Amiracle

Posted on October 17, 2014 by day1of1

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.” – Psalm 107:28-30

I left work on Thursday, October 16, 2014 in a bit of a hurry. My wife Linda had suggested we go out to dinner and after a long week I was excited at the prospects of a date night. It had been a typical day at Charity Lutheran Church in Detroit. My assistant Denise Sanders and I had tutored about ten students from 3:00 to 6:00 pm while Pastor Essenburg busied himself cutting dozens and dozens of small PVC pipes (it seemed odd at the time, but I figured he had a reason).

I pulled out of the parking lot of Charity, turning left to travel southwest on Kelly Road. Detroit has picked up rain every day this week, leaving a small pond of standing water on the road in front of Denby High School. Having dodged “Lake Denby,” I hit the speed dial on my phone and prepared to talk to my wife as I made my way home.

Moments later, I came to the corner of Kelly and Hayes. As I approached the angled intersection, I noticed that southbound traffic was crawling. My first inclination was to find another route; I had passed a construction zone on Hayes as I drove to Charity, so I assumed that there was a backup due to orange barrels or a power outage. But as I waited at the light, I noticed the right lane was moving better than the left, so with no better option I made the turn.

Once I was around the corner I immediately understood the backup. To my left, there were cars parked along the side of the road, in every driveway and even in the aforementioned left lane. There were also three vans from local television stations parked alongside half a dozen scattered Detroit police cruisers. One block down the road I saw that Mogul Street was blocked off with yellow tape. A throng of stunned onlookers were taking in the scene as several people I assumed to be detectives were talking beyond the tape. I described what I was seeing to Linda who began to check the TV and Internet for information. A few moments later, Linda read to me this story she found online.

Four people had been shot. One of the four, a 3 year-old girl named Amiracle Williams had died at the hospital from a gunshot wound to the chest. As she read on, Linda explained that the first shooting had occurred at Denby High School. From there, the suspects traveled to this neighborhood south of the school. Denby High – just across the parking lot from where I had been helping children not much older than Amiracle learn how to form letters and multiply numbers.

I went about the rest of my evening as previously planned; a nice dinner and a wonderful conversation with Linda, followed by a little work while emptying the DVR. My mind, however, kept flashing back to the events of the day. I considered the close proximity to my classroom, but thought much more about Amiracle. Thursday October 16, 2014 should have been nothing more than a typical day of play and discovery. Now it will be the end date on her headstone. But even more pressing than all of that was the question; was October 16, 2014 the day she ran into the arms of Jesus? I pray that it was, but while my ministry was working to make a difference in that community, I didn’t know Amiracle.

It was at that moment I knew I would write about this, but for some odd reason I decided to go to bed, get up early and write about it in the morning. So this morning, Friday, October 17, I woke up ahead of the alarm and began to check messages prior to writing this post. As I skimmed Facebook, I discovered a post from the Michigan District – LCMS that blew my mind.

Charity Facebook

Am I suggesting that God knew what would be happening prior to the events of the day? Am I saying that He used Seth Hinz at the District office, convincing him to send out this message on the same day tragedy would strike the very community Charity is working to save? Am I claiming that the prayers lifted for this ministry by unknowing believers from across the state helped keep it safe yesterday with danger only yards away? Did those same prayers for the community also have the power to have kept others safe and possibly brought the love of Christ into the lives of the people involved in the tragedy?

In a word, yes.

Thank you for the dedicated prayer warriors who lift up ministers, teachers, ministries and communities every day. You may never know the impact you have upon the people you support, but God does. His will is done with or without our speaking it, but your faithful support brings encouragement that makes the work that needs to be done possible. So join me in praising God for His blessings, or as Paul instructed the Romans, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Continue to lift up the family of Amiracle Williams and everyone impacted by her senseless killing. Also keep Charity Lutheran and Pastor Steve Essenburg in your prayers in the coming days. Having seen the crosses on the lawn in the picture, his peculiar project suddenly made sobering sense.

Because now he has one more cross to make…

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The Powerful Play Goes On

Posted on August 4, 2014 by day1of1

Back during my younger years, I wasn’t much of a reader. In fact, I only read four books when I was a kid. I always thought reading was passive. I had places to go and things to do. Even in school, I was always smart enough to get by without reading the texts. This helped develop a motto: “If you can’t dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your baloney.”

