The Rope of Hope

I've been searching Youtube and Imeem for a couple of days now looking for the song or video to accompany this post, but I'll just have to do without it.

I'd like to share a story I USED to know that recently came to mind.

Rev. Clay Evans tells a story of a father and son who were out fishing (I think) and the son slipped in the water and started to drown. The father of course, became frantic...moreso because he couldn't swim either.

Rev. Evans pauses in the telling of the story to say, "you know how it is to want to do something for your child but CAN'T"

The father looked around and found a rope and tossed one end of it to his child. The struggling boy took hold of the rope and the father began to pull him in, BUT the rope began to break...the rope began to break...hope began to fail!!!

The father begame afraid again, as well his son. Now, since I can't fully remember all the details of the story, I'm going to say GOD whispered to the father, who then told his son, "REACH BEYOND THE BREAK!" "REACH BEYOND THE BREAK, AND HOLD ON!"

I was reminded of this story this week, as I thought about the impending trails that befall us...DAILY; those breaks in the rope of hope. We've got to stregthen our reach.

I started this fitness challenge early this month and the process included a "Reach" Test, where I had to sit on the floor and streeeeeetch my back and arms as much as I could in order to measure my reach on this yard stick. NOW, that was just the begining...that was to see where I STARTED! The challenge is 8 weeks long and we're in the third week, but within the next 5 weeks my reach should have improved; my back should be stronger and my arms should reach longer.

Life will have some things to test you, and the world may seem to be drowning you and even when there appears to be a "Rope of Hope" to refresh you...to encourage you...to push you further, Please don't get discouraged whn you notice a break in the rope...please don't feel like..."I just can never get a "break." Please don't feel like God's got it out for you...just make sure your back is strong and your arms are long then Reach Beyond The Break, and Hold On (Until you change comes)!

I just can't go it alone, so here's a lil word from one of my favorite Rev's, Clay Evans: