True Life Change Magazine V2 Issue 1

MAGAZINE

Our church staff is here to help all generations experience true life change with Jesus. Feel free to contact them.

PHONE 217.793.9760

WWW.SPRINGFIELDFIRST.ORG

PASTORAL STAFF

Dr. Roger Grimmett | Lead Pastor

Rev. Justin Snider | Pastor

Rev. Mike Keppler | Care Pastor

MINISTRY STAFF

Allison Means | Director of Worship Arts

Brennan Pappas | Director of Technical Arts

Kacey Belitsos | EarlyLife & Preschool Director

Kelsie Fairfull | KidLife Director

Dr. See Tsai Chan | Associate Director of Music Ministry

Sharon Sweeney | Director of Connections

Terri Hempstead | Senior Ministries Coordinator

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Bob Dodd | Executive Director

Dara Bose | Accountant & Women's Ministry Coordinator

Dayton Emery | Technical Arts Assistant/Video Producer

Jenny Hutcherson | Financial Administrator

Josh Groves | Facilities Manager

Daina Jaronske | Assistant & Print Shop Manager

Kathy Kerr | Administrative Assistant

Sally Howard | Executive Assistant

custodial STAFF

Dorothy Gayton | Custodian & Kitchen

Renoldo Gayton | Lead Custodian

STAFF emails:

First initial and Last name@springfieldfirst.org

The Bible: The Church's Book

One of the core values of Springfield First is Biblical Truth. Reading the Bible is a key element of our life together. The Scripture is a treasure, and it is the church's book. The founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, said, "O' give me that book." The Psalmist said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).

It is interesting how Biblical truth can transform one's life. In our recently concluded sermon series, "Jesus After the Resurrection," we discussed the story of two disciples who are on a walk to Emmaus. A stranger joins them on their walk. He fully explains the Scriptures to them concerning himself: "Then Jesus took them through the writtings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27).

Later, as they concluded their walk, they said to each other, "Didn't our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32).

We don't read the Bible to confirm our biases or prejudices. We read the Bible to reveal what our biases or prejudices are.

Let me offer a few helpful suggestions as you approach the Scriptures:

1. Locate an easy-to-read translation. There are many out there. The Common English Bible (CEB), the New International Version (NIV), the New Living Translation (NLT), and the New Revised Standard Version (NSRV) are all strong translations.

2. Begin reading one chapter at a time. Start in the Old Testament with Genesis, or in the New Testament with Matthew.

3. Read the Bible with a friend or join a Bible study group at the church. Check out our website for available options (springfieldfirst.org).

The most important objective is to be consistent. Set aside a small block of time every day and just read the Bible. Write down any questions that you have. Talk with a trusted Christian friend and/or seek out a commentary or Bible handbook that will help answer your questions.

Jesus said, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).

Roger Grimmett | Lead Pastor

New Members

Back row, left to right: Carol Little, Laura Gillespie, Leslie Rosa, Linda Bollensen, Sharon Cox, David Cox, Curt Franklin, Alex

Not pictured: Roosevelt Smith

Front row, left to right: Becky Adams, Julie LIvingston with Simon on her lap, (Annaliese Rosa), Laura Dorr, Kristin Franklin, Nathaniel Rosa, (Owen and Jack Paisley), Gayle Winters, Susie Wurth

Daniels, Taylor Paisley, Nick Paisley, Jamie Winters, Gordon Wurth

Senior MinistriesNews

Carli Burton retired in April of 2024. She dedicated 23 years to Springfield First with compassion and service to all of us, and especially to Senior Ministires. Her caring and loving spirit is an example to be celebrated, and her contributions have been an integral part of the culture of our church.

Followership

Gathering about a thousand men together is not a common occurence in today's world. But on March 16, the national men's conference, Iron Sharpens Iron, was held at Springfield First, and men from across central Illinois packed our church to worship (loudly), to learn, and to encourage one another.

With speakers and breakout sessions on a wide variety of topics there's opportunities for everyone to grow. As I reflect on this event, I was impressed by one session I attended. Ubi Ntewo spoke about Followership (see his book: A Misplaced Priority: A Biblical Vision of Followership and It's Preeminence). These days there are books, podcasts, TED talks, and more on "leadership", but limited content on following. But following is what Jesus called us to do. So, hearing how to comfortably and completely follow someone is an important message to hear. We are created in God's image, which means we are a copy, or imitation, so following is in our nature. He does call us sheep after all.