My crowning under-achievement in this area came in college when a friend and I embarked upon writing papers for a Shakespeare class we were taking. My friend, who we will call Peter (because that is his name), chose to write about the mystical elements in the forests of several of Shakespeare’s comedies. He worked diligently on this paper for weeks. I remember standing with him in an office supply store for thirty minutes as he looked for the perfect report cover for his paper. He finally selected something in a pale green with slanted vertical lines that depicted an abstract view of the forests he had written about. His report was done at least a week before the due date, allowing for numerous revisions and improvements before it would be turned in with much pomp and fanfare.

I took a slightly different approach.

My topic was a compare and contrast of three motion picture depictions of the character of Hamlet. The day before the paper was due, I watched the videos and after a short nap, I pulled an all-nighter, finished the paper during the time that the class was meeting. After printing it on a dot-matrix printer with an extremely faded ribbon (that’s like low ink for the younger crowd), I slammed a staple into the top left corner of the document, popped a baseball cap on my head and got to class five minutes before it ended but four minutes and fifty-nine seconds before the paper was due.

Some time later, Peter and I had the opportunity to travel with this professor and a group of people to the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada to watch a Shakespearean play. As we got into a car, the professor returned our papers. Peter nearly ripped his beautiful cover off to get to his comments and the grade. He paused for a moment as he read each point offered by the professor and felt a tinge of disappointment when he saw the letter “B” at the bottom. I can’t put into words what he felt when he looked at me with my paper flipped back on the staple and a large letter “A” staring him in the face.

He is bitter to this day but has made great strides in therapy.

I tell you this to highlight the importance of watching movies. Once Peter learned this, we got along swimmingly. In fact, one of our favorites was the 1989 Peter Weir film, Dead Poets Society. It’s the inspiring story of Mr. John Keating, a teacher played by Robin Williams who gets fired from a teaching job for no good reason (total fiction – we all know that NEVER happens). In the movie, Mr. Keating brings his unconventional methods of teaching English to a New England boarding school. He is not a good fit for the institution, but he manages to make a connection with several students who learn to seize the days of their lives through the Latin phrase, “Carpe Diem.” I had used a few clips of the film to highlight effective and ineffective teaching in a Foundations of Education course I used to teach, but I hadn’t seen the entire film since sitting in Peter’s dorm room over twenty years ago. But recently I recorded the movie to watch with my high school son who reads much more than me but still likes a good film. That’s when I stumbled back upon one of my all-time favorite movie lines.

“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?” Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

Or for those of you who’d rather hear the dramatic delivery, or who share my “love” of reading, here’s a YouTube link to the movie clip.

pad and pen

If you’ve read my posts, you’ll know that I love it when writers preach the Gospel without realizing it. That’s because God places His love throughout creation – even in the pages of a movie script. Keating’s statement begins by searching for the reasons we read and write poetry. He concludes with the basic human connection to love. The Scriptures are not only filled with verses that explain the source of love is God, but they also tell us clearly that God IS love. We read and write poetry to express in our own meager ways those things God has done and continues to do for us daily.

Keating next quotes Whitman to demonstrate the lost nature of a life without poetry – without love. A life among the faithless and foolish is unfulfilling. So with that established, Keating offers an answer for the students to consider.

“That the powerful play goes on and you might contribute a verse.”

This sounds impressive and to some it might be daunting, but consider it within the proper perspective. The story of life in the heavens and on the earth is not ours to write. We are neither the author nor the owner of our lives. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that “…we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” My choices don’t simply affect me and nobody else. The things I have said and done over the course of my life have left an indelible impression on the lives of thousands, many of whom I will never know. That’s because God takes the verse I contribute and in spite of its imperfections turns it into something more beautiful than any poem ever penned.

What will your verse be?

