Kaka is the brazilian soccer player elected the best player in the world in 2007.
He plays for Milan, in Italy, and he scored the goal that made that team win the championship on the week that he became the best player.
At the end of the game, this was what the world saw on TV:
For his speech, after he was elected the best in the world, he declared: “When I was a child, my dream was to become just a professional soccer player in Sao Paulo, and maybe play one game for the national team, just that, but the Bible says that God can do so much more than we can think or desire. That’s what happened in my life.”
That makes me think how much we truly give all the glory to God. We probably say that a lot, but I wonder where our hearts are, when we say “I did it well, but it’s because of God”. Specially playing soccer, I mean, who would say “I play well because God blesses me in it”??? Soccer? Well, the Bible says that all things come from the Lord, happen through Him, and for Him. Let’s live a life that brings glory to God!
These were a very busy few weeks, with Christmas and New Year’s and all. So my running reflects that. But today I was able to get back on my routine. Here are my runs (the kind you want to read about) from the past few weeks…
This was the reaction from some of my friends when I answered the question, “What are you getting Mariana for Christmas?” with the answer, “Nothing. She said she didn’t want anything. We’re planning on just getting gifts for other people.”
Other responses included, “You haven’t been married long, have you?” and “You’ll learn.”
I know that these reactions were all said tongue-in-cheek, and I love and trust my friends very much. But it led me to ponder how many marriages are really not based on truth. How often does the wife or husband say one thing but mean another? How many games are played in body-language and reading-between-the-lines? I know I’m young and that I haven’t even been married a year, but this doesn’t seem like a healthy way to have a relationship. Am I missing something?
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:9-10
Now slightly doubting my assurance, I called Mariana later that day and asked her, “Do you really mean you don’t want anything for Christmas?” She went on to assure me that she honestly doesn’t want anything from me. She’s used to Brazilian culture in regards to Christmas. She would rather get things for other people.
Man, I love that girl!
Please pray for us when you think of it, that we would always be open and honest with one another.
I guess it would have been the same as lighting it on fire.
I began Activity B.
I thought it would be good for me. I had done it from 2005-2007. I’d even felt called to it. It’s a healthy thing, a good thing. But this time, it was an act of disobedience.
You see, in July of this year I felt called by God to Activity A. For me, to do it is to obey God. And deciding to pursue Activity B again was my will be done, not His.
I knew it, too. I could feel that I was rushing into a decision. And I could feel God wasn’t in it.
Obedience is not a popular topic these days. In fact, it’s more often cast in a negative light than a positive one. But it is a trait that pleases God. Obedience to God’s commands is love. (2 John 1:6)
So a few weeks ago, I had to apologize to God and my wife for wasting $132 pursuing Activity B. I repented. And God is blessing my obedience.
“To obey is better than sacrifice…” 1 Samuel 15:22
I’ve been meditating so much lately about the different cultures and the way they worship the Lord.
A few years ago, I met a pastor from Rwanda, who told me: “In Africa we worship with our entire body – we move our arms and neck and legs and shoulders and voice – and we just worship for hours and hours. The service usually have at least 2 hours just for worship.”
We are not quite there yet in Brazil, but we do experience a lot of freedom to dance, jump, express our love to Jesus, and celebrate in the Lord’s presence as the Spirit leads – even if we have to stay an extra hour after the service was suppose to end.
So if you want to see a little bit of what our worship times look like, I put together a few moments that I filmed while I was still a brazilian citizen (hehe! just kidding! I’m still brazilian – and VERY proud to be one!!)
“David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.” “David danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.” II Sm 6:5, 14, 15
