The drive home from Mazatlán, Mexico, to Kansas is not easy. The three-hours on the toll road that began our first leg included 61 tunnels and two suspension bridges over deep gorges. Semi-truck drivers many times must creep along in order to make the steep mountain climbs. Because of that, about ninety-five percent of them have created a kind gesture for those of us who get stuck behind them on the numerous curves.

As we near them, they move to the shoulder and wait for there to be no vehicles coming towards them. They put on their blinkers when it is safe for us to ignore the double yellow lines and pass. It is not uncommon in the oncoming lane to have one semi straddling the double yellow while passing another semi. That is our clue to be kind and move to the shoulder.

Or get squashed.

Add to that unmarked potholes, an occasional cow crossing the highway, and men in black working in the tunnels, and it’s no wonder we pray the entire time we navigate this stretch. By the time we reach Durango, Mexico, Dave and I both have white knuckles and sweaty palms.

This past Saturday we were four-and-a-half hours into our journey when Dave realized that we would need more pesos to cover the $100+(U.S.) in tolls. Pulling over to the side of the road, he opened the back door to get into his backpack for the money. That’s when I heard the words that made me want to throw myself in front of the next semi that approached.

“Patty, where’s my backpack?”

“It should be right where you always put it. On top of your small suitcase.”

“Seriously. Where did you put it?”

“Why would I put it anywhere? It’s your backpack.”
“But you double-checked our condo to be sure we loaded everything in the car.”

“And so did you.” Let the blame game begin.

After hyperventilating for a few minutes, I had a brilliant idea. “I may have some pesos. Let’s count all the money we’ve got and see if we have enough to get to the border.”

“Patty, my passport is in my backpack. We can’t get into the U.S. without it.”

Of course, that wasn’t true. I could get into the U.S. Dave could be left on the side of the road to figure out what he needed to do. It crossed my mind.

Or I could be forgiving, laugh it off and drive back to Mazatlán with him. (The only part of that sentence that actually happened begins with the word “drive” and ends with “him.”) I was not laughing. I tried to be forgiving (especially since Dave was blaming me for this blunder), but having to retrace our drive through that mountain—making it nine hours of driving and about $15,000 in pesos only to end up where we started—made me homicidal.

Then Hubby dropped another bombshell. “We don’t have enough pesos to get back to Mazatlán.” I began making plans to jump from the first suspension bridge we crossed.

Dave presented our options: (1) “I can ask for mercy from the toll booth operator.” (No chance since Dave speaks about 10 words in Spanish, and none of them are in that sentence.) (2) “I can leave my watch with her as collateral and get it back tomorrow on our return trip.” (Same “No chance” reason as above.) (3) “We can get off the toll road, but that will add four hours of drive time.” (Sweet Jesus, please, NO!) (4) “Or we could find an ATM.” Which was the first sensible thing he said.

I think God knew that my unChristlike ideas were about to become a reality and I would end up in a Mexico prison because the first exit said “Aeropuerto.” Airports have ATM’s! There was hope. Dave and I both were surprised when I actually exited the airport with pesos and the machine had not eaten my credit card.

Sometimes we just have to be grateful for the little things.

The Bottom Line by Pastor Jimmy Tucker

Last summer I installed (with the help of several pages of instructions) two garage doors. I’ve learned from experience to always use the instructions because it saves time in the long run. Without the installation instructions I might not have ended up with doors that would open and close properly. I’ve made the mistake of trying to put something together by trial and error without using the instructions, only to have to take it apart and do it all over again with the instructions.

A godly man once said, “Learn by the mistakes of others, because you won’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” That’s pretty good advice. The Bible is full of examples of people who did things right and people who did things wrong. It’s beneficial to look back at history and learn from the past as we live our lives today.

One of the most common things society does wrong is gripe and complain. Most Christians join right in there without blinking an eye. A good example of a bad example would be the Israelites. Right after God performed the miracles of leading them out of bondage through the Red Sea on dry ground, they started grumbling and complaining about their conditions. In the New Testament, Paul wrote, “Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them [Israelites] did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age” (1 Corinthians 10:9-11 NLT). Okay, so stop complaining about the weather, the government, the food, or anything else. Be thankful for the good things in your life.

