Tenacity Wins the Race

By Brenda Black

I tearfully watched as one after another of thousands of runners willed their wearied legs toward the finish line. Some ran for the first time a race that far and hard. Their grimaced lips and tear-filled eyes revealed the pain of the process and relief for its culmination. Some tested their endurance for the hundredth race, cruising past in steady strides, with experience breathing in and out as evenly. From the first timers to the Olympic qualifiers, each one reached their destiny powered by tenacity.

Half wincing, half intrigued, I witnessed a man pull nails out of a board with his mouth, in pursuit of a Guinness World Record. His tenacity demanded steely concentration, as well as tough teeth! In a room filled with photographers, judges and reporters, he never lost focus, but annihilated the nails and beat the clock as if he ate hammers for breakfast.

A young, female doctor who owns a brand new clinic is home on maternity leave, planning how she'll juggle a newborn and 8,000 small and large animal patients. She tells me she'll take her race one leg at a time and handle the tough test of dual commitment and a divided heart. She's filled with tenacious optimism and determined to balance family and career.

They all remind me yet again of the amazing potential of the human spirit and body when one puts his or her mind to something and compels the heart to follow. While their examples are inspiring, it is also humbling to think of how little I often expect from myself. A bit of pain or inconvenience and I might be prone to take the shorter, easier route. At the end of that decision, I have to wonder, did the short cut leave me more fulfilled or empty. Will I know that I left it all on the field and played this game of life to win, pushing the limits of my own human possibilities, if I never do the hard stuff or try something out of my comfort zone?

Stepping out in faith and fortitude takes effort. Marathon runners don't wake up on race day and go 26.2 miles without building up the stamina, one step, one mile at a time. Guinness record breakers know the target before they ever make the attempt, and they practice, practice, practice. Moms count the cost and factor in the blessings to be the best they can be for their babies, in spite of the tears and trials. After weighing the odds and looking to the prize, the tenacious go to work to see their dreams become reality.

How about you? What's on your radar or your bucket list? Have you decided it's time for a little self-improvement? The only one who can make it happen is you.

Take the first step. Keep the focus. Find the balance. Be tenacious and finish the race.

A Colorful Coat, No Common Sense

By Brenda Black

Most parents fret over fairness. If more than one child is in the family, they labor over the equal balance of gifts, attention, discipline, extracurricular activities and permission for all kinds of freedoms. It's a self-inflicted pressure to convince our children they are loved uniformly. To keep life interesting, God never delivers similar babies. He gives us total opposites who make this tortuous game of equivalency all the more challenging. Most parents still pull it off with excellence and every kid knows he is loved and valued uniquely, yet equally.

Not so with the patriarch Jacob. In his house full of sons and half-brothers, he made a huge mistake. He favored one more highly and doomed him to the fallout of jealousy. The story of Joseph and his retaliatory brothers begins in Genesis 37 where Joseph reveals a dream of his own supremacy. And daddy Jacob (now called Israel) fuels the fire of resentment by clothing the baby of the family in a royal robe. Then he sends him out to the fields to his indignant brothers.

“[Joseph's] brothers had gone to pasture their father's flocks at Shechem. Israel said to Joseph, 'Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Shechem. Get ready. I'm sending you to them.'

“'I'm ready,' Joseph replied.

“Then Israel said to him, 'Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me.' So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.” (Gen. 37:12-14)

The fact that Israel was blind of the jealousies among his boys is alarming. That he would send the despised youngest, who's been lolling around the house, out to check on his brothers who are sleeping with stinky sheep...that's just nonsense. Couple that with Joseph's audacity to don the luxurious robe as his brothers wear work clothes and go without baths or hot meals. His blind arrogance is asking for a whopping! The rest of the story: A brother is sold into slavery, sons lie to their daddy, and horrible grief and guilt rip men more to pieces than the wild beast of their fabricated tale of Joseph's death.

Sounds to me like Joseph should have left that jacket hanging in the closet and kept his dreams to himself. At the very least, he should have employed some discernment.

