Week 50: OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

My oldest son has always loved the New Orleans Saints and their quarterback Drew Brees.  My dad has taken him to a game in the Superdome and he has a life size pinup on his bedroom wall of Drew.  I, on the other hand, am not at all a professional football follower.  I can’t quote the stats of players or tell you which teams play in which conference.  But something drew me to Drew Brees’ book Coming Back Stronger a few months ago.  It chronicles his story of setbacks and hard times leading up to the Saints triumphant victory in Superbowl XLIV at the end of the 2009 season.  After a career-altering injury, Drew was given the opportunity to play for New Orleans immediately after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.  He describes the team as a bunch of misfits at the time, rejects in the eyes of most teams.  But they had one thing in common – a desire to show up and prove something.  And for the community of New Orleans, to bring back hope.

I don’t know where you are in life.  You may be facing dark times.  The holidays can magnify feelings of depression and loneliness.  I am not trying to be trite, but simply offer the closing words of Drew Brees who, though he wrote these at the pinnacle of a lifetime achievement, had himself just gone through a dark valley at the tragic death of his mother:

“…don’t forget that adversity is not your enemy.  It can unleash a power in your life that will make you stronger and help you achieve amazing things, things you may never thought were possible until now.”

The apostle Paul puts it this way:

“But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!”         Romans 5:3-5

May the Lord give you grace to press in to Him this holiday season.  Would you let us know of any specific prayer requests you may have so we can partner with you?