Forgiveness

It’s hard to forgive people that hurt you, isn’t it? This week, Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer, who sung her way into the top 10 of American Idol, died. So many are mourning her loss by recalling her life, her music, and her American Idol journey. Part of that journey was Mandisa standing up to Simon Cowell, who had a reputation of being intimidating.

So, what did Simon Cowell do that was hurtful? He had made a cruel joke about her weight. After her “Idol” audition, Cowell made a comment ‘about needing a bigger stage.’ She later confronted him by saying, “A lot of people want me to say a lot of things to you. What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me, and I cried, and it was painful. It really was. But I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you and that you don’t need someone to apologize to forgive somebody. I’ve been forgiven so much. And that if Jesus could forgive me for all my wrongs, I could extend the same grace." Cowell apologized and was humbled and gave Mandisa a big hug.

Wow, just wow! I loved Mandisa's courage, her strengh and her ability to articulate her forgiveness to Cowell. Perhaps it's amazing because we just don't see it enough. Take a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5KQwCsWYgI 

Forgiveness is hard. I think you know when you haven’t forgiven someone. You think about that person in a negative way. They occupy way too much space in your mind. You’re in a mental jail. You remember exactly what they did to hurt you and you recall it often. And it doesn’t seem to go away. That’s unforgiveness.

Yet, Jesus’ teachings tells us that forgiveness is the core of the Christian faith. Matthew 11:25 says “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” It’s because of God sending Jesus to die as the final sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins, that we too, can forgive and show grace to others. Colossians 3:13 says “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

When Cowell said those hurtful comments to Mandisa, that hurt Mandisa to the core. Any of us would be hurt by that. And when we are hurt by others, it triggers hurt in our hearts. It’s easy to turn that hurt to bitterness unless we deal with it. And deal with it we must unless we want to hold on to unforgiveness.

This past weekend, my husband served inside a prison. There are many there who will be there for life. There crimes were so vile and heinous to warrant a return to the outside. However, with Jesus, there is no exceptions as to who can receive forgiveness. If those inmates trust in Jesus and receive His forgiveness, they too, are free, even though in prison.

Has it been hard for you to forgive? I pray that you and I will be free to forgive as Jesus has forgiven us. Could we be men and women who don’t seek to revenge, but instead release our desire to be bitter and extend grace to others?

One of my favorites by Mandisa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8VoUYtx0kw

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

When I Consider...

Today is a day to stand in full of awe. We will see a total eclipse. I don’t think anything can prepare us for what we are about to see, the moon fully blocking the sun. We will watch around us go from day to night. Every one of us watching the total eclipse are a spectator. There was nothing we did to make this phenomenon happen. Our job is to simply behold.

Only God can put together a total eclipse. In your preparations for this day, did you consider God’s part in this day? As we gaze on what will place, would You draw your attention in awe to the One who created the eclipse?

Consider this verse: ‘When I consider your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"  (Psalm 8:3-4)

We can consider and place our focus on a lot of things. Many of those things aren't productive, helpful, or even positive. Consider means “to think carefully about (something), to contemplate; reflect on.”  In Psalm 8, David knew the value of simply considering the glory of God’s creation. He knew what it was like to look up into the starry sky and consider what a great God had made this vast, wonderful universe. (Enduring Word, Psalm 8, The Glory of God in Creation)

When we consider the heavens, it makes us see the greatness of God! When we consider the total eclipse, it makes us see the greatness of God! When we consider the greatness of the heavens, it makes us see the insignificance of our humanness. Even David, in Psalm 8, wondered how such an awesome, great God would be so mindful of such small beings.

David was confident that God not only thought about human beings but had a personal connection with them. He realized that God thinks about us and acts in our lives. He’s a very personal God and longs for a relationship with us. 

I believe God is happy for us human beings to actually see a total solar eclipse. I think He wants us to look at His beauty and consider Him. These things reflect the character and glory of God and call for us to find joy in the God who enjoys his handiwork.

