January 2022 – Pilgrim with a Pen

“Tastes So Good” Powder

Published on January 25, 2022June 29, 2022 by Pilgrim with a PenLeave a comment

My oldest son was in third grade when his teacher assigned the class their very first BIG school project.

The premise for the assignment was based on the hit TV show “Shark Tank.”

Each student would be given one week to “invent” a product and create a poster depicting/describing its use and cost. It could be as practical or as fantastical as they wanted.

At the end of the week, the assignment would culminate in a presentation. One by one, each student would be given an opportunity to “pitch” their idea to their fellow classmates, who would then subsequently vote for their favorite.

My son’s invention was called the “Multi-Tool.” A 4-in-1 yard tool that was capable of digging, sawing, tilling, and raking ⚒🛠….a practical yet manly product that would undoubtedly strongly appeal to most middle-aged men with dad-bods who frequent Home Depot (aka my husband…😜).

However…sadly, I must report that the “Multi-Tool” didn’t gain quite as much traction amongst the 10-and-under crowd. 🤷‍♀️😂

It seems my son’s fellow third-graders were much more intrigued by another classmate’s unique product idea…an invention called “Tastes-So-Good Powder.”

“Tastes-So-Good Powder” is just as simple as it sounds…you sprinkle it on top of anything you want to (or have to) eat and it makes everything “Taste-So-Good” — especially all the “gross” foods that kids hate, like broccoli, brussel sprouts, and spinach.

What 8-year-old wouldn’t jump at the chance to make meatloaf taste like pizza or brussel spouts taste like candy? 😋😉

Let’s just say she won by a landslide. 😂😂😂

And honestly, I think her invention was brilliant. I’ve got to hand it to her — the kid certainly knew her market. She knew exactly how to pander to every eight-year-old’s deepest hopes, fears, and desires…and she used it to her advantage.

And so does Satan.

He knows our hopes, he knows our fears, he knows our desires…but he panders to them in a much more sinister way.

In fact, the devil has been using his own version of “Tastes-So-Good Powder” to cover up the bitter taste of sin ever since Eve and Adam first first took a bite of that forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.

Fast-forward to 2022…and now we’re living in a society where nearly everything is sprinkled with “Tastes-So-Good Powder” and sin is blatantly marketed as the cultural norm.

Street drugs legalized.
Abortion condoned.
Drunkenness socially accepted.
Divorce and broken homes rampant.
Depression and anxiety at an all-time high.
Leaders that are liars.
Shootings in our schools.
Human trafficking in our local neighborhoods.
Shows like “The Real Housewives” fill our TV line up.
Schools reading our children stories about homosexuality and transgenderism.
Social media streams filled with explicit images, profane language, haters, trolls, and slanderous memes.
The pornography industry delivering unsolicited messages straight to our inboxes.
Sins that used to be done in the dark, are now being broadcast in broad daylight.

But if we could only see sin for the ultimate death and destruction it brings in both this life and ultimately the afterlife — we would surely think long and hard before entangling ourselves in these foolish transgressions.

“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:21-23)
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (I Corinthians 6:9-10)
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”(Galatians 5:19-21)
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
“They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.” (Romans 1:29-31)
“…envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:21)

WOW.

Honestly, if these verses don’t scare you to death, I don’t know what will.

It doesn’t matter how much “Tastes-So-Good Powder” you sprinkle on it, sin will never be good for you. Satan may be able to change the taste, but he can’t change sin’s basic composition. This stuff comes straight out of the dumpster. It’s rotten. Spoiled. Disease-laden.

If you wouldn’t dumpster dive for your next meal, then it doesn’t make sense to feed yourself that way spiritually either.

Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35) and the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)…they don’t need to be covered up with any “Tastes-So-Good Powder” to be enjoyed.

Feed on his Word today.