Though God ultimately turned Israel's and Joseph's mistakes into moments for His glory, both father and son learned their lessons through extreme suffering. Jacob should have remembered how favoritism from his mother tore his family apart instead of repeating the sin. Joseph should have opened his eyes and realized that the precious visions and plans that God gives us are not for our own edification, but for His.

When God sows into your mind a glimpse into his heart, guard those thoughts closely; handle them carefully. But do not flaunt them senselessly. If the one to whom God reveals such dreams is so blind that he cannot see the big picture, how can we expect those who hear it second hand to comprehend its significance.

God is just and fair and works all things together for His good purpose. He also desires to give us perfectly wonderful gifts. It's our privileged position to wear his favor humbly, not flagrantly, because all that we are and how we treat people fairly is for His glory. With all of the color He lavishes upon us, it is vitally important that we balance it with plenty of common sense.  

First-Hand Benefits of a Life of Obedience

By Brenda Black

“As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, 'Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.'

“He replied, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.'” (Luke 11:27-28)

It's true, you know. Though a mother is to be praised for nurturing and teaching her child, the child who adheres to her wisdom and love is the one most blessed. While the mother is filled with joy for her child's wise choices, the son or daughter reaps the long-lasting benefits!

Jesus' bold statement is not spoken disrespectfully as a way to disregard the godly woman who bore Him. Rather, he is reinforcing what He taught time and again to his followers – walk worthy, live holy, receive life abundantly.

He taught the benefits of a life of obedience from a mountain top: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:6-9)

He helped Peter discover all he would gain through a life of faith when he sat down and had a heart to heart with his disciples.

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?'

“They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'

“'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?'

“Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

“Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'” (Matthew 16:13-20)

Jesus must have been thrilled to hear such conviction come from Peter. He surely was proud of how far this motley crew of of hand-picked hopefuls had come in their short time together. How sweet, then, to impart such a blessing and know that it would be for Peter's own good, as well as the kingdom's. Parents feel such pride, teachers experience such satisfaction. And our Holy Savior smiles when we get it!

It does my heart good to have sons who choose rightly, for then I know the promises of which they will profit: “The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry...Blessings crown the head of the righteous...The memory of the righteous will be a blessing...The wise in heart accept commands...The man of integrity walks securely...The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life...Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning...Wise men store up knowledge...The wages of the righteous bring them life...He who heeds discipline shows the way to life...The fear of the Lord adds length to life...The prospect of the righteous is joy...The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous...” (Proverbs 10)

How much will they individually be lavished by God for clean living and obedience to Christ's teachings if I point them to Him? Incredibly more than I could ever give!

Many in the world want to live off of the laurels of godly ancestors. But each must answer for his own actions. Don't get me wrong. It's great to have noble parents who follow God faithfully. I desperately pray that I have been a godly role model for my family. God blesses such intentional living. But no one can live on another's standing with God. We have to know the Savior personally and grow as a believer to reap the rewards hidden in His Word that He wants to lavish upon our lives on a daily basis.

“All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children's peace,” says Isaiah in chapter 54. He is speaking to the House of Israel, but God's promises are for all those ingrafted and called His dearly loved. So when Isaiah concludes that “This is a heritage of the servants of the Lord,” then we can rejoice! Everyone of us, from generation to generation, who choose LIFE are blessed when we hear God's Word and obey it!

Soaring Like a Barn Swallow

By Brenda Black

Three miles. That's the distance between the home driveway and our little country church, give or take a few hundred feet. The convenience for saving gas is diminished on those Sunday mornings when every member of the household arrives on the premises one person per vehicle. Most days, the caravan consists of two – the early shift and the late shift. Recently, I opted to go with my early bird preacher husband who gets to work way before anyone else. Since I arrived long before others would gather or my SS class needed my presence, I lingered in the parking lot. The sun warmed my right side through the open car door and a gentle breeze welcomed me to God's property. I was thoroughly at peace and glad I made that choice.

