Don’t Give Up

A few weeks ago, we were with our Livermore family so Ken and our son, Steve, could attend the NCAA regional basketball tournament. It was wonderful to have some special time with our grandsons, Jericho and Zekiah.

I helped out with both boys and managed to get Jericho to his baseball game by myself. Keeping a one year old happy during a two hour game was another story. (Chocolate works wonders for toddlers!) The umpire finally called the game for time in the middle of the fifth inning.

Jericho was more interested in In-N-Out than his team’s terrible defeat. I mentioned that Pops would be so excited to see him play on Saturday, and Jericho sounded excited.

Saturdays are donut days for the kids, and Jericho had his fair share. A leisurely morning for all of us before his 1:00 game was great. We really didn’t think about lunch except for the baby, and Jericho seemed fine anyways. We knew he’d be famished after he played and would rush to the snack bar for a late lunch. BUT, we weren’t aware that he was gorging goldfish crackers all morning. Donuts and goldfish don’t mix (along with nerves of having Pops come for the first time this season)!

The highly anticipated game began. Coach “dad” was at first base when someone came to me and said that Jericho felt sick to his stomach. Between the two sets of grandparents, we discussed how we should approach this, knowing we should just help him get through until dad got back to the dugout. Smart move. We gently talked to him, got him water and waited. Shew - dodged a bullet! Dad told him he needed to suck it up, drink more water, and not give up!

Do you ever feel like giving up? You’re nervous because someone is watching you. You’ve tried and you seem to never succeed. It’s much easier to just quit, claim failure and beat yourself up. The promotion, job search, parenting a teen - it all seems so futile! STOP! Don’t give up!

You are here on purpose for a purpose and God has a design and plan for your life. It doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 76. You have work to do!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

- Galatians 6:9

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

- Hebrews 3:13-14

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

- Philippians 1:6

It was a good life lesson for Jericho at age 9 to learn. You don’t give up! You press on! Fast forward! When the game ended, he was the only one to score two runs.

This past Saturday, he played again (and ate better before the game). Jericho pitched the bottom of the last inning, with his team up by one. He gave up a hit and two walks, but he struck out the last three batters, and his team won by a run. As he came off the field, the team chanted, “Jericho is our hero!”

I’m not suggesting that we will all be world heroes when we persevere, but on the other hand we may. When we take steps to get healthy - mentally, emotionally and physically, keeping our eyes on the goal ahead, not giving up, we are a hero to our family and to Jesus!

Pastor Pam

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