As I'm sure everyone in the internet world knows, the Pirates have recently cinched their 20th losing season in a row.
In. A. Row.
Now, I'm not the hugest baseball fan - my brother definitely surpasses me in this - but I enjoy watching it. I don't know everything about it, but I know enough that I can talk about it sometimes. I love going to games - major league games, school games, and simple county league games. There's something I love about baseball.
While the Pirates were doing incredibly well this season - an unheard of (in Pittsburgh) 16 games over .500 - many people jumped on the proverbial Pirates bandwagon. It was great. We were winning, Cutch was going to win MVP and all of the other baseball trophy award things that I don't pretend to understand, and life was good. People were flashing Zoltans left and right. Root Sports was actually bearable to watch with the announcers being so excited and happy and yay yay Pittsburgh yay. Talk of a center field Z was rampant, the playoffs were real, and Pirates fans experienced something that they hadn't had a chance to feel in almost 2 decades - hope.
Then came the All Star break.
After the break, the team started their slow collapse. They held their own sometimes, yes, but eventually, the Pirates' ship sailed. (Pun somewhat intended.) People started leaving the bandwagon. Seats were available, and weren't being taken by others.
Mikey and Big Bob from the Freak Show started the "Quest for .500," filling Twitter and Facebook with images of corgis and Zoltans and old movie stills in an attempt to gain some momentum for the city and their dying hope of the playoffs. The Crazy Italian Guy called in to the radio show religiously, going so far as to get a "No Fairweatherness" tattoo to prove that, in the good times and bad, the Pirates still deserved some fans, and Pittsburgh deserved some devoted fans.
It was a crazy time.
Unfortunately, as is the way with every Pirates season since I have graced the world with my being, the team started to get the short end of the stick. In short - they stunk. They ended their season and their playoff hopes ended when they concluded with a heartbreaking record of 77-82.
So many people jumped on the Pirates wagon when they were doing well this summer. People that had no hope for the Buccos for the past 2 decades suddenly were buying the $9 fries from Chickie and Pete's (which, seriously, are delicious and I still have no regrets over this purchase) and flashing their hands in the Zoltan. What happened? The ride got rough, the tables were turned, and things got difficult. So, they left.
Our walk in faith can be like this, too.
We start out so excited in what can happen - as a new Christian, or someone off a spiritual high, this is an intense time. We can change the world, nothing bad can happen, being a Christian is the coolest thing in the world.
Enter persecution. Enter judgement. Enter a storm in our lives.
How quick we are to jump off of the faith wagon.
Things aren't supposed to get rough, we think. I'm a Christian, we're supposed to have it all together.
If that was the case, I would never, EVER be allowed to be a Christian. Who honestly can say they have it all together 100% of the time? No one, that's who. Everyone has something going on at some point.
Getting judged in your class for being the only Christian. Having your teacher or professor continually pick at you for your beliefs. Your coworkers tease you for being the goody two shoes. (What does that even mean? Anyway...)
Friends dropping you because you aren't the "fun guy" they used to know. Other girls spreading rumors about you because you don't act the way you used to. Persecution comes from all sides, in all shapes and forms. Who knows when it will strike next?
So here you are - fresh off of your spiritual high, thinking you can take on the world, when instead the world decides to change things up a bit. You're close to your breaking point - 2 outs, bottom of the 9th.
It's so easy to step back and say, "Hey. I didn't sign up for this. Being Christian is supposed to mean nothing bad happens." Wrong! It says in Matthew 5, commonly referred to as the Beatitudes that "blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." It's okay that we go through storms. In the end, we win.
It says this in 2 Timothy 3:12 -
"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
Every Christian will go through something that will make them want to throw in the towel. It's what happens. It's so tempting to leave, to jump off the wagon, to stop being a "fan" of faith and God and go back to what we were before:
People just waiting and searching for hope.
There's a great reason not to, though.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” John 15:18-20
Jesus was persecuted first. He was hated first. He went through storms first. For us. He faced every temptation, every storm, every battle that we ever have or could possibly think of. If He made it, why can't we?
Here's one more, and a fantastic reminder for when we just want to give up the ghost:
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” 2 Cor. 12:9 – 10
When I am weak, then I am strong.