Until next time…

-PWAP

Watering the Concrete

Published on January 21, 2022June 29, 2022 by Pilgrim with a PenLeave a comment

As many of you know, my parents are building a house right now. They’re in the final stages of construction — and yesterday, a concrete crew came out to pour the driveway and sidewalks. It’s really looking like a place you could call home now. 🏡

Our house is located just across the street from my parents’ future home, so as I was looking out my living room window last night, I noticed my dad out in his front yard. It was after dark, so I couldn’t quite see anything except that he was holding his flashlight and a garden hose. I assumed he was watering the plants in the big pots next to his fence.

I thought, it’s kind of weird to be THAT dedicated to your plants, but…whatever 🤷‍♀️😂.

Well, then this morning as I was coming home from dropping the boys off at school, I saw him out there once more. He was watering again, but this time I had to do a double take when I noticed exactly WHAT it was that he was watering.

Turns out, it wasn’t the plants…or the grass.

It was the driveway.

🤦‍♀️ I immediately thought, someone call the doctor — Dad’s for sure gone crazy this time…

But then it dawned on me…wait, didn’t my hubby say something about this when we first had our driveway poured last year??

He used to work in construction and even owned his own concrete business for while, and I think I remember him saying that if you keep the concrete wet for the first few weeks after it’s poured, it will “set” better and become stronger….less prone to cracking down the road (no pun intended).

But the whole concept still sounded a little “out there” to me, so I even did a google search to double check…and sure enough, even Bob Villa himself concurs. According to Villa, “everything you do after pouring has just as much impact on its strength as the mixing process. In fact, the chemical reaction between cement and water that binds sand and gravel together to make concrete takes nearly 28 days to fully complete. During this process, which is known as hydration, you want to keep moisture in the concrete. Otherwise, water evaporating too quickly from the surface—which can happen easily outdoors and in direct sun—will weaken the finished product with stresses and cracking.”

Ok, so I guess my dad’s not crazy after all (sorry for judging you, Dad). 😂

Afterward, I realized that the whole reason I THOUGHT he was crazy was because I didn’t KNOW the reason he was doing what he was doing — I didn’t have the same knowledge he had.

Aha, lightbulb moment. 💡

**************************************

The way I live my life as a follower of Jesus probably looks a lot like “watering the concrete” to the people around me who aren’t Christians.

The Bible even says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18)

Living for Jesus doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to people who don’t know Jesus Christ — a lot like watering the concrete wouldn’t make sense to the average person who is just driving around in your neighborhood. Most of them would just be like me and think, “Shouldn’t that guy be watering the grass???”

But watering the grass is a lot like the way people who don’t know Jesus are living life — they are living for the here and now. They want things they can gain, enjoy, and achieve in a tangible way that can be experienced here in this life.

Living that way makes a lot more sense on the surface — after all, you can literally tangibly see the results. If you water the grass, it will grow. Mission accomplished.

But because Christians have read and learned the teachings in the Bible, this knowledge gives us a different perspective on life. We believe that there’s something more important to water than grass, even if the benefits can’t be immediately ascertained with the naked eye.

And for that reason, it may even appear that while those who are living outside of Christ are growing and thriving and blooming in their lives, we as Christians are just over here looking all hard and drab and gray like a big slab of wet concrete. 🤷‍♀️

But I can’t think of any better slab to be associated with than Jesus Christ — He is our firm foundation (I Corinthians 3:11, Matthew 7:24-27).

Unlike the grass, that foundation will remain forever “…for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” (I Peter 1:24-25)

The things we’re doing to water that foundation is only making our faith stronger.

So, today I need to remember…

While others are having “Sunday Funday,” but I’m at worship…I’m watering the concrete.
While others are lying and cheating to get ahead in life, but I’m honestly and diligently paying my dues…I’m watering the concrete.
When others seek revenge, but I choose to turn the other cheek…I’m watering the concrete.
When others give up on their vows, but I remain faithful…I’m watering the concrete.
When others gossip and tear each other down, but I use my words to build up and encourage…I’m watering the concrete.
When others drink and carouse, but I remain sober…I’m watering the concrete.
When others willingly give in to temptation , but I put up a fight against it…I’m watering the concrete.
When others spread hate, but I show love…I’m watering the concrete.
When others tell lies, but I speak truth (even when it’s not popular)…I’m watering the concrete.
When I read my Bible daily…I’m watering the concrete.
When I talk to the Lord God in prayer…I’m watering the concrete.
When I teach others about the gospel of Jesus…I’m watering the concrete.

