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Key Bible Verse: A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit (Proverbs 15:13). Bonus Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

It was the bottom of the seventh in the Little League championship game. The other team was ahead by one run. With two outs, bases were loaded. Carl—with his extended family watching—was at bat. He struck out. As his dejected team walked off the field, Carl stood at the plate, head down in disgrace.

Suddenly someone yelled, "Play ball, Carl." Carl looked up to see his family spread out over the field. Dad was catching. Mom was at first, Uncle David at second. "Pick up the bat, Carl." Carl swung at Grandpa's first pitch, missing it—and the next five.

But on the seventh pitch, Carl smacked the ball to left field. His aunt got the ball and threw it to first. But the first baseman must have lost the ball in the sun, because it went right through her hands. "Run!" everyone yelled. As Carl ran to second, Mom recovered the ball and threw it. Amazingly, Uncle David was also blinded by the sun. "Keep running!" Carl headed for third, where the throw went over the third baseman's head. "Keep running, Carl!" As Carl reached home, the ball bounced in and out of the catcher's mitt. Carl was safe!

He was carried on Uncle David's shoulders as his family crowded around, cheering.

—Michael Yaconelli in Messy Spirituality

My Response: I'll plot a pick-me-up for someone who's down.

Thought to Apply: Everybody wants to be somebody. You have to give them the confidence they can. You have to give a kid a dream. —George Foreman (boxer)

Adapted from Messy Spirituality (Zondervan, 2002) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Father God, help me to pass the solid encouragement I've received from You on to others who need it.

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