I’m surprised Hollywood hasn’t already turned this into a movie. It really is the stuff of legends and dreams.
On May 31, Birmingham Southern College closed its doors for good due to financial instability. The very next day, the Birmingham Southern College Panther baseball team hits a walk-off home run to advance in the College World Series.
Basically, the players are representing something that doesn’t exist anymore. If by some miracle they win it all, there will be no place to put the trophy. No place to hang the banner. No students waiting to congratulate the champions.
It’s the very best kind of sports story, like a Hoosiers but with more heart.
I remember my high school came close to closing its doors when I was a sophomore. I don’t remember much, but I do recall not begging God to let it stay open and desperately not wanting to go anywhere else to finish out my education. Thankfully, the school stayed open.
I can’t imagine win or lose not having a school to return to in the fall. Knowing after the fact that your last day of classes for the semester were the last classes ever. I don’t know how many of these players are on sports scholarships or how many will even be able to continue their education.
I do know that there’s more baseball to play. At this point, all they can think about is winning the next game. It’s either win or go home for good.
But the best part is that now they can play without any pressure. They can play for the love of the game again like they did way back when they first picked up gloves and bats as little tykes.
I’m always one that likes to root for the underdog, especially the ones that no one gives a chance or expects to win. I’m praying for these players and coaches and their families, and I’m hoping for one last blaze of glory for Birmingham Southern College.
This was originally written by Elisabeth Elliott and is a bit longer than my usual posts. It’s worth the extra time to read it all:
The world cannot fathom strength proceeding from weakness, gain proceeding from loss, or power from meekness. Christians apprehend these truths very slowly, if at all, for we are strongly influenced by secular thinking. Let’s stop and concentrate on what Jesus meant when he said that the meek would inherit the earth. Do we understand what meekness truly is? Think first about what it isn’t.
It is not a naturally phlegmatic temperament. I knew a woman who was so phlegmatic that nothing seemed to make much difference to her at all. While drying dishes for her one day in her kitchen I asked where I should put a serving platter.
“Oh, I don’t know. Wherever you think would be a good place,” was her answer. I wondered how she managed to find things if there wasn’t a place for everything (and everything in its place). …
Meekness is most emphatically not weakness. Do you remember who was the meekest man in the Old Testament? Moses! (Num. 12:3). My mental image of him is not of a feeble man. It is shaped by Michelangelo’s sculpture and painting and by the biblical descriptions. Think of him murdering the Egyptian, smashing the tables of the commandments, grinding the golden calf to a powder, scattering it on the water and making the Israelites drink it. Nary a hint of weakness there, nor in David, who wrote, “The meek will he guide in judgment” (Psalm 25:9), nor in Isaiah, who wrote, “The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord” (Isa. 29:19).
The Lord Jesus was the Lamb of God, and when we think of lambs we think of meekness (and perhaps weakness), but he was also the Lion of Judah, and he said, “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29). He told us that we can find rest for our souls if we will come to him, take his yoke, and learn. What we must learn is meekness. It doesn’t come naturally to any of us.
Meekness is teachability. “The meek will he teach his way” (Ps. 25:9). It is the readiness to be shown, which includes the readiness to lay down my fixed notions, my objections and “what ifs” or “but what abouts,” my certainties about the right-ness of what I have always done or thought or said. It is the child’s glad “Show me! Is this the way? Please help me.” We won’t make it into the kingdom without that childlikeness, that simple willingness to be taught and corrected and helped. “Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). Meekness is an explicitly spiritual quality, a fruit of the Spirit, learned, not inherited. It shows in the kind of attention we pay to one another, the tone of voice we use, the facial expression.
One weekend I spoke in Atlanta on this subject, and the following weekend I was to speak on it again in Philadelphia. As very often happens, I was sorely tested on that very point in the few days in between. That sore test was my chance to be taught and changed and helped. At the same time I was strongly tempted to indulge in the very opposite of meekness: sulking. Someone had hurt me. He or she was the one who needed to be changed! I felt I was misunderstood, unfairly treated, and unduly berated. Although I managed to keep my mouth shut, both the Lord and I knew that my thoughts did not spring from a depth of loving kindness and holy charity. I wanted to vindicate myself to the offender. That was a revelation of how little I knew of meekness.
The Spirit of God reminded me that it was he who had provided this very thing to bring that lesson of meekness which I could learn nowhere else. He was literally putting me on the spot: Would I choose, here and now, to learn of him, learn his meekness? He was despised, rejected, reviled, pierced, crushed, oppressed, afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. What was this little incident of mine by comparison with my Lord’s suffering? He brought to mind Jesus’ willingness not only to eat with Judas, who would soon betray him, but also to kneel before him and wash his dirty feet. He showed me the look the Lord gave Peter when he had three times denied him – a look of unutterable love and forgiveness, a look of meekness which overpowered Peter’s cowardice and selfishness, and brought him to repentance. I thought of his meekness as he hung pinioned on the cross, praying even in his agony for his Father’s forgiveness for his killers. There was no venom or bitterness there, only the final proof of a sublime and invincible love.