The list could go on and on…decisions that we make as followers of Christ, all might seem foolish to the world, but grab your hose and water on. You know the truth, you know why you’re doing it, you know what the scriptures say.

And maybe one day someone will come up to you and ask, “I wonder why your driveway doesn’t have as many cracks as the rest of the neighborhood? What’s your secret?” And then, just like the scriptures say, you can be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you…and hopefully help someone else point their hose in the right direction, too.

But you can’t start watering the concrete until you’ve made Jesus your firm foundation.

His words are our living water — and there’s plenty flowing for you and for me. Take advantage of that today by reading the Bible.

If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then become a Christian and make Jesus Christ the firm foundation of your life by being baptized today.

Until next time…

-PWAP

I Have a Dream…

Published on January 16, 2022June 29, 2022 by Pilgrim with a PenLeave a comment

…or rather, I HAD a dream…last night…while I was sleeping 😉🥱😴.

In my dream, I was at the doctor’s office, where they were performing some sort of newfangled test on me…

The test was run sort of like a CT scan or MRI, but instead of the results being a picture of what’s going on inside your body, it gave you a snap-shot of the next 5 years of your life…basically, a small glimpse into your future.

In this dream, one of the events of my future was childbirth…😱😱😱 I immediately thought, someone must have mixed up the tapes or something, because sister I’ve already been there, done that, and got the T-shirt — thanks, I’m good. 😂😂😂

But that’s when the doctor explained, this baby isn’t your’s — you’re a surrogate for someone else.

Annnnddddd….that’s when I woke up — cliffhanger, I know. 🙄

I never found out who I was a surrogate for and I can’t remember any other details that were “revealed” in the dream…But it all left me wondering…if you and I were given the chance to see what the next 5 years of our lives would hold, would we take it?

What would we do with that information? Would it serve as a wake-up call, propelling us to live our lives differently than we are today?

According to Jesus’ parable about The Rich Man and Lazarus (in Luke 16:19-31)…maybe not…

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.²⁰At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²²“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

²⁵“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.²⁶And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

³¹“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Pals, I think this last verse says it all…if we shut our hearts to the teachings of the Bible, we can’t expect a wake-up call any other way — not through a dream, not with a medical test that could foresee the future, and not even by a family member coming back from the dead to warn us of things to come! The Scriptures themselves ARE meant to be our wake-up call!

They contain the message of Jesus, the one who did come back from the dead and is alive evermore…and He came not only to warn us, but to save us.

Don’t miss that wake-up call, because this really is one of those situations where if “you snooze, you lose.”

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” – Ephesians 5:14

If I could encourage you to do anything today, it would be to read the Bible at home, get in a weekly Bible study group, and visit a Sunday worship service at your local church (I know some great churches of Christ I can help direct you to if you need help finding one).

Until next time…I will be watching what I eat before bed. 😜

-PWAP

Be Careful Little Car Who You Follow

Published on January 14, 2022June 29, 2022 by Pilgrim with a PenLeave a comment

On the way to the boys’ school one morning, there was a little white SUV in front of us. By happenstance, we ended up following behind it for most of the car ride. After a while, even my youngest son (who was only 6) took notice of the fact that we were matching this vehicle’s path turn-for-turn.

Then, as the road widened from two lanes to four, the distance between our two vehicles gradually began to widen. Concerned that our path was slowly drifting away from that of the little white SUV, my son piped up from the backseat to say, “Hey Mom, you better speed up a little bit or you’re going to lose that white car in front of us!” 🤣🤣🤣

I guess he thought we were purposely following them (parenting note to self: must address your child’s potential stalker tendencies 🤣). I just laughed and said, “But buddy, we’re not TRYING to follow that white car on PURPOSE – we don’t even know where they’re headed. They might be going to the doctor’s office or the grocery store, but we’ve got to get you to school.”

