Make your Mark!

"Success always come when preparation meets opportunity" - Henry Hartman

Even though I'm not and I say again I am not an Alabama fan, I was proud last night for Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram. He is to be commended not only for being a great running back, and Alabama's first Heisman trophy winner, but also for being a quality person. I have been impressed by the way he has handled all the pressure he has faced all year. I was equally impressed at the way he handled himself last night as a representative of not only his team, university, and hometown, but also of many others who apire to climb higher and reach their dreams. It's amazing to think that at the beginnng of this year, no one, not even Mark Ingram himself expected him to be hoisting the Heisman trophy in New York. At the beginning of the season all of the Heisman hype belonged to the two previous winners and last year's runner-up which were all returning for this season. The odds were that a QB would win the award again this year. However, a little known running back from Flint, Michigan showed us last night that despite the odds you can make your mark on this world!

In order to make your mark you first need Discipline. Last year Mark Ingram was a freshman backup running back. He had a good initial year but coming into this season he knew more would be expected of him. I can imagine that during the offseason Mark worked extra hard in the weight room and on the track to become the best running he could become. I also imagine he spent extra time with the coaches and worked on things such as blocking schemes and pass routes while other players were relaxing. In other words he had the discipline prior to the season to do the things he needed to do in order to be successful. In this life always remember that success comes before work only in the dictionary and that nobody has ever accomplished anything great without paying a price.

Secondly, in order to make your mark you also need Determination. On the football field Mark Ingram is one of the most determined players in college football. Very rarely is one person able to bring him down. Week after week he racks up what is known in football terminology as YAC yards (Yards after Contact). He is able to take a hit and keep going. What a mentality to have when it comes to the game of life! In a real sense, we all absorb hits in our lives on a consistent basis. If we are to make our mark however, we must have the determination to take a hit and keep moving toward our goal.

Lastly in order to reach our goal you need Direction. Mark Ingram is very fortunate to have one of the best, if not the best, college football coaches in Coach Nick Saban. Coach Saban is not only a visionary leader that is meticulous about every detail of the game, he is also a fiery motivator that gets the most out of all individuals including players and coaches. Mark Ingram would not even be at the University of Alabama if it were not for the fact that Coach Saban coached his father. Also, this season the coaching staff has provided direction by putting Mark in position to make plays and use his awesome athletic ability to score touchdowns for the team. If you are to make your mark you need the same kind of direction. We all need individuals in our lives who inspire us to reach higher heights. We also need people that push us to maximize our potential. In other words we need mentors that not only know the way but also show the way!

I congratulate Mark Ingram for making his mark on college football and winning the Heisman trophy. He provides a positive example as well as the encouragement for all of us to make our own mark on this world!

Rebound!

For the last couple of months I have been privileged to help coach my daughter's Middle School Basketball team. Of course, stepping back on the floor has brought back many memories for me. I must admit the older I get, the better I was! If you have been around this age range you understand that these players are at the skill level where they miss a lot of shots. However as coaches we emphasize in order for our team to be successful, despite missed shots, we have to be relentless rebounders. In the game, the team that is able to rebound the best is most likely to win.

That's true not only in basketball but also in the game of life. Have you ever missed a shot? If we are honest, we must admit that often our shots do not connect with the goal that we have in mind. Yes we do throw up bricks and sometimes we even shoot airballs in our personal lives. However instead of hanging our heads over a missed shot, we must have the courage and confidence to rebound! This is the lesson the apostle Peter had to learn in John 21:14-17. Just days before Peter had vehemently denied that he knew the Lord. The Bible says that after doing so, Peter went out and wept bitterly. Knowing that Peter was reeling from the mistake that he had just made, Jesus our Lord, shows up after His ressurection to help Peter rebound. In this delightful dialogue we all find helpful hints in how we can also rebound from our missed shots.

First we must understand that rebounding is first about Positioning. If you watch film of some of the great rebounders in the history of basketball such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlein, and even Dwight Howard of today, they all have something in common besides being very tall! All of these players understand that what happens before and during the shot is just as important as what happens after the shot. They all knew that those who are in position have a better chance of gaining the rebound. The same is true for us in our lives. In order to rebound we must first seek to position ourselves properly in relation to Christ. In Luke 22:54, the Bible says that Peter was following Jesus at a distance. We like Peter sometimes find ourselves not enjoying that up close and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It's in these times that many of our shots do no hit their target. However this text demonstrates that Jesus is always desiring for us to get back connected with Him.

