LEAP DAY

How many times have you said, “If I only had another day” or “I wish there were more hours in the day?” TODAY IS YOUR DAY!!! Today you have been blessed with an extra day. According to the calendar, it is February 29. Every four years, an extra day is added to the end of February to balance the earth’s rotation around the sun with the number of days in a year.

You may say it’s just another Friday or who cares if it is February 29 or March 1. Ask the person born on this day who only gets to celebrate his birthday every four years. Ask the computer programmer who has to make sure the banks don’t forget to give you an extra day of interest. Ask the politicians running for presidency who can only get elected during a leap year. As for me, I get a Friday every week and a March 1st every year, but every four years I am blessed with an extra day and the privilege to spend it any way I choose. I can sleep late, read an extra chapter of a book, go shopping, visit with loved ones, show kindness to a neighbor or complain about the snow, hate my job, wish I was anybody but me. It’s my extra day!!!!

Job 14:5 says, “Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou has appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.” I am reminded that I have only a limited number of days to cram in everything that I want to accomplish and experience. How I value my time on earth will determine how they are spent. As David said in Psalms 90: 12, “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Thank you Lord for including another February 29 when you determined my days. Thank you for the opportunity to spend a few moments in a snowy parking lot sharing a conversation and a smile with a complete stranger. Thank you for reminding me that every minute is valuable and there is eternal significance in the way I choose to spend them. Finally, God, “Help me to count the days and make the days count.”

ME FIRST?

If you have ever traveled by air, you know that just before take-off a flight attendant will remind passengers of the safety and emergency features on the plane. First it is very important that everyone fasten their seat belt properly. It will keep you snug in your seat for take-off and landing and also prevent you from being thrown around the plane in case of turbulence. Next, the emergency exits are pointed out. Children, weak or ill passengers are asked to allow those who are stronger to sit next to the emergency exits. This insures that in the event of an emergency, the person responsible will be able to open the exit and allow passengers to leave in an orderly fashion. You are instructed on how to use your seat as a flotation device, to keep your carry-on bag stowed under the seat or in the overhead compartment and to make sure your tray-table is fastened in the up-right position. One of the safety features that is most important but probably most ignored during the entire instruction period is the oxygen mask.

The flight attendant holds the mask as if it is dangling and declares, “in case of a loss of pressure in the cabin, an oxygen mask will fall from a compartment directly above each passenger.” The passenger is shown the proper way to place the band around his head, the mask over his nose and mouth and adjust the band securely. The most important instruction, however, is, “Make sure you secure your mask first, then assist any child or person unable to secure their mask. As a mother this does not compute. My first thought is always my child’s safety. I would throw myself in front of a speeding car, run without thought into a burning building, or dive into the deep end of a pool to rescue my child. After further contemplation of this me-first concept, I realized that I will be in no position to assist anyone if I have not first secured my own life-saving device.

In a spiritual sense, how many times have I attempted to adjust a mask for a friend when my own mask is dangling from my neck and I am gasping for air. As my friend breathes in the breath of God, I feel faint and weak and can’t understand why. Our children search for moral absolutes, can’t tell the difference between right and wrong and embrace tolerance instead of truth, as we feebly drag them to church once a month and search for a dusty Bible among videos and computer games. We fellowship with friends who will affirm us rather than pray for us all the while our “oxygen” levels continue to diminish. Finally, the life saving mask is no longer around our neck, it is lost among all the “stuff” in our life that takes center stage. There is a nagging memory of the power of God in our lives but the lack of air confuses us to the point we can no longer help ourselves. We have become the one in need of assistance and pray that God sends along a strong brother or sister to help us once again secure the mask.

Whether you have been called to assist a child, brother, sister, friend or neighbor, make sure you are full of the Holy Ghost, constantly inhaling the life-giving breath of God. Then He will give you the wisdom and clarity to minister to those who don’t have the strength and maturity to breathe on their own. If you have become too faint to assist others, allow God to put someone in your life to adjust your mask and soon you will be enjoying the life that the Breath of God brings.

THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM

This morning I read a devotional that included the following illustration:

A group of boys were tempting a younger boy to pull a prank with them. “Come on, do it with us,” they said, “no one will find out.” The young lad did not want to join in and finally mentioned his father. They taunted him further, saying, “Oh you are just afraid that if your father finds out, he will hurt you.” No, said the young man, “I’m afraid if he finds out, it will hurt him.”

This illustration stirred me because it seems that so many, including Christians have lost their fear of the Lord. It isn’t a fear that God will find out because we know that God sees everything. He is already aware of our thoughts and deeds before we think or perform them. The fear of the Lord should be a holy reverence for God; an awareness that His word is true and whether it is a Shall or Shall Not, there is consequence to disobedience. As your relationship with God grows and you fall more deeply in love with Him, the fear develops into a fear of hurting the heart of God.

Sunday, Steven preached an awesome message. He brought out some facts about leprosy. Leprosy is an auto-immune disease that affects the nervous system. One of effects of leprosy is the inability to feel pain in the person’s extremities. A sensitivity to the possibility of injury is lost because they can no longer experience the warning signals of impending danger. If the ill person is not diligent about checking for injury the infected limb will have to be amputated or they will die.

The world in general has lost their sensitivity to sin. Most consider the use of the word sin to be avoided at all cost until it is eliminated from their vocabulary. This mode of thinking has stealthily crept into the church. Ministers are so afraid of offending the congregation that only happy, upbeat messages are preached. Church attendees go away Sunday morning feeling good about themselves instead of rejoicing in the fact that they have been set free from the burden of sin. They spend the week wondering why they have no joy, no love and no power to do the “right thing.”

Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Proverbs 9:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

I find it interesting that both David and Solomon wrote about the fear of the Lord. David had obviously passed this concept on to his son. The sad thing is, Solomon forgot his responsibility to his children. You will not find any reference that would lead you to believe that Solomon’s son Rehoboam was taught the importance of fearing God. In fact his life reflected the opposite. He ruled the kingdom in a selfish, hedonistic manner and eventually the kingdom of Israel was split.

As parents and grandparents, ministers and Christians it is up to us to make sure our children, congregations and loved ones learn the fear of God and do not lose a sensitivity to sin. We can only accomplish this daunting task if we continually check ourselves against exhibiting an indifference toward the wiles of Satan and someday wake up to find we have lost everything so precious and vital to our very existence.

7 WEEKS OF HEALTHY LIVING

How time flies!!! We are 7 weeks into 2008 and I have completed 7 weeks of healthy living. I feel better than I have in months and I am fitting into clothes that haven’t buttoned for over a year. There have been times of temptation but I’m getting better at saying NO. In my many years of dieting, I have discovered that setting a date on my calendar to eat one of my favorite, not-so-healthy foods, helps me to avoid them on a daily basis. For the super bowl we planned to eat pizza. I’m sorry to say the pizza was not as good as I had imagined it would be. We ordered online for pickup later in the day. I have a sneaking suspicion it had been cooked and sitting under a warming light for quite some time when we arrived at the appointed time. Lesson learned; make your own food for the Super bowl, order pizza on an off night. Our next “cheat” meal is scheduled for Sunday, March 2. Chinese Buffet, here we come.

Unfortunately, I have not been as consistent with the exercise as the healthy eating. I was on a roll until I had to take a break and go out of town to a funeral. I have never quite gotten back into the routine. I try to get some exercise in 3 days a week. There’s always something in the self-improvement line to work on.

Since pizza is one of our favorite foods and the real thing isn’t scheduled for quite some time, my recipe of the week is a great substitute.

HEALTHY LIVING PIZZA

1- 10 in. Boboli Thin Crust 850 calories 15 WW points
¾ cup pizza sauce 90 calories 2 WW points
4 Slices Extra Lean Ham 160 calories 4 WW points
1 Cup FF Mozzarella Cheese 180 calories 4 WW points
½ Cup Pineapple Tidbits 60 calories 1 WW point
Diced onion
Diced green pepper
Mushrooms

Bake assembled pizza at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.
You may pile on as many different varieties of low calorie vegetables as you like. Very important that you use EXTRA LEAN ham and FAT FREE cheese.