In Acts Chapter 5, we read about Ananias and Sapphira. They sold some property and brought part of the money to the apostles and claimed it was the full amount. They both agreed to lie about it. They chose poorly and they both died. Because of this, great fear gripped the entire church and everyone who heard about it. Okay, don’t lie — God hears every word you speak.

Jesus sent off His disciples to cross to the other side of the lake while He stayed behind to pray. During the night, a storm came up and Jesus came walking on the water toward them. Peter yelled, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” So Jesus said, “Come.” Peter stepped over the side of the boat and began to walk toward Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind and waves, he started to sink and called out to Jesus for help. “Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ’You have so little faith,’ Jesus said. ‘Why did you doubt Me?’” (Matthew 14:31 NLT). Okay, choose to believe and repent of your doubt and unbelief.

And then we have Jonah. God told him to go and preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Jonah didn’t want to do that, so he boarded a ship headed in the opposite direction. He ended up being tossed overboard to save the ship. God sent a great fish to rescue him and then vomited him out on the shore three days later. Immediately, the Lord commanded Jonah a second time and said, “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver the message I have given you” (Jonah 3:2 NLT). This time Jonah chose wisely; he had learned his lesson the hard way. When you argue with God, you will always lose.

The Bottom Line: Don’t live your life by trial and error — follow God’s instructions.

Pastor Jimmy Tucker

Diamond Community Church

Worship 10:45 a.m.

“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” Matthew 14:30

Some things are just hard to say.

On my first day of kindergarten, I asked Momma what I should do if an emergency came up. She said, “Raise your hand. When the teacher notices you, walk up to her and whisper, ‘May I be excused?’”

“Excused?” That was a new word for me. When I was five years old, I had never heard of asking to be “excused.” The word sounded foreign. It sounded French. I reasoned that “May I be excused?” was French for “Can I go to the potty?”

However, I soon realized that most people don’t speak French. One day, I walked into Kate’s Country Store. An old man smoking a cigar was sitting behind the counter. I said, “Sir, may I be excused?” He blew out a puff of smoke and said, “Sure, kid,” but he never told me where to go. So, I said again, “Sir, may I be excused?” He looked at me and asked, “What’s wrong with you, boy? Are you brain damaged?”

Later, as a teenager, I enlisted in the U.S. Army. I was standing in formation one day and I raised my hand. The drill sergeant looked at me, frowned, and said, “Private Collins, what’s wrong with you now?” I said, “May I be excused?” I never did get to go. I did pushups instead.

Obviously, some people do not understand French.

I used the word “bathroom” for a while, although I never thought about taking a “bath” in the tiny wash basin of a public “bathroom.” Then I noticed “restroom” on a sign. That was a good word, but I was not comfortable using it. I didn’t “rest” in a public “restroom.”

A while back, I was out with some people from church. Someone said, “I need to use the washroom.” That’s perfect. Now, after the waitress takes my order, I look at my hands, turn to her and ask the perfectly logical question, “Ma’am, where is your washroom? I need to wash my hands.”

It would be a lot simpler if everyone knew French.

There is another statement that is hard for people to make, “Lord, save me.”

One night, the disciples of Jesus were sailing across the Sea of Galilee when a strong storm blew up. During that storm, Jesus showed up walking on the water. Peter asked Jesus if he could walk on the water with Him. Jesus said, “Yes,” and Peter stepped out of the boat and walked toward Jesus. But he lost his focus and started sinking. He screamed, “Lord, save me,” and Jesus rescued him.

Today, someone is reading this, and you are going through a storm. Your life and circumstances have not turned out the way you intended. You feel like your boat is taking on water and you are about to go under. As difficult as it may be for you to say, the best thing you can do is cry out, “Lord, save me.” Pray to Him and ask Him to save you.

The point is: Some things are hard to say. Because of stubbornness, pride, self-reliance, it is hard for you to turn to Christ. Eternity depends on you swallowing your pride and saying, “Lord, save me.”