Following is a skill, and leadership hinges on how skillful you are at following. It's doing what the Bible teaches us to do, following where His gentle nudges lead us, putting aside our desires, being the light of the world, and ultimately having eternal life.

John 10:27 (NIV) - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

-Bob Dodd Executive Director

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

-Proverbs 27:17

Have you seen these pictures before?

I think this is the best depiction of how God would like me to live my life versus how I have been living my life, and the line is probably still not straight. To say there was one particular moment in my life where I had a huge shift or a big conversion would be incorrect. However, God continually works in me daily so that I become closer to Him.

Hi, my name is Cheryl Potter. I have grown up here at First United Methodist Church since I was one year old. I had some wonderful Sunday School teachers and pastors who laid out who Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit were and how to have a relationship with God. I know that before I took my first Communion, my mother made sure I understood what I was about to partake in and was ready to have Jesus be part of my life. But there isn’t a specific day or time or moment that I can point to as THIS is when I gave my life to Christ. We as a family came to church on Sundays and went to Sunday School. I sang in the choir, and when I was old enough, started going to youth group. During these years, I continued to make a conscious decision to learn more about God and what it meant to be His follower.

When I started to search for colleges, going to a college that was centered in faith was one of my top priorities. One of the many reasons, though probably not a good one, was that it seemed safer. I am an introverted person and was a little scared to be going away to college but knew that I didn’t want to stay around Springfield. Going to Calvin College (now Calvin University) was the best decision that I ever could have made. God definitely knew what path I needed when He led me there. One of the first things I did while I was there was question if I was even a Christian. Everyone I was meeting had this amazing story of when they came to Christ. And when it came to me, I didn’t have a story. I even called my mom and asked her if I was a Christian (she reminds me of this phone call to this day). Not having a story really threw me into a time of discovery. What did I believe? Why did I believe it? This was probably one of the times where the line was circling because I was searching. Was my faith my own or was my faith the faith of my parents? And Calvin challenged me in this thinking. As a freshman I was required to take a religion course, and then I also chose to take a course called Christian Perspective on Learning. It was really during these courses that I was able to clearly define what I believed and why I believed it. My faith

really became MY faith. And I couldn’t get enough. After my sophomore year, I decided to apply to a summer program at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, CO. I spent two months out there with other college students digging deeper into our faith, our beliefs, and how we as Christians are to carry this out into our future careers, families, and all areas of our lives. This was one of the times where I felt truly changed. God met me in Colorado. I could not get enough of His teachings. I dove into his Scriptures. I had many discussions with friends about different passages. I was introduced to so many different authors out there that I continue to read today: C.S. Lewis, Dallas Willard, Charles Colson to name a few. It was a fantastic time of spiritual growth. I left Colorado Springs fully knowing who I was in God.

My junior year, senior year, and the five or so years after graduation became more of the chicken scratch of a line than the straighter one I had following my sophomore year. The safety of the dorms and Colorado Springs was now gone. My friends and I were working on what the next steps were looking like for us. Where were we going after graduation? Some of them were getting married; I wasn’t. I knew I was going to teach but needed an extra semester of school because of a change in my minor while all of my friends were graduating in four years. Eventually, I moved back home because I couldn’t find a job in Michigan but was able to find one in Illinois.I began to question again. Was this really what God had planned for my life? Wasn’t I supposed to go off to college, find my career, start my life? I was back at Springfield First because that is what felt comfortable. I knew the people, I knew the building, I knew what to expect. But I was going through the motions.

And then Ken Burgard, the youth pastor of Springfield First at the time, approached me and asked if I would like to help with the youth group. Because I am a people pleaser, I said yes. He then asked if I would work with the middle school group, and I hesitated. At this point in time, I was teaching high schoolers and thought it would be easier to be a high school leader than a middle school leader. But after some thought, I agreed. And again God met me through those middle school students. The path became straight again. God had placed me exactly where I needed to be.Those years when I was working with my middle schoolers were amazing. They challenged me as much as I hope I challenged them. I wanted them to have their own

faith rather than the faith of their parents. I wanted them to know God and how much He loved them and what it meant to have this wonderful personal relationship with Him. And as time progressed, an opportunity presented itself. Springfield First needed an interim youth director. I was approached to do this on a part-time basis as I continued teaching. I accepted and continued not only to work with middle schoolers but with high schoolers as well. It was during this time that I had a tug on my heart. Was this what I was supposed to be doing full-time? Was I supposed to quit teaching and go back to school to become a youth pastor? So the line started to become a scribble again as I was moving back and forth over ideas, but it was also during this time that my focus became divided. I had my hands in too many pots. I was being pulled in too many directions. For me, this caused me to lose my true focus, my true purpose, what God wanted in my life, for my life.

