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Come to me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (time out). Matthew 11:28

During this time of year, we tend to hear the words, time out a lot! Coaches with good game plans know the strategic times during a game to take time out so that they can assess the situation and strategize their next play! When a team calls for a time out, the clock stops and the game is paused. No playing happens during a time out.

Time outs come in life as well. Many of us have lived through illnesses of ourselves or those we love, diagnoses of diseases, Covid, job losses, money problems, relocation, retirement, and other stressful situations in life. It’s at this point we wish we could call time out and reassess our situation because we feel that things are spinning out of our control.

Five years ago this week, the lives of our family had a time out when we received a call early one morning that our Mama had died suddenly but painlessly. The clock stopped for all of us as we were forced to put aside our daily lives and deal with the grief that comes with losing a loved one.

Sometimes we have to be reminded that just because we are experiencing a time out, it doesn’t mean that the world stops. In fact, many times we see others going on with their lives as if nothing has happened. In all honesty, nothing has happened to them – it’s our time out.

As our family headed to the cemetery later that week with the cars in the processional, we came to the road where we would turn left across the busy highway. The patrolman leading our procession crossed over first, and as people realized it was a funeral, they began to stop and pull over to let us pass. At that moment, it struck me that it’s awfully special when we take the time in this life to stop, think about others, show respect, pray for them, and take a time out.

Jesus always stopped in his teaching and his ministry when people needed help. He took time out everywhere he went to show God’s love to others. Sometimes we are so busy saving the world in other ways that we ignore the times when a time out is needed for ourselves. Just like the Good Samaritan, we should be ready to stop for someone who’s hurting.

Last week a young man who was on the opposing team of our grandson’s team was hit and lay motionless on the football field. A time out is always called during an injury, but there are times when one knows that this not an ordinary instance. What do we do when a time out is not enough? When we need to do more? Surprisingly enough in this day and time, the teams huddled together and prayed. What a lesson for all of us! There are times when the only thing to which we can turn is prayer while we are in our time out.

The rests in a piece of music can be equated to time outs in life. There is no music during a rest or time out, but the rest is part of the making of the music. If we think of our lives as a melody, the music is separated here and there by rests, but the song has not ended. God brings a sudden pause or time out in the hymn of our lives, and we are wrong to complain when we have to be still and silent for a time.

God doesn’t write the music of our lives without a plan. The part we play is to learn the tune and not be discouraged when we have a rest or time out. Just as a musician counts the rests in a song and plays the next note with confidence, so we must remember the rest is part of the music just as time outs are part of life.

Don’t waste the time outs in life, rather learn from them.

For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you! Luke 10:19

During storms, we sometimes lose the luxury of electricity, and we quickly realize the importance of power in our lives. Without power, we lose the convenience of using our ovens and stoves, watching television, keeping food in our refrigerator cold and especially the power to see in the darkness because our “lights are out.”

This theme of power runs throughout the Gospel of Luke. It begins in Chapter 9 when Jesus gives the 12 Disciples the power and authority over all demons and the power to cure diseases. The power continues as the Disciples feed the 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.

The word, power, is defined as the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. In the Gospel of Luke, the disciples were granted power from on high to go about doing good.

Power can be good in the hands of some, but it can be detrimental in the hands of others. Take for instance our grandson, Reese. Reese was given the distinct honor of serving on safety patrol for a time in his elementary school. The safety patrol’s job is to monitor the students as they arrive and depart from school every day making sure they are walking in the halls, not loitering, and generally following the rules.

Some students may think of this as just a job, but Reese loved the power of “telling everybody what to do.” After a week of this power, at the end of the day when he finally got in the car after a hard day’s work, his words were, “Well, just another day of the same old, same old.”

Sometimes life can do that to us. It can cause us to take the power that God has given us as Christians and children of God for granted and begin to think of it as the same old, same old.

That’s not the way God would want us to view the power He bestows on us. God hasn’t give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but He has given us a spirit of power, love and self discipline. Jesus has the power to help us use our power to discard warped philosophies, tear down barriers that can be erected against the truth of God fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

Jesus gives us the power to use ordinary, every day things for His purposes. We have the means to take something we have and use it to let people know that they matter to God and they matter to others. That’s the power of caring.

