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Friday, May 18, 2007

Enough Is Enough

We are a baseball family and this spring has found us chasing hard after three boys on three ballteams, eating our weight in nachos and hotdogs, and feverishly washing uniforms night after night. The pace is maddening but the boys love the sport and their mom and dad love watching them play it.

With that said, our oldest has had a difficult year. He is on an overcrowded team whom he has never played with before. Translation: He has become a benchwarmer for the first time in his 7 year 'career'. Now, he is the kind of child that believes about himself what others believe about him. He thinks because he doesn't get to play that his coaches must not think he is good, therefore he has worked very hard to live down to their expectations. My heart has been broken as I have watched his esteem fall in direct proportion with the number of slots his name has slipped in the batting order.

During his last game he wanted to get a great hit SO badly but he struck out and later was thrown out at first. I knew he was devastated and couldn't wait to hug his sweet neck after the game. When he came off the field, I put my arm around him and said, "You okay?". I'll never forget his reply. "Not really. I didn't do one significant thing today."

How often has the enemy fed us that line? "You aren't good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, talented enough; therefore, you are worthless." And we hang our heads in agreement and accept whatever implications this will have in our lives. We adopt a mindset to expect rejection, anticipate failure and ultimately live a defeated life because of it.

I see this in my boy's face as he steps up to bat. He doesn't believe there is a homerun in him and it kills me because I know there is! I've seen that child in action! I've seen him earn the coveted game ball in the Little League World Series. I've cheered him on as he sent a hit soaring over the outfielders' heads. I've cried my eyes out as he made the play at the plate that won the big game. I know he can but I just don't know what to do so that he will remember.

I imagine God gets just as frustrated. He's got to bang His enormous head against the walls of the Beautiful City. "I know you can do this! Don't you remember what we have been through together? What else could I possibly do to prove to You I love you? How many more times do I have to provide before you have faith that I will always meet your needs? When are you going to accept that I am enough, that I am Who makes you significant?"

I had a long talk with my precious boy. "Who are the most important people in your life?", I asked. He answered appropriately with, "God first, then you and dad". Good answer. "Well God, me, and dad think you are Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, and Javier Lopez all rolled into one, baby boy, and don't you let someone who is not the most important person in your life make you ever think otherwise. You choose to believe who loves you most." As soon as those words came out of my mouth I realized they were a God-inspired answer. We have to make a concious choice every single day to whose voice we will give power. Will it be the Father of Lies or the Voice of Truth? (Love that Casting Crowns song) Because let me say to you that if we choose the Lie, then he has gained all he ever wanted: precedence in our hearts and minds over God.

Dear Ones, choose to believe the One who loves you most! Choose the voice of the One who is on your side, the One who knows you are Esther, and Mary, and Hannah all rolled into one. He knows your heart and through Him what you are capable of and will not rest until you are convinced you are enough because He is enough.

I believe along with God that you have a homerun in you yet. Batter up!

2 Chronicles 20:20 "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed."

A little sidenote: Just got a call from the ballfield - MY BOY just crushed a ball into left field and was batted in to score the first and only run of the game. I do believe he has been listening to the Voice of Truth..:))


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20 Comments:

Blogger Lori said...

"I didn't do one significant thing today." Oh how many times have I laid my head on the pillow at night and thought the same thing. Or felt all I did was yell, or mess up, or just plain sin all day.

But God never gives up on us, and he is constantly reminding us how much he loves us.

I love this story about your son. And the ending is so sweet. God loves to bless us also, onces we have had a bit of an object lesson (or at least that is how is teaches me all the time) =))

Sweet post my friend.

May 17, 2007 at 9:43 PM  
Blogger Carrie Postma said...

what a fantastic post. The enemy has been attacking me telling me I can't follow my dreams because I am not talented enough. Well, I chose to listen to the ONE who loves me most! :-) Thank you for sharing this story of your son. What an inspriation.

May 17, 2007 at 9:48 PM  
Blogger Mindy said...

WOW! THis is speaking to me tonight. Negative self talk tends to be my middle name.

and just a little note - no one will need to question what Pro baseball team we root for will they? =)

May 17, 2007 at 10:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh Lisa... Amen... Amen... Amen...

Too often I believe God feels like banging His head because we forget... I loved this message. Brilliantly written and profound. Thank you.

May 17, 2007 at 11:33 PM  
Blogger Denise said...

A great big amen to this, bless you for sharing this.

May 18, 2007 at 12:04 AM  
Blogger Crystal said...