You can ask the Lord to save you in any language, even French, “Seigneour sauve-moi.”

James Collins is the Senior Pastor at Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church. He speaks some French, but with a country accent. For more information on his ministry, check out the website www.fortscottfsbc.com.

“If you would have dealt with the father I had, you wouldn’t visit him on his deathbed, either.”

“My boss said that I wasn’t needed any more. Thirty years I have sacrificed for that company, and this is what I get!”

“You have no idea what it’s like to have your spouse say that she’s never loved you when she moves on to someone else.”

In last week’s article, I wrote about revenge. Revenge takes unforgiveness one step further. Should we choose to forgive, revenge becomes irrelevant.

No one modeled forgiveness like Jesus. “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do,” he cried while hanging from the cross. His murderers didn’t ask for—or even care about–forgiveness. They made bets on his clothes, humiliated him, mocked him, tortured him and grotesquely disfigured him. Still, Jesus asked his Father to forgive them. I wonder if those words had any impact on their lives. How could it not?

For two weeks, Fred, the pastor at the church Dave and I attend here in Mexico, shared part of his journey bringing Christ to Mexico in the 1980’s. The congregation sat spellbound since, in Fred’s 25 years of pastoring here in Mazatlán, no one had heard this testimony, including the death threats and persecution he endured early on when attempting to introduce Jesus to some of the regions of Mexico.

Fred spoke of details of an almost-fatal car wreck he, his wife and three-month old daughter survived when hit by a drunk driver. Placed in a body cast, Fred and his family were flown to San Antonio, Texas, where Fred’s cast was removed and he was placed in traction for five months. His wife suffered broken bones and a collapsed lung, and his daughter, brain damage. The Christian doctor and his wife who made arrangements for the transportation and medical care later rented hospital beds for their home and moved into a trailer in their back yard so Fred and his family could receive the care they required after being released from the hospital.

At church today we saw a picture of Fred’s totaled vehicle with the junk yard owner standing beside it. After recovering, Fred was able to meet that owner who commented that “no one should have survived that kind of accident.” Fred shared how God allowed him to lead the man to Christ. Over the next several months, that man led his entire family to Jesus, and within a few years, some of the relatives formed a Christian gospel group and toured the United States singing their praises to God.

Fred eagerly told us how he had a chance to meet and forgive the driver who hit his vehicle head on. Many of his stories were about how he became best friends with those who persecuted him and how those men now have become Christians. Fred understands clichés like “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping it kills somebody else.” He knows that true forgiveness has nothing to do with the other person; rather, it’s about setting ourselves free. It refuses to have to be in control by wishing the offender harm. Instead, it wishes the other person well.

In other words, forgiveness makes us more like Jesus than anything else we can do. Jesus’ own words (Luke 6:37) demonstrate who benefits the most: Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

If that isn’t setting ourselves free, I don’t know what is.

“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

“Chappy,” Mike said. “Do you ever wonder what comes after this?”

“After what?” I asked. “The Army?”

“No. Have you ever thought about what happens after you die?”

“Yes.”

“Are you afraid of death?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because Jesus is so real to me. He saved my soul. I know that when I die, I will go to heaven to be with Him.”

Mike looked up at the stars and I did too. I don’t remember ever seeing as many stars as there were in the sky that night over Baghdad. After a minute or so of silence, he said, “Goodnight Chaplain, I’ll see you in the morning.” He turned and went inside the tent. I sat there for a while and prayed for him. Then I went inside, found my cot, and went to sleep.

The preceding conversation took place ten years ago. Operation Iraqi Freedom was winding down and changing to Operation New Dawn. Soon, all U.S. Military Forces would leave the country. Soon, we would all be home. However, Al Qaeda was still active in our area. Iraq was still a dangerous place. So, when Mike asked me about death, I assumed he was worried about the war. How could I have known that there was a war going on inside his soul?

Sometimes we have wounds that are not visible. Mike was wounded inside. He was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He was carrying a tremendous amount of pain that came from multiple combat tours.

