3 Points to Ponder
- “We all understand we can’t stop earthquakes, but we can design buildings to withstand an earthquake better. How are you designing your life to withstand an earthquake, if one does come your way?”
- “Everything that comes to you has passed from Heaven, through the King on the throne, down to you. How does that shift your perspective on the challenges of the day?”
- “Why? It is a legit question but also can be futile. We might not ever understand the whys in our life. On the flip side, we can understand how we react, how we think, and how we move forward in tough situations. Are you spending more time on the why or the reaction?”
2 Quotes to Share
“You must welcome change as the rule, but not as your ruler.” -Denis Waitley
“You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up but you don’t give up.” -Chuck Yeager
1 Story of Impact
On Friday afternoon, my world shifted. I’d just finished golfing at the Christian Opportunity Center (C.O.C.) fundraiser with my brother and my two nephews when my brother calls me over. He needs to talk to me about something… in private. He tells me that my 20-year-old niece, Summer, was diagnosed last night with lymphoma, cancer of the lymph nodes. My family is very close with Summer — we went to Haiti with her last May, she coached volleyball with my wife, and she transferred colleges this past school year and is now in our hometown. She is an extended daughter to our family and this news rocks me, my wife, and my kids. Instead of talking about her summer plans and next year’s triathlon competitions, we are talking about surgeries and treatments. It is surreal. What do you do when a moment happens that changes everything? Many reading this can relate and can remember the exact spot, surroundings, and conversations when everything changed. Your world shifted. We never know when these times come as they are as unpredictable as the weather. What we can understand is who we are and whose we are before the storm comes. Here is what I know about this situation: First, Summer is one of the most disciplined and toughest people I know. She has been an overcomer all her life. Second, she has built an awesome support team by the way she has lived life – from family, friends, teammates, and communities that love her. She will not walk this alone. And third, she knows whose she is. She is a Child of God and loved by the King of Heaven and Earth. Nothing can separate her from the love of Christ. Not even cancer. I’m so glad she doesn’t need to figure out those three things on the fly as they are solid foundations on which to stand and fight. What about you? If that phone call were to come today, how is your foundation? Could it survive a shift? What could you do this week to help build that foundation, even if things are great, for when a shift does occur?