This is exactly what I needed to read today.

Thank you!

May 18, 2007 at 12:58 AM  
Blogger Nise' said...

"You choose to believe who loves you most. Choose the voice of the One who is on your side" Amen! This is going on a sticky note and up on my monitor! Thanks.

May 18, 2007 at 6:31 AM  
Blogger LissaBee Creations said...

Thank you so much for this message. It was exactly what I needed to read today. Amazing how that happens. :-)

May 18, 2007 at 6:48 AM  
Blogger Tami said...

This is a message we need to hear over and over and over and over and over. . .

Why do we believe the lies so easily? Why do we forget what God has done with us in the past? Why do we not recognize there is a choice involved and choose wisely?

Thanks for this great reminder, Lisa.

May 18, 2007 at 7:12 AM  
Blogger Tracey said...

Lisa, what a beautiful post. I had to go get some tissue halfway through!

Thank you for this reminder!

May 18, 2007 at 8:38 AM  
Blogger Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Great message for today!! Wonderful!! Well written and great with your son!! You as a mother showed him exactly who to listen too. Now we need to remember to listen to the voice of truth. I just heard that song again this morning on the radio. I wish that sometimes I could go back and re-teach my children all over again. Oh they have grown up wonderfully but there are things that I wish I could do differently. I did what I thought was best at the time, but now since I am older I am seeing things in a different light!!
Thanks for stopping by and for praying for Betty. She has a great attitude. I just wish her children would take her on that cruise that they are planning but do it NOW instead of later. I am thinking that unless God steps in that she does not have long here on this earth. Thanks again for your prayers on her behalf...Sandy

May 18, 2007 at 8:43 AM  
Blogger Chris @ Come to the Table said...

Great post Lisa and how wonderful for your son!

Thanks for the words, "I am enough, because He is enough", oh how as women we struggle to believe this truth. Thanks for reminding us today!

May 18, 2007 at 9:18 AM  
Blogger Darlene Schacht said...

One question...can you move in here, and give me one of those pep talks every morning? Your family is so blessed to have you loving them, and telling them in no uncertain terms that they are wonderful in your eyes and the Fathers. Yay Lisa!! You are hitting a home run in your kids lives.

May 18, 2007 at 10:48 AM  
Blogger Sharon Bardwell said...

So often we look to our coaches for verification of our gifts..coaches like a trusted friend or a boss or such..when all we need to do is look to the Giver of these gifts who will gladly remind us of our incalculable worth! Thanks for the reminder!

May 18, 2007 at 11:48 AM  
Blogger Gretchen said...

Thank you, Lisa, for this. What is it with sons this week? Yours is "insignificant" and mine is a "lost cause". No way, Jose! Satan is not going to rest here. Thank you for the words for me to give my son and daughter for when they are down. Thank you for the words I can use on myself.

Thank you, Jesus, for using Lisa as your vessel of love and encouragement to me today. In Jesus' name. Amen.

May 18, 2007 at 12:13 PM  
Blogger Connie Barris said...

We are preachin' the Gospel of Paul now aren't we?!

Colossians 3:10... where we realign our identity to that of Christ... not that of the world... basically

you nailed it... your analogy is something I see every single day in my son....

blessings

May 18, 2007 at 3:30 PM  
Blogger Crystal said...

Amen, Amen & Amen......this is so powerful...if only I would finally get it.....I need to listen to the voice of truth more.
Congratulations to your boy.....he's learning from the best!
Blessings

May 19, 2007 at 1:58 AM  
Blogger eph2810 said...

Lisa, I don't know what to say, except for thank you!!!!!
I am sitting here after reading this post and the tears are just rolling. I don't know why. I guess some days I just listen too often to the lies of the enemy--that I am not good enough--that I don't have it me to be a voice for His kingdom! But I know that His spirit lives within me and I just have let it take over when under attack.

Thank you again for this beautiful post and the reminder that His voice is more important than anyone else's.

May 19, 2007 at 10:50 AM  
Blogger Christine said...

What a wonderfully uplifting post! It goes right along with the quote I chose for In Other Words this coming Tuesday. Love it!

May 19, 2007 at 10:04 PM  
Blogger Linda said...

I'm so glad Iris linked to this devotional. What a wonderful word of truth and encouragement. I have even heart the enemy say - you haven't done anything signifigant with your life. It is enough to crush the spirit for all time.
What great wisdom you have shared. Thank you so much. I'm going to remember this next time I hear that evil voice.

June 1, 2007 at 11:03 AM  

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