Tuesday, May 30, 2017

The Ultimate Sacrifice

This past Friday, firefighters from more than 100 departments participated in a processional in San Antonio that began at the Alamodome and ended at Community Bible Church. Fire trucks drove down Highway 281 as thousands gathered on the overpasses to wave flags, salute and quietly celebrate the life of Scott Deem. Scott was a firefighter who was killed battling a four-alarm blaze in San Antonio last week. Scott Deem sacrificed his own life trying to save others.

This Memorial Day, we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. So, often, we can 'celebrate' the day without more than a casual thought to the meaning of the day. It's hard to fathom 1.8 million that gave their life for America since 1775. One way we can thank them for their sacrifice is by remembering.

So many brave men and women have willingly laid down his or her life for a greater cause. How can we not stop and remember?

It's hard to fathom this type of sacrifice. This type of sacrifice seems so final. If only Scott could have seen the amazing tribute and lived to see his third child born. If only those fallen soldiers knew that they were the real heroes. They will never know the ultimate sacrifice they gave. How does one give up everything for those they don't even know?

Perhaps, remembering our heroes today can inspire us embrace a life of sacrifice. The example that comes to mind immediately is Jesus Christ's sacrifice. God sent his Son to the earth in the form of a human and allowed his son to be the sacrificed on the cross for our sins. I can't imagine Jesus' walk to the cross and the pain He suffered to pay the sacrifice for our sins.

How then shall you and I live? We call our soldiers and public servants brave men and women. Will we willingly step out of our comfort zone to serve our fellow man? Will we serve one another in love, free from hatred, judgement and ill-will? Will we graciously put others first above ourselves? Our natural instinct is to serve ourselves. Whom will you serve?

"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." Galations 5:13

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Monday, May 22, 2017

Lessons from a Concentration Camp

I’ll never forget Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland. A group of us were in Poland on a ministry trip and wanted to make sure we toured this concentration camp. Even the weather that day had a cold and cruel feel to it. As we walked below the infamous sign “Arbeit macht frei”, my emotions must have frozen in time. I couldn’t fathom the atrocities I saw and heard about that day. I wanted to cry a thousand tears, but I couldn’t. As we finished the tour, we left in silence. I’m not sure how long it was before I uttered a word.

Over the years, I’ve heard amazing stories of how people risked their lives by hiding Jews from the Nazis. One such family was the Ten Boom family who were owners of a family watch and repair business. Casper, the elderly father, lived with his unmarried daughters Corrie and Betsie. The family had strong Christian beliefs and felt obligated to help their Jewish friends in every way possible. Eventually, the watch shop was raided and the entire family arrested along their employees.

Both Corrie and Betsie were shipped by train to Germany and imprisoned at Ravensbruck, another concentration camp. It was there that the sisters used a hidden Bible to teach their fellow prisoners about Jesus. These two women chose to give hope to others even as they were surrounded by hatred and misery. (For a great read, check out: The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom)

Corrie Ten Boom endured such evil, even seeing her family die in an awful concentration camp. Years later, after her release, she tells the story of coming in contact with one of the most brutal prison guards and extending forgiveness to him.

Though we will never walk Ten Boom’s journey, we will go through our own trials and hardships that will shake us to the core. I’m challenged by how she lived her faith and asked myself these very questions:

1. Do I live, breath and practice forgiveness to those who have wronged me? Do I seek restoration of broken relationships? Do I inwardly judge people who whom are different than me or choose to freely love?

2. Do I believe God can walk with me through ANYTHING? Do I play it safe, seeking to control, or freely take risks, giving God control?

3. Do I freely share my spiritual journey with others? (There were times when Corrie struggled to pray and couldn’t pray. It was during those times she relied on her sister, who even prayed for the German soldiers!)  Don’t go it alone! Ask for prayer!

4. How do I let worry paralyze me?

Take time to prayerfully consider these questions for yourself. May God use Corrie Ten Boom's life to challenge you to live boldly, with God at your side!

“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:114

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” Corrie Ten Boom

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” Corrie Ten Boom

“There are no ‘if’s’ in God’s world. And no places that are safer than other places. The center of His will is our only safety- let us pray that we may always know it.” Corrie Ten Boom

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Power of Team

Very few gave the San Antonio Spurs much of a chance in Game 6 with the Houston Rockets. Not only was Tony Parker out, but now Kawhi Leonard! How could the Spurs possibly win without their two important players?

Of course, the Spurs did win that game, 114-75 and now one game into the Western Conference Finals with Golden State. Most experts counted the Spurs out. The Spurs, however, didn’t chose to play the “why us?” card. Instead, they chose to play. As Pau Gasol said “We’ve been blessed. But it’s the game. Whoever goes down, guys are ready to step up." (SA Express News, May 12)

How can we learn from the Spurs about the power of team?  Take an honest inventory of your own skills as a teammate:

Team Work- Outstanding individual play means little unless the team performs well as a whole. Your skills are important, but attitude is even more important! Do you work selflessly for your team? Do you speak well of other team members? Do you serve with humility? Do you promote unity or stir disunity? How would other teammates view you? Do you pray for fellow team members?