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________ Bless America

Posted on July 4, 2014 by day1of1

Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. – Proverbs 4:1

When I was four years old my family took a vacation to visit relatives in Colorado. Being very young, I don’t remember all of the details of the trip, but I do remember an interesting exchange I had with my father while swimming. We went to a beach on a lake. Like many public beaches, there was an area roped off for swimming. The ropes marked areas of shallow water, deeper water, and the waters that were off-limits. Being at an age where I wanted to show everyone just how big I was, I told my dad that I wanted to swim out to touch the rope at the edge of the swimming area. With his consent we swam out together, although a more accurate way to describe it would be he held onto me as we swam out toward the rope.

noboatingbuoy

If I were to see that same swimming area today, I would probably be disappointed by how short a distance I actually went, but as a four year old it felt like I had swum a mile. What I do know was that as I approached the rope the water had become deep enough for me to be unable to touch the bottom without being in way over my head. Thankfully that didn’t matter as my father’s arms were keeping me safely on the surface of the water. We finally reached the rope where I victoriously took possession of my prize. I was pleased, but not satisfied. Wanting to show everyone just how big I was and believing that the rope would support me, I looked at my father and said, “Okay, you can let go now.”

I’ll let you guess what he did, but here’s a hint: I’m still alive.

Fathers have an uncanny ability to know what to do, even when their children do not. It’s not hard for me to imagine what would have happened to me had I insisted on doing it my way without his intervention. I am thankful that he ignored my protests and safely returned me to the shore.

Because I can clearly see the benefit of following the direction of my father, it is not difficult to draw the comparison between my earthly father and my heavenly Father. God has given his children many instructions for life; directions for us to follow that will offer us safety, prosperity, and blessings. On the surface it seems simple, do what He says and things will work out. But like most things in life, people have a knack for complication. Like a four year old, we think we can do it on our own. We claim to be capable of doing things on our own. We bristle at the thought of anyone or anything taking credit for our accomplishments and will fight if in some small way we feel something is infringing upon or rights.

It’s basic human nature I suppose. We don’t like it when someone tells us what to do. We feel we are capable of making our own decisions and doing things our own way. But when making any decision, the decision maker must be fully prepared to deal with the full brunt of the consequences that come with the decision. It’s has nothing to do with our rights and everything to do with either subjecting ourselves to the wisdom of others or having the means to pay the full price for the choice. Had I been given my way, my life would have ended many years ago in a lake in Colorado. Knowing better, my dad took away my choice and I am the better for it.

God is our creator, our strength and our source. He provides for us everything we need to live full lives that maximize the blessings He alone can provide. Unfortunately, more and more people reject that notion and feel that they possess the skills and abilities to fully manage their lives. Some compromise the role that God plays in their lives, minimizing Him to be little more than a fairy tale. Other dismiss the notion of God’s very existence with some taking it so far as to mock and ridicule Christians as simpletons and bigots who hypocritically seek to steal the joy of others.

I am frustrated by this for many reasons, but instead of drawing a line in the sand and pick a fight I will choose to follow God’s example and continue to show love to those who disagree. God has not chosen to abandon us. The forgiveness and salvation that comes through the sacrifice of Christ is still as relevant and available to us today as it was 2,000 years ago. Because His offer still stands, I too will continue to seek His will so that I might demonstrate the fullness of the blessings that come through living a life according to God’s will.

Photo Credit: http://lakegastontoday.net/index162.htm

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Nowhere Else to Go

Posted on June 24, 2014 by day1of1

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

As a student of history and as a leader, I have long admired Abraham Lincoln. He was an extraordinary yet common man whose accomplishments deserve every bit of the credit he has received. One quote of his has long stuck with me; a reminder of what to do when the world seems to be crashing down – an all too common occurrence for Lincoln. “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” We’ve all been there from time to time.

Abraham_Lincoln_November_1863

December 12, 2012 was one of those days that most people remember for the novelty of the date: 12/12/12. Any novelty the day possessed wore off for me early that afternoon as I sat working in my office. It was the Wednesday of finals week at Concordia, Ann Arbor. I had a few hours to get some grading done while I waited for an afternoon faculty meeting. Dr. Uden, the dean from the school of education at Concordia Wisconsin, was in town for the end of the semester. He scheduled a brief meeting with me for that afternoon. I sat in my office awaiting his arrival. He was late – a trademark of every meeting he held with us at CUAA. But I didn’t mind – I understood his overbooked schedule and I had plenty of work to do as I waited. He finally arrived, apologized for being late and got right to the point.