Pay attention to what’s happening today. God created this world, sustains it and rules over it. He alone is worthy of our worship!

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19: 1-6

How Great is our God!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV4nOVmWW2A

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

What is Real?

I love April Fools Day. I just love pulling off scandalous pranks when the receiver is least expecting it. Early on in our marriage, I told my husband that I found this beautiful Labrador on the street and brought him home while he was at work. He couldn’t believe I would do such a thing without asking! It wasn’t until he got home with a sour face that he heard “April Fools!”

The custom of setting aside a day for playing harmless pranks on others has been a common practice for centuries. As fun as it is coming up with April Fool’s jokes, we know they are not true in the end.

We just celebrated Easter, something very true that changed everything. Jesus rose again from the dead and defeated death. Jesus came to this earth for 33 years, lived a perfect life, went to the cross, and rose again from the dead three days later. That is no April Fools.

I can’t imagine what it would have been like to have walked through this horrific time with Jesus. He was mocked repeatedly, slapped, and punched as an imposter. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns for him to wear. The soldiers repeatedly struck Jesus on the head with a staff and spit on him. He is flogged, condemned to death, and led to the place of the crucifixion, carrying his cross. Jesus never fought back, although He had the power to do so.

Jesus offers you the ultimate hope. Real hope. No April Fools. Because three days after He was crucified and buried, He was raised from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) Jesus went through the worst possible suffering to pay the price of your sin and mine on the cross. When we receive Jesus by faith, we receive eternal life, both now and forever. 

We live in a world where we can never quite trust what’s real. It’s like we live in an April Fools world. We don’t know who to believe. What is real hope? Can we place our hope in politics? Our relationships? Our possessions? Our health? Our success? Our careers? Our finances?  All things we can hope for, but our ultimate hope remains in eternity where Jesus reigns forever.

C. S. Lewis once wrote, “If we find a desire within ourselves that cannot be satisfied by anything in this world, it is likely that we were made for another world.” Unlike the April Fools and the hopes of this world, we can place our hope in Jesus, a living hope, who conquered the grave.

Easter changed everything! Jesus is alive!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:3-4

We have much to celebrate! This song makes me so happy! God’s Not Dead! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_OTz-lpDjw

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

Bracket Buster

My bracket was busted in less than a day in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. My bracket is put together on a wing, with no prayer, and a little knowledge about college basketball. I know the names of a few good teams. But that’s it. I didn’t count on shockers like Oakland defeating three-seeded Kentucky.

Some interesting facts: I read from Forbes that over 22 million March Madness bracket submissions were busted on ESPN’s platform last Thursday. I’m in good company. Then, I also heard on our local radio station that the odds of a perfect 63-game bracket can be as high as 1 in 9.2 quintillion. Well, there you have it. No perfect bracket.

Just as I have no perfect bracket, I have no perfect life. I have sinned. I sin daily. I will keep on sinning as much as I try not to. Sin is my reality. Sin is your reality. I am not nor will I ever be perfect.

I think deep down we all know we’re not perfect. It’s so easy to hide our cracks, mistakes, and goof-ups, hoping no one sees them. We have a natural proclivity to hide our sins. Yet, we can’t hide from God. The big problem with humankind is found in Romans 3:12 “No one does good, not even one.” None of us are good enough for God because His standard is perfection.

Because God loved us so much, He had a solution for this. God came to the rescue by sending Jesus to the earth in human flesh. Authorities in his time plotted to kill him. He was arrested, falsely accused, and condemned to death on a cross. He was mocked, rejected, betrayed, and left on a cross to die.  

Jesus became the willing substitute for our sins. He hung on the cross for three days and before He died, declared “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Jesus knew and said He would be killed and on the third day He would rise again. This next Sunday, we celebrate what happened on that first Easter: Jesus’ resurrection!