Jesus also gives us the power to change a bad situation. When we are up against a tough situation, the first essential is to stand up to it. Face it and hit back hard with the knowledge that there is enough power given to you by God to overcome the situation. Jesus has the power to redeem things and give us the chance to get through it. The past can be forgotten with a new time, a new start, and a new beginning. Charles Martin in his book Long Way Gone says “No gone is too far gone” because Jesus can redeem our bad situation.

Jesus has given us the power to change our attitude about the past, the present and the future. Faith is believing that God is telling the truth about this power. In order to get the results God’s word promises for a change of attitude, we must place our absolute trust and confidence in His power, His wisdom, and His goodness. No life or attitude is beyond the power of Jesus.

Jesus also gives us the power of forgiveness for ourselves and for others. The Lord’s prayer reminds us to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The Christians way involves a cross where Jesus paid for our sins and offers forgiveness for those who will confess our sin and follow Him. If He can forgive us, shouldn’t we forgive others?

Jesus died for us all. All we need to do is use the power of caring, change and forgiveness He gives us to come to the Father and let Him redeem the things in life that keep us from acknowledging all our power. There is no power without God.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen

For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1:3

The word test is defined as a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance or reliability of something. We are in a time when the word test is used more often than ever. People are taking Covid tests, antibody tests, and even saliva tests, with hopes of getting negative results from the virus that seems to be changing our society and our lives. People are being tested.

Life itself affords us many opportunities to be tested. We are constantly tested on things such as our morals, our beliefs, our integrity, our honesty, our faith, and even our God.

Last week in total frustration with the news media and their presentation, or lack thereof, of the news, I found myself tuning into an old Leave It To Beaver episode. In this particular one, Beaver is perplexed because he used his Dad’s library card to check out a book without his permission, and he lost the book. He hid all the overdue notices which came in the mail, and didn’t tell his Dad in hopes that he would find the book. Of course, dishonesty never works, and he was found out. Beaver was tested on honesty, and his Dad made a good point when he said, “When you tell one lie you always have to tell another to cover up the first.” Beaver had his honesty tested.

What difference does it make to be honest? The Christian should answer this question with something like, “it makes all the difference to God” or “speak the truth to one another”. Zechariah 8:18 When we are honest, we build strength of character that will allow us to be of greater service to God and to others.

God tests us just as He tested Abraham with his son, Isaac. He wants to see if there is anything we love more than Him. God tests us for basically two reasons. First, to prove Himself faithful to us, and second, to give us an opportunity to prove our faithfulness to Him.

When God tests us, that’s the best time to test Him by putting His promises to the test and then claiming from Him exactly what your trials have made necessary. There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is simply to try and get out of the trial, and then to be thankful when it’s over. The other way is to recognize that the trial is a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever before experienced and to accept it with delight as an opportunity of receiving a greater measure of God’s divine grace.

During these tests, even the Adversary becomes a help to us, and all things that seem to be against us turn out to assist us along our way. This is what is meant by in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Tests let us know that there are expectations, things required of us. When we are tested, we have a tendency to look around at things that can’t be done. We are drawn to things that we can’t do. That’s when Jesus comes to the aid of those of us who are tempted to despair and give us strength we don’t know we have.

First, we gain the strength to look to Him for what’s lacking in us. Some of us do well in studying before the test, but feel totally inadequate to take the tests when they are provided. Norman Vincent Peale reminds us that, “the tests of life are not to break you, but to make you”.

Then, we learn to have hope. People are still feeling isolated for many different reasons, because of this, we need to embrace the mind of Christ and take the test He offers of reaching out to others and giving hope. Don’t give up – give Hope.

God is going to test each of us to make sure our faith, our identity, and our security are found in Him alone. We can’t let the gifts we enjoy become more important than the Giver because that undermines His purpose for our lives.

God tested Abraham for a very long time by delaying the fulfillment of His promise, Satan tested him through temptation, and people tested him through their jealousy, distrust, and opposition. We sometimes experience the same thing in our lives. Remember, Abraham was tested but he patiently waited, ultimately received what was promised and was satisfied. If we imitate his example, we will share the same blessing.

When we pass the test, we are blessed with peace of mind and self respect so that we can better serve God. Passing the test is a reflection of our character and a way to show our faith. Take the test and remember, after the testing comes the blessing!

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord you God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

The football season is upon us, and in true form, it has already given us some exciting moments – great wins and tough losses. The first weekend of games were some of the best in years!

Although the Bulldogs had a great win, the game that was most exciting was the FSU-Notre Dame contest. My brother in law is a staunch fan of the Seminoles, and some of our dear friends are now living in Irish country, so our interest in the game was peaked.