4 servings 335 calories per serving and 6.5 WW points
1340 total calories for entire pizza and 26 WW points.

Serve with a low calorie salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, FF Italian dressing for a delicious healthy living meal. Next week I am actually going to weigh!!!!

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS

Ever have a day when it is hard to find something to be thankful for? Yesterday was one of those days. The alarm went off at 7:00 and I hurriedly got out of bed hoping to slip in some devotional time and still have time to get dressed, fix my hair and do a final selection on the praise and worship song. The view out the front door wasn’t pleasant. Not just another dreary Sunday, but one filled with freezing rain falling atop a foot and a half of snow. I prayed, “Lord, you are the God of the weather, but are you sure you know what you are doing? And by the way, God, could you help someone to have a desire to come to church this morning? It sure would be nice to worship with more than 5 people.” Now how can God resist such a heartfelt request?

Well at least the day can only get better, right? Wrong!!! In the middle of a minor argument, Steve and I finally arrived at church. I thought he was driving too fast for conditions, he obviously felt he did not need a driving assistant. Just when it looked like the faithful five would once more worship with God in the “midst of them”, two friends walked in. Their Sunday service had been cancelled due to weather conditions. Maybe God had heard my hurried petition. The service was great; Steve preached an awesome message titled, “Building on the eternal.” Then it was time to go home.

The freezing rain had turned to a downpour during the service creating a foot of slushy ice in our shovel-neglected driveway. We made it about two feet into the drive before getting stuck. A kindly neighbor helped Steve push it back into the street. We headed for the local restaurant; at least we would have a hot meal before settling in for an afternoon of reading the paper and napping. Back home, Steve put the pedal to the metal as we entered the driveway. At least this time we are completely out of the street. Off came the high heels; on went the boots, shovel in hand, a woman on a mission. After shoveling several “50 lb?” shovel-full’s of slushy, icy, snow, the car is unstuck and safely in the garage.

Time to get out of the wet clothes and enjoy the Sunday paper. Oh great, the thermostat is down to 58 degrees and Steve can’t get it too work. Of course it’s Sunday and the repairman will charge double. What do you do? Wait until Monday!! In the meantime, turn on the gas fireplace, wear multiple layers, pile on the afghans, eat hot soup and snuggle. How can I be thankful today? Let me count the ways.

1. The outside temperature was 40 degrees instead of -20.
2. We had a gas fireplace to huddle in front of.
3. The house never got below 58 degrees all night.
4. We had plenty of hot water for a long shower.
5. The homemade vegetable soup was wonderful.
6. I had someone to cuddle with.

It is currently Monday, 5:00 p.m. The smell of a new heat exchanger is heavenly as heat once again pours through the registers. It is so easy to forget to give thanks for the commonplace things in life. We take a warm house for granted until the furnace doesn’t work. So I have one more thing to add to my list.

7. Thank you God for allowing me to experience a chilly night and reminding me to give thanks for a warm house. Now help me not to forget to thank you when I get the utility bill.

OH I WANT TO SEE HIM

Is there anyone in your life that sometimes you miss so much? You long to be with that person, to pour out your heart to them, to share a laugh and a hug. Maybe it is someone who has passed away; it could be a friend or family member that has moved to another state or a spouse that you haven’t seen since the morning kiss goodbye. This morning I have a yearning in my heart to be in the presence of someone I’ve never seen, in a place I’ve only heard about. Sound crazy? Yes, a little. I have such a longing to see Jesus. I’ve had an intimate relationship with Him since I was 9 years old. I have walked with Him, had long talks with Him, experienced His awesome power and felt His touch, now I want to see Him face to face.