And then everything came to a screeching halt. Something happened that caused me so much shame, so much embarrassment. I had no idea how this could be part of God’s plan. I was so off course that this absolutely wasn’t God’s plan, this was something that I did. One of the things that I did learn in college and will continue to share is that God is not a puppet master. When we choose to follow Him, we still have choice. He will always give us choice. This is why my line is like the second one and not the first. God wants us to choose Him. God wants a relationship with us. So that screeching halt, that was my son. I was pregnant. And I had to tell everyone, my family, my work, and my church family. Because of my pregnancy, I stepped down from my role in the youth group. I addressed the adults that were working with the youth group, but I never got to speak with the students. This is something to this day that I regret. I don’t know what they were told or if they were told anything. I just disappeared from Sunday nights. And for a while after this, I was floundering. How could God let this happen? Even though I knew the answer wasn’t that He let it happen, I still asked it. What am I supposed to do now? How can I continue to go to church when I am a living example of going against what God has told us to do? How can I continue to have this relationship with a God who has taught me that in order to follow Him he asks us to deny ourselves, and I have thrown that back in His face? How could God want me now?

But family, we have a merciful God, and He has some amazing family members. GOD IS LOVE. And because God is love He calls us to love one another. Where I was worried that I would be shunned and shamed because of my choices, the family of God gathered me in their arms and told me that He loves me anyway. I was surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses from our church who said, “We love you no matter what because God loves us no matter what.” The questions still remain the same. Do you believe in God? Do you believe in

Jesus Christ His Son? Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins, all of your sins? Do you believe that He rose again? I am not saying that we have a blank check to continue to do bad thing after bad thing. I honestly believe that my true life change happened when I had my son. Did I believe in God and have a relationship with Him before then? YES. But did I experience His love in a whole new way when I became a mother? ABSOLUTELY. Repentance means to do a 180 degree turn. I love this description as a math teacher because of the visual. 180 degrees. The complete opposite direction. Leave the old behind and walk toward the new. Through all of these years I have leaned on Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all of your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” I don’t have to understand everything that God has planned for my life. I don’t even have to understand the little things. All I have to do is trust in God and submit to Him. I remind myself of this every day and will continue to do so because now I have a wonderful reminder of the goodness of God that I get to hug every day. The line may not be straight today or tomorrow, but God and I are working on it together, EVERY DAY.

-Cheryl Potter

Jan Allen & Dara Bose

15:10 Ministry Women's Conference

April 13

On Saturday, April 13, over 100 women gathered in the CLC for the first annual 15:10 Women's Conference: Empowered by Grace.

“WHAT IS 15:10 MINISTRY?”

I’m glad you asked!

It all really started several years ago. I was sitting by a campfire with my husband relaxing on a mountain in Tennessee, overlooking a beautiful valley. At the time I was working on my latest book. And my husband asked me what he could do to help me get it completed. I figured that my response would be something like help clean the house or help with the kids, but to his surprise and my own, out came, “I want to be a pastor!”

It was as if my mouth opened and I had no idea where the words came from. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but I was excited to embark on the journey.

I spent several months talking with my pastors and discerning what my next steps would be.

Last November, with the support of our pastors and leadership here at Springfield First, I took a leap of faith and organized a women's paint night. And you know what? Almost 100 women from our community showed up! It was an incredible turnout, and I knew right then and there that I was moving in the right direction.

But, I also knew that I needed to do more. Getting together for a fun activity is great, but God was calling me to do more. To make a deeper connection.

And it wasn't just me feeling this call. Others in our church felt it too. Particularly Samantha Boston and Sherry Sinnott. They knew that I was an author and asked to meet with me about writing our own Bible studies for women. We spent hours discussing what we could do to help women in our congregation and community.