The game did not disappoint, but the story was not the final score, but rather a young man by the name of McKenzie Milton, a backup quarterback for the Seminoles. The scenario played like this. The starting quarterback for FSU received a blow to the head and had to leave the game. Milton came off the bench to lead Florida State back from a ten point deficit and force overtime against the ranked Notre Dame team. The team lost, but Milton got a resounding win!

This scenario occurs in football all the time, but Milton had not played a game since November 24, 2018 when he sustained artery and nerve damage to his right leg along with a dislocated knee and torn ligaments. This injury was catastrophic and almost caused the amputation of his right leg.

Through the efforts or many surgeons, trainers, physical therapists, family, friends, and others, Milton did what others thought impossible. Dr. Levy (his orthopedic surgeon) is quoted as saying on the first day he met Milton after the injury, “Even if you miraculously get back and do what no one else has every done before, you have to ask yourself, do you want to?” Milton never hesitated and said, “Doc, I know I’m playing football again. I just know it.”

The courage. bravery, and fortitude of this young man brings to mind other situations where these qualities have been a factor in life’s situations. General Robert E. Lee used these sentiments in his Farewell Address to the Army of Northern Virginian at Appomattox, Lou Gehrig’s Farewell to Baseball address used them, and Winston Churchill’s We Shall Fight on the Beaches addresses these characteristics.

Fortitude is defined as mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger or temptation courageously. Personally, I think physical strength could be added.

In these last few weeks, I have learned a lot about folks who are poster men and women for fortitude. On June 8, 1967, as I was entering my senior year in high school, the USS Liberty was cruising in International Waters in the Eastern Mediterranean when it was attacked without warning or justification by air and naval forces of Israel. They were 294 officers and crew on board. Of these 294, 34 were killed, 174 wounded, and the ship was so severely damaged that it never sailed again.

Fortitude is a word that should be used for the surviving crew members who kept the ship afloat, cared for the injured, tended to their friends who were killed, and had no aid for days. The atrocities of this “incident”(as the government called it) are unbelievable and unfathomable, and they have never been fully acknowledged by our military and government. Many of us are guilty of being totally unaware of sacrifices and fortitude such as this, and the suffering that occurred.

The average person will never be able to exhibit this kind of fortitude, but there are so many incidences in life where we see people going about their lives with this strength every day. I see it in my own life. First, there’s my friend and college roommate who has been caring for her husband with Alzheimer’s every day of her life for ten years. Although he is now in a facility for round the clock care, her devotion, love and care continues daily. Her fortitude is evident in her devotion.

Then there’s the mother who endured the pain of watching her daughter courageously fight cancer for years and lose the battle. This mother swims in honor of her daughter’s fight and to raise money to fight cancer so that one day, when a cure is found, other Mother’s might be spared the pain she suffered. She is putting her fortitude into action for a cure and a promise!

There’s the young doctor (who happens to be my nephew) who is on the front line in a hospital fighting to save the lives of his patients who are suffering from Covid while hearing cries of “Help me, please.” His fortitude is making a difference and saving lives.

There’s an amazing thirteen year old young lady who suffers from autism. She is now using her new found “voice” to help others understand the trials and triumphs so that they may find hope and courage. Her fortitude is inspirational and courageous.

There are men and women who still live with images of the horrors of war, those who suffer ramifications of 911, and those who live with PTSD. Their fortitude is courageous.

The stories of fortitude can be found among us every day. God speaks to fortitude when he directs us to be strong and courageous as we know He will go with us. God bless all who set the examples of fortitude for others every day.

It’s not life that counts but the fortitude you bring into it. John Galsworthy

To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Most products that we purchase these days have an expiration date stamped somewhere on the item. It rarely says, “product expires by”, but rather uses terms such as “best if used by” or “don’t use after”. Producers have learned that people react more positively if the word “expires” isn’t used.

When I was growing up, we had tons of fresh vegetables that we either canned or froze to eat later. Our Mama was always insistent on writing or stamping the date the products were frozen or canned on the outside of the package or can. My Daddy, on the other hand, always said that these particular items had no expiration date because they were fresh grown, picked, and processed! My children and grands know that I agree with my Daddy – if they smell good and aren’t over a year out of date – they are fine!