But how shall I, not born with the smallest shred of that quality, I who love victory by argument and put-down, ever learn that holy meekness? The prophet Zephaniah tells us to seek it (Zeph. 2:3). We must walk (live) in the Spirit, not gratifying the desires of the sinful nature (for example, my desire to answer back, to offer excuses and accusations, my desire to show up the other’s fault instead of to be shown my own). We must “clothe” ourselves (Col. 3:12) with meekness – put it on, like a garment. This entails an explicit choice: I will be meek. I will not sulk, will not retaliate, will not carry a chip.
A steadfast look at Jesus instead of at the injury makes a very great difference. Seeking to see things in his light changes the aspect altogether.
In Pilgrim’s Progress, Prudence asks Christian in the House Beautiful, “Can you remember by what means you find your annoyances at times, as if they were vanquished?”
“Yes,” says Christian, “when I think what I saw at the cross, that will do it.”
I love it when I run across something rare and precious. At least it’s precious to me. I’m aware that not many people will know about this group. So perhaps a little backstory will suffice.
Back in my Union days, I discovered a fantastic artist named Julie Miller. She put out a few CCM albums that rocked my world with her transparent and honest lyrics and folksy stylings.
Then I found out about Buddy Miller. This dude plays just about everything there is. If it’s a musical instrument, he’s likely good at it. He’s had his own career as a kind of Americana singer-songwriter.
But to find that they put out an album in the early 80s? The best part was that this find only cost me $5. Gotta love those bargain bins.
“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them” (Proverbs 3:27, NLT).
Last week, someone ducked me. By that I don’t mean that person avoided me like the plague, but whoever it was left a little duck on the driver side door handle of my Jeep to add to my little collection. Apparently, it’s a Jeep thing.
So this week I realized that I have basically two surfer ducks. Earlier today, I was able to re-duck the second one to another Jeep driver. It felt good to pay it forward.
I don’t mean to humble brag but to illustrate a point. We’re not all Rockefeller rich. We’re not all super movie star or rock star influential. But we each can find a way to pay forward some of the kindness done to us.
The best example of kindness I can think of begins this way: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I love that He didn’t wait for me to get my act together or start behaving before He went to the cross. I’m super thankful that Jesus didn’t do a cost effectiveness analysis on me to decide if He should die for me. I’ll never stop being grateful for the fact that I got grace instead of karma, considering what I deserve isn’t forgiveness but death and hell.
I think that alone should make me want to pass along the mercy and kindness that I’ve received. I should want to pay forward the grace I’ve been shown and do for others who can never pay me back. And there’s no better time to start than today.
“It is quite right that you should feel that ‘something terrific’ has happened to you (It has) and be ‘all glowy.’ Accept these sensations with thankfulness as birthday cards from God, but remember that they are only greetings, not the real gift. I mean, it is not the sensations that are the real thing. The real thing is the gift of the Holy Spirit which can’t usually be—perhaps not ever—experienced as a sensation or emotion. The sensations are merely the response of your nervous system. Don’t depend on them. Otherwise when they go and you are once more emotionally flat (as you certainly will be quite soon), you might think that the real thing had gone too. But it won’t. It will be there when you can’t feel it. May even be most operative when you can feel it least” (Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis Volume III, C.S. Lewis).
The problem with a faith based on feelings is that those feelings are fickle and subject to change. I mean, have you ever tried to sustain a single emotion over a 24-hour period? You can’t. You can’t make yourself feel anything indefinitely.
Also, I’ve learned that feelings can lie. What you feel at any moment can stem from something you ate yesterday that didn’t agree with you. I’ve noticed I might trend more toward negative emotions when I am tired or hungry or bored. Typically, I can’t trust what I’m feeling when I haven’t slept well the night before. I especially have learned from experience not to post any social media or respond to any social media or emails late at night. A good night’s sleep and some time have a way of miraculously changing my attitude and perspective.
But the life of faith does have an emotional component to it. You just don’t put feelings in front. That’s where faith comes in. Feelings should be the caboose of your spiritual journey, present but not leading the way.
God is real even when I don’t feel Him. God’s promises are true even when I can’t see them. Obedience is acting in loving ways even when I don’t feel loving and following God’s commands when I don’t want to.
I’ve always loved the idea that my security as a believer doesn’t depend on how tightly I hold God’s hand but how He won’t ever let go of me.
“Child,’ said the Lion, ‘I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own” (C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy).
I’m beginning to understand that we all have different stories. We also have different seasons and struggles. I am in the middle of a career transition. I overheard where someone else has a parent dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Yet someone else I know has struggled within the past year with mental health issues.
Each story is different. Each struggle is unique. It’s no good for me to compare my story with someone else’s and to either think that mine doesn’t matter because it’s not a potentially terminal diagnosis or that I have it way worse because someone else might have an ingrown toenail.
The Bible doesn’t say God never gives us more than we can handle. Often, it’s way beyond our capacity to bear so that we are forced to lean in on the Lord for daily strength. He does give us grace equal to the struggle. He does promise to be with us in each season.
