The Bears had a bye week this past weekend but the last time they played, they won an ugly game over the Minnesota Vikings. Both the Bears and Vikings aren’t quite playing up to the expectations that they had at the beginning of the season.
The Bears have issues…so many issues. These issues that rooted deep in several years of losing, missed tackles, lousy coaching, and incomprehensible problems developing quarterbacks.
But while the Bears were expecting to make some improvements this year, the Vikings had really high hopes of competing and making a deep playoff run. One major thing that affected the Vikings season is that they have two major players out for the year because of Achilles tendon ruptures. Ever since injuring my Achilles, I tend to pay attention whenever someone has that injury and compare notes on how it happened and what they are doing to recover. One other Achilles that made the news was soccer player Megan Rapinoe’s. She tore her Achilles tendon a few weeks ago in the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League championship game.
One of the headlines that came out of that game was Rapinoe saying her injury was proof that wasn’t a God.
Obviously, I don’t agree with what she said and that quote has already been taken to task by several on social media. I don’t want to heap on more criticism about something she said in an emotional moment. Rapinoe is an unbeliever so I don’t expect her to have the same thoughts on God and how God sovereignly works that I do. To give her some benefit of the doubt, Rapinoe was speaking from a place of several different emotions from just playing in a championship soccer game to having to deal with the uncertainty of what it will look like to recover from such a devastating injury.
But, her response to her injury made me consider how I react to God when things aren’t working out the way I want them to. I will admit that I often get frustrated and I don’t always count it all joy when I meet trials of various kinds despite what James 1:2 tells us.
As a believer I don’t only have to be happy when only good things are happening. I know I need to be happy with Him despite whatever is going on around me or even to me. God’s Word reminds us in James that trials create steadfastness and God uses that to help us grow.
I am really thankful that God has been real through my recovery and He has provided for me and helped me grow through this.
I am now a little over a month into my recovery from my Achilles tendon repair surgery. The recovery is going well. I have transitioned from a cast into a walking boot. I have been able to gradually put a little more weight onto my foot every day. I can walk with my crutches and I was actually able to navigate going up and down a flight of stairs for the first time the other night! My next appointment will be December 20th. At that point, I should be able to start wearing a normal shoe again and get back to things like walking, driving, and of course going back to work. I am also anticipating beginning the physical therapy process around that time as well.
The Bears have issues…so many issues. These issues that rooted deep in several years of losing, missed tackles, lousy coaching, and incomprehensible problems developing quarterbacks.
But while the Bears were expecting to make some improvements this year, the Vikings had really high hopes of competing and making a deep playoff run. One major thing that affected the Vikings season is that they have two major players out for the year because of Achilles tendon ruptures. Ever since injuring my Achilles, I tend to pay attention whenever someone has that injury and compare notes on how it happened and what they are doing to recover. One other Achilles that made the news was soccer player Megan Rapinoe’s. She tore her Achilles tendon a few weeks ago in the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League championship game.
One of the headlines that came out of that game was Rapinoe saying her injury was proof that wasn’t a God.
Obviously, I don’t agree with what she said and that quote has already been taken to task by several on social media. I don’t want to heap on more criticism about something she said in an emotional moment. Rapinoe is an unbeliever so I don’t expect her to have the same thoughts on God and how God sovereignly works that I do. To give her some benefit of the doubt, Rapinoe was speaking from a place of several different emotions from just playing in a championship soccer game to having to deal with the uncertainty of what it will look like to recover from such a devastating injury.
But, her response to her injury made me consider how I react to God when things aren’t working out the way I want them to. I will admit that I often get frustrated and I don’t always count it all joy when I meet trials of various kinds despite what James 1:2 tells us.
James 1:2- Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds
I am really thankful that God has been real through my recovery and He has provided for me and helped me grow through this.
I am now a little over a month into my recovery from my Achilles tendon repair surgery. The recovery is going well. I have transitioned from a cast into a walking boot. I have been able to gradually put a little more weight onto my foot every day. I can walk with my crutches and I was actually able to navigate going up and down a flight of stairs for the first time the other night! My next appointment will be December 20th. At that point, I should be able to start wearing a normal shoe again and get back to things like walking, driving, and of course going back to work. I am also anticipating beginning the physical therapy process around that time as well.
My plan is to be back on the field with the Saints Prison Ministry in July but hopefully the physical therapy goes well and we can shave some time off that return date!
Thank you again for praying!
Thank you again for praying!
Praises
- Recovery is going as expected. I'm looking forward to the physical therapy. I'm really looking forward to throwing a ball and swinging a softball bat as soon as I get cleared to do so.
- While some of the recovery has been tedious, I am thankful for the time to rest and recover.
- I am thankful that my dad has hauled me back and forth to my doctor’s appointments
- Kelly and I had the opportunity to play guitar, sing, and share the Gospel at the Esther House in Peoria last month.
- I had the opportunity to fill in and preach during our Sunday morning worship service at church. I was able to do so from a chair!
Prayer Requests
- Pray for continued recovery- I’m getting really close to getting out of the boot and doing some normal walking!
- Continue to pray for the men in Illinois and New Mexico who made professions of faith on our trips this past summer and fall.
- Pray that God brings new missionary athletes for our team next year.