And BOOM.

Lightbulb moment:💡💡💡 BE CAREFUL WHO YOU FOLLOW. 😬 Seems basic, but hit me in a new way today.

Just another epiphany I will file under the “Life Lessons Learned on the Way to School” tab of my brain. 🤣 But It’s SO true. In life. In spiritual life. In everything.

It’s great to have role models to follow – we all need them at certain times in our lives to help show us the way. But even role models can take a wrong turn every now and then…

Ultimately, Jesus is the only one who can take us all the way to our destination. And he’s given us the Bible to guide us, our spiritual GPS.

So, don’t let anything, even the cleanest, shiniest, whitest, most heavenly-looking SUV replace your GPS. Get your guidance straight from the source, or you run the risk of being led astray.

And if you are lost today, don’t let fear or pride get in your way of asking for directions. Ask. Seek. Knock. (Matthew 7:7) Just make sure the directions you are getting are reliable and match the “road map” outlined in Jesus’ teachings.

“24 Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and FOLLOW me.’”- Matthew 16:24

Until next time…

-PWAP

Free Breakfast Sandwich

Published on January 13, 2022June 29, 2022 by Pilgrim with a PenLeave a comment

Recently, we went through the drive thru at McDonald’s at breakfast time. The kids were fussing in the backseat while I was at the speaker trying to place our order.

When we pulled up to the window, I paid and the lady handed me the bag full of what I assumed was the correct order and I hurriedly drove away. We parked in a nearby parking spot and I opened the bag to divvy up everyone’s orders. That’s when I noticed there was an extra breakfast sandwich.

Great. With all the chaos going on in our van at the time I ordered, did I accidentally order an extra sandwich? I checked my receipt. Nope, not on there.

So, they gave us this extra breakfast sandwich for free.

I thought, should I go back around and try to return it to the restaurant? No…they would probably consider it contaminated and have to throw it away.

If my hubby had been with us at the time, he would have known just what to do with it — thank God for the extra entree and add it to his plate. 😂

But he wasn’t with us that day and none of us were hungry enough to finish off our own orders plus an extra sandwich…but it just seemed like it would be a shame to let it go to waste.

Just then, I looked over and saw a man and a woman standing next to the side of the road with a sign that said “Homeless, need help.”

That’s when it hit me, we’ll offer it to this homeless couple.

As I drove up to them, I rolled down my window and explained that we had been given an extra sandwich with our meal and were wonder if they would be interested in taking it off our hands.

They gladly accepted and said it must have been meant to be.

The whole thing brightened our day and theirs and it really cost me nothing. It was out of my abundance that I gave, so it was really no credit to me…I wasn’t the one who created the blessing, I was just a vessel for delivering it.

As I drove away, I couldn’t help but think of the spiritual implications of our encounter…

God has blessed each one of us so richly…especially those of us who have been saved by his grace through belief and baptism.

The salvation He offers each one of us through the death of His Son Jesus is free…just like that breakfast sandwich.

He just asks that each one of us who’ve already been blessed by the gift of salvation to share it with others, just like we did with that breakfast sandwich.

Isn’t it stingy not to share the good news of salvation with others when you already have what you need and Jesus has already paid the price?

We live in a world where so many are spiritually homeless and carry around an invisible sign that says, “Need help.”

Won’t you share the Gospel of Jesus today?

Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16)

Until next time….

-PWAP

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Published on January 12, 2022June 29, 2022 by Pilgrim with a PenLeave a comment

Confession: It’s officially been 2 years since I’ve had my hair cut or colored — and for a diva like me, that’s a loooong time, sister. 😱😂🤣

My last trip to the salon was right before the pandemic began, and at that time, I went with a short style — one that sat right above my shoulders.

Fast forward 24 months, and now I’ve got these long luscious locks flowing halfway down my back………okay fine 🙄, at this point they’re more like scraggly strands full of split-ends…but that’s beside the point 😂.

