Presto Change-o!

Presto Change-O!

Bible Blast: Read Isaiah 61:1-3

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes. Isaiah 61:3

God is big into recycling. Did you know that?

I’m not talking about a special bin for plastic and glass containers! God recycles yucky stuff in our lives and turns them into something beautiful. He can take any bad thing in your life and transform it into something that brings glory to him and encourages others.

J. R. Celski is a short-track speed skater (on ice). Five months before the Olympics, he crashed during the trials. When he crashed, his ice skate impaled his left thigh. Not to be gross, but the skate was in there deep enough that when they took the skate out, they could see his bone. (That’s the last of the gross things. I promise.)

When J.R. realized what had happened, his dream of winning an Olympic medal vanished—or so he thought. After having surgery and spending six weeks on crutches, J.R. got right back into training. He trained hard for three and a half months, thinking he had no chance. But not only did he make it to the Olympics; he ended up winning a bronze medal!

J.R.’s accident was terrible and potentially life threatening since the cut in his leg was only one inch from a major artery. But J.R.’s determination and desire didn’t allow him to give up on his dream. He went for it and achieved a place in Olympic history! Before the accident, he was a nice kid with a dream. But after the accident, he became a nice kid whose story has inspired millions all over the world not to give up even when things look really bad.

That’s the kind of thing God does. He takes the stuff the devil means for evil and destruction and turns it into something good and inspiring.