It had been a frustrating day — criticisms of my efforts to get people saved and discipled. (It seems like the church is full of people who don’t save or disciple others, but they are experts to let others know what they’re doing wrong.)
As I prayed, God reminded me that I’m not working for the critics. I’m working for the kids.
I teach at the Lighthouse Christian Academy in Santa Monica and I coach for the middle school soccer team. We took some bruising losses this week, but I love the kids, and they seem to appreciate me. We have fun — all in Jesus’ name.
These are the powerful Saints! We have won only one game. But their enthusiasm, their joy, their love of Jesus, their positive energy makes them powerful in my book (quite a few players missed practice this day)!
Mustard Seed Budget 
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
You bring to mind two quotes, the first from Mother Theresa, the second…I can’t recall, but I like it!
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
and…
“We may not always achieve our lofty goals, but it’s in the trying that we succeed.”
Thanks for the awesome and needed reminder!
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” –Theodore Roosevelt
(…just sayin’)
That is an amazing quote
I’m always amazed at how many evangelistic consultants there are out there with no resumes and offer their expertise PRO BONO. Sometimes these armchair quarterbacks don’t have time to do the actual work themselves or pray for those who do the work. Let God be the judge of our efforts and may we all be faithful to the Lord! Keep doing what you are doing brother!
We will see them by their fruit 🙂