Take Initiative- Do you look for ways to step up and fill a gap? Do you have a sense of responsibility for the whole team and its success? Do you address the elephants in the room? How much initiative will you demonstrate on your team?

Reliability- Can others rely and depend on you? Do you do what you say? Do you keep your commitments and give your best in each situation? Can others trust you in all matters?

Enthusiasm- I can only imagine the Spurs could have been discouraged when Leonard went down as well. It’s so easy to lose sight of our goal when things don’t go our way. Yet, encouragement is contagious! When we encourage others, despite the difficulties, we can rise above some of the most dismal circumstances. When you encourage, you get your mind off your self and build confidence into others!

Self Control- How do you handle the difficulties facing your team? How do you monitor what you say and what you don’t say? Your tongue has an affect on your team whether you know it or not. Do you honor others with your words and actions?

Pick one of the skills above that you need to grow in. Focus on ways to grow in this area. Invite God to help you become a better teammate. Please join me in prayer.....

Dear Father in Heaven, Thank you for the benefit of TEAM. Help me to grow in the area of ______. Teach me how to serve selflessly and love deeply those I serve with. Help me to take action that will not only grow myself, but my entire team. Give me wisdom beyond my years to make right choices. Grow my character each day to display the very attitude and actions of Christ. Lord, how I need your help to be the best teammate I can be! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Monday, May 8, 2017

God In A Box

I just don’t get God.  I actually sometimes forget that He is God and I am not. I can so easily attempt to take over His role, wanting to pack my life into a neatly wrapped box. Got my schedule for the week? Check. Errands done? Check. Workouts in? Check. Things can go south when things don’t go as planned, can’t they? There is no room for injuries, interruptions, chaos, relational strife, delayed flights, etc.

Life has a way of doing that, doesn’t it? As much as we want life to be under our control and fit nicely into a neat box, it doesn’t. I bet Tony Parker, of the San Antonio Spurs, felt that way this week. With another playoff run in motion, Parker certainly wouldn’t have thought that one step toward a basket would cause such a grave injury.

This past week, I was listening to a song by Natalie Grant “King of the World.” Check out these words….
I tried to fit you in the walls inside my mind
I try to keep you safely in between the lines
I try to put you in the box that I’ve designed
I try to pull you down so we are eye to eye
When did I forget that you’ve always been the king of the world?
I try to take life back right out of the hands of the king of the world
How could I make you so small
When you’re the one who holds it all
When did I forget that you’ve always been the king of the world….

How do you try to fit God into the walls inside your mind? How do you keep Him safely in between the lines? How do you put him in the box you’ve designed? How do you pull Him down so that you are eye to eye? Maybe, just maybe, it’s safer to treat God like this. Friend, you miss out on the enormity of the King of the World!

There is no direction you can go that can escape His presence or His love. You can try to put limits on God, based on what you believe or don’t believe, but God will burst through your limits. You can even suggest that you’re a pretty good person, making a pretty good difference in this world. In God’s eyes, He’s more interested in your heart. Yes, your heart.

When did you forget that He’s always been the king of the world?

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Monday, May 1, 2017

It's Not About Me

With beautiful spring weather, the NBA playoffs and Fiesta, this time of year can be a blast here in San Antonio! My eyes have been glued on the NBA playoffs and just happy to see our San Antonio Spurs peel away from the Memphis Grizzlies this past week. Ready for Houston!

Maybe you heard a recent reporter alerting Kawhi Leonard that the TNT's studio crew of Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley dubbed him the world's second best player. (behind LeBron James) Leonard answered: "I didn't hear (them say that), but it doesn't matter, I'm trying to be the best team in the world right now. It's not about me, it's about the Spurs. And that's all I wanna do."

Kawhi Leonard has greater wisdom than most at his age! He gets it. It's not about him. It's about his team, the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard's humility is so refreshing. Wouldn't we all benefit from more of his mindset?

We've demanded our way and longed to be first since infancy. Isn't selfishness just a normal part of life?  The self-ward focus finds its way into sibling rivalry, high schools, college campuses, sports, entertainment, businesses, families and even retirement.  Why can't I have what I want? Why did I get overlooked? Why didn't I get promoted? Why don't they ask my opinion? Why shouldn't I try to make a name for myself? Why can't I do what I want to do?

We've been told in life to "look out for number one." Maybe we've forgotten who the real number one is? God and God alone. When we move from me-focused to God-focused, our mindset changes.  For me, if I miss having time with God or reading the Bible, I can quickly move into my "me-mindset." I do life in my way and in my strength. But, when I spend time with God, meditate on His word, things change. I remember the great words found in John 3:30 " He must increase, but I must decrease." Things don't change overnight, but I'm finding that God gets bigger in my life as I get smaller.

I'm not the center of the universe. My way is not the only way. God doesn't exist just to make me happy. The world doesn't revolve around me. I'm not always right.  It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about God.

"God does not exist to make much of us. We exist to make much of him." John Piper.

"Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am well content with my weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.