“Firm Foundations,” New Era, June 2020, page–page.
Firm Foundations
Track Meet Defeat
Illustrations by José David Morales
As a discus thrower for my high school’s track-and-field team, my dream was always to become good enough to compete in the state track meet.
I worked tirelessly to achieve this dream: I was the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave. When everyone else huddled inside because of the weather, I practiced in the pouring rain.
After three years, I had vastly improved. I kept beating my personal record and placing in meets, but I still couldn’t make it to state! I only had one season left before I graduated, so I pinned all my hopes on it.
Then the district meet came—my last chance to qualify for state. And I lost. I failed.
At the end of the meet, I felt so defeated. In one moment my dream seemed so real and so possible, and in the next, it was all gone. I felt like I had wasted those years of practice.
Then one day a song came on the radio that reminded me of one of my favorite track meets, when my teammates and I spontaneously sang that song together. It reminded me that there were so many good memories and lessons from track that I could always remember, even though I hadn’t achieved my goal.
It can be painful when we don’t reach the goals we’ve worked really hard for. But because of Jesus Christ and His tender mercies, we can find hope and focus on the good in life.
Heather C., Oregon, USA
A Text to My Coach
At the beginning of my freshman year on my high school basketball team, I told my coach that Sunday practices were out for me because I had church. The team practiced from 10:00 a.m. to noon, but I never went.
Then during my sophomore year, things changed. “I moved Sunday practice so everyone can go to church first,” my coach told us. “Everybody’s going to be at practice at 3:00 p.m.”
Sports is a religion here in Louisiana. But now I had to explain to my coach that not practicing on Sunday was an all-day thing out of reverence. It wasn’t easy.
“Hey, Coach,” I texted him, “I wanted to let you know I can’t make practice on Sunday for the same reasons as last year. I believe the whole Sunday is the Sabbath, and my family and I don’t do any sports on that day.”
I was really worried my coach would be upset and kick me off the team. But in his text back to me, he said, “I completely respect this decision. You are one of the hardest workers in our program. I can’t promise you’ll score like Steph Curry. Ha-ha. But I can promise that you put yourself in a great position to help your team because of your work ethic.”
It’s not easy to say no in a situation like that. And not going to practice on Sunday doesn’t mean the Lord will bless you to be some great athlete. You still have to work hard. But the blessings are there if you have an eternal perspective.
Merrick R., Louisiana, USA
Passport Panic
Every year, my parents and older siblings travel to Guatemala as part of a humanitarian medical team. One year, I got to go with them as a member of the nonmedical team. I was so excited! I got my passport and stashed it in a fireproof box where my parents kept other important papers.
But the night before the trip, I opened the box and couldn’t find my passport anywhere. A wave of panic came over me. If I couldn’t find my passport, I wouldn’t be able to go to Guatemala!
My family and I looked everywhere, but we couldn’t find it. Finally, my father suggested we say a prayer. We knelt together and prayed that we could find the passport soon so that we could regain calm and sleep well that night.
Right after the prayer, my mom immediately went to the desk in the corner of the room. She crawled underneath it, and wedged in the baseboard of the wall was my passport!
I was so grateful. We knelt again to thank Heavenly Father for helping my mom find my passport. I’ll never forget how glad I felt knowing that He hears and answers our prayers.
Gideon S., Texas, USA