Next we must understand that rebounding requires Passion. If you were to ask most players or coaches they would all agree that jumping ability, strength, and quickness play a part in rebounding. However the one who often gets the ball is the one who wants it the most. This is what caused even undersized players such as Charles Barkley, Ben Wallace, and Dennis Rodman to be such efective rebounders. They all had the passion to go after the ball with all their might. The same must be true for us as well. This is why Jesus asked Peter , "Do you love me more than these?" He went on to ask Peter about his love two other times. I believe this is critical because often what causes us to have missed shots in our lives is the fact that our love for the Lord gets misplaced. Among the many things we have on our daily schedules, somewhere our relationship seems to slip. Notice Jesus asks Peter about his passion and not his performance. See we often get it twisted. We would rather do things for God rather than having intimacy with God. But in the text Jesus lets us know that our devotion precedes our duty. Everyday we are consistently challenged to make sure that we love the Lord with all our being.
No matter how many shots you've missed, today remember you can rebound with right Positioning and Passion. Now go pull in that ball!

Peace!!!

The Real American Heroes

Today is known as Veterans Day, a day in which our nation honors all our courageous countrymen who have faithfully served in the military. It is very fitting that we commend and celebrate them for the sacrifices they make each day while protecting us at home and far away. Growing up I was heavily influenced by military life as my dad, brothers, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins proudly served in the armed forces. I am glad that I've had a chance to observe firsthand some of the qualities that make our soldiers the real American heroes. Just to name a few, these qualities include; dedication, determination, diligence and discipline. Through these tremendous traits, and many others, I am constantly challenged to inspect the level of excellence that I demonstrate in my daily life. I am grateful to all soldiers, and especially those in my life, for providing an enormous example of what it means to be a hero. Today we salute you as the Real American Heroes!

Peace!!!

No Doubt about It!

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Mark 4:39

This past Friday President Barack Obama won the prestigious Noble Peace Prize. Ever since, the debates have begun of whether he truly deserves the award. Some say that the president has not done anything as of yet to merit such a high award. Others point to the fact that the president's leadership and vision,which provide a sense of hope and togetherness, makes him a good choice for the award. Friday the President commented that he was "suprised and deeply humbled,"and he did not feel he deserved "to be in the company of past Peace Prize winners but would accept the award." I won't give my opinion for now but where do you stand on this issue. No matter what side of the debate we may stand, there is no doubt about it that Jesus is the Ultimate Peace Prize Winner. Over and over again Jesus, the Prince of Peace, has proven himself as worthy of this honor. In our text for today, Jesus and the disciples were out on a ship in a storm. The disciples who began to panic because of their predicament, awoke Jesus and questioned him about his care for them. Jesus then woke up like a man and spoke up like God and demonstrated why He is the Ultimate Peace Prize Winner.
First there is no doubt about it that Jesus is the Ultimate Peace Prize Winner because He is Sovereignly over our Storms. That means Jesus is always in control of even nature. The text says in vs. 38 that Jesus was sleep in the storm before the disciples awoke him. Then he arose and"rebuked the wind". The storm didn't faze Jesus because he knew he has ultimate authority over it. That's Good News for someone who is in the midst of a storm right now. You don't have to panic or come apart because Jesus is in control even when your situation is out of control.
Secondly, there is no doubt about it that Jesus is the Ultimate Peace Prize Winner because He Speaks to our storms. After rebuking the wind the vs. 38 says Jesus said to the sea, "Peace be still." In other words, "Chill out!" Instead of being whipped by worry and assaulted by anxiety, you need to remember that there is power in the Word to speak to your situation.
Finally, there is no doubt about it that Jesus is the Ultimate Peace Prize Winner because He Settles our storms. After Jesus spoke to the storm, the Bible says that there was great calm. Did you get it? Jesus was able to bring calmness where there was chaos and order where there was disorder.
Well no matter what our opinion is as to whether our President deserves the Noble Peace Prize, we should all agree that there is no doubt about it that Jesus deserves the Ultimate Peace Prize! Today choose to experience the peace that Jesus provides.

PEACE!

Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover

"Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot" Judges 11:1

You've probably heard the popular phrase, "Don't judge a book by its cover." It simply means don't determine someones value based on What you see on the outside because you may miss Who they are on the inside. In a real sense, you never know what potential, possibilties, and purpose is hidden deep down within. However we live in a society that seems to glorify externals. Popular t.v. shows like The Fabulous Life Of, MTV Cribs, and The Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous, seem to glorify individuals based on what they have. However, we all know that everything that glitters ain't gold, everything that shines ain't silver and everything that is pretty ain't platinum. In order to make a difference in the lives of others we must be willing to sometimes dig beneath the dirt to get to the gold. I borrow that luminous line from Dale Cornegie who was onced asked how he was able to mentor so many millionaires. Dale Carnegie replied, "When mining for gold you have to deal with the dirt." What he was saying in essense is that all of us as individuals have dirt. We all have places and find ourselves in spaces that are not very attractive. However if we desire to be mentors we can't get distracted by the dirt, we have to keep our goal on the gold inside of individuals.
If anybody had some dirt it had to be the person in our text for today. The Bible introduces us to a brother by the name of Jephthah. When we look at his life, on the surface, he wouldn't make the Who's Who list. First of all he had some Pain in his life. The Bible says that he was the son of a prostitute and his step-brothers hated him. Imagine that, he was hated for something over which he had no control. Next, because his brothers were drinking that hater-aide, he fled to a land called Tob and joined a mob, today's version of a gang. How many of our brothers today find themselves in gangs simply becuase they have been kicked to the curb by society and they find a sense of belonging in the group that they are now associated with? But don't miss this, even through all of his pain, Jephthah still had Potential. Look at vs. 1a, "Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor." In other words, he was a warrior. That means it was in him to conquer and claim. Today we must see and help our brothers recognize the potential that is within them. We must help them elevate their expectations and refuse to settle for settling. We must help them to overcome the pain in their past by reminding them of the possibilties in their future. We must provide direction so that they can use the skills, talents, and abiltities that they have in positive and edifying ways instead of negative and destructive ways. We must put away our pointing fingers and welcome them with open arms. Never Judge a book by it's Cover!

