LIFE ~ to the praise

i cried a lot on october 28, 2011. i was certain i had just played in my last volleyball game. ever.

i am so thankful my King had a different plan. 

january 20, 2012 i left my high school gymnasium, headed out for a night with friends. discouraged, hurting, and doubting, trying to forget the three months more i would have to wait to find out the status of my app to mbi. but out i was going.  

i looked down at my phone, at a stoplight, of course, to find a voicemail from coach (far left). he wanted to see me play. maybe there was hope i could play volleyball again. would i be good enough? did i really want to play again? would i even be accepted to the school? 

april 12, 2012 - "congratulations, you've been accepted to moody bible institute". could it be true? was the King finally answering me? yes. to mbi i would go. to the team i was committed. 

and now here i am. #14. on a team that has changed my view of what a team surrendered to Jesus truly looks like. 

dmc and club volleyball were great experiences. i was blessed with an amazing coach for three years on varsity and girls that could always make me laugh. yet mbi is different. 

"thank you Jesus for giving us bodies that work." a simple prayer that holds so much - a prayer the captains lead us in almost every day. bodies that work. i've had a few injuries here and there, nothing ever too major, but i've never sincerely thought about what it would be like to not be able to play volleyball because my body wouldn't work right. thank you, Jesus, for giving me a body that works.

ephesians 1:5-6 "in love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

whoever comes to see us play will hear us end a huddle by saying "to the praise!"

by the grace of God we have been chosen, predestined for adoption. we are the "lucky ones". and now, as a team, we get to use our gifts from God, our bodies that work, "to the praise of his glorious grace". the King sure does give us good gifts - the ultimate gift of his only Son Jesus Christ. so we keep playing. we keep learning. we keep growing. together. 

all to the praise of his glorious grace.