We don’t use the word expire much in our world today because it frightens us to ponder the reality that each of our lives has an expiration date. A gentleman in my water aerobics class put a perfect spin on it last week. He was looking at the twenty plus people there and said, “Look at all these old people trying to stay young. Sometimes you wonder if they know that we all have an expiration date?”

Later than same morning, I happened to walk by his wife as she was sitting in a chair waiting for him to come out of the locker room. I remarked that it was quite a difference in our lives now as husbands had spent most of their lives waiting on us and now we have to wait on them. We laughed, and I left.

The next week as we were waiting to start class, I noticed that she was there, but he was not. When I asked about him, her answer was not what I expected. She said, “My husband has been fighting colon cancer for ten years, and some mornings he moves more slowly than others. He will be here when he can. I am just so grateful that he is a survivor! He can take as long as he wants, because I will wait on him as long as he needs.”

God shows up in unlikely ways and circumstances to help us discover our cause and our legacy in this life. As we approach the later years of our lives, we realize that it’s not what you do that matters, but what you do for others. This sweet wife is leaving the legacy of her tender care and love to her husband and their family.

When our life’s sole focus is self interest, we won’t be missed when we are gone or we won’t be missed for the right reason. We all need to find a cause greater than ourselves, one that will out live us, and pour ourselves into it.

We don’t get to choose the moment of our arrival or departure here on earth. We do, however, have a chance to choose what our legacy will be. For what would we like to be remembered?

My mind and heart go to the American soldiers who lost their lives last week in Kabul defending those people and our country. Even though we don’t know their individual stories, we all know that they left quite a legacy for their families. Even though they lived each day with the possibility of the sacrifice they might have to make, I’m sure in the last few days of their lives in that dangerous situation, the possibility of their expiration date became very real. My prayer is that each of them would know how much this country values their service and their legacy.

Randy and I lost a dear friend and faithful servant of God on Tuesday. Dr. Med Roach, a Methodist minister and long time friend, died peacefully but much too soon. As we spoke with other minister friends, everyone lamented the same thing, “We all thought he would be here longer, and we would get a chance to see him again.” God’s expiration date is not based on our thoughts, hopes or timing. Fortunately, Med has left a legacy in each church he served and in every life of those he touched. God’s causes were always His priority. He certainly left a legacy of faithful service of God and love for God to his family and friends.

As the twentieth anniversary of 911 looms before us this week, and we remember all the men and women who died; some in service and others just going about their daily lives, the advice I would have for us all is, “don’t let your expiration date sneak up on you. Find a cause greater than yourself. Don’t just leave a will, leave a legacy that fulfills God’s will. ”

(Photo was copied, but look closely at the clouds.)

The Lord blessed the second part of Job’s life more than in the beginning. Job 42:12

Last year was a rough time for football fans! The stadiums were empty except for cardboard cut outs of fans, there were no marching bands, and people were relegated to at home football celebrations! It was like silence spread across the land of the football faithful.

This year when the red and black (substitute other colors here) run onto the field between the hedges, (substitute other places here) there will again be the roar of the crowd, the striking up of the band, and the traffic nightmare of fans racing to cheer their team on once more.

In the world of sports announcers, there has never been a more beloved voice of the Bulldogs than Larry Munson. During the years of Munson, even if we attended the game in person, we carried a radio in order to hear him call the game. Many times, his commentary was more exciting than the game itself!!

There are many calls of his which are legendary, but in honor of the upcoming Clemson game on Saturday, it’s fitting to remember his call of the 1984 game. The game was tied 23-23 with Georgia on the Clemson 44 yard line and 11 seconds left. When Georgia’s offense stalled, Kevin Butler came in to attempt a field goal. Larry’s call went like this: “This kick is a hundred thousand miles!” Then, as the kick cleared the goalpost, “Oh my God! Eleven seconds! I can’t believe what he did!” Munson always believed the second half was the most important, and he loved to give credit to the players and coaches. In his words, “Now there’s no sense in going away because you know it’s not going to end like this”.

This game and many others were won or lost in the second half. Basically, coaches have two speeches they can give in the locker room at halftime – one if their team is winning and the other if they are losing. If they are winning, coaches talk about forgetting the first half and pretending the score is 0-0 when they come out for the second half. Coaches are quick to remind their players that the game isn’t over until the last buzzer has sounded, the last play has been run, or the last tackle has been made. If the team is losing, the coaches have to analyze the game and decide why? Is it mental mistakes or are we just being outplayed?

