R.E.A.L. (Part 1 - Reject Passivity)

When you woke up this morning what was the first thought on your mind? Was it motivating yourself to go to work or school? Was it the fear of financial or relational difficulties? Was it the worry of what others think of you in a public atmosphere? If any of these thoughts sound familiar, it is the devil who is trying to keep you distant from God - in these moments when we are kept distant from the Father, are the times when we are most vulnerable to the attacks of the devil as described in 1 Peter 5:8, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." The good news is, regardless of what your last thought was, God desires to spend time your next thoughts with you! Now I understand that God is typically not the first priority on our minds every morning, but hear me out - in those mornings when I surrender my first thoughts to Him are the days when it seems that I am completely free of all my worries and troubles! But get this, in those mornings when I seek God first, it's not because I feel I HAVE to spend time with Him, but that I DESIRE to spend time with Him just as He desires to spend time with me! 

Seth Curry is the starting guard for Duke University, a basketball program that demands a lot from each of its players. More importantly than being a basketball player though, Seth has boldly proclaimed his christian faith in that Jesus Christ is the number 1 priority in his life. In an interview with CBN sports, Seth admitted that it's not easy growing under the spotlight of his older brother, Stephen, whom was a standout guard for Davidson University and currently plays for the Golden State Warriors; however, the reason Seth is able to ignore the comparisons between him and his brother is solely because he has chosen to seek God first and glorifies Him through his basketball abilities. Seth's worries of ever living up to the expectations of his older brother are forgotten and he is able to focus on his basketball career! Just like Seth, whom has chosen to put God first in his life, Jesus demands the same from each of His followers as He quoted in Matthew 6:33, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Another verse that I feel is applicable to maintaining a steady life, through seeking God first, can be seen in Proverbs 16:3 which says, "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." You see, if we are willing to dedicate our first thoughts in the morning and our last thoughts before bed to God, He will create an intended path for us, one that we are completely free of worrying about!

As we all know, fear is an emotion that sometimes seems impossible to get rid of. A majority of the time, fear is what prevents us from reaching the path that God has intended for us. But God didn't create us to live a life full of fear, rather, He gave us life with the goal to glorify Him through each moment that we're blessed with. I wish I could tell you that trials would never come to you, but then how would you grow in your faith? Think about it. Even though fear is part of life, when we choose to seek God first in our lives, He gives us the strength to persevere through whatever trial we're faced with! As it says in Psalm 34:19 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of all of them." It's simple, seek God first and make His way above your own and watch how God grants you the strength to push through fear from your own life! The only question left, is where does God rank amongst all your own priorities?

- Madison Franek 

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R.E.A.L. (Part 2 - Eternally Invest)

For those whom don't know me personally and haven't heard my story yet, it's real simple. It started off like many families whom have no other option but to relocate because of economic situations. For me, this move happened at the worst possible time - during my junior year of high school. Having to leave behind both everything I knew and everyone I loved, my family moved from Bradenton, FL to Chattanooga, TN. At first, I completely hated it and held my parents 100% responsible for why my life was so miserable. As weeks passed by my attitude never changed. As months passed by I still held a grudge against my parents, but everything was soon take a 180° turn! My life was forever changed on December 21, 2009 when my father was struck by an unexpected heart attack and passed away at the age of 46. Only 16 years old, my hope for ever having a "good" childhood was all but lost. Looking back, the only reason that I'm where I am today and I'm the person that I am today is because for the upcoming months, after my father passed, my faith remained strong in God in that everything would work out for His purpose. Ever since December 21, 2009 my faith has never been the same.....it has grown and remained, til this day, a rock-solid faith which is the foundation of my life!

After watching how determined Adrian Peterson played this past NFL season, it's hard to recognize that the previous Christmas Eve he tore both his ACL & MCL. As Peterson took a hit from Washington Redskin's safety, DeJon Gomez, all he could remember was hearing 3 pops. After laying on the field in severe pain for several minutes, he was carted off and taken back to the locker room where he was greeted by his father. As any father would, he tried to enlighten the situation by explaining to his son that everything would be okay; but, the way Peterson responded to his father is what I find to be so remarkable! He simply said, "This is a blessing dad" and then quoted Philippians 4:13 saying, "I can do all things through Christ whom strengthens me." Despite facing such a huge setback, his faith never shattered but remained strong and hopeful in the Lord. Essentially, Peterson was living out a verse in Isaiah that focuses on the strength and love of God in the midst of trials. Isaiah 41:10 reads, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." You see, Peterson didn't allow the devil to attack his thoughts on the spot, but rather he trusted in God that all things would work together for his good (Romans 8:28 - and we know that all things that God works for the good of those whom love Him, whom have been called according to His purpose). Ask yourself, in the midst of setbacks and opposition, does your faith remain strong in God or, like many of us including myself, do you immediately turn to the negative aspect of the situation?

