One day, my then-eight year old niece, Cassie, came to my house with my mom. The kids and I were gone. When she got out of her car, mom noticed J.D.'s ankle weights lying on the ground over by the basketball goal. That boy was constantly leaving something outside. One day he was outside kicking a football when he managed to get not one but TWO balls stuck high up in the tree out near the mailbox. Those were the only footballs he had. He tried for several days to get them down by throwing rocks and other objects at them. Elijah and I even joined in the rescue operation, but none of us had any success. It appeared that J.D.'s footballs were destined to stay up in that tree forever.
And then one day, as J.D. would probably describe it, something miraculous happened....a power outage. It was miraculous because the power outage brought Richie Richardson of South Kentucky RECC to our home. J.D. looked out the door and saw Richie standing beside his ladder truck, which just happened to be parked next to the tree that coincidently held J.D.'s footballs. In a flash, J.D. was out the door. A minute later, I looked outside just in time to see Richie using this long-arm apparatus to remove the footballs from the tree. Then, I saw him turn toward J.D. and point up to the sky in the opposite direction of the tree. I couldn't help but laugh. Later, J.D. said Richie told him to kick the football 'THAT WAY' from now on! I can still see Richie smiling as he drove off down the road waving goodbye to a very happy J.D. Speck.
Mom retrieved J.D.'s ankle weights from the yard and carried them into the house. Cassie saw her lay them down and went over to investigate. She wanted to know what they were. Mom explained how that J.D. uses the ankle weights to strengthen his leg muscles so that he will jump higher when he is playing basketball. A puzzled Cassie replied, "Isn't that illegal?"
"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
Have you ever been at that spot in the road where you find yourself in a lull because of something that's weighing you down? And, no matter how hard you try, you're just stuck...like J.D.'s footballs? Even though it may be a hard battle, don't give up. God loves you! J.D. could not get those footballs to move until he asked Richie to help him. God is like that. No matter how far out of reach a solution seems, no matter how difficult the situation is, no matter the size of the weight you are carrying around, just trust in the Lord. He will make a way for you. His strength is perfect.
Every hour I need thee
Oh, bless me now, my Savior
I come to thee
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