I tell this story to show that no matter where we are in this game of life, we can win this in the second half! Many people feel that they have somehow outlived their usefulness later in life; however, if we are still here, the game of life isn’t over for us! We have a lot of life left to live and a lot left to do!

Richard Rohr says that the first half of our lives is focused on our ambitions, plans, competitiveness, and looking after ourselves and our families. The second half seems to be a lot about undoing what was accomplished in the first half in order to help us get a deeper understanding of what’s really important.

It’s almost like the first half of our lives we are building a vessel to hold all the things on which we need to focus in the second half. The first half of life doesn’t have to determine the outcome of the game.

Everyone can look back over their lives and see mistakes, disappointments, and failures. Life can be cruel and sometimes deal us a harsh blow here or there. The good news is that there is a second half for all of us. The final whistle hasn’t blown, and it’s never too late for God to pick us up and carry us straight to the plan He has for us. God always looks at our future not our past.

Just like a coach in the locker room at halftime, God encourages us with words like, “You can win, I am with you, I believe in you, and don’t give up!” According to Head Coach Kevin Wright, the key words in the second half are intensity, focus, finish, resiliency, and playing as a team. Those words can apply to our everyday lives as well.

Whether our first half has been dominated by the good, the bad, or the ugly, God wants us to learn from it, not live in it. The second half is the best time to use the rest and assessment which the first half has presented us!

Let’s live our second half so when the final buzzer sounds, we will have no regrets. copied

Great are the works of the Lord. They are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are His deeds, and His righteousness endures forever. Psalm 111:2-3

During Covid (the first time) many of our friends began the practice of doing jigsaw puzzles. It was therapeutic to put the pieces out on a table, mull over the picture on the box, and work each day on putting the interlocking pieces together. It sounded like a great exercise in brain power, but I can’t do the “table thing”, so I found a jigsaw puzzle app and began completing one puzzle a day. Granted, there are only 64 pieces, but it’s fun, works the brain, and once you find the correct piece, it locks in place!

There are all kinds of puzzles. There are crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, mechanical puzzles, math puzzles, word search puzzles, sudoku and even trivia. Each one is different, but a puzzle none the less.

When the word puzzle is defined as a noun, its definition is a game, toy or problem used to test ingenuity or knowledge. If it’s defined as a verb, the definition changes into feeling confused because one can’t make sense of a situation or problem.

Life itself can be a puzzle and actually the definitions of both a noun and a verb can be used to describe it.

After all her girls left home and married, my Mama began doing crossword puzzles every day. She didn’t take the easy route, but she attacked the very tedious Wall Street Journal ones. I can see her now sitting in her chair with the paper, pencil and a dictionary by her side. The pencil was used rather than a pen because many times her answers were wrong. The answers to the puzzle appeared in the next day’s paper, but Mama didn’t want to look until she had tried every way to work it out for herself.

We are very much like that in our daily lives. We don’t want to look to God for answers to our puzzles until we have tried every other way to solve it for our selves and on our own!

The story is told of a sixth grade Sunday School teacher who was attempting to prove a point to his students. He divided the class into three groups. The objective was to see which group could put together a jigsaw puzzle first. The only rule was absolutely no talking. The first group received puzzle pieces in a box with the picture on it. The second group received puzzle pieces in a box, but the picture on the box didn’t match the pieces. The third group received puzzle pieces but no picture at all.

The second and third group became very frustrated as they watched the first group moving along with no difficulty. They had no idea why it was so much harder for them! The lesson that day was that life is like the pieces of a puzzle. We all go through times of joy, sadness, grief, hard times, and many different emotions. We watch others around us going about their lives with no apparent difficulties, and we can’t solve the puzzle. We will never solve the puzzle unless we have the right tools, but the good news is that Jesus is there through it all to help us put it all together.

The first thing that puzzles teach us is that we need all the pieces of the puzzle in order to solve it. One piece standing alone is inadequate. It takes everyone of them interlocking to create the picture.

Secondly, each piece of the puzzle is important. If we work to finish the puzzle and get to the end with one piece missing, the puzzle is of no worth.

Finally, to solve a puzzle, one much start by working from the outside in. When we find the pieces that “frame” the puzzle, we can begin to work on the inside. God frames his plan for us, and He helps us to work toward completing it.

God makes the body of Christ to be like interlocking puzzle pieces. Each one of us is needed to contribute our unique strengths to His kingdom. When members of Christ’s body find their strengths, use their strengths, and value strengths we find in one another, we interconnect to form the whole or the complete puzzle. Together we are stronger.

