Worthy Words

As a 7th grader in junior high school, I was devastated when I was cut from the starting 8th grade football team and sent to the second team.   I felt disappointed, embarrassed and dejected.   Latter that week, I spoke with my grandfather who passed on these words of wisdom, “It’s not how far you fall, but how high you bounce back that matters.”   I took those words to heart. The Bible says in Proverbs 25:11, “Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.” I valued his wise words and committed to doing my best for this second string team, instead of pouting and complaining over my sense of failure. I committed to working hard, giving my all to bounce back. It served me well as I entered high school and played on two state championship teams. I learned that day that what happens to me in life doesn’t count as much as how I react to those things.   I had a choice the day I was cut from the team—I could wallow in misery and quit the team, or I ...

Recently, I made a remark to my youngest son about how quickly the years were passing by.   I received a blank stare in return. I remarked again.   “And….?” my son questioned.   I tried to explain.   “And…?” he persisted. Then, it hit me, I’m old. Actually, I’m not old. But, I am twenty-nine years older than my son. I realized that he doesn’t have the same perspective on time that I have gained. I experienced what I’ve heard so many other people say, “The older you get the faster time flies.” Whether we are young or old, whether time seems to drag on or fly by, it’s important to remember that life is fleeting. While it’s natural to desire a long healthy life, not all of us are granted the experience. All we have for sure is today—this moment. There are no guarantees for long life. So here’s an important reminder: live each day to its fullest—to the glory of God. Each day is a gift that needs to be treasured. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice a...

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy watching movies. A great story line is irresistible, especially the kind that keeps me guessing all the way to the end. I love that feeling of awakening, when all of sudden everything just clicks and you think to yourself, “Wow! I get it!” I think people love stories so much because they connect with them in very deep and profound ways. We see ourselves in them. We connect with the emotion and the drama. Even if we know how the story ends, we still become captured in the moment. But what if you don’t know how the story ends? You’ll find yourself in the middle of the story wondering if this is all there is going to be. How will the story end? Jesus spoke a remarkable and fascinating statement. He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The Message paraphrase of John 10:10 puts it this way, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” Jesus is inviting you into something...

Each Monday morning I begin to think about all the stuff that I have to do for the upcoming week. This week’s objectives included:     ·          Finalizing the new sermon series ·          Write Worthy Words (your reading it now) ·          Create, produce and hang artwork for the new series of messages ·          Post last week’s message to the webpage ·          Post last week’s Worthy Words to my blog then to three social media pages ·          Clean off my desk ·          Pick up clothes from the cleaners ·          Make plans for wife’s birthday. Looking over my “to-do” list, I found my heart starting to race and it was only 8:45 in t...