We appreciate the work you have done for the university, but it has been decided that the university will not be renewing your contract.

To type this even now brings back the wave of emotions that hit me in that moment. I had never been fired before, so I found myself trying to wrap my mind around what was happening. I had done my job to the best of my abilities. I had never received a negative review from anyone who had observed me. The only explanation I was given was that I had never taught in a high school setting. My twelve years of experience as a middle school teacher (considered secondary by both the state of Michigan and Wisconsin) didn’t matter. My experience and performance in the position didn’t matter. A nearly twenty year relationship with my alma mater didn’t matter. I didn’t matter.

Since that day, I have done my best to look forward to what God has in store for me, all the while keeping up a front that would not lead others to believe that anything was wrong – that the merger of CUAA with CUW was going fine and that the future was nothing but bright. Maybe it is, but I’ve learned that some lights only illuminate those things at which they’re pointed. I have kept quiet, trusting in two basic truths.

1. CUW spent a great deal of money to acquire CUAA, so they can hire whomever they want to do my job.
2. My trust is in the Lord. He is my hope, my strength and my future.

Over the past several months, I have searched to find what God has in store for me as I leave CUAA. Dozens of applications have led to only a handful of interviews and no job offers. So as I come to the end of my contract with no job and no strong leads, I once again must turn to the one and only place I can find reassurance for a very uncertain future. Moving forward, I find comfort in the words of Christ spoken in John 14:27.

On first glance, the promise of peace and the directive to not be afraid stands out. But what strikes a chord with me most is the sentence in between – “Not as the world gives do I give you.” By worldly standards, I can make a strong case for having been mistreated. Those closest to me can attest that I have had ups and downs that have left me puzzled and angry. But in spite of what I may perceive when comparing my situation with that of others, Christ reminds me that my situation is unique because His love for me is unique and deep enough to see me through this desert to the place He is leading. Until then, I will put my trust in Him.

Where else do I have to go?

Photo Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln

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Mr. Irrelevant

Posted on April 30, 2014 by day1of1

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10

April showers may bring May’s flowers, but for a true football fan, this time of year is by far one of the most exciting. On the surface, this may seem a bit confusing. The last professional football game was played nearly three months ago and the next meaningful game kicks off in about four months from now. College programs are playing their spring “games” but inter-squad practices don’t do much for most people except expose flaws and risk injury. So what’s the big deal? It’s draft time.

The NFL will be holding its annual draft in a few days. This three-day event brings all 32 teams together in search of talent that will put the great teams back on top or help the lousy teams return back to glory. Months of research, interviews, workouts, and strategizing come into play as teams and players exchange millions of dollars to help each other realize their championship dreams. Analysts have been tracking this for months. Mock drafts have been released and re-released since the season ended, all projecting who would pick whom. What holes would teams fill? How would a player’s 40 yard dash time hurt his draft stock? It goes on and on. Big name athletes flock to New York City to be a part of the media hype: wearing their expensive suits with the hat and jersey of their new team. It’s a spectacle for some, but for others, the draft has a very different feel.

The draft consists of seven rounds. By the end of the second or third round, most of the big name players have been picked, leaving teams looking for the “diamond in the rough.” Some great players have emerged from the later rounds, but for the most part these unknowns are the players who fill the gaps and support their teams in many unremarkable ways. They are longshots, but they usually don’t mind the title: they’re just glad they were drafted. In fact, the very last player selected is recognized for his infamous honor by being named “Mr. Irrelevant.” In the big picture, this still talented player has little to no chance of being a major contributor. He actually gets more acclaim for being chosen last. In fact, Mr. Irrelevant gets to commemorate his selection in Newport Beach, CA during “Irrelevant Week.” Wikipedia describes the event:

“During the summer after the draft, the new Mr. Irrelevant and his family are invited to spend a week in Newport Beach, California, where they enjoy a golf tournament, a regatta, a roast, giving advice to the new draftee, and a ceremony awarding him the Lowsman Trophy. The trophy mimics the Heisman, but depicts a player fumbling a football.”