We are designed to fit together like a puzzle to reflect the character of Jesus in all we do. Just like interlocking puzzle pieces, we build on each other and together we exemplify Him.

He has shown you, O Mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

On our wedding day some forty nine years ago last month, Randy and I chose an old song and tweeked the title just a bit to fit the occasion. Actually my Mama and my aunt, Joanne, (the resident musical authorities) chose it for us! The song is usually entitled, I’ll Walk With God, but we decided it should be, We’ll Walk With God since we were entering into a brand new career for which we had no roadmap and God was a big part of that career!

I know neither one of us in our wildest aspirations for our lives ever dreamed we would be taking on the ministry. The years we spent at UGA knowing each other as friends, never hinted at that particular avenue. Actually, I was doubtful that Randy would make it in this calling, not because he wasn’t capable, but because I wasn’t sure what this calling entailed. Early on, however, I realized that if he failed at ministry, he would make an excellent lawyer!! That man can argue a case!!

We were certainly ill prepared for many things as are so many young couples, but parsonages, below minimum wage salary, and no air conditioning were not on my wish list!

During the forty four years since he actually did make a pretty good minister, fulfilled that calling, and helped God build five churches along the way, there are many things we have learned. As many of us face uncertain times in the many things which are important to us such as our country, our church, our jobs, and our personal lives in general, it might be a good time to share some lessons I think we learned.

First, when God calls you into a profession, we need to know that sometimes we might have to walk alone. When God uses you, people often assume you are filled with God’s strength and you don’t need anything. They often don’t realize that you are just a regular person who’s scared to death a lot of the time and more amazed if you succeed at something than they are!

We have been so fortunate to have friends, church members and others who have stood with us during the years on a pretty wide variety of issues, but when friends or others don’t stand with you or minister to you it becomes discouraging. Nobody wants all people to be of the same opinion, but friends should be there to support each other in good times and bad. The good news is that with God, usually the people who stand with you and minister to you are more than those who don’t!

Secondly, we can rest assured that we will need God’s help pretty constantly. If you don’t think you will, you’re in trouble. Sometimes we get so busy and caught up in things and doing them our way, that we, like Samson, do not know that the Lord has left us. (Judges 16:21) We have to live with that sense of dependence on God because He can slip away if we don’t speak with Him daily.

Next, it’s God’s power not our own that makes the difference in all we do. If your ministry is truly a calling, then you know if you wait for God to give you supernatural powers before deciding to get in the fight for good, then you never will experience any victories. It’s His power and His alone that is with us!

Finally, God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. When we can’t understand God’s ways or feel His presence in our trials or weaknesses, we can still trust in His unchanging and loving character.

There’s been so many rewards as well as trials through these years, but it’s always a certainty that God cannot break His promises, abandon His children, or fail to love and bless us. When you are called of God and adhere to that call, you’ll never walk without Him!

The lyrics to the following song are more true to me today than they have ever been.

I’ll walk with God, from this day on; His helping hand I’ll lean upon. This is my prayer, my humble plea; May the Lord be ever with me. There is no death though eyes grow dim; There is no fear when I’m near to Him. I’ll lean on Him forever, And He’ll forsake me never. He will not fail me as long as my faith is strong. Whatever road I may walk upon. I’ll walk with God, I’ll take His hand; I’ll talk with God, He’ll understand. I’ll pray to Him each day to Him, and He’ll hear the words that I say. His hand will guide my throne and rod; And I’ll never walk alone while I walk with God. Lyrics by Nikolaus Brodszky and Paul Francis Webster

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20

In the last letter she wrote to George Burns before her death, Gracie Allen said, “Remember, don’t put a period where God puts a comma“. That seems to say don’t lose hope, God is still in charge.

There are times in everyone’s life where circumstances, problems, or failures make us want to quit, drop out, or just give up on things. We find ourselves thinking, “That’s it, I’m done. Period.” We put a period where only a comma is needed.

A period and a comma are two punctuation marks which look similar but have entirely different meanings. A comma means to pause, and it is used to connects things. A period means a full stop, and when its used, the sentence or thought is over.

The comma is used to encourage us while God is working on the situation we face. We can pause and rest because He has not given His final answer. We have hope in Him and in the resolution of the situation.

A period lets us know that it’s over, and God has spoken. When that happens, we need to obey and rest in the resolution.

