Take Notes!

We can learn a whole lot, from so little, from the small things, the things that we may not think twice about. Well take notes and pay attention, because its happening all around you, I promise.

Tonight’s blog doesn’t have a whole lot to do with a spiritual experience yet everything to do with one at the same time. Today I was talking to my mom on the phone and she informed me of something my brother did recently and it brought me to tears. Now before I even begin, know that this isn’t about me, my brother, or anything in-between, this is all to God’s credit, for his mercy and love for that I don’t deserve, that none of us deserve.
The background is this; high school football I started praying with some guys at the 30-yard line before football games. Why the 30, I don’t know, there wasn’t a real reason for that, but it was just a time, real quick, when guys who wanted to say a quick prayer could do so. Fast forward to today, the same things goes on at my high school and my little brother now gets to lead the same thing I did before football games. Awesome? No, awesome is an understatement! This is where the story picks up from what happened today.
I was texting my brother last Friday, as he was riding down to a football game that they were picked to lose, no one giving them much chance to be victorious. He shared with me a verse, out of random. 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” Our conversation followed like this:
Me: “So you have something to share before you pray tonight?” (at the game, on the 30)
Typically the prayer at the 30 was just a quick word of I love you guys, lets play hard, then we say the Lord’s prayer (football typical I know). So I thought he was going to share this verse.
My brother: “No, its my verse of the week”
Me: “Oh cool, like a devotional?”
My brother: “Kind of, at the beginning of each week I put a verse on my locker for guys to come by and look at if they want, just whatever God lays on me to put up”
Me: Wow! That’s awesome, I didn’t know you did that

The conversation went on but not too much more came of us talking about that, just me telling him I was proud of him and what a testament that is for Christ, in a 5A public school locker room with rough kids, most of which don’t know Jesus. I was blown away at the maturity of my 17 year old brother, and how much a man of God he is becoming every single day. The story gets better, that wasn’t what brought me to tears but this is.
Today my mom and I were talking on the phone before I went into YL and she asked me if I heard about what Davis did Friday night? I figured she was going to tell me about some play he made or something he did that was big in the game. NOPE! She said that before the game, when they got down to the 30, as they prepared to pray, waiting on Davis to start the prayer, he shouted at them, he shouted 2 Timothy 1:7 at 40 guys, with many others close by hearing him shout the words that were written to us. They won the football game 24-23.
Now I know my brother, and I know that he is a funny, fun loving, sarcastic kid. But I also know, or I thought I knew that he had a serious relationship with Christ. What I didn’t know, is that my brother would get in front of 40 guys on a knee, on a football field, with plenty of people watching and listening, and shout a verse that God put on his heart. That’s bold! That takes courage. Fitting that Sunday’s message at church this week was about Courage… coincidence? I don’t think so, rather an example from God a message He is trying to get to us. I heard the message on Sunday, and I was moved, it hit me hard that I don’t take enough courage in God to do things every day for His kingdom. But I got it tonight, I get it, I’m listening God, keep showing me your words. For me it took a story about someone I love more than words can imagine standing up and professing his faith through the words inside the Bible that beg us to be powerful for God’s name. It took a 17 year old high school student to get it to really settle in my head, to really weigh my heart, to really grab me and shake me to take courage and live a life for God no matter what the circumstance or my surroundings. So here’s the challenge, here’s my point. What is it going to take for you? What is it going to take for you to stop living lukewarm instead of being bold, being dangerous, being on edge, for Christ’s sake? It wont be the same for all of us, some will read my little story and thing, eh whatever, and that’s fine. But sooner or later, something will happen in your life, I promise you that, something will happen and the question will remain… What is it going to take for you to take Courage in Christ, and live the greatest life anyone has ever known?


Much love