theOTTER

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked  or stand in the way of sinners  or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD,  and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water,  which yields its fruit in season  and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked!  They are like chaff  that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,  nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,  but the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1

“Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, know that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord – you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3: 23-24

A few years ago I was playing on a golf team that only lost two matches all year, but it wasn’t fun. The team did not mesh well and there were only 4 golfers on the team that year. Two of the players only talked to each other and that left me and another girl on the outside. All year long was a constant battle to maintain my love for golf, but by the time the season was over I learned a lot about myself. I knew I could withstand anything the devil chose to throw at me and I also really loved golf.

Going into that year I had actually played on a team that had won all of our matches as wells as states and we all got along really well. Once a week after practice we would go out to eat and spend a few hours together to just bond with one another. Going from that situation into a situation where I was not accepted and felt out-casted quite frankly was not easy and it really tested my faith and it tested me to see if I really loved golf. Every single day was a struggle, but I stuck it out and felt accomplished in the end.

I tried to show my love for Christ every practice, match and tournament; I think it really helped because the following season I came back and everyone was able to mesh. My hope is that wherever I go now my love for Christ is present.

~ Summer Cook | summer@theotter.org

“Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you. Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored— so clean up your life. If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the river, the Almighty himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver! Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God. You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him. You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them. Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure.” Job 22:21-30

“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. ¹⁷Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” 1 Peter 2:11-17