From The Heart Of God’s Country

Have you ever wondered what drives a champion to push himself or herself harder than the competitor? Do you sometimes wish you could find that secret ingredient and apply it to your own life? What is it that makes a champion a champion?

The simple answer is “heart”.

What is “heart”? While one could argue a thousand different ways and give a thousand different definitions, the simplicity of the matter is this:

“Heart” is that little voice that tells you to not give up, to never surrender, to keep going even when things don’t look so good. Heart is the quality of your character.

Yesterday, I believe I was privileged to hear about a champion’s heart firsthand.

I spoke on the phone with our friend Tim Stout Jr. of God’s Country Band. He had notified me about his brother and sister-in-law’s new baby girl, Samantha. In the midst of a very hectic time for the band, Miss Samantha decided to make her debut appearance to the world. While she was of a normal birth weight, there were some complications. She just wasn’t responding and acting as she should.

As Tim Jr. relayed the information to me, I began feeling a deep empathy for the entire family. My empathy, however, soon turned to admiration.  

When Tim Jr. had finished with the details, he moved the conversation into a depth of understanding reserved for only the most spiritually mature. He proceeded to tell me that he knew God had called the group to do His work and that this was another of Satan’s setbacks. The group has every intention of completing the work it has been called to do.

Immediately, my mind went back to something Tim Jr. had told me earlier about his brand new niece…

The best news the family had received was that when the nurses tried inserting a feeding tube into Samantha, she fought back.

She fought back.

This tiny, helpless infant recognized an “attacker” and said, “I Don’t Think So!” THAT, my friends, is the heart of a champion.

After our conversation, I reflected on all the conversations the band and I had ever engaged in. It did not take me long to recognize some common threads that connected each one to the next. In every conversation, no matter to whom I am speaking,

1. God always gets the glory through everything the band is experiencing. Good or bad, God still reigns in the lives of these gifted individuals. Their focus is not relative to their current circumstances. Their focus is on their calling. Every conversation you have with these folks ends on a positive note.

2. Even in the face of adversity, their resolve remains strong. Each member I’ve spoken to always makes it a point to affirm his committment to God’s purpose. The most impressive thing about this band is that there is Spiritual Solidarity. I have not had the privilege of meeting their pastor, but I can tell you that the hand of God must be all over him and his involvement with this band.

3. There’s always the faith that Victory is on its way. While everyone in this family deals in the current realities, they know that God created each of them for a purpose and that he’s not finished with them. Whatever trouble comes their way, it simply cannot be a permanent occupant in the lives of these incredible people.

You see, I now understand that the heart of a champion is passed from one generation to the next. What courage little Samantha has is genetic. She simply echoes everything her family has said and lived. She is another in a line of champions.

What legacy are we leaving for our children and their children? Their eyes see and their minds grasp what we say and do in times of trouble. Are they seeing the heart of a champion in our lives?

I must be honest…when we pray for Samantha, I pray that God will remind me I am leaving a Spiritual legacy. What I say and do reflects my priorities. Sadly, God and His will for my life are not always at the top. I could make excuses…but no excuse in the world could hold up after talking with the Stout family through their difficult times.

Isn’t it amazing how one little tiny baby girl can affect the world around her? That’s just like God.

I want to be a champion for God. Lord, help me to be more mindful of you and your will for my life. Help me see that what I say and do affects more people than I know. Amen.

Well, if you have not gotten to know God’s Country Band, you do not know what you are missing. I encourage you to listen to this incredible group of songwriters, singers, and musicians. They’ve got the pulse of God’s people. Their music will bless and uplift you in a mighty way.

Thanks for stopping by. Let us know you were here.

Until next time,

God Bless and Keep You!

Bret Walton