TO BE PICKLED OR NOT PICKLED, THAT IS THE CHOICE

PERSEVERE

PERSISTENCE

ONE BY ONE I WILL LEAD YOU

Each of the above phrases have occupied my mind at different times while playing pickleball. The phrase helped me to focus and play strong in pickleball but a message came through that pertained to real life circumtances. 

I am down 4-9 in a match and hear, "I can lead you take it one point at a time." I pictured the Israelites watching the red sea part and then they carefully the Israelites were led through to the other side.

My life and incidents seem hard and almost impossible. I hear this word on the court and take it home. It is a message for life, "I WILL LEAD YOU." When I focused just on those words and played I came back to win in the match. STAY FOCUSED ON HIS WORDS. Isn't that just like life?

When I kept doing that and lost but it was so close, it was not a defeat it was a growing and stretching point. NOTHING WAS LOST.

It was freedom!

I began saying to my partner another occasion, "Wow, you are being so persistent." It gave them courage and hope and we won. It was ENCOURAGING, a focus!

The same with perseverance. I would hear, "Persevere!" Any time I got focused on my opponents or even upset a line judgement call against me (that I thought was wrong) my focus would shift and I would begin to loose points. Saying, Persevere brought me to the win or a very close game. I either lost because I would let there actions take my eyes off the word or I would hear, it is producing!

Producing

Something is always in motion with God and it is producing and ultimately bringing glory to God. 

It is always about us! Me and God. God produces and it is a personal relationship to help me to lean on Him and not others for everyday living.

Life is not about what I will accomplish but what I will let Him work through me. Then there is true 

SATISFACTION

Accomplishing and being free in Christ is peace. TRUE PEACE! 

Deep down in our heart we can learn and know this with God. 

Everything is about Him.

Being reunited with Him is the hope. Everything else is false hope, a false notion that is where true happiness lies.

It does not lie in myself and what I do. It's what I grow with Him. Learning more about him. Knowing Him deeper, takes me away from expectations of others and a world view.

The deeper we know Him the more we can let Him work and not let the circumstances take over.

Prayer:

Lord thank you for helping lately with so much of your wisdom, strength and power. I truly see you helping me and guiding me that it brings me such inner joy. I worship you alone! Amen.

In case you don't know being pickled means you loose the game without get any points!

0-10 eeek!