To be honest though, I don’t think my hair has ever been this long…mostly because when I’ve tried to grow it out in the past, I would inevitably start to feel an itch to cut it again…

Every time it reaches a certain length, this little voice inside me always says, “Ughhhh😒…THIS HAIR!! You can’t do anything with it 😩…it’s time for a CHANGE!! 😏 Just cut it all off!!” 😂

And sometimes I wonder……is that the same little voice Britney Spears heard on that fateful February night back in 2007, when she shaved her ENTIRE head???? 🤔🤔🤔

If it was, then bless her heart.

Anyone in their right mind knows she could’ve gone with a pixie, a bob, a lob — even a BOWL CUT might have been a better alternative given the circumstances.

All we can know for certain is that she ultimately went EXTREME — and in the course of a single evening, she went from Britney Spears to “Britney Shears.” ✂️✂️✂️

😳🤣 (Did I just say that??🤭)

No, but seriously…I get it.

I’ve felt that itch too before…that itch to make a drastic change when nothing seems to be moving in the right direction.

So, in some very, very…I repeat VERY strange way, I can relate to Britney.

And as hard as it is to admit, I’ll bet you can too.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes shaking it up or switching gears can be a GOOD thing (especially when we’re off on a bad road and headed for disaster).

But when the itch for change is based on a whim rather than on the careful and prayerful consideration of God’s Holy Word, it’s bound to end badly.

It usually happens when we’ve “had enough” of the way life is going…when things have either become a monotonous drudgery or they just simply aren’t “going our way” day after day.

It’s in times like these that we feel compelled to act impulsively, taking matters into our own hands without consulting the Scripture or considering the consequences first.

In chapters 12-21 of Genesis, the very first book of the Bible, God promises Abraham that his descendants (which would one day include the nation of Israel, King David, and ultimately King Jesus) would be as numerous as the stars.

Sounds like a great promise, huh?

But there was just one slight problem…Abraham had no children yet.

Ironically, even after he received the promise from God, Abraham and his wife Sarah still spent many years trying to conceive with no success.

Now, here’s where the “itch” comes in:

After years of waiting and seeing no signs of progress, Sarah came up with a plan to “make things happen” on her own — she gave her servant Hagar to her husband to help “fulfill the promise” instead (…if you know what I mean🤭).

As you read on in the account, it all seemingly goes according to plan inasmuch as Hagar does in fact subsequently conceive; however, the whole thing ultimately backfires as Sarah becomes bitter and resentful about the situation, causing Hagar to flee for her life. 😔

Sarah got it wrong. Somewhere in all that waiting and anticipation, she lost her trust and faith in God. She ended up acting rashly and, well…like a control freak.

Do you ever find yourself doing things like that?

I do.

Like Sarah, sometimes I’m guilty of getting caught up in “making things happen” and forgetting to stay within the bounds of God’s Word — forgetting that sometimes God just wants us to wait on Him to make the first move and to remain faithful to Him while we are waiting.

So before you make a rash decision to:

Step out on your marriage…

Send that angry text…

Post that risqué selfie…

Self-medicate with drugs and alcohol…

Speak those harsh words…

Gamble with those high stakes…

And before you dare pull that trigger…

…take a moment to remember what God’s Word says:

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)

“…but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Pals, I say all this to say…when we make rash decisions, we stand to lose more than a head of over-processed hair…we risk losing things that are irreplaceable — things like family, friends, jobs, reputations, lives (ours or others), and ultimately our souls.

So what can I do while I’m in a season of waiting?

Well…wait.

And I don’t mean, just sit there and twiddle your thumbs. I mean, wait…you know, like a waiter waits on tables.

That’s not to say you need to go out and get yourself a job at Chili’s…I’m saying we all need to be waiting on the Lord — serve Him and wait on Him in the same sense that waiters wait and servers serve.

Watch, pray, read your Bible, let your light shine, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus, teaching others about Him along the way.

When it comes down to brass tacks, we’re all in a season of waiting. And we will be until Jesus comes back. We can’t afford to act rashly, because we always need to be ready for His return. We don’t know when that time will be, we only know the Bible says it will come like a thief in the night. (I Thessalonians 5:2)

So, it stands to reason that the only thing you SHOULDN’T wait on is making your life right with the Lord. Don’t let rash decisions take you further away from a right relationship with Him. Be ready for His return.