Suddenly, something swooped right past the front windshield and nearly entered my Impala! A Barn Swallow gave me an up-close-and-personal, “Good Morning!” We were parked very near a muddy nest and morning exercise drills were in progress.

I thought this must be an industrious mother tending her babes. Then I noticed multiple split-tail acrobats ducking and diving a few feet ahead. They were fledglings, exuberantly testing their wings – all but one that is. Five little swallows chirped and careened past the mud and twig built nest over and over coaxing one timid sibling, who sat firmly and defiantly attached to home.

I marveled at how sturdy that little abode to hold six wiggling, flapping youngins; and how industrious the parents who constructed it. Nest building is a time consuming process for busy swallows who sometimes have to travel several hundred yards to a stream bank or other source of mud.

My mind snapped back to the one straggler. By then, he had dared to take a mere 2-foot flight to another mud glob in the opposite corner of the porch on this old school house that sits opposite our church. The family swooped again in waves of encouragement, bidding him take flight with them. Several minutes passed while the stubborn swallow refused to fly. Finally he launched to join the rest.

They cheered with chirps and aerial acrobatics. Then quickly, after the group was all air born, they disappeared as one. The aerial show ended, and only faint, audible evidence indicated that they may have congregated in a nearby tree.

All I could think was that I just witnessed a winged version of the congregation that would soon join me in this sacred place. The House of God is a refuge. Some cling to it desperately and care for it meticulously. Some take flight from it and grace the world with their joyful exuberance. It's where we are fed and encouraged. Our brothers and sisters in Christ encircle us with prayers for courage, cheers for success. Here, we learn to spread our wings and take risks. In this holy place, we find the wherewithal to soar!

Since that sudden epiphany, I've learned more about the Barn Swallow that helps me realize to a greater extent how important it is to heed the lessons the Lord gives from even the smallest creatures.

1. When feeding young, the swallows fly from before dawn until after sunset, while taking very few rests.

Time is of the essence. In a world saturated with sin and deceit, feeding our children the Truth of Christ is critical for survival. And that takes good old fashion hard work! Talk about it when you sit at home and when you drive down the road. Tell them about Jesus when they lie down at night and when they rise in the morning. (Deuteronomy 6:7-9) Little swallows work their scissor tails off to make sure their hatchlings have a healthy start. That begins at home. It carries over into the assembly of the called out – the Church. Young families take notice.

2. Barn swallows usually nest in small colonies and also hunt together.

Togetherness is of significant worth. In a world that captivates our every waking moment, setting aside a few precious hours once or twice a week to stand with one another is invaluable. I need you and you need me in times like these! Especially when the enemy is on the prowl. When a cat or other predator approaches a barn swallow's nesting site, the entire colony immediately mobs the intruder in an impressive display of bombing dives! We are the body of Christ and we need to watch the backs of our brothers. That means praying, helping, loving and staying as long as necessary by their side in good times and in trouble.

3. The swallows seem to enjoy the easy life of late summer, when they do not need to work every minute of the day to feed their young. They are often seen perched above the creek, doing nothing at all. But, the easy life is short lived, as the end of summer approaches and they prepare for their long journey south.

Travel plans are eternally important. This world will end. Either your life will come to a close or the Lord will return. Either way, you better know where you're going and what it is going to take to arrive there safely. Like the swallows, we have a long journey ahead. Unlike them, we cannot take it easy until the day of our departure. We need to keep searching for ways to reinforce the nest so we can launch another hatch in the power of Christ! We must keep building one another up as we see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:23-25).

Next time you see a glistening blue and tawny Barn Swallow dart gracefully over a field or above a body of water, look closer at the agile flyer . God has set him apart from all other North American swallows by gracing him with a forked tail. Those two feathers are a reminder of two boards fashioned together to form a cross. Jesus made a way so we could wing our way home one day just like a Barn Swallow.

copyright 2012 The Word's Out - Brenda Black

Without End

By Brenda Black

I remember well weary nights of rocking and nursing and praying my infant sons would “please just go to sleep.” There were bumps and bruises and scraped knees and one incident of some tiny burned fingers during the toddling years. I prayed courage for me and for their relief. Academic success, good friendships, purity of mind and heart and safety driving a car called for time on my knees while my sons grew up and I survived their teens. Now the stakes are higher and just when I think the job of parenting growing boys is reaching an end, I discover the far greater responsibility of praying for my adult children.