Blogging about having faith in the middle of disaster is actually quite ironic, for me, because as we got together this week for our FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) small group, the topic of discussion just happened to be about how do we react when we are faced with opposition. We focused on the Book of James, specifically James 1:2-3 which says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." Remember when Peterson said, "This is  blessing" to his father? He didn't use his injury as a crutch for why his life had took such a wrong turn, but rather he view his setback as a blessing, trusting that God would you his injury for something greater! Little do we realize, that in times of trouble, God is working in our lives to help us develop a rock-solid faith so that ultimately we can look to our past situations and glorify Him. Little do we realize, that in those particular times when we are broken at our feet, God is right by our side! We just have to have the same mindset as Peterson, whom rather than allowing the devil to attack him when he was most vulnerable, trusted in God and remained strong in His faith. As is says in Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." No matter what trials we face or what sufferings we endure, God tells us to remain patient and have faith knowing that He will ultimately our setbacks as opportunities to glorify Him.

 From where he started to where he finished, I think Adrian Peterson has made an unbelievable recovery. Through his entire recovery process all I can remember is consistent doubt of everyone saying that he wouldn't be the same......he would never be able to recover from such a huge blow! Quite frankly, they're correct in that he was never the same player! You see, when we trust in God in that He will work everything out for His will rather than relying on ourselves and looking at setbacks with a pessimistic attitude, He is willing to reward us for our faith. Just look at 1 Samuel 26:23a which reads, "The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness". In Peterson's case, he almost broke Eric Deckerson's single season rushing record and led the Minnesota Vikings to a playoff birth, speaking truth that God does work for those whom truly love Him. 

- Madison Franek 

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R.E.A.L. (Part 3 - Accept Responsibility)

I don't know about you, but to me, taking a walk in the morning is quite refreshing. It allows me time to clear my mind and consider the three aspects of my life that I am truly blessed for - my relationship with an awesome God, my family and my friends. As my walk began this morning, my mother pointed out to me what I considered to be "just a pair of ducks". It wasn't until she explained what made their relationship unique, that my opinion completely changed. She told me that one of the ducks had a missing leg but as they walked together, the healthy duck always remained side-by-side guiding the other, making sure it never fell. What makes this picture special is that the same loyalty that these ducks shared is exactly the type of relationship God wants to have with us. The times in our lives when we it seems like everyone has walked out on us and we have no one to lean on, God wants us to know that He is watching our every move, guiding us step-by-step. Now, I thought I'd throw this quote in there because I found it quite coincidental. Two summers ago while I was on vacation in Michigan I came across a reading that fits God's obedience word for word; it reads, "A friend is the one who walks in when the rest of the world is walking out." You see, no matter what your going through, no matter what is surrounding your life, He will never abandon you, He will never forsake you even when it seems like everyone else has! The question is are you willing to return the favor? Recently, I received a notification on twitter that said I had a new follower by the name of "Sports Almighty" (and I can't speak for you but when I get a new follower I'm happy as can be). As I was lurking this unknown "person", I realized it was a sports-related website for Christian athletes, in which I immediately took interest. After reading through various articles, I found a story that truly touched my heart; one in which I think we should all take note of. His name is Blake Koch and he is not just a professional NASCAR driver but he is also a bold proclaimer of Christ. What makes Blake's story unique is that he risked his career, his livelihood for the sake of his relationship with God - simply put he was dropped from his contract because of statements of faith that he posted on his personal website. I think Blake is a perfect example of what Peter told Jesus in Matthew 26:33 (NLV) when he said, "Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you." In the midst of a world that seems to be spiritually declining and putting their trusts in perishable goods, Peter is indirectly telling us exactly what we need to do - we need to remain true to Him, even when the rest of the world walks out (see quote above). Quite honestly Blake's willingness to stand for something greater than the world is pretty awesome, but I think (and speaking for myself I know) this type of obedience in the midst of what the world is telling us to do is an area where we like to live complacent; it's an area where it's hard to break free our comfort zone - but once we break our barrier, there's no telling how strong our faith may become! Jesus defines loyalty to Him clearly in Luke 9:23 (NIV) when He says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." You see, obedience to Christ isn't just a one-time deal (in which we can become comfortable with Christ) but rather each day is filled with the challenge to set aside our personal wants and to glorify Him in all we do. This is exactly how far Blake Koch was willing to go! Instead of listening to what the world tells us to do and keep our faith trapped up in our selves, he followed his heart and took up his cross by glorifying God in what he said. The best part is his faith, his trust, his obedience to the Lord granted him a second chance! Fortunately for Blake, another NASCAR corporation saw what had happened to him and offered him a new racing contract! Blake showed us the answer to our question above and that is when we decided to return the favor and remain obedient to the Lord, God is able to do miraculous things in our lives! Maybe it's a second chance at a job or a relationship, maybe it's a new opportunity or promotion, maybe it's a complete change in your outlook of life. No matter what the difference is, God will always remain loyal to you no matter, regardless if the world does. What I ultimately want you to take from this post is that rather than hiding (like I used to) from glorifying Him in all you do and living within our comfort zone barriers, we must be willing to strap Him to our shoulders and take Him out with us into the real world! Simply put, people should notice that you're not ordinary. They should not notice that there is that "something" that makes you different from the rest of the world. We must be willing to remain obedient to Him even when the rest of the world chooses to walk away.

 - Madison Franek

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