Because if there’s anything we can learn from Britney it’s: hair today, gone tomorrow.

Until next time…

-PWAP

The Strug-gle is Real

Published on January 5, 2022November 17, 2024 by Pilgrim with a PenLeave a comment

It was the summer of 1996…

I had just turned 12 years old. My teeth were covered in braces and my nightstand was covered in a stack of Teen Beat magazines (featuring Jonathan Taylor Thomas 😍).

Bill Clinton was president, Mission: Impossible was at the box office, and for only the fourth time in the history of the Summer Olympics, the games were being hosted right here in the United States…Atlanta, Georgia to be exact.

I can remember there was a lot of fanfare leading up to the Olympics that year…and like any red-blooded American girl my age, I was obsessed with the USA women’s gymnastics team…namely Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, and Kerri Strug.

I must have done a million cartwheels in my back yard that summer just waiting for the games to commence.

Finally, late in July, the world turned on their TV’s in eager anticipation of witnessing what we thought would be an amazing display of athletic skill, talent, and preparation.

Instead, we got so much more.

If you’re like me and were old enough to remember those games yourself, then the photo at the top of this post may look somewhat familiar to you.

It’s the moment that the world anxiously watched as Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug (with a freshly injured ankle) dusted herself off, got back up and attempted her final vault — nailing the landing and dramatically clinching the gold medal for Team USA for the first time in Olympic history.🏅

You can see the emotion written all over her face. Joy. Pain. Relief. Perseverance. Grit. Selflessness. Dedication. Struggle. Triumph.

It was AMAZING.

And you know what?

I can relate.

Well…..maybe not to winning Olympic Gold (I never even made it past doing front hand-springs in my backyard 😂)…

But as a Christian, I CAN relate on a spiritual level:

Kerri had winning in mind:

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” – I Corinthians 9:24-25

Kerri knew the task at hand required focus and endurance:

“And let us run with endurance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

Kerri knew the world was watching:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” – Hebrews 12:1

Kerri faced a painful trial and smiled through her tears:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” – James 1:2-3

And perhaps the most interesting part of it all, is a shocking fact that I only recently learned:

Team USA would’ve won gold even without Kerri’s last vault.

😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

Boom. Mic drop.

You see, they didn’t realize it at the time (because the teams from other countries had not yet received their final scores), but in hindsight, ultimately team USA’s scores on all of their other events were high enough to safely clinch the championship title even without Kerri’s final vault.

Although she was willing to sacrifice and ultimately gained the respect and admiration of the world for it — the victory was already won…she didn’t win Olympic gold because of her sacrifice, she won because she was on the winning team.

Aaaaannndd….Boom. I can relate!

Sometimes, I live my life as if it ALL depends on me to “make it to Heaven.” But ultimately, the prize of eternal life is not something we can earn on our own.

In this pressure cooker called life, it’s easy to forget that I’m on Jesus’ team — and the pressure isn’t on me alone to “clinch the gold” so-to-speak. The Bible says Jesus has already won the victory for us (John 16:33) — a victory we could have never accomplished alone!

That’s not to say we don’t have a part to play — our goal is to stay on His team, the winning team. And as part of the team, we are still called to endure, sacrifice, and persevere along the way, taking up our cross daily and following Jesus (Luke 9:23).

When Kerri Strug stuck that final landing, the cheers from the crowd were undoubtedly deafening. The newspaper headlines the next day sang her praises, exclaiming, “Kerri Perseveres to Win.” And I can only imagine the kind of praise she received from her beloved coach, Bella Karolyi…it was a real-life fairytale ending.

But as sweet a victory as that must have been, none of those accolades could ever compare with hearing, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Friends, it may feel as though we are broken at times in this life, but please stay on God’s team and don’t give up. Be a vault-finder and look for ways to “take one for the team” and serve him through your pain. If we do, He promises that we will stick the final landing, too.

Until next time…

-PWAP