My mom is still on the clock for me and joins me as we pray for her grandsons. A dear friend shares my burden and I her's as we lift one another's adult children daily before the Lord. I still pray for safety and healthy relationships. I plead for direction and ask God to lead them straight to the center of His will. I understand like never before the power of prayer.

Still, it amazes me when I witness God's hand on their lives, both in blessings and challenges He lavishes and allows. And always I remember how critical the calloused knees of a mother at every stage in life. There is much to cover, much to anticipate, much to hope for and much to fear. The job of a praying parent is without end.

Hannah, the mother of Samuel, sets the standard for dedicated prayer. We hear her faithfulness in 1 Samuel 1:27-28a.

“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.”

I, like Hannah, prayed for my children before they ever were conceived. I prayed for their healthy arrival. I was blessed with two bouncing boys three years and three months apart. In between, I was blessed to carry a small life but a matter of weeks. That child I'll one day meet. The gift of healthy babies and the heartache of a baby unborn can never be fully understood. One is a miracle, the other covered in mercy to endure and accept that God knows best. Each, given over to the Lord in life and death.

As a praying parent, I have to revisit the concept of “giving over” over and over again. To entrust these whom I have nursed, clothed, fed, loved, sheltered, tutored, laughed with and cried over for the greater part of my life on earth is no easy calling. But I can't carry them in a back pack or hover over them in a cradle as I once did. I have to watch from a distance and surrender them to the One whose hands are big enough to hold them no matter how big and burley they get. He is able to speak peace to their hearts when their mother needs to be silent. The Lord Almighty counsels them with far better advice than this wise woman who thinks she knows them best. And God loves them more than I could ever muster because, though I carried them in a womb, He knit them together and placed His fingerprint on their hearts and heads.

So I just pray. And pray. And pray without end. And I have the pleasure of watching the Lord at work in two men. I see how He leads them and provides for them; how He teaches and guides them. I watch how they recognize more quickly the peace and joy that is theirs for the asking. I weep when I hear them give God their thanks and praise because it means their dad and I have done something right in this world: We've pointed them and prayed them to the Lord.

Parenting is many things. Painful. Pleasurable. Surprising. Challenging. Exciting. Demanding. Rewarding. Parenting is supposed to be filled with love and sacrifice and promise. Most importantly, parenting is a test of faith and calls for active prayer.

Especially when the kids grow up, parents need to look up for the Heavenly Father's will, for no child should ever doubt that they are loved or lifted at any age.

Because I Said So

Because I Said So
By Brenda Black


I vowed I would never say it. Surely I would be smarter, more articulate. Shear determination would trump any momentary weakness to spew those predictable, hollow words. Then I had children. And on more than one occasion I sharply spouted the parent mantra “Because I said so!” in shrill frustration.

We expect our kids to just do what we tell them, without debate. We long for compliance not “tude”. Instead, we get stubborn opinions and temper tantrums. Now tell me, how do you think God feels? Not about our kids' reverence towards us. Rather – what does the Father of mankind think about our lack of submission to his authority.

I would hate to think that my God stands with his loving arms folded tightly across his chest, fuming out a mandate through clenched teeth while I protest peevishly. Yet, I must admit, I have done just that. I stubbornly deny his guidance. I question his purpose or wonder out loud about his timing.

In order to cease this on-going and amply immature power struggle, I must first rightly define my humble place and God's marvelous omnipotence. In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly at the temple of the Lord and declared the difference.

"'O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, “If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.”

"'But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.'" (vs 6-12)

Here it is in a nutshell: God is the Father and Ruler of All. He is Powerful. The Lord is our Leader, Savior, Friend, Protector and Judge. And where does that leave us? Under his authority and dependent on his provision!