We also knew that we needed a focus.

Our mission, I suppose you would call it is "Cultivating strength and grace in a complex world. "

Why “cultivating”? Cultivating means to prepare and use, or try to acquire or develop.

Cultivating takes action.

It's about nurturing something from the ground up, about tending to it, investing in it, and watching it grow. And that's what we're here to do—cultivate strength and grace in every woman who walks through those doors. Together, we'll prepare the soil, plant the seeds, and, with God's grace, witness the beautiful blossoming of each and every one.

Focusing on God’s grace, we choose the Bible verse: 1 Corinthians 15:10: Which says, "But because God was so gracious, so very generous, here I am. And I'm not about to let His grace go to waste..."

-Dara Bose Women's Ministry Coordinator

I Can Buy Myself Flowers

"I Can Buy Myself Flowers." That was the name of one of the latest Women’s Ministry activities that was being advertised. It was a catchy title that matched a pop song that was also very catchy and empowering. I had previously enjoyed myself so much at the “Paint Night” event that I thought, “Why not?” and signed up. I don’t think it’s anywhere in the Bible, but it’s been said that God works in mysterious ways. In this case, it was very true. Little did I know that I would really need that flowerarranging activity the very night it was offered.

I am a lover of animals. In fact, we have 3 dogs, 2 guinea pigs, and a cockatiel. At that time, we had Chance, a German Shepherd-pit bull mix that we rescued from Animal Protective League; Thumper, a pittie mix from Sangamon County Animal Control; and Grace, another mix (unsure what), also from Sangamon County Animal Control. Chance was 11 years old. We knew that, on average, larger dogs only live 10-13 years, but we thought we would have longer.

On a Sunday night, I was getting ready for bed, and I heard something going on in the living room. I heard my husband Rodger say, “Go get your mom,” so I ran in, and Chance was having a seizure. I tried to clear the area so he wouldn’t hit his head on anything, and we just waited it out. He finally came around a few minutes later. I wasn’t sure what the night held, so I slept in the living room to be there if he had another seizure. He had several that night. The next morning, my husband and I told our employers we couldn’t make it to work, and we took Chance to the vet that day.

The prognosis wasn’t good, but we thought we would have at least a week or more with him. In addition to being ravenously hungry and thirsty, he continued to have seizures throughout the day. When we would let him outside, he walked around aimlessly, and we noticed he started walking with his paw

inverted and was beginning to lose control of his back legs. His condition continued to deteriorate throughout the day, and overnight, around 3 am, Thumper came and alerted us. We saw that Chance wasn’t doing well.

I discovered that he had lost all control of his back legs and couldn’t get enough water to satisfy his thirst. I laid down with him, and he looked at me and gave me a big, groaning sigh. I knew right then what I had to do. So, a little after 4:00 that morning, we took Chance in to be humanely euthanized so he didn’t have to suffer any longer. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I called in sick and just slept and cried all day.

That night, I asked my husband if I should go to the I Can Buy Myself Flowers event, and he said he thought it would be good for me. So, with a heavy heart, I went. I felt bad for the people sitting at my table because I was a complete “Eeyore” that night, but I did enjoy myself, and we made some beautiful bouquets. The bouquet sat on my kitchen table for weeks, reminding me of that night each time I walked by.

A friend once told me that life is like a rose garden: sometimes, you have beautiful blooms and just a few thorns, and other times, you have lots of thorns and not so many blooms. That women’s ministry event was a rose bloom in my otherwise thorn-filled week.

As I reflect back, I realize that, as usual, God knew what I needed even before I did. He knew that I would need a rose bloom that day. I’m grateful for a church that listens to the calling that God puts on our hearts and takes action. Thank you, FUMC and Dara, for your ministries and for allowing my heart to find its church home.

-Indra Perry

Becky,

Iza, Karen, and Indra

BEYOND

TRANSFORMED WITHIN / IMPACT

"When the disciples encountered Jesus after the ressurection

APRIL 28, 29, & 30 7:00PM

This past April, Springfield First hosted an inspiring series of were led by key figures including Bishop Jonathan Franklin,

These services inspired attendees to extend their ministry beyond all generations experience true life change with Jesus.

"The Apostle Paul said to examine yourself, whether you are in the faith or not. Seeing that we're living in the times that we're living in, the conditions that we're living in, God is calling his church back to the altar: to renewal, rededication of ourselves, to the commission of God."

