Disappointments—Stepping Stones to Your Destiny
A while back I heard the story of Vonetta Flowers. From the time she was a little girl, her dream was to compete in the Olympic Games. She was always an incredibly fast runner. At nine years old, not only could she beat all the other girls in her elementary school, but she could beat all the boys as well. A coach noticed her talent. All through junior high and high school she trained, competed, and won competition after competition. By the age of 22, she was a world-class athlete ready to try out for the Olympics. She competed in the 100-meter dash and the long jump, but she missed making the team by a mere fraction of a second. Instead of giving up, she decided to put in four more years of grueling training, waking up early, running, lifting weights, working out, and eating properly.
In the year 2000, her big moment came. She was 26 years old and in the best shape of her life. She tried out for the long jump. She knew this would be her last chance to make the Olympic team. But in spite of her training and all of her talent, she still didn't make the team. She was devastated. It looked as if 17 years of training had gone down the drain. Every voice in her head said, "It's over. You must have heard God wrong because it's definitely not going to happen now."
One day, her husband saw a sign in the gym that said, "Continue your Olympic dream by trying out for the bobsled team." There were two requirements. You had to be a good sprinter and a good long jumper—the very things that she had been working on for over 17 years. She didn't even know what the bobsled was, but her husband talked her into trying out. Not only did she make the Olympic team, but in 2002, she became the first African-American woman ever to win a Gold Medal in the Winter Olympics.
Friends, God is faithful to the promises He's placed within your heart. When disappointments come, we need to remember that He is still directing our steps. The disappointments are merely stepping stones to your destiny. Nothing is ever wasted in your life if you'll keep moving forward. Keep praying, keep believing, keep hoping because He is leading you into the destiny He has in store for you!
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way (Psalm 37:23, NKJ).
In the year 2000, her big moment came. She was 26 years old and in the best shape of her life. She tried out for the long jump. She knew this would be her last chance to make the Olympic team. But in spite of her training and all of her talent, she still didn't make the team. She was devastated. It looked as if 17 years of training had gone down the drain. Every voice in her head said, "It's over. You must have heard God wrong because it's definitely not going to happen now."
One day, her husband saw a sign in the gym that said, "Continue your Olympic dream by trying out for the bobsled team." There were two requirements. You had to be a good sprinter and a good long jumper—the very things that she had been working on for over 17 years. She didn't even know what the bobsled was, but her husband talked her into trying out. Not only did she make the Olympic team, but in 2002, she became the first African-American woman ever to win a Gold Medal in the Winter Olympics.
Friends, God is faithful to the promises He's placed within your heart. When disappointments come, we need to remember that He is still directing our steps. The disappointments are merely stepping stones to your destiny. Nothing is ever wasted in your life if you'll keep moving forward. Keep praying, keep believing, keep hoping because He is leading you into the destiny He has in store for you!
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way (Psalm 37:23, NKJ).