012Page Title or page information goes here

Vs 3,4: “Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you.”

Michael, smiling from ear to ear, opened the door to admit hobbling Jeremy into their house. “Our room is all ready for you, Jerm! Coach Jiles is upstairs and wants to talk to you.” He winked at Jeremy and babbled, “Hope that you keep your eyes on Jesus throughout this ordeal—until your cast is off. Everything will be alright, bro. I promise you’ll find difficulty and delight side by side.”

Jeremy collapsed into a chair. Huffing audibly he grunted, “Whew! Give me a minute before I tackle the stairs—no pun intended. My ankle is messed up because I was tackled.”

“What do you want for dinner, Jeremy?” Mom asked, her face aglow. “It’s so great to have you home!”

Jeremy smiled at his family. Looking at his Mom, his heart softened. Licking his lips he said, “A cheeseburger loaded with all the toppings and French fries would hit the spot Mom. Thanks!” Looking to Michael he asked, “So, Coach is upstairs?”

“Yep, ready and waiting to talk to you.” Michael said nodding. “Need any help?”
“Mike, just walk behind me in case I topple backwards” Jeremy said.
“Come on, gimpy bro, I’ve got your back.”

Coach Jiles smiled broadly as the brothers entered the room. “You’re the man, Jeremy!” he exclaimed.
“I am surprised to see you, Coach” Jeremy said. “I’m afraid that I won’t be at practice for awhile.”
“Get comfortable, Jeremy. We’ll get things straight right now.” Coach said.
“First, I want to congratulate you for refusing to take Scotty’s steroids. His pushing those drugs forced my hand, and he’s off the team. Next, I want to see you at every practice and every game. You’ll be learning while watching your teammates. Your role is to encourage them and inspire them to continue working hard. You are an important member of this team, Jeremy. You may not get to play this year, but if you don’t give up, you’re place is secure for next year.”

Jeremy listened and couldn’t believe his ears. He looked up with raised eye brows, a smile spreading across his face. At once he blurted out, “Really, Coach? I can do this! Thank you for not giving up on me. I will make sure the other guys don’t give up.”

“When your physical therapy begins, my assistant will properly school you in weight training. Next season, you’ll be strong and fit. You’ll make a superb linebacker!”

Michael’s and Jeremy’s jaws dropped. “That’s better than I imagined, Coach! Thank you!” Jeremy exclaimed.

Take Home Nugget
God always chooses the very device that builds our faith instead of tearing it down. We always have a choice whether to accept or reject His offer.

God loves me too much to keep me in an imperfect state.
Although His work can be painful, I choose to wait.
Refined by fire, Jesus’ precious blood molds.
Surrounding me an Angel’s wing unfolds.

J.D. Griffith