Lowsman

I have no doubt that the recipients of the Mr. Irrelevant title have a good sense of humor about it. After all, they did get drafted while hundreds of other hopefuls were overlooked. Also, they have too much work to do to prove they belong on the roster come training camp to worry about being called irrelevant. The name is true but at the same time false. Unfortunately, too many people receive and carry this moniker in their daily lives where the ramifications are far greater. Leadership training will tell you time and time again that it is important to make members of your team feel important. People want to feel as though they are contributing to something greater than themselves. This is true in our work environment, but it also holds true in our marital relationships, our families, our social circles, and many other areas of our lives. We don’t like being the “third wheel” or the “outsider.” We bristle when our ideas are repeatedly ignored or criticized. We strive to be strong and secure, to possess insight and to have something valuable to offer others. It fills us with a sense of accomplishment, strokes our ego, and fills us with the confidence we need to climb another mountain. But turn the table to a series of defeats and watch how that confidence can erode.

Satan understands this simple concept and uses it in many various ways. Simple tasks grow arduous. Others make decisions that impact you and leave you lost and stinging. Nothing ever comes easy or seems to go right. If you let them, these things can weigh heavily upon your spirit, leading to poor choices made out of desperation or despair. It’s a tiny crack in the armor, but sometimes that’s all the enemy needs to gain a foothold.

Times of struggle will happen – we are all assured that we will experience these moments in ways that are tailor made by Satan to impact us the most. These moments double as opportunities to try out that faith we have built up in Christ over the course of our lives. His power far exceeds any temptation or loss we will ever face. It makes sense for us to turn to Him, after all He too met Satan face to face and was able to overcome his lies. We need only to put our trust in Him. By His wounds we are healed. By His strength, we are uplifted. By His love, we know love eternal. Join the team – after all, He’s already chosen you.

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Killed Them With Their Love

Posted on April 3, 2014 by day1of1

It wasn’t until recently that I watched the movie The Green Mile. This 1999 drama set on a Louisiana death row had long been on my list of movies I’ve wanted to see but just never had the chance. Having seen it once, I’ve now gone back and viewed it several times, captivated by the complexity of the characters of Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan).

edgecomb

The movie begins as John Coffey is brought to “The Green Mile,” the nickname of death row at the Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Two things immediately stand out about Coffey: his enormous size and his passive demeanor. He is truly a gentle giant but also an enigma. How could someone so simple and peaceful have committed the crime for which he is to be executed?

As the story progresses, we discover that John possesses three amazing gifts. He is able to detect the future. He doesn’t make predictions, but he can sense the coming trouble when another prisoner is about to attack the guards and he knows of the plan to sneak him out of the prison. He also has the power to heal. First he heals Paul’s bladder infection. Next he saves the life of “Mr. Jangles,” the pet mouse of another inmate. Finally he heals the warden’s wife who is suffering with an inoperable brain tumor.

The third gift is the ability to see and transmit things from another person’s heart or mind simply by touching them. Coffey saw and was able to show Edgecomb the truth of Wild Bill’s actions; how he threatened two young sisters to stay quiet in order to save the other before he brutalized and killed them both. In seeing this, Paul confirms his belief that John was innocent.

This revelation might seem a God-send: just what John needs to save his life. Paul realizes this but is stuck because he has no proof. He knows that a “vision” would hardly stand up in a court. John had been convicted and sentenced, and like it or not Paul was to carry out that sentence.

The thought of killing an innocent man, let alone one who had been blessed with such extraordinary abilities was unbearable to Paul. So he asks Coffey what he should do, fully prepared to help him escape from prison if that was what was right. John asks him why he would consider something so foolish. Paul answers with one of the most memorable lines of the film: “On the day of my judgment, when I stand before God, and He asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I gonna say? That it was my job? It was my job?”

This question and the emotion with which it was asked provide an intriguing parallel with modern Christians and our struggles with living in the 21st century world. Paul knew John was innocent, knew that he was truly gifted, and knew that if he were free he could continue to bless others with his abilities. But in spite of all he knew, he was bound by a judge who wrote an order to end this man’s life and to eliminate from the earth a power he attributed to a blessing from God. How could he stand in defiance of God simply to satisfy the desires of the world? Today’s Christian faces this same challenge every day. We can choose to hold to the teachings of the Bible in their fullness and truth and face the consequences of a world that will not agree with it, or we can compromise our beliefs and do what the world considers popular or appropriate. Will we cave in our will we stand firm?

