had a plan to get you out of the meantime! Stay future-focused believing that His plan will come to pass.
Well I'm glad to report that we are no longer stuck in school! My mind will forever treasure the many memories that were made during that meantime experience!
My prayer for you is that during your meantime moment you will believe that God has a Plan!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
GPS: God's Positioning System
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Proverbs 3:5-6 The Message Translation
While on vacation, as my wife and I were driving down the highway, we asked ourselves, "What did we ever do before technology?" This question came about as we surveyed the intricate interstate that we traveled on. Despite the city's complex highways we were able to make it safely to our destination because from the start we relied on our GPS. Of course this was far different from previous experiences without GPS. At these times I would try to figure things out only to end up confused about where I was going. Finally, after getting more and more lost, with the gentle counsel(not so gentle) of my wife, I would pull over and ask someone for directions. Imagine how much time was lost because I relied on my own intuition! Who or what are you relying on to get to your destination? Let me ask you this way, are you relying on your Divine GPS? The above text teaches us how we can allow God's Positioning System to give us direction.
First we must go to our GPS for assistance. What sense does it make to have a GPS and not use it? God wants us to go to Him about everything. Now it's often easier to go to Him about "big things" or major decisions, but we should go to Him for daily decisions as well (In all thy ways acknowledge Him) Proverbs 3:6. When we go to God we are showing our trust and dependence on Him.
Second we should get to know the voice of our GPS. My GPS has a voice that tells me which turns to take. All I have to do is listen to the voice and trust that it's telling the truth. In the same way we must listen to the voice of God for direction. He lovingly longs to provide you with personalized directions. Isaiah 30:21 says, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” However we must get to know God's voice and we do so by spending time in His Word and allowing His Holy Spirit to speak to us. The more time that we spend listening to His voice, the easier it is to know and trust His voice.
Third we must let our GPS guide us so that we will stay on course. The thing about GPS is that it uses a system of orbiting satellites that are able to provide accurate direction. Since our Sovereign God sits high and looks low, He sees what we can't see. He knows every curve, bend in the road, and every dead end. As we trust Him for direction, He is able to lead us thru the path that He has set for us (You will show me the path of life) Psalms 16:11. My friend, life is too difficult to navigate on your own. Let God position you in the path He has for your life and I promise that you won't wind up lost!
My prayer for you today is that you will allow God's GPS to get you to His desired destination!
While on vacation, as my wife and I were driving down the highway, we asked ourselves, "What did we ever do before technology?" This question came about as we surveyed the intricate interstate that we traveled on. Despite the city's complex highways we were able to make it safely to our destination because from the start we relied on our GPS. Of course this was far different from previous experiences without GPS. At these times I would try to figure things out only to end up confused about where I was going. Finally, after getting more and more lost, with the gentle counsel(not so gentle) of my wife, I would pull over and ask someone for directions. Imagine how much time was lost because I relied on my own intuition! Who or what are you relying on to get to your destination? Let me ask you this way, are you relying on your Divine GPS? The above text teaches us how we can allow God's Positioning System to give us direction.
First we must go to our GPS for assistance. What sense does it make to have a GPS and not use it? God wants us to go to Him about everything. Now it's often easier to go to Him about "big things" or major decisions, but we should go to Him for daily decisions as well (In all thy ways acknowledge Him) Proverbs 3:6. When we go to God we are showing our trust and dependence on Him.
Second we should get to know the voice of our GPS. My GPS has a voice that tells me which turns to take. All I have to do is listen to the voice and trust that it's telling the truth. In the same way we must listen to the voice of God for direction. He lovingly longs to provide you with personalized directions. Isaiah 30:21 says, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” However we must get to know God's voice and we do so by spending time in His Word and allowing His Holy Spirit to speak to us. The more time that we spend listening to His voice, the easier it is to know and trust His voice.
Third we must let our GPS guide us so that we will stay on course. The thing about GPS is that it uses a system of orbiting satellites that are able to provide accurate direction. Since our Sovereign God sits high and looks low, He sees what we can't see. He knows every curve, bend in the road, and every dead end. As we trust Him for direction, He is able to lead us thru the path that He has set for us (You will show me the path of life) Psalms 16:11. My friend, life is too difficult to navigate on your own. Let God position you in the path He has for your life and I promise that you won't wind up lost!