God does expect you and me to be perfect. But because there’s no possible way for us to be perfect, He sent Jesus. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, He sees believers as perfect. (Hebrews 10:14) If we know Jesus, he has imputed his holiness to each child of God. He has left us with His Holy Spirit to work within us to bring Him glory.

I pray that You comprehend the beauty of the Easter message and celebrate well because there is much to celebrate.

‘For by one sacrifice, he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14

This week: As you begin Holy Week, take time to read the passages of the Easter story in the Gospels: Matthew 26-28, Mark 15-16, Luke 22-24, and John 17-20.  May God use these passages to help prepare your heart for Good Friday and ultimately, Easter.

Take a moment to listen to this beautiful song by Andrew Peterson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIahc83Kvp4 

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

The Transformation of Peter

In our day, Peter in the Bible would be considered a red-necked Bass fisherman. Do you go to Bass Pro Shop for spiritual counsel and guidance? I doubt it. But perhaps my husband does because he loves to fish. Would anyone trust a fisherman to know anything about spiritual matters?

Peter’s original name was Simon and he was one of Jesus’s twelve disciples. While fishing with his brother Andrew, Jesus called him, and the brothers followed. He was with Jesus until he went to his death. He was impulsive, ambitious, bold, passionate, inconsistent, and zealous as a leader. He had an eagerness that was beautiful but often landed him in trouble as Jesus tried to redirect him.  He quickly committed to something without understanding whether he could follow through. He often spoke before thinking and even tried to tell Jesus what to do! Peter was Peter, a red-necked Bass fisherman turned disciple.

And we can’t forget Peter denying Jesus. (John 18:15-18, 25-27) After Jesus was arrested, Peter initially denied him two times. He didn’t bat an eye in denying Jesus.  but after the third denial, he heard the rooster crow and remembered Jesus predicting this would happen as Jesus looked at him. Peter sobbed in sorrow! Yet now we see that Peter’s failure was not final.

We find it so easy to judge people for just about anything! Just as Peter had plenty of character traits that could cause people to be judgy towards him, so do you and I. As much as we’d like to say, “How in the world could Peter deny Jesus, not one or two, but THREE times?” we too, could commit so many sins against Jesus. We're often too busy judging others.

Do we look at people with the love of Jesus and believe in them? Do we believe that people can change?

Peter changed over time. The reality is that we all have made mistakes. Not one of us is perfect. We’ve all sinned. Time with Jesus will transform us and that’s what happened with Peter. We see in Acts 4:13 a different Peter “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

When Jesus called Peter initially, his name was Simon. Yet, Jesus changed His name to Peter, which means rock. (John 1:42) “For three years, Jesus called him ‘Rock’” At the time Peter was NOT like a rock! Jesus saw what Peter could be and transformed Peter into that.

Greg Laurie writes “We see a Simon. God sees a Peter. We see the past. God sees the future. We see a mess. God sees a message. God sees us for who we are in Christ, not what we were in sin. God does not see us in our sins; He sees us in His Son.  God can change everything in your story- if you’ll let Him.”

Take a listen: Graves into Gardens (Elevation worship) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF-2CQjC7PM

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Santonio.

Everybody's Going Through Something

Everybody’s going through something. What I find sad is that we often hide what we’re going through because there’s an unwritten rule we must appear together.  We laugh it off. We try to minimize. We don’t want others to know our weaknesses.

I was just with a group of women this past week and I believe almost everyone in the group was going through something hard. It was sweet because as we opened up and shared our struggles, we allowed others in with them. We took time to pray together and give our burdens to God. 

Everybody’s going through something. We don’t need to go through it alone. We need our God to walk with us and a few trusted people as well.

Beth Moore tweeted recently “I don’t say these words tritely but with much thought over recent years. The best counsel I have for any of us walking through something we basically feel we cannot bear is to walk through it with the Lord. I mean really. Deliberately. Daily. Let his inaudible voice whisper to your spirit, come with me and I’ll walk with you through it."