Sadly, the Pirates tanked this season. They faced some pretty serious storms and couldn't quite make it to playoffs. Does this mean they're out forever and ever amen? No way. They're training. Resting up. Getting better for next season and learning from their mistakes (let's hope...) That's what we should do when we face a hard time in our own seasons of our lives. Rest up. Let God take over. Learn from our mistakes. And move on, better, and stronger, than before. When we are weak, then we are strong.
What about you? When times get rough, do you tap out? Let the situation or the person win? Take a step back and think. If this is you, take a minute to pray. Realize that God is there - He's not losing, He isn't ditching you, and being part of His "fan base" doesn't always mean things will always go your way. Things will get hard. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going. When we are weak, we are strong. - in HIM.
Buckle your seatbelts, ladies and gentlemen. This bandwagon isn't giving up. No fairweatherness.
Are you in?
-Kimber.
Perhaps one of the most controversial players in any professional sport right now is Tim Tebow, star quarterback of the Denver Broncos. For years Tebow has dominated headlines, starting in high school and continuing through college at the University of Florida, before becoming the 25th pick overall by the Denver Broncos. It's a pretty incredible story for a man that wasn't even supposed to be born, due to a medical issue when his mother was pregnant with him.
Lately, Tebow is making the headlines even more than he previously had, and this time it's not just because of his stellar performance on the field. While he has been exceptional, leading his team to victory more times than anyone expected, especially after Kyle Orton was released and it became clear who the Broncos were pinning their hopes on, there has been another part of Tebow's performance that critics are a bit skeptical about.
The latest craze to hit the nation is "Tebowing," where people mimic Tebow's action of kneeling down and praying on the field. Another craze is mimicking him by pointing to the sky whenever something good happens, where Tebow points to heaven as if thanking God for getting the first down, making the play, whatever.
Now, I'm not saying that I'm a sports writer. In fact, I'm far from it. I may be a girl, but at least I know some sports - mainly due to the fact that I have a 17-almost-18-year-old brother who thinks that sports make the world go round. Clearly I have some learning to do because I had to look some of this stuff up. I've seen tons of articles on Yahoo and Google, where other QBs in the league are firing harsh-sounding comments off about Tebow and his constant "church talk." In the world's eyes, once in a while is alright to thank God for what you have and what happened. But, every time? Plus pointing to the sky, and kneeling down to pray several times a game?
The other night I was reading my Bible when a few verses just seemed to jump off the page. I had read another article about Tebow earlier that day, where Kurt Warner was making a few statements towards the subject. He's a Christian too, and has thanked his Lord and Savior multiple times over the years for his time in the NFL. I guess I had Tebow on the brain, because when I read these verses, he was all I could think about:
"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." - Philippians 1:18.
"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." - Philippians 3:7.
"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." - Galatians 1:10.
See what I mean? These verses, in my opinion, represent everything that Tebow is about.
The first verse is self-explanatory. Tebow is thanking God for what he has, and is making sure that everyone knows that this isn't his own skill and prowess that let him make it to where he is today. I mean, the guy wrote "John 3:16" on his eyeblack in the 2009 BCS Championship game, and what happened? Nearly 92 MILLION PEOPLE searched for the verse on Google. That's incredible, I don't care who you are. It led to a rule in the NFL referred to as the "Tebow Rule," where players aren't allowed to wear the stuff and write messages. But really, who cares? The point is that for one small incident, one small game, 92 MILLION people heard the message of Christ summed up in one of the best verses in the Bible: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life." That is incredible.
This is God's plan for him, as of now. It may change someday, but that's for Him to tell Tebow, not our society. He doesn't care what people are saying - whatever he does, he's thanking God and making sure He gets the glory, not himself. That directly ties in to the verse from Galatians - it's not about Tim Tebow, star quarterback for the Denver Broncos. It's about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This leads to the other verse from Philippians - everything that Tebow has - the endorsements, the book deals, the star position on the team and all of the fame and fortune - are nothing. These things are garbage, nothing but roadblocks in his way to getting to heaven and partying hard with the Messiah for all eternity. It's a great perspective, and unfortunately, society would rather us forget about it.
