Written by TWFYT
Wednesday July 9
"Encourage each other and build each other up." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
In the 1996 Olympics, gymnast Kerri Strug had the weight of winning the gold medal for her team on her shoulders. All she had to do was make a successful jump and the United States would win the gold. But when she performed her first jump, she sprained her ankle and could hardly walk. She fell and did not obtain the score she needed to win. Sitting on the mat with tears streaming down her face, she cried for two reasons. First, she was in pain. Second, she could see no way to make up the score she needed to win. But she had another jump! She felt like quitting, but her coach, standing on the sidelines, said, "You can do it, Kerri!" Limping as she tried to prepare for a vault, she found it difficult to move. After the jump, she explained to an interviewer that all she could do to persist was to keep her eyes on her coach. He kept her from focusing on the pain in her ankle. She was hurting--she was crying--but her coach believed in her. And she found strength from his encouragement that she herself didn't have. even with the limp, she took off running and did the jump. She had to nail the landing in order to win. She had to try to do this with one good ankle and one injured ankle. And she did it! With her coach's encouragement holding her up, she did the impossible. She earned a high enough score for the US team to win the gold. Your encouragement--it can make the difference.
Wednesday July 9
"Encourage each other and build each other up." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
In the 1996 Olympics, gymnast Kerri Strug had the weight of winning the gold medal for her team on her shoulders. All she had to do was make a successful jump and the United States would win the gold. But when she performed her first jump, she sprained her ankle and could hardly walk. She fell and did not obtain the score she needed to win. Sitting on the mat with tears streaming down her face, she cried for two reasons. First, she was in pain. Second, she could see no way to make up the score she needed to win. But she had another jump! She felt like quitting, but her coach, standing on the sidelines, said, "You can do it, Kerri!" Limping as she tried to prepare for a vault, she found it difficult to move. After the jump, she explained to an interviewer that all she could do to persist was to keep her eyes on her coach. He kept her from focusing on the pain in her ankle. She was hurting--she was crying--but her coach believed in her. And she found strength from his encouragement that she herself didn't have. even with the limp, she took off running and did the jump. She had to nail the landing in order to win. She had to try to do this with one good ankle and one injured ankle. And she did it! With her coach's encouragement holding her up, she did the impossible. She earned a high enough score for the US team to win the gold. Your encouragement--it can make the difference.
Posted in Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2026
January
MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITYBIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)BIBLE READING; THEY KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3)LIVING IN THE PROMISED LANDWHEN YOUR MATE STRUGGLES WITH INSECURITYKEEP PERSEVERING AND REFUSE TO QUITSHOW YOUR APPRECIATIONCOUNT YOUR BLESSINGSTHE "DOWNSIDE" OF IMMORALITYHAVE YOU BEEN WRONGED? FORGIVE"KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S PRESENCEA PRAYER FOR GOD-CONFIDENCELIVE FROM "GLORY TO GLORY"ABOUNDING GRACEPREVAILING PRAYERTHE FIRST BEATITUDETHE SECOND BEATITUDETHE THIRD BEATITUDETHE FOURTH BEATITUDETHE FIFTH BEATITUDE
2025
January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENTFIND PRAYER PARTNERSKEEP PRAYING AND BELIEVINGREFUSE TO WEAR THE LABELJESUS IS THE ANSWERSHAKE IT OFF, AND MOVE FORWARDWHEN OTHERS "DON'T GET IT"RIGHTEOUSNSS IS A GIFT, NOT A REWARD
March
HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE?DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (1)DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (2)KNOW WHEN TO LET GOPUT AWAY THE MEASURING STICKCONNECT, COMMIT, COMMUNICATEUSE YOUR IMAGINATIONCONSULT GOD ON YOUR DAILY TO-DO LISTBEARING SPIRITUAL FRUITHOW GOD SEES YOUBORN TO BELIEVE (1)BORN TO BELIEVE (2)ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULPUT GOD BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE FOE"FORGIVE THEM" AND DELETE ITBE TRUE TO THE SCRIPTURESTHE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (1)THE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (2)IF YOU'RE A LEADER, READ THISPRAYER AND YOUR RASLEARN TO SAY NOYOU CAN LEARN TO LOVEALWAYS AGREE WITH GOD'S WORD