Beth goes on to write “I’m telling you the truth here. How have I made it and how am I making it and how will I make it? And I will! Despite anything and everything, I surely will. I have one answer and only one and it is the truest thing to which I could ever testify: THE LORD.”

What’s your something? Loneliness. Betrayal. Marital or relational strife. Job issues. Fear. PTSD. Confusion. Lack of peaceful sleep. Suicidal thoughts. Heavy grief. Depression. A child who is struggling. Anxiety. Growing older. Medical issues. Crazy thinking. The suffering of someone you love. 

Whether we’ve just gone through something, we’re going through something now or we’re about to go through something, there is always SOMETHING. And it’s important what we do with our “somethings.”

We can turn to all sorts of things to deal with our somethings. The latest cool podcast. A drink or two or three. Some kind of habit or addiction. Hide from them. Reading the latest self-help book. Scroll through Facebook or Twitter to take your mind off it. And to be honest, many people just try to live with their somethings.

I believe Beth Moore’s words hit true for me. Jesus has walked with me through my somethings. I can't imagine life without Him! I find Matthew 11:28-30  (The Message) truly is what I do to get me through. It says: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” I run to Jesus just as this verse speaks about. Jesus’ presence has sustained through through some of the darkest of days.

So, when you wonder how you're going to get through your something, I invite you to consider Jesus in your life. He longs to have a personal relationship with You. Whatever you’re walking through, it may be incredibly hard, but going through it with Jesus is way better.

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

Greater

This morning, Ben and I were up super early for our spin class at the YMCA. Good music makes for good spinning. When I feel the music, I get into it. This morning was no exception. The song “Greater” by Mercy Me came on:

Bring your tired
And bring your shame
Bring your guilt
And bring your pain
Don’t you know that’s not your name
You will always be much more to me

Every day I wrestle with the voices
That keep telling me I’m not right
But that’s alright

‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I’ll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world…..

Bring your doubts
And bring your fears 
Bring your hurt
And bring your tears
There’ll be no condemnation here
You are holy, righteous, and redeemed.

Every time I fall
There’ll be those who will call me
A mistake
Well that’s okay…..

‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I’ll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world….. (continues)

I know what it’s like to wrestle with the voices. Maybe you do too. The voices that can compete for my attention. The voices that can put me down. The voices that say I’ll never be enough. The voices can be in our heads or real life. It’s hard to switch it off when it’s in our minds.

And no one knows we struggle. The voices continue and we think this is just life.

No! It doesn’t have to be this way!

I’ve known Jesus a long time, but I still need discipline and strength to hear God’s voice over all the other voices. I know I need God’s written word, the Bible to help me hear His voice. It’s God’s truth that enables us to recognize what does not come from God. The more I read God’s Word, the more I recognize God’s truth about who I am. When we are focused on ourselves and what we’re going through, we may miss God’s voice.

What if we lived like God was greater? What if we knew that knowing Christ gives us freedom from guilt and shame?  What if we knew that we could invite God to help us with the voices that haunt us? What if we knew we didn’t have to live with doubt and fear?

Cause I hear a voice and he calls me redeemed.
When others say I’ll never be enough.

Take a listen: Greater by Mercy Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXI0B4iMLuU

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

Fast Car

Like so many, I was so moved by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs performing "Fast Car" at the Grammy's last week. I must admit, I pressed play over and over. It just touched me to the core. Her radiant smile and beauty. The way they sang together. The way Combs honored Chapman and recognized he was with greatness.

Why did it touch us so much? Was it the nostalgia of it all? Was it because of the story of loving and caring for people and not being a victim? Was it the feeling of belonging and driving to a new life? Was it the reality that you cannot change somebody even if they need help? Or maybe a song of compassion and hope, which we all need?

Do any of these phrases connect with you?....

I know things’ll get better
You’ll find work and I’ll get promoted
And we’ll move out of the shelter
Buy a better house and live in the suburbs
Somebody’s gotta take care of him/So I quit school and that’s what I did
And I, had a feeling that I belonged
I, I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone.

I had a feeling that I belonged. Yeah, that hit me. I’ve always struggled with feeling different. And so that word hit me hard. Belonging. We all want to belong, don’t we? Maybe you’ve asked these questions at one point or another.

Who will accept me for who I really am? How can I experience meaningful belonging? How many people know me well? Do I fit in and what does that look like?

Genesis 16 tells the story of three characters, Abram, Sarai, and Hagar. Abram and Sarai were to care for Hagar, who was an outsider. Instead of helping her belong, Hagar was abused and mistreated. Hagar then fled from them, trying to find her way, only to have the angel of the Lord find her and ask: “Where have you come from and where are you going?" (Genesis 16:8) This is our God! I’m so grateful that Hagar was pursued by God! Hagar wasn’t even looking for God. But God was looking for her.

God finds those who are destitute and don’t feel they belong and brings them back to Himself. Whether you feel that you are alone or isolated, you have a God who is personal and sees you.

Where are you seeking to belong? Are you listening to the enemy's lies that say, “You’re all alone.” “You don’t belong.”  Do you feel that God has abandoned you? Please know that God loves you so much and pursues you wholeheartedly.

Tim Keller wrote “To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is a lot like being loved by God.”

Let’s just take one more listen and enjoy:https://twitter.com/mrajchan/status/1754752564539850888

Hope is not just in hoping things get better. Hope is in Christ, where we can have a firm foundation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8l2u4uRVM

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

Conversations with God

Day in and day out we have conversations with people. I read online that one study out of Britain revealed that the average person has 27 conversations every day, lasting an average of 10 minutes each.

Do you ever think about how much you talk? How much do you listen to those you’re in conversation with? What do you learn as you visit with people?

Every day we have conversations with those we work, live, and play with. These conversations can be as simple as “How are you doing?.... Fine!” But often, those conversations are way more complex:

Giving and receiving negative feedback
Relational challenge between a spouse, workmate, or friend
Talking about your pay at work
Struggling to understand a decision
Talking politics with those with a different opinion

In my life and work, I think one of the most important things I’ve learned is that conversations with people go way better if I have regular conversations with God. As I’ve grown older, I have a more desperate need for God. That need has drawn me to having an ongoing dialogue with Him throughout my day.

Helplessness- I go back to the great work of O. Hallesby called “Prayer.” Hallesby calls helplessness the surest indication of a praying heart. It is the last resort of the helpless. We try everything before we finally resort to prayer. But what if helplessness is your best prayer? When we go to God with our helplessness, we are constantly appealing to His Father's heart. It’s the prayer of dependence, openness, trust, and listening love.  Helplessness is quite powerful. Realizing that we are human, and God is God helps us see our place in this life. We need Him! And get this! God longs for us to come to Him and enjoy constant conversation with Him in our helplessness.

Talking to God- I find that many people have a hard time praying. They listen to other “professional” pray-ers and assume they can’t possibly pray like that! So, they don’t. Prayer is scary. Yet, if you fear prayer, you are missing one of the most amazing gifts of communing with God! How does one talk to God? You talk to God! He always listens, not like humans at times. Prayer begins with us seeing that we can talk to our heavenly Father and He listens and answers! We come to Him in our helplessness. We come to Him in our joys. We come to Him with our desires. We share what’s on our minds. That’s prayer.

Listening to God- Often, we try to gain control with our words. By listening, when done well, we give power away. We wait. We pause. We invite God to speak. We bend our ears so we can’t miss one word! I love the promise of God in Isaiah: “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24 ) Humility is critical when we listen to God. We come to grips that He is God and we are not. What if we approached our relationship with God as a listener? Keep in mind, that He longs to speak to You. 

Today, consider your relationship with God. Do you enjoy ongoing conversations with your heavenly Father? Do you take time to listen? What would it look like to develop your prayer life in 2024?