I will be the first to say that I'm still not a complete Tim Tebow fan. I'm not one to get on the bandwagon supporting him, and I'll be honest and tell you I was rooting against him and his team in the Sugar Bowl in 2010. I admire him and will acknowledge that he has mad skills, but I'm still warming up to him as a player. Since he was drafted by the Broncos, I believed that he was over-hyped. I was waiting for him to walk the walk to go along with his talking the talk and, honestly, I'm not surprised that he has so far this season. I'm warming up to him, but after reading all of the articles, watching his performance, and realizing how he isn't taking the credit himself - I'm slowly getting there. Make room on the Tebow bandwagon, because I'm soon to join.
This leads to the first NR challenge in a long, long time (sorry about that.) Evaluate yourself - are you "Tebowing" enough in your daily life? Is kneeling down and praying, thanking God for your blessings and realizing that all you have is just a roadblock keeping you from giving it all to God and getting to heaven? If you said yes to any of these questions, take a breather, put yourself on the bench, and bow your head. Listen to what God has to say. What's He telling you?
Are you in?
-Kimber.
Recently, I found a blog from one of the Steelers' rookies. His name is Baron Batch, and he was just signed out of college this season. His blog has been funny, inspirational, and a good read. He is an amazing photographer and the photos he posts are always breathtaking. Today I got on here to check something and I saw he had updated, so I read it and it just blew my mind.
Baron has been dreaming of a rookie season in the NFL. Last week, that dream took a U-turn. He tore his ACL during Steelers training camp and is now out for the season. He's undergoing surgery today to repair it so he can stand on the sidelines and watch as everyone else on the team plays, living out the dream that he so desperately wanted. But is he letting this get to him?
See for yourself. Your NR challenge is to jump to his blog and read this post. Then ask yourself, am I riding with faith, or fleeing with doubt?
Baron's latest post - Diary 32
Are you in?
-Kimber.
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| What team are you on? |
In about two weeks, I'll be turning nineteen. While this isn't a significant birthday - other than the fact that it's my Golden Birthday, 19 on the 19th yeah! - it does have one unfortunate fact: I have officially lived another year of my life without seeing the Pirates have a successful season. I have lived my entire life without seeing the Pirates even somewhat near playoff contention, and I have grown accustomed to this. As a family, we normally go to a few Pirate games every season; it took me until I was 15 to see the Pirates actually win a game.
Now, don't get me wrong. I love the Buccos - yes, I may hate on them at times, but really what Pittsburgh-er doesn't? Even though they may not play the best at times, there's always hope for the next game.
Imagine the thrill, then, of this season...well, this season up to about 9 or 10 games ago. The Pirates were first place in their division and nearing playoff contention - unheard of! For a while I was convinced that it was all a joke. But they had something good going - they were working together as a team and finding the best way to make everything and everyone fit together. Of course, as I'm sure you're well aware, the Bucs are in something like a 10-game losing slump, putting them that many games behind first place. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.
If you think about it, there's someone who is an even bigger fan than the most dedicated Pirates fan. (Who, by the way, could easily be my youth pastor. Just saying.) As hard as it is to cheer for the Pirates, who seem to mess up sometimes and never get it right, imagine how hard it would be to cheer for us!
Consider this. We're human. God designed us this way. We are flawed, and never will be perfect - only Christ is and ever will be. So, naturally, we mess up a whole lot by ourselves anyway. That's already understood. Now, what about all the times that we mess up and we know it? Lying to our parents. Backstabbing a friend. Skipping out on personal time with God. Going farther with our boyfriend or girlfriend and knowing it. Stealing something from a store. Anything like this - it's a sin. Every time something like this happens, it's like another Pirates loss or failed play - just like the fans get upset, God gets upset - but to a much larger scale.
When the Pirates are losing big time, its easy to just give up and forget about them. Luckily, God doesn't do that for us. God is cheering for us to make it, to overcome the obstacles and learn from our mistakes so that, with His help, we can learn not to make the same bad choices over and over again.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9
This verse is telling us that if we just admit to God that we messed up, He will always wipe that sin away from our name - it's gone, like it never happened. And just like that, we're back in His good standings, .500 in the rankings, ready to move on. However, it's up to us - we can keep moving forward, winning our battles with His help and making the most of what He's given to us and go above and beyond the straight .500 we were at. Or, we can instead turn back to what we were doing, going on a losing slump and not realizing that we're even far worse off than before.