In each story, the testimony is that God is able. I am in as much need of God’s continual grace and strength as anyone else alive right now on this planet. My need is no more or less than theirs. And my God is equally up to the task.
That’s the beauty of intercessory prayer. I enter into your story and you enter into mine. We share each others burdens and magnify the name of Jesus equally. Sometimes, we can speak words when the other has none or believe for the other when they can’t find the faith at the moment.
The best part is that God is always the hero of our stories and we can rest assured that in every case we know that God works all things together for good and for a happy ending.
I stumbled across an Instagram video from Jackie Hill Perry that absolutely rocked my world and convicted me (but also oddly encouraged me at the same time).
Actually, I didn’t exactly stumble across this video as I follow Jackie on a number of social media outlets. But I was not expecting so much truth in so short of an amount of time.
The gist is that holiness and actual Christian living is so rare because lukewarm living has become the accepted norm and standard in most churches and (sadly) in most pulpits. Taking up your cross daily and dying to self is almost a foreign concept in a lot of what passes for Christianity in America.
I’m just now recalling a book that I read along the same lines a long time ago by Watchman Nee called The Normal Christian Life. His premise was that Jesus was the only one to live the normal Christian life and that what we consider normal is abnormal because of how far we have fallen below the standard Jesus set.
The normal Christian life is an impossible life. Apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, no one can live out the Bible’s idea of the Christian life. People (even in churches) will think you’re being extra or going way beyond. They will actually try to hinder you and ridicule you for living the way Jesus called us to live and the way that honors Jesus in the way He deserves.
The sad truth is that if people saw this kind of holy living, they’d be way more drawn to it than they are by any watered-down, non-threatening halfway attempt to follow Jesus and appease the world. C. S. Lewis said “Holiness is irresistible. If even 10% of the world’s population had it the whole world would be converted and happy before the year’s end.”
I don’t know if everyone would turn to Jesus, but I absolutely believe that way more people would want to know this Jesus if they saw real holiness lived out.
Here’s the link to the original video that blew my mind and my world:
I used to scoff at all the people who were completely obsesses over all things vinyl. I figured that records had been replaced by CDs in the 80s and were obsolete technology. I also saw the prices of some of the newer records and decided the whole thing was ridiculous.
Then I got a record player for Christmas. Excuse me, a turntable. I have to use the correct terminology.
My favorite part is still the hunt. Going into my favorite record store, I always check out the new arrivals first. Then I’ll check out the Christian music section. Last but not least (and if there’s time), I’ll go through the bargain bins.
On rare occasion, there will be a free bin or two. That’s when I’ll really nerd out.
The best part is never knowing what you’ll find in the cheapies. There might be nothing but Mitch Miller and Lawrence Welk. That’s great for the blue-haired crowd, but I’m still a bit too young (with apologies for you if you like tiny bubble music).
This last time, I scored a couple of Morgan Cryar albums and a Geoff Moore record. That may not mean much to most, but to those of us who grew up listening to CCM back in the 80s, that’s a gold mine. Playing those records is guaranteed to bring back some instant youth group memories. Or youth group road trip memories.
Plus, watching the needle drop on the record at just the right spot before the first song is still magical. Even the pops and crackles sound good. The whole experience is just one long trip to nostalgia and simpler days.
There is one record I’m looking for that’s my new holy grail. It’s by an artist called Michael Omartian and the album is called White Horse. If you run across it, let me know. Or you can send me a link or whatever. My email is gmendel72@icloud.com.
To my fellow vinyl enthusiasts, may all your record hunts be successful and may you find that one elusive album. Happy vinyling!
“For years, I begged God to help me be good. Didn’t you join up because you wanted to be good? I’d worked years trying to be good and I wasn’t good! Oh, I was gooder than I was when I started out, but I still wasn’t good because as good as I was getting, I still wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t sustain it long enough. Sometimes I’d go 7 or 8 minutes without sinning. But it still wasn’t long enough!
And the Lord spoke to me very clearly that day. He said, ‘The issue isn’t being good, the issue is being God’s. Just come to Me and I’ll provide goodness for you. Just come and love Me. Seek Me with all your heart.’
Now I’m not arguing for sin, but I am saying this: my focus these days is not on trying to be good. I am gooder than I’ve been in the past, but it’s not because I’m focused on trying to be good, it’s because I’ve focused on Him and doing His bidding. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for me and my sinning” (John Wimber).
As I’ve heard before (and maybe you have as well), Jesus didn’t become incarnate to make bad people good but to make dead people alive. See, it’s not about behavior modification and better morals. It’s about being made new.
I still think that more than being gooder, I need to focus on being more like Jesus. That can only happen when the Spirit of Jesus inside me starts to manifest outward from me as I live more surrendered and obediently. It’s no good if I behave better when I still have the illusion of control over my life and my destiny. It’s only when I acknowledge that I belong to another that I really begin to transform.
It’s not about being good as much as it is being God’s.
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