Sadly, sometimes in our situations, we tend to rush to use a period when we really should use a comma. When we use the period before God is ready, we have basically lost hope. All through the Bible there are examples of people just like you and me who faced problems that seemed to have put their life on hold or full stop, but there was still hope. Hope is defined as the expectation of something good, and it is something we, as Christians, can count on because of what God has done and says He will continue to do.

When we are going through a crisis and tempted to put a period instead of a comma, there are three things we need to consider. First, God’s timing is always perfect. Secondly, God’s ways are not our ways. Finally, God always has the final say.

This past week as the Olympic Games in Tokyo continued, a situation reminded me that things are never over until God says they are over! An alternate gymnast for the U.S. team was preparing to board a plane back to her home state of Utah convinced that her Olympic career was over. Mykayla Skinner, the oldest alternate on the team, had accepted the fact that she would forever be an Olympian but not an Olympic medalist.

About that time, God said, “But wait, I haven’t said this is over.” Simone Biles withdrew from the competition, and by that evening, Skinner was back in her leotard and competing for a medal as she stepped in as an alternate. Only one gymnast earned a higher mark than she, and Mykala Skinner ended up a silver medalist! The door was also opened for Suni Lee and Jade Carey to take home medals! Don’t ever put a period where God puts a comma.

We can have some of the greatest encounters with God in the everyday experiences of life, but we have to be open and receptive otherwise we will miss it! Author William Barry once said, “Whether we are aware of it or not, at every moment of our existence we’re encountering God..who is trying to catch our attention…to draw us into a reciprocal conscious relationship.”

The difference in the period and the comma can change the entire meaning of a sentence just like their usage can change our trust in God’s timing. There is a time and place where everything connects like a comma. Imagination, faith, and effort come together with the spark of God’s grace and things become whole, real and good. Let’s use more commas and let God take care of the periods!

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 1 John 5:4

The Olympic games in Tokyo have been leading the news and entertainment spotlight for over a week now. It is fascinating to watch these athletes compete in their individual sport and do their best to push through to victory and a coveted medal.

As we’ve seen, the athletes themselves aren’t immune to the stress, problems, and trials that each of us experience on a daily basis. Simone Biles is suffering from mental and emotional issues, COVID-19 has dashed the hopes of some, and defeat has taken its toll on some of the hopeful. It’s not always ecstasy in this quest – it can sometimes be agony. It’s the same for us in this life of ours.

Victory is defined as an act of defeating an enemy or opponent in a battle, game or other competition. These Olympians, just like us, are working toward victory in whatever battle is facing them in this life.

It’s interesting to me that the three times we tend to give up on victory and settle for something less, usually happens when we are facing what I call the three T’s. Either, we are tempted to give up on our circumstances, we are tired of our battle, or we are troubled about something over which we have no control. When these situations or T’s pop up, we need to recall Paul’s words: We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. Romans 5:3-4

These words of Paul remind us that when we are at our lowest, it is time to turn to three words which offer inspiration: endurance, strength, and confident hope. If we put these words into action, we can begin to draw on the amazing benefits God provides us when we face problems and we can be assured that He will carry us on to victory.

First, God provides us with endurance. Endurance in life is a commitment to draw daily on His grace and keep moving forward regardless of circumstances. Secondly, He gives us strength to use that inner fortitude which is based on our own personal integrity. Finally, He gives us confident hope that whatever it takes to achieve victory, He will ultimately bestow on us. We are guaranteed success in our mission for God because His hope will never disappoint.

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps captured the gold for USA in swimming. As he touched the wall, winning the race, nobody knew what he had undergone to accomplish it. Michael pulled off his goggles and the world watched as water poured out of them. He had swum 200 meters of the butterfly almost blind. Counting strokes, looking for any marks on the pool floor for guidance, he finally touched the wall, a victor in every sense. Phelps used his frustration to increase his stamina and determination to win. He was tempted to give up, troubled and tired, but he persevered. He employed endurance, strength and confident hope. We have the ability to do the same.

The fact is we all savor victory. We desire it in our own lives, and in the things we pursue. The path to victory is one of sorrow and joy, suffering and healing comfort, tears and smiles, conflicts and triumphs with a dose of hardships, dangers, persecutions, misunderstandings, trouble and distress sprinkled into it. Yet, we are more than conquerors through Him, and Jesus would have us turn our trials into chariots of victory.