Devotional
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June 04, 2010
Set:
I recently had breakfast with one of my good friends, Dave Jenkins, and we were talking about the show “The Biggest Loser” and how so many people buy fitness equipment and then never use it. He shared this quote with me: ”The world has all these great intentions. Too bad most end up in the basement unused.” How true. Even in my own life, I’ve started to workout, lose weight and get back in shape many times only to stop way to soon. All those efforts fall into the “great intentions” pile.
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June 03, 2010
Set:
During football, soccer, and hockey games, the course of the game can change quickly. Success is often the result of an interception that leads to a score and victory. God can also intercept our life. When we think that everything is going wrong, God finds a way to get our attention. It may be by a circumstance or someone He strategically puts in our life. The next time you see a defensive player intercept a ball or a puck, watch and see what happens next. They are congratulated by their teammates and the change of momentum will often lead to a score and victory. When it is needed, don’t be surprised if God intercepts your life.
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June 02, 2010
Set:
So, right now I'm sitting on my couch after coming home from our high school’s outdoor conference meet. We’ve just won back-to-back triple crowns, and, last year, we won state. We're on top of the world! But the whole year hasn't been like this—at least not for me personally. Being part of a team full of winners is hard. A team like that is hard to be around, especially if you are a loser.
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June 01, 2010
Set:
Have you ever walked into a Sam’s Club or Costco and, all of a sudden, something comes over you? It’s like you are magnetically pulled to these beautiful rectangular boxes with vibrant colors showing on them that make the pictures look almost real. You are drawn closer and closer, and down deep inside you, the feeling arises that one of these things needs to be yours. OK, maybe it’s a guy thing, but the innate desire for earthly possessions can consume us from time to time. The gifts in our lives can overtake us if we’re not careful.
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May 31, 2010
Set:
In the previous devo "My Strength" I talked about how the dog (enemy) came out of nowhere at an angle and speed in which Abbie only had a few split seconds to react to the attacking dog. Ephesians 6:16 talks about “taking the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.” But a shield is only as effective as the soldier who is trained properly to use it. And even the greatest skilled soldier after numerous years of training and preparation can still be struck by the enemy’s flaming arrows if it is shot by a highly skilled enemy just like Abbie was attacked by the dog.
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May 31, 2010
Set:
In the previous devo "My Stronghold" I spoke about how Abbie overcame her fear of the dog’s (the enemy’s) ankle biting and harsh bark and stopped taking the ‘scenic route’ by deciding one day to charge directly toward the enemy.
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May 31, 2010
Set:
There is a nice country dirt road loop in which my chocolate lab Abbie and I run to do our training runs that is just over a mile long. Along this route we also have a few homes and dogs that are usually friendly and don’t bother us, but there is one particular home that has a dog and for whatever reason doesn’t particularly like Abbie.
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May 28, 2010
Set:
In my four years of college basketball, one particular weekend stood out to me more than any other. My teammates and I traveled down to Cookson Hills, OK, in the school’s two vans and loaded our luggage into the house where we would be staying. When we got there, however, we realized that the family we would be staying with had been stricken with the flu. We had no choice but to stay there, as other families already had teams they were housing.
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May 27, 2010
Set:
Yesterday my fifth grade son lay at the top of the stairs, refusing to come down for breakfast before school. As the self-designated family barber, I was under fire from this 11 year-old for having cut his hair too short over the weekend. Now, he cried out, his ears stood out and looked stupid. Naturally, everyone was going to notice and make fun of him.
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May 25, 2010
Set:
I once was leaving my office late after a challenging day. Just as I was locking the door, a student whom I barely knew asked if he could speak with me for a few minutes. My initial thought was to ask him to come back tomorrow. I’d already worked later than usual and I was tired, but I noticed something in his eyes, so I unlocked my door and invited him in.