-Bishop Jonathan Franklin Springfield Ministerial Alliance

Takeaways from the congregation:

"God has an idea; we pray; then something happens."

"Dive into the Word; is there more?"

"Is there someone I can touch?""

"How many want revival? If so, the clock goes out the window! When God gets ahold of you, He'll turn you into the man or woman you've never seen before! God wants to turn us into Agape (God's love!) kind of lovers!"

Community Life Center

ressurection their lives were transformed. They began to share their faith story and impact their world." -Pastor Roger Grimmett

of spring renewal services titled, "Transformed Within, Impact Beyond." These evening services, held April 28, 29, and 30, Franklin, Pastor Michael Whitaker, and Chantel Corrie, who shared compelling messages on faith renewal and community impact.

beyond the church walls. Each night was aimed to deepen faith and encourage active engagement in our mission: To see

"This church can be different. This faith community can be different. The people in this room can be different. But it starts with getting out of these walls, building the relationships out on the road just as Philip did, and then inviting them, inviting them, inviting them... I love hope. I'm a fan of hope, but hope alone won't get people through the door. It takes an invitation."

-Rev. Michael Whitaker

The Connection Faith Community

Takeaways from the congregation:

" listen to God's whisper..."

..."ministry happens 'out there,' on the road, during normal life."

"He puts people in our path."

"I identify with Phillip in Acts 8. He listens to God's nudging. He listens to the Holy Spirit's prompting. He runs to answer the call and moves forward! He didn't ignore the promptings. God does amazing things when we say, 'Yes!'"

"You don't have to wait for ministry to happen! Invite others in! It takes an invitation. It would be easy to say, 'I'm not comfortable doing this!' But this is the key - invite them to come with you. You'll find your opportunity on your road, doing your life!"

"80% of people are not looking for a church to come to, but almost all of them want to make a difference in this world. They want to do something. And so many of them have been isolated. So many of them are lonely. So many of them haven't grown up in close-knit communities like this, where they can come home and feel like they're home and have a big room of people that support them, and they don't know that's what they're looking for. But it's what they need. It's what we need as people, because that's how God created us."

-Chantel Corrie

Executive

Director, Midwest Mission

Takeaways from the congregation:

"Who we're serving is as important as who we're serving with."

"80% aren't looking for a church, but they need to feel significant, valued, and that their lives count for something! Serving at this church and now at Midwest Mission helps us figure it out - experiential learning!"

The Race

by Sharon Cox

I grew up in a Christian home. Some of my favorite memories as a child are of attending the interdenominational Bible camp not far from our house. I was led to accept Christ by my mother at the age of 9 at the Bible camp where I was a camper for several years. As a teen, I enjoyed serving as a camp counselor. It was while leading a group of preteen girls that I discovered my gift for “retelling” Bible-related stories in a parable form to which I knew the girls could relate.

I already knew that I loved to write and compose stories, but it was thrilling to share the Biblical message with these girls through my parables. They seemed to look forward to hearing my stories during devotional time as much as I looked forward to creating and sharing them.

The following is a parable that began as a seed of a thought some 40 years ago. It woke me up several weeks ago and I began to put it on paper.

The Race

(a parable on Hebrews 12:1-2a)

Hebrews 12:1-2a – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…

Combating Food Insecurity: A Community Effort at Kumler Outreach Ministries

In Springfield, the shadow of food insecurity looms large, affecting a diverse cross-section of the community—from young single men to the elderly and large foster families. To combat this, Kumler Outreach Ministries operates a unique food pantry,

The morning of the race dawned clear and bright. As I stretched my muscles, I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my body. I could sense the warmth of the sun filling my body with energy.

I had worked to prepare for this, and now that the day was here, I could hardly contain my excitement. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I could win this race. I wanted the accolades for myself, but I also wanted to impress and please my coach.

Focused on the course stretching out before me, I saw that the track went straight for some distance before it curved to the right. The edge of the track to my right was lined with spectators already cheering to support the runners.

My fellow competitors to my left and right seemed focused and confident, but nothing could dull the resolve within me that I would win this race.

Beyond the edge of the track to the left was a steep drop-off, which I found somewhat unnerving. I was glad to be running in the middle of the track instead of on the far left where one slip of the foot could send me tumbling into a chasm.