“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:9

 “Morning by morning he wakens-wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.” Isaiah 50:4

Take a listen to learn how to listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC1xT3idGqs

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

Learning in the Ups and Downs

It was an exciting weekend of NFL football, but sadly the Dallas Cowboys were NOT involved. I thought this year would be different and the Cowboys would make it to the Super Bowl. But sadly, they lost their playoff game. Again.

Then there are the San Antonio Spurs. I was thinking that once Victor Wembanyama joined the team, things would be different. But alas, they have one of the worst records in the NBA. I had high hopes for the Spurs this season. What happened?

There is certainly more to life than our favorite sports teams winning their games! I get that. As I started thinking about my disappointment, I came across a portion of an interview with Coach Popovich after a recent Spurs game.

The interviewer asked: “How do you see the light at the end of the tunnel? In your situation, where do you find the hope and belief that there are better days ahead?”

Coach Popovich answered: “You have a choice. You either believe that or the other. Or you become a defeatist. We all have ups and downs. We all know the comment that you don’t know who you are until you’ve been knocked in the teeth. It’s true. You hope the players have the character to understand it’s a process. It’s not instantaneous. You have to have the patience and know it’s a teaching situation…."

I love Pop’s comments. We DO have a choice. Far beyond sports, we have a choice in the ups and downs of life as to how WE respond. It’s during those challenging times that we build character and recognize patient endurance is possible with God at our side.

I think one of our responses during hard times is “Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time? When will things change?”  For me, I get to the point in my difficult situation that I can’t control the outcome that I want. Things aren’t going my way. Then I realized that life is not about “my” way.

It’s during these ups and downs of life, that God gets our attention. I certainly would welcome life to be one “up” after another. But, it’s during suffering, pain, and losses that we can grow in our faith and become more like Jesus. The Bible speaks to building character during our struggles.  Romans 5:3-4 says “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” This progression in endurance, strength of character, and hope is one to seek!

The reality that we encounter adversity and loss in life is not nearly as important as how we choose to deal with it. When those hard times happen, we all have a choice of how we’re going to handle it.

God will use our losses. God will use our setbacks. God will use our trials. God will use our hurts. Trust Him. Run to Him. He is near.

Our God is a God of the Hills and Valleys! Take a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4rRCjrAyCs

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

How 'Bout Them Cowboys?

I’ve been a Dallas Cowboys fan since I was a little kid. In my youthful mind, I figured the team to support should have something to do with horses, so I chose the Cowboys. I eventually moved to Dallas so I could be close to them. Crazy, but true.

So, last weekend was pretty special. It finally happened. Jerry Jones inducted Jimmy Johnson into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor during Dallas’ home game against Detroit. As you might know, it was during Johnson’s coaching era that the Cowboys went from 1-15 season, to make the playoffs and win back-to-back Super Bowls. It was quite a special time with the other Ring of Honor greats, like Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, and Emmit Smith. So many fun memories from living in Dallas back in those special days!

At the end of his phenomenal speech, Jimmy Johnson said “Thank you, thank you, thank you and I just got one thing left to say “How ‘bout them Cowboys?”  That. Was. So. Cool. You don't want to know how many times I replayed that.

Jimmy Johnson waited 30 years for this day to happen. Supposedly there was a reason for the wait, a demise in the partnership between Jones and Johnson. I don’t know all the details of the split, but thankfully, things have changed, and Jimmy Johnson now has his name alongside the Cowboys’ most legendary figures, even if he had to wait 30 years.

Who in the world wants to wait for something 30 years? Honestly, I’d like to be so bold to say I hate waiting for a long traffic light….30 seconds! It’s hard to wait!

As you and I look toward 2024, what do you want to see happen that hasn’t happened yet? It’s especially hard to wait when we watch others get what WE may have been waiting for. I imagine Jimmy Johnson felt that way when others got into the Ring of Honor before him. Since he’s 80 years old, he probably wondered if he’d see it in this lifetime!

