Clearing the Road for Redemption

My First paragraph with bold text.

Day 14  Clearing the Road for Redemption 

Luke 3:4-6, CEB  A voice crying out in the wilderness:     “Prepare the way for the Lord;    make his paths straight.  5 Every valley will be filled,    and every mountain and hill will be leveled.  The crooked will be made straight    and the rough places made smooth.  6 All humanity will see God’s salvation.” 

   I married a sports fanatic. I was not a sports girl. I was a dance girl. I sang in the choir. I was 6’ by my sophomore year of high school and would not even consider playing basketball.  

When we had our 1st son, my husband placed a basketball under his crib to “give him the drive for basketball.” He was coaching my boys in sports at 4 years old. That’s when I discovered that I was competitive. Combine that with my protective momma bear instincts and I had a recipe for disaster. Learning to stay in my seat, don’t yell at the refs, and “It’s only a game,” took some time (and a few apologies.) 

When I read the words of Isaiah the prophet, I’m reminded of those hectic years of racing to practice, juggling schedules and, most importantly, learning to take a breath. The crooked parts of my life – pride, competitiveness, frustration – were made straight by taking time to pause and pray for strength and humility, which I literally did before each game.  

Over time, the "mountains" of pride and "valleys" of frustration were leveled out by God's presence and strength given to me. I found great joy in the friendships formed with team parents and rejoiced in those connections.  

Reflect: With the season of Advent approaching, how will you find peace in the pressure to compete for best gifts, best decorations, best family pictures, etc.? How will you faithfully wait for our Savior’s birth? 

   Pray: Lord, I humbly ask for strength to release myself from pride and the frustrations of the day. When I stumble, grant me the wisdom to replace anger with grace and start again. Amen. 

  Sharon Boswell  Director of Communications & Office Administration