Hello, friends!
Last night, my boys, the Saint Louis Cardinals, played their final game of the 2012 season, losing to the San Francisco Giants 9-0 in a game that ended in a downpour. It was a season full of highs and lows, as well as great potential squandered. There is always next season but the loss of a chance at #12in12 is still a disappointment.
Watching my Redbirds go down without a fight reminded me of how much I have grown in the past few years. In 2004, the Cardinals were swept by the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, ending an 86 year drout for Boston but meaning the first chance I ever got to see the Cards play in the World Series (I was alive in 1985 and 1987 but was but a baby) ended in heartbreak. I was a sophomore in college at the time and did not respond to failure well. What was my response? I stayed in my dorm room for a week, only leaving my bedroom to eat and go to the bathroom.
Thinking of THAT made me think about 4 years prior to that when I was tried out for Drum Major in the marching band. I was the Assitant Drum Major that year and definitely the band favorite. I was skipped over by a gal who was less than popular with the people and felt like I had let down the band. My response then was to go into shock and spend about 36 hours crying.
Of course, THAT episode made me think about a year later when, in a rare instance of cleaning, accidentally pitched my merit badge "blue cards" which are proof of earning the merit badge. Not having those cards meant that my quest for Eagle Scout was in a dire position. My response then was to run away from home for 4 days.
Needless to say, I do not have a strong track record of dealing well with failure. However, I would like to think that this is an area where God has been growing me. Without sounding cocky (although it probably will anyway), growing up, I didn't deal with failure much. While on the one hand, I was blessed in a number of ways, on the other hand, when failure did hit, I was unprepared and did not deal with it well.
I think that the thing that God has been teaching me over the years as I have dealed with other failures (and many more of them, for that matter) is that nothing is ever as bad as it seems when it happens. Losing the blue cards did not exclude me from getting Eagle (Class of '03!). I still had fun in the marching band. The Cards made it back to the world series in 2006 (and again in 2011). Life goes on, God is still good, and eventually time heals all wounds.
At least, I think that's the lesson I have learned. Doing college ministry, you deal with loss in a number of ways. There are the students who fall off the face of the planet. There are leaders who decide they don't want to follow Jesus anymore. There are the non-Christians who get so close to following Jesus but then graduate. There are the lost donors. In the midst of all of those things, while they hurt when they happen, God continues to be good.
In my 27+ years of existence, the goodness of God has far exceeded any hardships I have faced. I have a beautiful wife and a wonderful and loving family. I have a job that I love. I have friends who deeply care about me and a community that I care about just as much. I have seen dozens of students make decisions to follow Jesus. God has been very good to me.
Besides, there's always #12in13. =0).
Prayer points:
- Meg and I are going to be leaving for the Missouri International Student Ministry Fall Retreat this weekend. This is a great opportunity for international students to come together and hear God's word, many for the first time! Please pray that God will work in the hearts of students this weekend.
- Guess who needs a root canal?! If you guessed me, you're right! I am not looking forward to this. Please pray for a painless procedure.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
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