As for the answer to Paul’s question, Coffey stands firm in following the order of execution. He speaks of being tired of many things: most notably the ugliness of the world that he sees and hears every day. And so the day of his execution comes. Coffey is strapped into the chair and Paul, now standing before him has completed the protocols of the execution with the words, “May God have mercy on your soul.” There is only one order left to give: the command to electrocute. After a short pause, it becomes evident that Paul is not able to speak the words. A fellow guard reminds Paul that he has to give the order. Still unable to say it, Paul steps up to the chair and shakes the hand of the man he has come to respect and befriend. Coffey reassures him with words not spoken but heard by Paul as he holds on to his hand.

“He kill them wi’ their love. That’s how it is, every day, all over the world.”

These are the words John used to describe the bravery of the two little girls. Their demise was horrific, but they endured in the hope that their sacrifice would save the other whom they dearly loved. The martyrdom of John Coffey would pay the sentence and bring closure to this tragedy. But for Paul, he needed to realize that in this moment, it would be love once again that would make all things right. Paul accepts John’s explanation and with a quivering voice utters the fateful words; “Roll on two.”

It seems odd to think that love might bring about such a tragic end. But when you consider that Christ’s own death came in just such a manner so that we would all have life, it begins to make more sense. God’s motivation is clear in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should never perish but have everlasting life.”

May we find peace in the love of God, displayed through Christ that we might model it, every day, all over the world.

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A Fingertip Away

Posted on April 1, 2014 by day1of1

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5

Ten seconds left in the game. The score is tied at 72 apiece. Michigan defends and Kentucky looks to inbound the ball from the left side of the floor. UK guard Andrew Harrison collects the pass and begins to set up the play. A few seconds pass before he dribbles the ball to his left, handing it off to his brother, Aaron Harrison. As the pass is made, Andrew sets a screen on Michigan’s Nik Stauskas, triggering a defensive switch with Michigan guard Caris LeVert. Harrison continues to dribble toward the top of the key as LeVert defends.

Seven seconds left, six….

Harrison abruptly changes pace and direction, stepping back and to his left where he will attempt a long three-point basket that would give Kentucky an almost insurmountable lead with only moments left to play. LeVert anticipates the step back move and leaps toward Harrison in an attempt to disrupt the shot and send the game to overtime.

Five…

Harrison’s feet are set and he jumps, leaning back ever so slightly to create room for the shot. LeVert is also off his feet, stretching his body as far as it can reach, trying to block the shot, to break Harrison’s concentration, and above all – to not commit a foul.

With only 4.3 seconds left on the clock, these two young men came together for a moment in time that would propel one into the national spotlight and the Final Four, while the other would suffer the heartbreak of a season ending too soon. That moment, shown below, was captured by a photographer from the Indianapolis Star.

Shot

As the picture shows, LeVert missed the block. Harrison’s long range jumper found the bottom of the net. The shot proved to be the game-winner as Kentucky won the game 75-72. The Wildcats were jubilant; the Wolverines crestfallen.

So many things are made clear in this photo. The determination of both players, the athletic abilities they possess, and the differences that come from a split second or a fraction on an inch. When I saw the shot live, I couldn’t appreciate what a difficult shot Harrison was attempting or just how close LeVert came to making a phenomenal defensive play. So many little things came together over the course of the game to allow for this singular moment to occur, and as the game ended players and fans of both teams were left to wonder what might have been.

As is often the case in sports, the events on the field of play mirror the events of real life. Every day of our lives is filled with decisions of all shapes and sizes. Each of these individual decisions results in consequences which lead us to make more decisions. At times things go in our favor. Other times we find ourselves in a place we never imagined possible. And as the photo shows us – the difference between those two outcomes is often little more than a fingertip.

In life, as in sports we experience these moments and are forced to move on to the next thing. At the end of the game, Michigan’s players moved on to consider what they could have done better and to begin the process of improving for next season. Kentucky could savor their victory for a time, but they too needed to move on in preparation for their next game in the tournament.