Your NR challenge for this post is this - figure out how your performance in the game of life is going. Are you heading toward the ultimate game, eternal life in heaven, or are you slowly making your way over to another team - Satan's team? The Bible says there isn't a neutral position in the Lord; every day you're making decisions that either make you more like Him or less like Him. It's up to you to decide what team you're playing for.
God's cheering for us to make it, and to make the right decisions. No matter our performance in life, whether we live for Him or for ourselves, God loves us. He's still cheering, still rooting that you'll come back to the Home Team. Can you hear Him?
They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. As a Pirates fan, I sometimes understand this quote better than other times. The boys can play the same way game after game, producing the same loss statistic and sliding down in the rankings. But, I never give up home that they can turn it around. Call it insanity if you will, but I call it hope, or determination. And I'm not the only one - God continually is hoping and praying for us to make the right choices, say and do the right things, all to glorify Him. And what is the consequence with our performance? Following the One who created us and then DIED for us, so one day we can gain eternal life with Him in heaven? Or living for ourselves for a short number of years, to only be granted with the most devastating result ever - an eternity in Hell, away from the One who loves us more than anything.
Who is the insane one now?
Are you in?
-Kimber.
I'm sure you all were on the edge of your seats waiting for my next post, right? Yeah, I thought so.
Well, what's new since I last posted? The semester has started with a flurry of snow, reading, and chaos; I've taken control of the high score list on our "Michael Jackson: The Experience" game for the Wii; and, oh yeah, my Steelers are headed to Dallas for complete NFL domination.
You knew that was coming, right?
The Steelers in the Super Bowl - who would have thought that at the beginning of the season? Roethlisberger was suspended (for reasons obviously everyone knows and I won't waste my time talking about), and the world thought that they couldn't do anything without him. And really, they had some reasoning behind it. Like him or hate him, Ben is a great athlete. He was most recently described as a "snow plow," because he's so big that it's nearly impossible to tackle him. With the possibility of him being out for 6 games, their season looked bleak.
They had other plans. The team went to a 3-1 start with their backup quarterbacks, and when Ben came back, it was all business. People looked down on them, and said that they weren't good enough. They wouldn't beat the Ravens to get the number one seed. But they did. After their bye week, they couldn't possibly beat the Ravens again to make it to the AFC Championship game. But they did. And after all that, there was no way they could beat fast talking Rex Ryan and his Jets.
You all know the story.
After the game, reporters crowded around Roethlisberger as he hid his head in a championship shirt, taking in the moment. He was overwhelmed at the situation - from the charges and hate and negativity of a few months earlier, to realizing he was on his way to his third Superbowl. The ultimate redemption story.
Except for one.
People were getting pretty shady - sinning all the time, not following God, doing all sorts of bad stuff. Everyone knew it, but they didn't care. They just kept on doing what they were doing. They figured the small amount of things they were doing "right" in their eyes would be enough. It wasn't going well for them, though. God knew that they were going to get in some serious trouble if action wasn't taken. The people weren't going to turn their ways around, and so He sent someone in to bail them out. He sent the only person that was right for the job - His son, Jesus.
Jesus went to Earth and started getting the misfits together - not the people you would expect to help redeem the entire world. But He chose them over others. In the end, Jesus gave His life for us so we would be free from sin - the ultimate redemption.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace." - Ephesians 1:7.
Here in Ephesians it tells us just that. It doesn't really get any simpler than that.
So here's your NR challenge for this crazy post (and I'm sorry it's so crazy; I'm completely exhausted from drama tonight and Blogger wouldn't let me on for the longest time!). Take the time to acknowledge the redemption given you from Jesus. It's something better than any other thing that could ever be given to you - your very own spiritual Superbowl ring.
Roethlisberger was in awe over something as trivial as a football game. Shouldn't we be in complete wonder over something as incredible as God's grace?
Are you in?
-Kimber.