My prayer for you today is that you will allow God's GPS to get you to His desired destination!
Monday, January 20, 2014
What would Dr. King be about today?
"The time is always right to do what is right" Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today we celebrated and commemorated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin King Jr. with the 10th Annual Unity March downtown Montevallo. This was followed by a Unity Program in which the powerful preacher, and professor, Dr. Wilson Fallin Jr. was the guest speaker. Dr. Fallin is one who personally knew Dr. King and spent time with him at Morehouse University and as a Pastor in Birmingham. After describing what Dr. King was like during these personal encounters, he raised an interesting interrogative for us all to ponder, "What would Dr. King be about today?" I was so moved by his words that I would like to share them. By the way I jokingly let Dr. Fallin know that I would be sharing this and that all proceeds would go to him!
First Dr. King would be about eradicating the new racism in the USA. Fallin mentioned that this new racism, which is institutionalized, is often seen in the form of a criminial injustice system. I believe this is what Professor Michelle Alexander was alluding to in her book, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness,” when she described how the war on drugs, during the Reagan era, devasted black America. Today one out of every three black males are involved in this system either in prison, parole, or probation. Alexander argues that these males find themselves falling permanently into 2nd class citizenship when they get out. Today Dr. King would be taking a stand against this unjust system.
Next Dr. King would be about economic justice. Dr. Fallin mentioned that King spent three days at his church one month prior to his death. During this time, he was organizing support on the behalf of those in poverty. In fact, his goal was to address this issue of poverty so that it would receive national attention. Today although we live in the richest nation on Earth, poverty is still a major issue. Dr. King would be about dealing with the economic disparity that exists and bridging the gap between the "haves and have not". He would be about inspiring those with privileges to use them on behalf of the underprivleged.
Finally Dr. King would be about ending wars. Dr. Fallin pointed out that one of King's finest moments was when he took a stand against the Vietnam War. Although many opposed his views on this, includng the president at that time Lyndon Johnson, King stood strong believing it was not right to talk about non-violence in the South and not do the same everywhere. Today Dr. King would be about finding peaceful solutions to end conflicts.
As we reflect upon the life of this visionary leader, and raise issues that he would probably be concerned about, let us remember that these are things that we should also be concerned about. Let's honor his life by making a commitment to find creative solutions for these problems therefore keeping the dream alive!
PEACE!
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Catching God's eye
"The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chronicles 16:9a
As I raise my kids, each day I’m amazed how much of myself that I see in them (when I was their age). I remember as a child that I always loved it when my dad would sit outside on the porch and watch me shoot hoops. This was especially true when he had company. At this time I would take it up a notch and do some super duper move that I had made up or shoot long range shots hoping to catch their eye. Now that I’m a dad, it amuses me when my son does the same thing. I guess like father like son! Have you ever tried to catch someone's eye? Maybe it was a special person you wanted to get to know, or maybe it was a supervisor that you wanted to show how hard you worked. What about our Sovereign God? The above text informs us that it's possible to live a life that that catches God's eye! Of course because God is all seeing and all knowing His eye is always on us but this text says that God is on the look-out for a life that is totally committed to Him. We catch God's eye when we resolve to rely solely on Him. Notice the reward of those who resolve to live in this manner: they receive Heavenly strength!
My prayer for you today is that you will live in such a way that it catches God's eye so that as a result you receive Supernatural strength for your journey!
Peace!
As I raise my kids, each day I’m amazed how much of myself that I see in them (when I was their age). I remember as a child that I always loved it when my dad would sit outside on the porch and watch me shoot hoops. This was especially true when he had company. At this time I would take it up a notch and do some super duper move that I had made up or shoot long range shots hoping to catch their eye. Now that I’m a dad, it amuses me when my son does the same thing. I guess like father like son! Have you ever tried to catch someone's eye? Maybe it was a special person you wanted to get to know, or maybe it was a supervisor that you wanted to show how hard you worked. What about our Sovereign God? The above text informs us that it's possible to live a life that that catches God's eye! Of course because God is all seeing and all knowing His eye is always on us but this text says that God is on the look-out for a life that is totally committed to Him. We catch God's eye when we resolve to rely solely on Him. Notice the reward of those who resolve to live in this manner: they receive Heavenly strength!
My prayer for you today is that you will live in such a way that it catches God's eye so that as a result you receive Supernatural strength for your journey!
Peace!
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