God has created us to approach events in our lives in a similar way. We make a choice, experience the consequences and we move on. But here’s the critical point: what we learn from that event will help shape us to perform better in the future. Basketball players turn to their coaches and playbooks. Christians turn to the Father and His word! God calls us to seek out His wisdom and counsel so that we might overcome our sin and live lives that bring Him glory and honor.

In victory or in defeat, seek out the will of God for your life. He is the source of true wisdom and through Him our ultimate victory over sin and death is secured.

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The Greatest

Posted on February 18, 2014 by day1of1

Recently, NBA superstar LeBron James was asked which players he would place onto the “Basketball Mt. Rushmore.” He provided the names of four players: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson – not a bad list by any stretch. All four of those players are all-time greats. But of course, anytime you ask someone an opinion question, you will spark a debate about the validity of the choices.

Mount Rushmore

Image from http://www.rappler.com/sports/by-sport/basketball/50741-holding-court-nba-mount-rushmore

I have to admit that when I first heard his comments, I immediately thought he had missed one obvious choice: Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics. Having grown up as a Celtics fan, I learned about Russell’s accomplishments and felt he has become one of the most underrated players in NBA history; as underrated as an eleven-time champion can be. So it was fun for me to hear Russell’s response to LeBron’s list.

“Hey, thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. I’m glad you did. Basketball is a team game. It’s not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in high school, back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league, an NBA championship in my last year, and nine in between. That, Mr. James, is etched in stone.”

I’m not going to be critical of LeBron’s comments. First of all, it is his opinion – something he is free to have and share as he pleases. Secondly, I understand how easy it is to pick the players you have seen and know over guys haven’t. Lebron grew up watching Magic, Larry, and Michael. And Oscar Robertson played his college ball and most of his pro career in Cincinnati, Ohio, making his feats more prevalent to a kid who grew up in Ohio. Finally, arguments can be made for many other players to be on the side of the mountain: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain are two names that could easily be considered, not to mention players currently in the league including the guy who started the discussion: LeBron James. This discussion could be had in every sport, but no clear cut consensus would ever be found. There are just too many variables, too many eras, and too many great choices. But the inability to reach agreement doesn’t end the debate; it drives it. So while we may never find agreement on the best of the best, we’ll continue to enjoy the lively debate.

So who is the greatest? Does it really matter? In 1980, the Soviet hockey team was considered the greatest in the world, but history celebrates the group of upstart American kids who for one game were able to outscore them. The 1969 Ohio State Buckeyes were en route to become arguably the greatest college football team ever until a single loss in Ann Arbor rewrote the history books. Twenty-one pitchers have thrown perfect games in major league history, but only five of them are Hall of Famers. Many are names you’ve never heard of or had forgotten over time. Does that mean that the perfect games thrown by Charlie Robertson, Philip Humber, or Addie Joss weren’t as great as those thrown by Cy Young or Sandy Koufax? Certainly not! The fans in the stands watched 27 come up and 27 go down. Maybe our fascination with greatness says more about us and our desire to find ways to measure ourselves against one another?

Jesus’ disciples had quarrels from time to time where they tried to rate themselves as the greatest among the group (Matthew 20, Luke 9). In each occasion, Christ reminded them that they needn’t concern themselves with such things, but rather they should devote themselves and their lives to God’s will, who by the Holy Spirit will do great things through them. Paul reminds us in Galatians 2:20 that “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” When we replace our petty, personal ambitions with the desires that God holds for our lives, we not only achieve far more through Him than we ever could on our own but we also become a greater blessing to those God calls us to serve.

Let the world decide whose face goes on the mountain. We will set our eyes upon the power of the cross.

