Hebrews 11 and 12

Last night I had the great privilege of getting to see one of my old coaches. Well, technically he was never my coach...he coached the boys basketball team, but nevertheless, he and I became close friends.

Coach Sebek. He is a man of not only incredible faith, but of great character and discipline as well. He strives to teach his athletes and students to not only be better people, but to live better lives. He has definitely inspired me over the last few years and I am so blessed to have him in my life.

After visiting with him and his wife yesterday, Hebrews came to mind. In Hebrews 11 it talks about the greats of faith. The last part of this really grabbed my attention:

" All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us." Hebrews 11: 39-40

I started to think, how many things has Coach gone through that did not seem to be positive or that "messed up" his plan? To name a few, coach was a day away from potentially becoming a member of the Texas A&M Men's basketball team when he tore up his knee and was no longer able to play. A few years ago, his family had to deal with the difficulties of a child rebelling and the things that came from that. Recently, he lost his job at a school district for no real reason other than he was outspoken and quite honestly, just a great man. But these verses say it clearly. Sometimes we do not receive all that we think we are promised. We have greater things in store than we can possibly imagine. Coach Sebek had greater things in store than he could imagine through all of those things.

As a matter of fact, from those things alone, coach met and married his wife, he has been blessed with a beautiful grandson and soon to be new granddaughter, and he has the privilege of helping his son coach his granddaughter's softball team. Aren't all these things so much greater than what he could have imagined!??

It goes on to mention in chapter 12 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." Coach is definitely a man that I consider to be in my cloud of witnesses. He has influenced my life in such a positive way, and I will never forget the powerful impact he has had on my life. I am so blessed to not only call him my teacher, but my friend. He encourages me to be a better person, a better daughter, a stronger follower of Christ. I am so blessed by this man and he will never know the full impact he has on my life.

Who are some people in your cloud of witnesses? Never forget those who have helped shape you into who you are. Never forget how blessed you are.