PEACE!

Finding a Way

For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." Mark 5:28

I'm reading an autobiography with my class by Tanya West Dean entitled "Line Drive". This story is about a female baseball player living during a time when girls were not allowed to play baseball. Despite facing societal stigmas the author finds a way to fulfill her dream of playing baseball. Have you ever had to just find a way to overcome overwhelming odds? All of us from time to time find ourselves facing difficult situations. During these times the easy thing would be to throw in towel and surrender to our situation. However, we must remember to hold on to hope, and follow the words of the poet who is unknown yet not unwise: Don't Quit!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit

This is the attitude of the sister in our text. When we meet her we find out this woman had experienced a setback that was causing her to be depleted in several ways, First she was facing difficulty in her fitness. For the Bible says this woman had an issue of blood for twelve years. Imagine how she must have felt as she had to deal with this draining issue year after year. Secondly she was facing difficulty in her fellowships. The Law stated that she was unclean which meant she was unable to have normal fellowships within society. Who knows when was the last time that she received affection and affirmation from family and friends. Next she was facing difficulties with her finances. The Bible says that as she went from doctor to doctor she spent all her money. Many of us know the frustration of funds running out. Fitness, fellowships, finances, and an uncertain future, yet inspite of all these things against her the Bible says she finds a way to get what she needs! How does it work?
#1 We must get the Right Information- The Bible says, "She Heard about Jesus". I don't know what she heard. Maybe it was how He healed the sick, raised the dead and opened blinded eyes. Maybe she heard that Jesus delivers individuals from demons, death, and disaster. I don't know what she heard, but because she heard something she did something. If you want to find a way when it seems like there is know way, listen out for the Word of God which will energize your faith because the Bible says Faith comes by hearing, hearing the Word of God.
#2 We must have the Right Determination- The Bible says in vs. 27, "She came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. She was willing to press her way despite the crowd and despite her condition. We must have this kind of determination that we will not allow problems, predicaments or even people to block our blessings, destory our dreams, sabotage our success or detour us from our destiny.
#3 We must get the Right Impartation-Jesus says to her in vs. 34, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction." Did you see that? Jesus upgraded her. Remember before she had went from doctor to doctor (man to man) for some healing but instead of getting better she got worse. Instead she goes to Jesus and receives healing, hope, and help. He totally transforms her life in a brand new way.
The Good News today is that we don't have to give up, or give out, but we can finda way to overcome our obstacles and triumph over our trials!
Peace!!!

The Untouchables

"And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. " Mark 1:41

My wife was studying the other night for one of her classes and quoted something that arrested my attention. She said research shows that those who are deprived of touch find themselves sometimes dealing with mental and social difficulties. She went on to say that touch is a basic need that we have as human beings. As I reflected upon this, I thought about those babies in orphanges that are often deprived of touch. I took it a step further to raise the question who are those individuals in our society that it seems that nobody is willing to touch?
In our text today , we meet a man who had was dealing with a dreadful disease known as leprosy. Because of this condition, which caused him to be isolated from his family and friends, society and the system labeled him as "untouchable." Yet in spite of his sorrowful situation, our Lord was able to transform his life through a touch. Who are the "untouchables" in our lives today? Who are the ones that our society ostracizes and criticizes? Are we willing to touch the untouchables? We can do so if we follow in the footsteps of our Master, Jesus Christ.
First, we must have Compassion for individuals. The text says Jesus was "moved" with compassion, therefore He touched the man with leprosy. In other words compassion moved Jesus to move. The problems, and predicaments that plague our community should move us to make a move and make a difference. Secondly we must be willing to Connect with individuals. Jesus could have healed the man in a number of ways but He touched the man to let him know that He was willing to connect with him. As His followers we must be willing to connect with the least, last, and lost of society. Finally we must Communicate to individuals the message that God is willing to heal their brokeness. After the man demonstrated his confidence in Jesus' ability to help him, Jesus told the man "I will; be cleansed." We must passionately proclaim this message of hope to those who are hurting and need healing.
Today look around at the people God has placed in your path that he wants you to touch in a positive way. Reach out and touch somebody's life for the Glory of God!
Peace!