That is a great place to be whether we realize it or not. For the Lord is able to win the wars we encounter if we follow his leadership without question. Just as he did for Jehoshaphat, the Lord will do for us.

“He said: 'Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them...You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.'” (vs. 15-17)

Now what if Jehoshaphat whirled on his heels and flipped his Jewish locks in the face of God as he refused to do what was just told him. I hate to think of the outcome. For the sake of the Israelite nation and for our sake each time we read the story, he did not.
“Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.

“Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa...Jehoshaphat stood and said, 'Listen to me...Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld.'” (vs. 18-20)

Jehoshaphat's obedience rendered the Lord's miraculous rescue instead of inviting a disgruntled God's chastisement for a wayward son. As his army began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against their enemies and they were defeated. “And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.” (vs. 30)

Our God's wise counsel is sufficient. When he speaks the instruction “Because I said so,” we ought to heed and obey. The only good thing that will come of such submission is blessed protection and peace. Isn't that why we want our children to obey as well.

The Perfect Baby

The Perfect Baby
By Brenda Black

“The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes...” Oh the bliss. Mary was indeed highly esteemed. For the rest of us, baby days are full of wonder in different ways. We are favored with little bundles of tears and tummy aches, yet still count ourselves blessed for the privilege of motherhood.

No child is the same. One baby builds confidence, the next brings challenges. If one tries your nerves, another will be your stabilizer. No matter their temperaments, each child delivers his or her own delightful presence in this world.

My first was colicky and cranky for about twelve months! I did not sleep and was irritable myself. I cried nearly as much as the baby and rocked both of us for comfort. At about a year, that little stinker turned into the most peaceful, loving, easy-going little boy I've ever known. To this day, he is dependable and kind. He is loving and friendly. And he can sleep without any trouble!

My second seemed like a breeze when it came to sleep. For all the times I rocked the first, the second insisted I leave him be. However, baby number two capitalized on being well rested. He moved continuously in his waking hours! Running, leaping, rolling and twisting didn't begin after walking – he started before he was born!

Somehow the second seemed easier in spite of his boundless energy, mostly because I had my little helper. Big brother was my second set of hands, eyes and ears. One year of colic was worth every proud moment our first-born has since brought to our lives. And every minute of exhaustion brought us a high-energy, talented, delightful second child.

With the honor of motherhood comes happiness as well as heartache. The moaning of a herd of cows just outside my window illustrates some of the anguish. They loudly announce weaning season with their desperate bellows. In the guttural chorus are songs of separation anxiety that all mothers experience when calves or kids begin to grow and go their own way.

The instinct to protect never ends. A desire to catch them before they fall or kiss all hurt away is protocol for Moms as vividly depicted in “The Passion” during a scene where Mary labors between helping her child and avoiding the horror. As the Christ falls under the burden of a bloodied cross, Mary recalls running to her son when he tumbled as a child on a similar dusty road. She goes to her Son and lifts him once again.

That's what Moms do. We carry the burdens like they were our own. We live through every pain as if afflicted ourselves. We rejoice in their victories, soaking up the success.

It would be nice if babies came with a guarantee of no colic, no tears, no toddler crashes, no teenage tragedies. It would be comforting to not have to worry over mean bosses or deceitful friends. We'd like to think our child's life a bed of roses. But in the end, such a child is spoiled and weak. For all of life's experiences shape them into men and women we'll respect and upon which we may even depend.

Jesus may have begun life with no tears, but he grew to become “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.” (Isaiah 53:3) Though any mother would have wished for anything but the steps he took, had he not walked them, we would be without hope. As his own mother depended on her son's redemption, we likewise need a Savior.

Whether your child is easy or challenging is a minor point. That his mother is forgiven and godly will chart the course for that child's life. Ask King Lemuel:

“The sayings of King Lemuel – an oracle his mother taught him: 'O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.

“'It is not for kings, O Lemuel – not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights...

