Billy Graham was honored by leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina. After wonderful things were said about him, Graham stepped to the rostrum:

"I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of each passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his other pocket. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat by him. He couldn't find it. The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively.

"The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back. 'Dr. Einstein, don't worry,' he said. "I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.'

"Einstein said, 'Young man, I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.'"

Dr. Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? I bought it for this luncheon and one more occasion. This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am, I also know where I'm going."

Source: John Huffman, Preaching Conference 2002
Assurance of Salvation, Eternal Life, Heaven, Hope
Job 19:25-27; John 14:1-4; Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 15

Opposing Team Helps Handicapped Player Score
Jake Porter was born with chromosomal fragile-X syndrome, a common cause of mental retardation. Jake couldn't read. He could barely write his name. But Jake loved football, and the 17-year-old faithfully attended every practice at his school, Northwest High in McDermott, Ohio.

Jake's coach Dave Frantz wanted to do something special for Jake. So before a game against Waverly High in the fall of 2002, Frantz called his friend Derek Dewitt, the head coach at Waverly. Frantz suggested that both teams allow Jake to run one play at the end of the game, assuming the game wasn't on the line. Jake would get the ball and take a knee, and the game would end. Dewitt agreed.

So, with Waverly leading 42-0 and five seconds left in the game, Frantz called a timeout. Jake trotted out to the huddle, and the two coaches met at midfield. Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly picks up the story:

Fans could see there was a disagreement. Dewitt was shaking his head and waving his arms. After a ref stepped in, play resumed and Jake got the ball. He started to genuflect, as he'd practiced all week. Teammates stopped him and told him to run, but Jake started going in the wrong direction. The back judge rerouted him toward the line of scrimmage.

Suddenly, the Waverly defense parted like peasants for the king and urged him to go on his grinning sprint to the end zone. Imagine having 21 teammates on the field. In the stands mothers cried and fathers roared. Players on both sidelines held their helmets to the sky and whooped.

Apparently when the coaches met before the big play, (Jake's coach) Frantz had reminded Dewitt of the plan, that Jake would simply take a knee. But Dewitt wasn't satisfied. He said, "No, I want him to score." Dewitt called his defense over and said, "They're going to give the ball to number 45. Do not touch him! Open up a hole and let him score! Understand?"

Jake had the run of his life, all because of Dewitt's unselfish decision: "I want him to score."

Submitted by: Mark Moring, Elburn, Illinois; from Sports Illustrated (11/18/02), Herald-Dispatch, Huntington, W.Va. (11/10/02)
Calling, Encouragement, Grace, Unselfishness
Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28-29; Philippians 2:12-13

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