Thursday, March 23

Scripture:  Philippians 4:13 and Isaiah 40:31
Have Faith - Believe!
When I was in elementary school, I loved to read biographies written for young readers. The one that had the biggest impact on me was on the runner, Glenn Cunningham. In particular was a passage regarding when, as an adult, he was traveling. Standing with his suitcase at his side, a man approached him to ask about his luggage tag. He wondered if the "Phil. 4:13" on the tag was his time for a mile race in Philadelphia. Glenn replied, "No. It is for Philippians 4:13." That became my favorite Bible verse. Since then I have read that his favorite verse was Isaiah 40:31, but I expect that Philippians 4:13 wasn't far behind.
 
What made these verses special was not that Glenn was probably the best miler of his time but how he got there. As an eight-year-old he and his 13-year-old brother were in a fire at school. His brother died. Glenn was expected to die. He didn't, but the burns on the lower part of his body were so bad that the doctor wanted to amputate his legs. They didn't, but he was told that he would never walk again. He not only walked, but ran in both the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics.
 
Prayer: Ever-present God, help me to remember that you are always by my side and that I can do all things that you ask of me because you supply the strength needed.
 
 - Alvin Jenkins,  Lenoir City, TN