“'Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.'” (Proverbs 31:1-5, 8-9)

Wise counsel from a mom who knew it's not how they start out in life. It's where they end up in eternity. Show them true peace by the way of the cross this Mother's Day and always.

Reagan Reflections

Reagan Reflections
By Brenda Black

Nearly a century ago, on Feb. 6, 1911, Ronald Wilson Reagan entered the world. He won the admiration of movie-goers and two leading ladies, then the favor of the nation when he became the 40th President of the United States. Reagan died on June 5, 2004, at the age of 93, but is still remembered for his landslide victory, more extreme than the most recent with a 489 electoral win over Jimmy Carter's 49. He was loved for his vast appeal and his indelible charismatic and colorful quotes still echo through history and bear the weight of wisdom that we might do well to heed in this generation.

“Facts are stubborn things,” Reagan said.

I would add that ignorance is not necessarily bliss. In order to realize success in any area of life, it is truth that is our greatest ally. The psalmist David put it this way: “Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” (Ps. 119:29-32)

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” Reagan said. “We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

The fact is, the truth which is found in Christ is our greatest freedom. The challenge is to instill that truth into the hearts of the next generation so that our freedom will not be lost. Reagan said, “Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.” It's time to wake up and shake up the world with the Word of God!

It begins at home. As Reagan said, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” Our children must see faith in action as we offer thanks to God, not the government for our provisions. Our families must be taught the importance of honesty, hard work and purity and the advantages for living a life of integrity. It is up to parents to impart truth, not teach tactics for getting something for nothing or lying to get ahead or taking without giving. It begins by demonstrating personal faith and devotion to the One True God of all creation.

“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God,” the 40th President said, “then we will be a nation gone under.”

This surge forward in American history will be only as progressive as it is purposeful. And our purpose is to live for truth, not self-serving or worldly ambitions. Our eyes are supposed to be fixed on things eternal. Reagan said, “There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”

When times are tough, when temptations are tantalizing, when solutions to problems come from temporary fixes instead of time-honored truths, choose the better. Opt for truth.

“'I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

“'Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.'” (John 3:24-30)

God is truth. “We are never defeated unless we give up on God,” Reagan charged.

On Feb. 6, 1911, Reagan was born. He left his mark on history by encouraging a nation and inciting Americans to seek God's wisdom and truth. Our purpose is no less historically critical. We are called by the Lord himself to walk in truth and lead others to do the same. A landslide victory for faithful living looks like heaven.

“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.” (Psalm 15)

A Hot Place to Find Humility

By Brenda Black

Puberty punctuates immaturity as much as it ushers in adulthood. And impertinence is all the more exaggerated when there is an audience. Tough teen Ishmael counted it entertainment to tease and mock his baby step-brother Isaac during his big “coming-out” party. Not his wisest decision.

“The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, 'Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.'” (Genesis 21:8-10)

One too many caddy remarks can land you smack dab in the middle of a social desert. And a smart alec kid will drag his parents right along the barren, sandy slide if they don't put a stop to it. Nobody likes rudeness, especially in the form of disrespect. Sometimes, it takes a swift kick in the pants to temper a sarcastic tongue or at least a few minutes in a time out, away from all the attention, for humility to have a fighting chance.

And that's where we find Ishmael and his mother Hagar – out in the desert, humbled and scared.

“Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.

“When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, 'I cannot watch the boy die.' And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.

“God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, 'What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.

“Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

“God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer...” (14-20)

Ishmael was a teenager, 14 years old, and we find him reduced to the ways of the baby he mocked days before. Hagar herself despised her mistress and now weeps alone in the desert, longing for her companionship. On that hot desert, they found humility in the midst of harsh reality.

No matter how far we move away from God, he is able to find us. Under a tree, dying. A bowshot away, weeping. He meets us in our gravest situation, not with judgement, but compassion. He lifts us from our sinfulness and sorrow and shame. He opens our eyes and restores our dignity. Some will accept such grace and walk onward full of faith. Others will never comprehend the love they could have within and the joy they could bring if they would humble themselves and stop living in slavery to sin. Ishmael's legacy leaves no doubt that he disdained the Lord's rescue. He did not receive the inheritance and “his descendants...lived in hostility toward all their brothers.” (Gen. 25:18)

I don't know what became of Hagar, but Galations 4:25 says “Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.”