I have some things I’m waiting for. You do too. They’re things I’ve been praying for and care about deeply. While I wait, I realize that God’s got this. He does. Psalm 130:5 says, “I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.”  My hope is in Him.

And while I wait, I don’t have to worry, stress out, doubt, or make a hissy fit. I practice patiently waiting on the Lord. My hope isn’t in another person coming through for me. My hope is in the Lord. I don’t have any idea of a timeline of things happening, but I can trust in God and His promises. I’m trusting that God is moving on my behalf and He is at work, even though I don’t see it.

There was one thing I noticed about that grand celebration for Jimmy Johnson. There was incredible joy and celebration for him. It was his day! It finally happened! And the whole stadium and those of us on TV celebrated!

What are you waiting for?  Bearing a child? Your child to thrive? Finances to improve? Getting married? Physical healing? A promotion? A relationship to change? Are you wondering if or when God will send an answer? God hears our prayers and He’s working out the answers even though we don’t see it.  Will you trust God in your waiting?

Even though we don't see it, He's still working...will you trust Him? Take a listen to Leeland and Waymaker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJCV_2H9xD0

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

Growing as a Human Being

As you start this new year, how might you grow? What if you and I took the time to look at our shortcomings and ask the solid question: How might I become a more fully developed human being in 2024?

David Brooks, in his excellent book “How to Know a Person,” writes: “People need social skills. We talk about the importance of “relationships,” “community,” “friendship,” “social connection,” but these words are too abstract. The real act of, say, building a friendship or creating a community involves performing a series of small, concrete social actions well: disagreeing without poisoning the relationship; revealing vulnerability at the appropriate pace; being a good listener; knowing how to end a conversation gracefully; knowing how to ask for and offer forgiveness; knowing how to let someone down without breaking their heart; knowing how to sit with someone who is suffering; knowing how to host a gathering where everyone feels embraced; knowing how to see things from another’s point of view.”

Brooks goes on to write “And a life spent on social media is not exactly helping people learn these skills. On social media, you can have the illusion of social contact without having to perform the gestures that actually build trust, care, and affection. On social media, stimulation replaces intimacy. There is judgment everywhere and understanding nowhere.”

So what do we do? How do we humans navigate relationships when there can be so much cruelty, judgment, grudges, mistrust, and indifference? Brooks writes “No crueler punishment can be devised than to not see someone, to render them unimportant or invisible.” It’s saying to someone: You don’t matter.

Brook’s book has been so insightful and motivating for me to grow more as a fully developed human being in 2024. Is there a point in our lives where we don’t feel we need to learn something new? God forbid! I’ve enjoyed taking the time to be a student of Brook’s book. But I also need God's help in growing in these ways of relating to people.

When I stay close and remain in Christ, He teaches me so much! John 15:5 says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Ok, I know it’s so easy to mess up in the relational department. But the message of this verse is clear. Our most fruitful, most satisfying life can only come from remaining (or abiding) in God. God can enable us to do what we cannot do in our own strength. He truly is our Helper!

So, it’s God who can help me learn the skills that go into seeing and understanding others and making other people feel special, respected, and valued. It’s God that can help me judge less and give grace more. It’s God who can help me have a humble posture of asking and inquiring of others, rather than talking at them. It’s God that can help me see great potential in other people. It’s God that can help me see the world through another’s eyes. It’s God that can help me be an Illuminator, not a Diminisher in relationships.

What does it take to humble ourselves and see that we have much to learn in this area? May God help us become people who see others in 2024 the way He sees them. 

“They say there is no such thing as an ordinary person. When you’re beholding someone, you’re seeing the richness of this particular human consciousness, the full symphony- how they perceive and create their life.” David Brooks, How to Know a Person

Take a listen: "Help is on the Way" by TobyMac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVgetIvEIAs

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