Looking toward the clear blue sky, I felt blessed with this perfect day. Everything seemed aligned to propel me to that trophy.

It was almost time for the race to begin. As I approached the starting line, my entire focus was on the lane in front of me. I was determined to get ahead early and remain at the front of the pack. The starting gun went off, and I felt myself leap forward. As I pulled away to an early lead, I felt a kind of euphoria as all was

serving 800-900 individuals monthly, some traveling from as far as Beardstown, Illinois. Unlike typical pantries that offer pre-packaged food, Kumler allows visitors to select their groceries, providing a semblance of normalcy and dignity. This choice, coupled with access to fresh produce not commonly available in similar settings, makes Kumler a cornerstone in the fight against hunger.

The economic downturn exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the challenge. With soaring prices and stagnating wages, more families find it hard to make ends meet, making community support crucial. Addressing this, I initiated a food drive titled "Hope for the Hungry" through Springfield First, aiming to replenish Kumler’s stocks for the summer when children, out of school, miss free meal programs and strain family budgets further.

The drive was a resounding success, bolstered by community engagement and social media advocacy. We collected an impressive array of goods—from breakfast cereals, which had been notably absent from shelves, to birthday celebration kits,

as it should be. I could hear the crowds cheering for the runners.

Their cheers were almost distracting. I was suddenly aware that the shouts I was hearing were coming from the left side of the track, from the chasm I had observed before the race. It occurred to me that the ditch must be quite deep since I could see nothing beyond the edge of the track. How could spectators be cheering the runners from there if they were unable to see them?

I heard steps behind me and realized that I needed to focus on the race. Picking up speed, I surged forward, once again distancing myself from the runners behind me. However, it was hard to focus as the shouts from the left of the track grew louder Then I realized what I was hearing were cries for help.

The pleas for help became so loud that I couldn’t ignore them. My feet faltered, and I watched as, one by one, runners began to fly past me. I seemed unable to keep my feet moving. Slowing to a stop, I made my way to the edge of the trench.

I approached the edge cautiously and looked down at a sea of faces. It seemed there were thousands of people of all nationalities, genders, and ages, and I felt a deep sense of hopelessness and anguish emanating from them. I was overwhelmed with empathy as I viewed the array of human suffering. I stumbled backward onto the track in horror.

Looking up, I realized I was not alone on the track. Some spectators from the other side of the track had come to find out where the cries were coming from. A few of the runners had stopped running and were turning to the ditch to investigate.

adding a touch of joy for those facing hard times. This effort not only filled the pantry but also brought the community together, emphasizing the ongoing need for support beyond the holiday seasons.

Looking forward, I am committed to sustaining this momentum, considering annual drives and more direct involvement with Kumler. Leveraging social media could further bridge the gap between community resources and those in need, ensuring that the pantry remains stocked and accessible year-round. This experience has underscored the power of community action in addressing food insecurity and has inspired continued efforts to make a tangible difference in the lives of those around us.

-Anna Laudeman

Miraculously, a united spirit seemed to come over us as we reached out to those in need. Some jumped into the ditch with complete abandon, while others remained at the top to assist from there. Our singular goal was to ascertain the people's needs and find a way to help them.

As we began to help people to safety, I heard cheering off in the distance and realized that someone must have won the race. I was surprised how little it mattered to me that I had not won, as I expected to.

We worked together pooling our resources, lifting people out of the trench, providing food and water, and helping in whatever ways we could.

It occurred to me that I was experiencing a greater depth of satisfaction and accomplishment than in any race I had run, including those I had won. I understood then that the very best prize at the end of a race well run was the praise of one's coach and the appreciation in the eyes of those you helped along the way.

I recalled a Scripture reference, “What you do for even the least of my brothers and sisters, you actually have done for me,” (Matthew 25:40 paraphrased). I knew then that my coach was pleased with the way I had run this race, and I was filled with joy.

Author Rick Ezell, in reference to the Scripture from Hebrews 12:1-2, stated: “The race is a contest in daily progress toward Christlikeness. In many respects we race not against opponents, but against ourselves. Are you more like Jesus today than you were yesterday?"

217.793.9760 www.springfieldfirst.org 2941 South Koke Mill Road Springfield, Illinois 62711

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