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From the Source

Posted on February 14, 2014 by day1of1

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. – 1 John 4:8

Valentine’s Day brings out the most interesting responses from people. You can quickly tell where a person is at in their life based on their Valentine’s Day plans. Young or newly formed couples make the most of the opportunity to shower their beloved with gifts, cards, flowers, dinner and romance. To not go overboard would in some way leave their significant questioning their relationship. Veteran couples recognize the day, probably through a card or some dedicated time to be spent together apart from the busyness of schedules and the normalcy of life. And how can we forget the single-folk who spend the day wearing black, celebrating SAD (Singles Awareness Day) and being very intentional about how they do not recognize the “Hallmark Holiday.”

valentines

I find it interesting how we find ourselves in each of these different places over the course of our lives. Most people will eventually find their way to experiencing all three of these – I myself know all three very well. I guess I bring them up to establish the basic human nature of dealing with love in its various stages in our lives. From the time we first experience the feeling of mutual attraction, we find ourselves searching for ways to fulfill our needs through love in one form or another. Like many things in life, we have taken the idea of love and modified it to meet our individual needs. So we buy cards, flowers, gifts, candy, movie tickets, and the like so that our personal needs can get met. That may sound selfish, but tell me how many people love someone in a truly selfless manner? It’s not impossible, but to accomplish it you have to seek the source of true love.

1 John 4 identifies God as love. He is the model by which all love is measured. His love for us is boundless and best demonstrated through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ whose love for us gives us yet another wonderful gift: life. In John 11:25, Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” The love of God gives us life. The love of God gives us eternal life. And until such time as God leads us home to be with Him, we live our lives modeling His love in every situation.

When the flowers wilt, the cards are recycled, and the calories from the chocolate are burned off on the treadmill, the love of God will remain. Let that love live in you, that it might lead others to the Source.

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Consuming Fire

Posted on January 30, 2014 by day1of1

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” – Hebrews 12:28-29

For anyone who has ever experienced the joy of becoming a parent, you know the immediate feelings that enter your heart and mind the moment you first lay eyes upon your child. Any attempt to explain it would fail to convey the width and breadth of the love that fills you. It’s as if God opens up a part of your heart that had lain dormant, introducing you to feelings and emotions previously undetected. It is one of the happiest moments of any person’s life.

Imagine now that as you are celebrating this indescribable joy, you are also given some of the most terrifying news you could hear: cancer. Suddenly the prospects of parenthood are erased amid the fear of a terminal diagnosis. For many of us, God shields our minds from the very thought of such tragedy. Unfortunately for others, this is a frightening reality.

Eight years ago, Heather and Cameron Von St. James were experiencing the joy of the birth of their daughter Lily when their lives were turned upside-down. Shortly after Lily was born, Heather was diagnosed with mesothelioma – an aggressive form of cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen and lungs. Most people diagnosed with mesothelioma are given fewer than two years to live, so Heather’s fifteen month timeframe was consistent with what doctors would tell anyone to expect. Fifteen months. Cameron would be left to raise their little girl alone. Lily would still be in diapers. No first day of school. No teaching her to tie her shoes, to ride a bike. No leaving cookies on a plate for Santa on Christmas Eve.

I can’t begin to imagine the thoughts that must have filled Heather and Cam’s minds as they considered their options. Many a parent has boldly proclaimed their willingness to sacrifice anything for their child: a passion, a vice, even an arm or a leg. In an attempt to save her life, Heather made the decision to undergo a risky surgery and have one of her lungs removed. So for Heather and Cam, February 2, 2006 became known as “Lung Leavin’ Day.” The surgery was a success and after a long and arduous journey, Heather can now say she has overcome cancer and is celebrating everyday of her life with Cameron by her side and Lily in her arms. In fact, every year on the anniversary of her surgery, Heather and Cam are joined by many friends and family members for an informal ceremony in their backyard. They gather around a fire, writing their greatest fears on a plate. Then they take those plates and smash them into the fire to show how they can and will overcome the adversities they face. It’s an inspiring story – one you can learn more about by visiting mesothelioma.com/heather/lungleavinday.

Fire

How fitting it is to see these plates smashed into a fire, where the pieces are consumed by the flames until they are no more. It demonstrates clearly the love our God has for us. Like Cam and Heather looking at Lily, God looks down on us with an indescribable love. As His children we get to see the depth and breadth of His love for us as His Son, Jesus Christ went to the cross in our place. His sacrifice was great, but through it we receive forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life with Him. But until that time, we can smash the plates of our fears into the consuming fire that is our God, knowing that in Him we can overcome all things.

May God bless the Von St. James family and your family, now and always.

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