Rocky Religion

Okay, I confess - I'm a Rocky fan. I have been ever since the first one came out. It may be poor acting and I've caught a lot of flack because I cry every time he runs up those steps and when he hollers, "Yo! Adrian!" Anyway - I talked my sweet husband into taking me. The acting is no better and there's still alot of "b'lieve in yourself" but there was one particular line that caught my ear - Rocky said, "It isn't how hard you hit, it's how hard you get hit and still move forward." That philosophy pretty much summed up the way this year has started out. I knew we had been hit personally and in our ministry but I must have been "punchy" for a good part of last year and sometimes even wondered if I was still standing. But, by the grace of God, I am. And only by His grace can I keep moving forward. Somehow, when I take an honest look at the "hits", the pain they have left behind has become pretty dull (and not because I've had my senses knocked silly!). It really is true that His grace is sufficient. And, like Anne Graham Lotz says in Just Give Me Jesus, He truly is impartially merciful. He has poured out His mercy so much just this year, even when I've been hard-headed. I'll bet He has poured His mercy out on you already, too. Just go to your corner (for you who are not Rocky fans, that's a boxing term to take a break and does not refer to being in time-out!), take a breath and just look at all of His goodness! I guarantee that if you look with eyes that desire to see, you will!