Grand Slam Perseverance, Part I

“One night Joseph had a dream and promptly reported the details to his brothers, causing them to hate him even more.  “Listen to this dream,” he announced.  “We were out in the field tying up bundles of grain.  My bundle stood up, and then your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before it!”  “So you are going to be our king, are you?” his brothers taunted.  And they hated him all the more for his dream and what he had said.  (Gen. 37: 5-8, NLT.)

When Joseph shared another similar dream with his family, his brothers’ hatred and jealousy intensified. This was one of many trials for Joseph, giving us an example of what it means to persevere. In the following story, a boy named Nate plays on a baseball team and begins to learn what it means to persevere.

Making It Personal  “Come on Nate! You can do it!” Nate could hear his coaches in the distance.  The bases were loaded and the pressure was on.  He couldn’t believe the opportunity that lay ahead of him.  Was he dreaming or was this for real?  But Nate could feel the bat in his hands… He took a few practice swings and eagerly waited in the batters box.  After what seemed like an eternity, the ball hurled toward him.  He swung hard but whiffed.  Did he hear clapping in the stands? “You can do it Nate!” He looked over at a man with a very familiar voice.  Then another pitch, and another miss.  More applause from the familiar voice.  “So undeserved!” he muttered.  One more chance… “This is one of our last games, we’ve got to win this!” he resolved.  Everyone waited on him, staring…  The pitcher glared in and checked the signs.  Another “Bring ‘em home Nate!” There’s that voice again…  Finally, the glaring pitcher went into his windup.  His delivery seemed slow-motion.  With eyes set on the ball, Nate focused.  Time stopped and the whole world waited on him.  What happened to the ball, that spherical object of his obsession?  He swung hard and felt a nick, but it wasn’t enough…

Crushed, he tried to drown out his rival’s cheers. Nate looked away to hide his humiliation only to see that man…“Why is he walking toward me?” he groaned. Sweaty and just plain fed up, he was not in the mood to talk with anyone. The “fan” he didn’t think he deserved walked up to him with arms open wide. Somehow everything became calm and still. The soothing voice promised, “There’s another game tomorrow, and I will be there…” A loud siren broke the stillness, and Nate stole a quick glance toward the street nearby. When he turned back, the man had disappeared.

Come back next time and find out if Nate’s team wins their last crucial game, and what this “man” did when Nate had an important decision to make…

 

Jennifer loves kids galore, & helping them reach their potential more.
Privileged to have taught in the past, she’s homeschooling her boys & having a blast (most days.)
She loves being married & living in the country, with an occasional 4-legged creature sighting.
She also enjoys running & photography – but especially the fun of rhyming her writing.
She and her husband Neil have two sons and live in Central Michigan.