Did she go the way of her wild, rebellious son or was it her own example that taught him the kind of sarcasm that would cast them away from everyone. All of her history and the uncertainty of her destiny teaches us one sure truth. If we don't accept God's salvation when he offers a living drink, we are in just as much danger as this woman and child lost in the desert. Worse yet, we're lost forever. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible clarifies the difference between sin slavery and salvation. “There is a well of water near them in the covenant of grace, but they are not aware of it, till the same God that opened their eyes to see their wound, opens them to see their remedy. Paran was a wild place, fit for a wild man; such as Ishmael. Those who are born after the flesh, take up with the wilderness of this world, while the children of the promise aim at the heavenly Canaan.”

Don't wait until you are humbled in the heat of a desert. Choose today to live as a child of promise rather than a slave to sin.

Football, Faith and Footprints

By Brenda Black


I heard the name from sports commentators throughout the National Championship Game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Florida. I had not paid much attention to the Heisman winning quarterback since my alma mater's Chase Daniel lost the 2007 bid. Yet, I found myself enamored with the onslaught of compliments toward the iconic leader of the Florida Gators, Tim Tebow, each time they mentioned his name. Because of this impressive student, God received more credit in a three hour football contest and pre-game show, than in an entire year of broadcast on network t.v. My hat's off to Tebow for his exemplary reputation and my heart is warmed by his story that reveals the Lord 's amazing touch in his life.

The 6-3, 240 pound dynamo helped deliver answers to Gator prayers with the 2008 national title, but his performance last week doesn't hold a candle to the miracle God performed in his life off the field. Tebow never would have been born, if his mother, Pam, would have listened to the doctor who advised her to abort in order to survive amoebic dysentery. She contracted the illness while serving alongside her husband, Bob, as missionaries in the Philippines in 1987. They prayed instead. And 22 years later his life is a living witness.

Just as this rising star gains more and more opportunity to share his faith with sports fans, another God-fearing football notable is stepping off the field. Coach Tony Dungy leaves a big faith-in-action footprint to fill. His genuine Christianity is already documented in a hardback book, while Tebow's total impact remains unwritten. But where the young and old football heroes merge is in their desire to make a difference somewhere other than between two goalposts.

Tebow spends his summers ministering to orphans and the impoverished. He visits the imprisoned and offers them Christ. Dungy has a desire to reach young men for the Lord and help them learn how to be godly fathers for it is his own dad's positive Christian influence that Dungy admires most.

I know of yet another man, Brady Black, who is playing in the game of his life and winning the respect and admiration of thousands for his faithful witness. He once played football and is still a huge fan, but the real contest is being played not in a stadium, but in a hospital in Texas and in the body of his little boy. One day, Brady's son will carry the torch of Christian testimony because of such great faith in a God who delivers miracles. Because of his parent's prayers, my great-nephew, Kobe, will grow to know about the miraculous touch of the Lord. And who knows...maybe some day, the commentary on his life will convey great respect when his parents' faith becomes his own. And the story written will tell of his far-reaching impact on the world.

That's what happens when we put faith in action. We leave a legacy and we lead others to the Lord. I know God is getting the credit he deserves every time I hear Kobe's name and I watch miracles take place. God's gracious answers to prayer will always be bigger than a national championship. These three men know that full well.


**Note – Kobe is four years old and recuperating from three successive surgeries in the past two months to remove thyroid cancerous tumors including one on the brain. Each procedure has produced miraculous results and rapid resiliency. Radiation therapy is scheduled in February to eradicate any remaining cancer cells. To learn more about Kobe's journey and God's touch, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kobeblack Thank you so much for the loving prayers lifted for Kobe. You are part of the miracle.