Oh I want to see Him
Look upon His face
There to sing forever of His saving grace
On the streets of Glory
Let me lift my voice
Cares all past Home at last
Ever to rejoice

Why today? Maybe it is a result of Headline News. Thursday, there was a shooting at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, IL. My sister lives there, my mom was visiting my sister, and we were just in Dekalb a week ago. We also lived in Dekalb about twenty-five years ago. It isn’t a town where you expect such a violent act, but on Thursday it happened. The news informed us this was the fourth shooting in a school this month. There are no longer “safe” places.

Maybe I have a longing to see Jesus because I’m sick of the weather. I am tired of snow and cold weather. This year in Saginaw, we are close to breaking a long standing record. Again the news headlines report there were at least three major earthquakes last week, snow in San Diego?, destructive tornados across the southern states, threat of a catastrophic tidal wave in Colorado?. We can blame it on global warming, global cooling, pollution or other politically correct terms, but Luke 21:25 tells us, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and upon the earth; distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and waves roaring.”

Perhaps this yearning in my heart is for something that never changes. We used to depend on the church world for steadfastness; not anymore!!! A few weeks ago, a church made headlines by passing out shot glasses with the church logo in the local bars. Other churches are offering gourmet coffee, multi-media productions of the latest combination of secular and religious music, and of course, casual dress, with the pastor in jeans so that everyone is comfortable. We come up with innovative ways to attract people but offer nothing life-changing once they walk in the door. Churches are so concerned about being seeker-friendly that attendees never find what they are seeking for and how to prepare for eternity.

I am so tired of living in world where evil is taking over are schools, neighborhood and churches. It is discouraging to talk to loved ones who were once so committed to spiritual things more concerned with the latest movie, fashion or the newest pleasurable pursuit. At times I wonder is there anyone else that thinks beyond today. My favorite verse to Oh I Want To See Him is:

When in valleys low I look
Toward the mountain height
And behold my Savior there
Leading in the fight
With a tender hand outstretched
Toward the valley low
Guiding me, I can see
As I onward go

I remind myself that even if today isn’t they day I get to go home and though I may have to look up from the floor of the valley, the one I long to see is leading the fight, holding my hand and guiding me onward. One day soon our hope will turn into reality and we will be home for eternity.

SHARE THE LOVE

Happy Valentine’s Day!!! Today thousands of cards will be exchanged, florists will be busily delivering expressions of love and hundreds of pounds of gourmet chocolates will be consumed. This is the one day of the year we set aside to celebrate love.

Where did it all begin? The actual day was set aside to honor a Catholic priest named Valentine who was imprisoned for being a proponent of marriage during the early years of the Roman Empire. While in prison he would sign all of his letters, From Your Valentine. To celebrate his life the tradition has continued. That may be where Valentine’s Day began, but love began with God.

The entire Bible is one wonderful love story depicting God’s love for His most precious creation. I John 4:19 says “We love Him, because He first loved us.” The most famous scripture in the New Testament is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” To be identified with God is to love one another. John 13:35 reminds us, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Today as you share a moment with a loved one, listen to a love song, smell the roses and eat another piece of chocolate, take a moment to thank God who made all this possible. If you really want to celebrate, share love with someone who is unlovable, forgive someone who has hurt you or call someone who is all alone. Let today be the beginning of sharing God’s love with a hurting, hopeless world.

LIVE EVEN ONE DAY WITHOUT GOD? NO WAY!!!

Yesterday, we returned home from my Grandmother’s funeral. On Friday, we celebrated Granny’s home going; she would have been proud. All of her five living children and twenty-seven grandchildren were there except three. Attending also, were several great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. The tributes by her pastor and my two uncles, Jim and Bob were heartwarming and told the story of her life. I am always struck by the glaring differences in funeral services between children of God and those who chose to serve themselves. The Bible says “Blessed is the death of the Saints.” When you know the individual has gone to be with their Lord, there is a feeling of peace, hope and love for each other.

One of the underlying themes throughout the service was Granny’s faithfulness to her family, to God, and her church. I am so thankful for the legacy that has been handed to me through my grandparents and parents. Would I take the chance of living one day without God? NO WAY!!!! I don’t want my funeral to be a sad affair. I don’t want my children to grieve without hope. I don’t want to spend eternity apart from the loving embrace of my Savior.


