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Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
by Tom Kelley
As a youth, and on into my young adult years, I played a number of different sports which required that I run and run fast. At various times during my sports ventures I was actually timed for my speed. I was not the fastest person on the team when such times were taken. In truth, I was generally somewhere in the middle of the pack as having "normal" speed.
But I never worried about it. I was able to get to that deep fly ball to center field. I could get behind the defensive back and catch the pass and then outrun the defender to the endzone for the touchdown. I could run down the fast break from behind and either get the block on the shot or, at the least, disrupt the shooter. As for a baseline forehand, I was usually able to at least get a raquet on it.
There is a difference between having speed and having desire. A lot of faster players never ran me down from behind on the football field if I was headed for the goal line in full gallop. I wanted the score, but I never intentionally wanted to run fast. When running fast was the object I failed. When scoring was the object desire took over and speed became my ally.
Desire. It is one of those intangibles in sports which separates the haves and have nots. It is also what separates the spiritual warrior from the pew sitter. Many pew sitters have the tools. They know the Bible and they know people. But their desire is to themselves and not to God. They enjoy where they are and are happy with it. Such is not the case with the spiritual warrior.
"But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:16 This verse is the bellwether of the great listing of the heroes of faith in this chapter. It is what made the difference between the haves and have nots of the saints of old. What they had was great. But what they could have from God was greater, and that became their goal, their destiny. All because it was their desire. Is heaven your desire?
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...He was the Minister of the Minorsville Christian Church located near Stamping Ground, KY.
...Becky and Tom have three children; John, single and in worship ministry in Nicholasville, Kentucky; Sean, married (Jennifer, elementary school teacher) with twins (Grace and Patrick, b.d. 10/31/04) and regional director of Papa John's Pizza in Central KY; Kara, married (Vince Taylor, prison guard) and working with Hospice East in Winchester, KY.
...Tom went to be with the Lord on November 13, 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer. If you have been touched by Tom's writings please send an email to Tom's son at jkelley@catalystchristian.net
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