Winter travel in Michigan is always a gamble but yesterday was the worst day of travel I have ever experienced. I had intended to drive by myself, but at the last minute decided to ride with Steven, Jenesa and Caleb. Actually it really wasn’t my decision; it was the hand of God. The six hour journey from DeKalb, IL ended up taking ten hours. The trip was going as planned until we reached Benton Harbor, MI. There were times we could hardly see the road because of high winds and blowing snow. Steven was exhausted from maintaining control of the constantly wind-battered car. We saw several cars in the ditch and suddenly came upon one multiple incident. I thought we might be going to see Granny a little sooner than we really wanted to. It was only by calling on the Name of Jesus and the hand of God on Steven’s hands that prevented our vehicle from joining them as we skidded to a stop. As we continued on toward Kalamazoo, I prayed and read practically the whole book of Psalms. I was especially comforted by Psalms 27:13 “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Thank God for His precious promises.

Thankfully, Steve was back at home praying, since the roads would become even more treacherous. The highway at Kalamazoo was covered by approximately an inch of ice. Ahead, there had been multiple accidents which closed the roads for about 2 hours. We were stuck on I94 on a bridge and no one was moving. We finally began to inch along at no more than 30 mph. I asked Mom, my sister Deb and brother-in-law Rob to help us pray. God, who is faithful, answered. The roads became clearer and drier until finally Steven could drive the speed limit. I was never more excited to see the lights of home as we pulled in the driveway. Would I want to live one day without God? NO WAY!!!!

GRANNY

On Monday, February 4, my Grandmother stepped from this temporary home, across the threshold and entered the place God had prepared just for her. All of her grandkids, great-grandkids, and great-great grandkids called her Granny. She was only 37 years old when I was born, 13 years younger than my current age. I remember her as a stately, gracious lady with gorgeous silver hair, who had beautiful slender feet in shoes that always matched her handbag. Maybe that is why I go crazy over great shoes.

Granny was so much more than my vision of her. She married very young and bore 9 children. I’m sure there were times in her life when she “didn’t have it all together.” I remember going to her house at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was always crowded with aunts, uncles and cousins. On my 16th birthday, Grandpa and Granny took me out for dinner, while Mom was putting together a surprise birthday party at home. I didn’t appreciate it as much then as I do now that I am a grandmother. They were able to visit me in Saginaw one time. I was so very proud to sit once more with my grandparents in church.

As a child, I cannot remember going to church without Grandpa and Granny being there. I am a 4th generation Pentecostal and I am so thankful for the legacy that has been handed down generation after generation; currently we are on the 6th. Yesterday, Uncle Jim read me something Granny had written in her well-worn Bible. She stated that she wanted that particular Bible to be given to me upon her death. In the Bible, she had written the names and birthdays of all her children and grandchildren. Uncle Jim said she would hold the Bible and pray for each one by name. That legacy also has been passed on to me. I have been given the charge to bring each one before the throne of God, as she did.

Granny, this is not goodbye, it’s “see you later.” Because you believed in a loving Savior, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. Until we meet again, we will be comforted by I Corinthians 15:51-52: Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For us that remain, I Thessalonians 4:16 -17 reminds us: 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

A PERFECT SEASON

The Super Bowl was played last night. Football is over until August. My team lost.

The New England Patriots had a phenomenal year. For most of the season they appeared unbeatable and it took the New York Giants three tries but they finally prevailed. Many analysts have already weighed in on their theories; Tom Brady had an injury, they had inflated egos and thought they were unbeatable, they thought the Giants were pushovers, the Patriots lost focus, too much media hype, or the Giants had secretly filmed the Patriots play book. There was a report that the Patriots had a lackluster practice on Thursday. Maybe they were just tired, or maybe a little discouraged, usually there isn’t a concrete reason for failure. I think the real reason they lost was the Giants scored more points!!!!

There is a lesson to be learned from this sporting event. It is not always the one who starts out strong that becomes the victor. I have seen many individuals start strong in their walk with God. They were enthusiastic, full of faith, and ready to conquer the world. As the journey continued, the enthusiasm began to fade, their faith was tried and discouragement set in. In time, they lost focus, setting their eyes on other people instead of Jesus. Finally, being overwhelmed with life, Satan was able to deceive them into giving up on their dream. I have observed other young Christians, who seemed to start slowly. As time passed, their relationship with God grew stronger and a plan for their life began to unfold. They were able to keep focus on the goal despite the many obstacles Satan tried to place in their path. Finally, in God’s perfect timing, their dreams were fulfilled.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 states “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong.” Matthew 10:22 says, “He that endures until the end shall be saved. Finally, Hebrews 12:1 tells us “To run with patience the race that is set before us.” Tom Brady and the Patriots will look forward to next year, but we only get one chance to have a perfect season. So, run the race with patience and keep your focus, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

Have you ever wished you were someone else? A recent magazine article reported that the majority of people, especially women, are unhappy with their appearance. We lose weight, gain weight, change our hair color, wear contacts instead of glasses, buy skin toning face creams and even go under the knife to change our looks. I believe we should look our very best, live a healthy lifestyle, take a bath, and brush our teeth. There are many personal characteristics, however, that are God ordained and we need to praise God that we are exactly the way He created us. We cannot change the color of our skin, our nationality or our birth parents and the genetic material they pass on to us. We cannot change our height or lack of, the primary shape of our body, whether we are right or left-handed, how big our feet grow or the color of our eyes.

A devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey tells the story of British Missionary Elizabeth Aleward. As a young girl, Elizabeth longed for long golden curls instead she had long, straight black hair. Her friends grew tall and slender, while she ended up on the shorter side. Years later, God called her to minister in China. The first thing she noticed about the precious people in her new field of ministry was that every one of them had long, straight black hair and had stopped growing at exactly the same moment that she had. It became apparent to her that God was in control and knew exactly what He was doing.

Psalms 139:14 says “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Take time today to thank God for the person He made you and the plans He has for you. God created you to be the perfect fit for your position in The Body.

IN DUE SEASON

Tomorrow night is the Super Bowl. Our family loves football. We watch University of Michigan football on Saturdays. On Sunday afternoons, NFL Sunday Ticket takes center stage. That’s right; my gift to my husband is the opportunity to watch every game that is played every Sunday. There are also games on Monday night and sometimes Thursday and Saturday. Super bowl night has been an exciting night for our family since the Chicago Bears in 1986. We pick our teams, have special foods and critique the commercials. Secretly, I am relieved that my weekends are once again free, that is until August. My husband is already looking forward to the Bears winning the championship this year.

I will be rooting for the New England Patriots. I would love for them to go undefeated mainly because I hate the whining of the Miami Dolphins’ players who went undefeated eons ago. I’m also going for the Patriots because Tom Brady is a Michigan Man. Tom Brady has been the most underrated quarterback for most of his career. While I don’t agree with his lifestyle, I admire his perseverance and commitment. Tom Brady was recruited by U of M and was the 7th man on the depth chart. He arrived with little hope of starting any game let alone the big game. He was passed over many times but when he finally got his chance, he performed and led his team to victory. It was the same way in the NFL draft. Brady was finally chosen in the 6th round. As a back-up quarterback behind Drew Bledsoe, a player the Patriots had pinned their hopes on, Brady once again, had little hope of starting. A collision with a linebacker changed everything. In September, 2001, Brady was thrust into the game and consequently, led his team to a Super Bowl win. There was no looking back. Brady was where he was destined to be, the leader of the New England Patriots. Since 2001, Brady has led his team to 3 super bowl wins and has received 2 MVP player awards.

Sometimes our lives seem to be going nowhere. We feel like the backup to everyone else’s achievements. It is easy to sit around and whine, to blame the past for our lack of progress and feel like your opportunity will never occur. If we will continue to commit, be consistent and faithful to the call of God on our lives, there will come a day when we are put in the big game. Galatians 6:9 says, Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Remember God can only use those who have continued to work out and know the game plan even though they were sitting on the bench.