When we arrived home, I was transferred. Mike and I kept in touch through social media. He would often share pictures of his family, especially his kids.

Last Friday, on Valentine’s Day, Mike took his own life.

By the time you read these words, Mike will be buried. He will be just another statistic. He will be just one of the twenty U.S. Military Veterans who die by suicide in America each day. But to me, he was more than a statistic. He was my friend. I will live the rest of my life with the heartache of not being there when he needed a friend to lean on.

If you know someone who is suffering from depression or PTSD, give them a call. Better yet, go visit them. Who knows? You just might be a friend who can make a difference.

As I have been grieving for Mike, I have sought counsel from another Friend. I have turned to Jesus for comfort. Jesus is a Friend who will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). He is a Friend Who loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17). He is a Friend Who laid down His life for His friends (John 15:13). I don’t know how a person can make it in this world of heartache without my Friend, Jesus.

The point is: Jesus is One Friend you can’t afford to be without. When you turn from your sin, ask Him for forgiveness, and submit to Him, Jesus becomes your Savior, Lord, and Friend. Once you come to Christ, He will be your Friend to the end…and beyond.

Is He your Friend?

James Collins is a retired U.S. Army Chaplain and current pastor of Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church. If you are a Veteran in crisis, call 1-800-273-8255, or call Pastor James at (620) 223-2986.

Mr. Green peered over his fence and noticed that the neighbor’s little boy was in his backyard filling in a hole. Curious about what the youngster was up to, Mr. Green asked, “What are you doing, Jimmy?”

Tearfully, little Jimmy replied, “My goldfish died, and I’ve just buried him.”

“That’s an awfully large hole for a goldfish, isn’t it?” Mr. Green said.

Patting down the last bit of earth, little Joey replied, “That’s because he’s in your cat!”

I know how Jimmy feels. When I was eight years old, the week before Easter I walked downtown to the Kress store, and after spending my entire allowance, returned home with five pink baby chicks. Placing them in the large box I had prepared for them with straw, a soft blanket, water and food pellets, I doted on them for hours while I sat on the ground beside their new home, lifting one at a time to cuddle it.

When the phone rang, I ran inside to answer it. Returning to my quintuplets about ten minutes later, I was horrified to find bloody feathers strewn across the yard. Nearby sat a demon-cat with a pink feather dangling from its snarling mouth. In hysterics, I chased that evil feline until it scampered up a tree where, had I gotten my hands on him, it would have been the beneficiary of the same demise as Jimmy’s catch.

My heart was broken, and even though I might have been a tad bit at fault for leaving my babies unprotected, I accepted none of the blame and instead decided to enact revenge on that homicidal cat. I would stalk him just like he did my chicks. By sundown he had won. My mother refused to let me sleep under that tree with the intent of torturing that murderer, and by morning he had skedaddled, never to return.

I was not able to exact revenge. Bummer!

Martin Luther King knew all about the futility of payback. Perhaps that is why he quoted Mahatma Gandhi when he repeated, “The old law about an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.” When Jesus said we are to love our enemies, he knew that revenge might be sweet, but its after-taste isn’t. Researchers have found there is additional stress and fear in those who perpetrate a “take justice into my own hands” action, probably because most acts of revenge go beyond the original transgression. One has to look no further than gang wars to see this carried out.

As Christians, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to “turn the other cheek.” In our flesh that might not be impossible, but by relying on God-living-in-us, that type of forgiveness means we no longer feel the need for revenge which is, incidentally, the only way to demonstrate we represent a holiness that sets us apart. In other words, we are not to act in a vengeful way if we are to be Christlike.

I’m just not so sure Jesus included demon cats in that category.

The Bottom Line

Pastor Jimmy Tucker

When I attended elementary school, I was always excited about our yearly valentine exchange. It was a way to share my feelings with the girl I liked at the time. (I was too shy to do it otherwise.) I also enjoyed receiving valentines from girls that felt the same way toward me. It was a joy to love and be loved — even if it was “puppy love.“

Valentine’s Day is a special occasion when couples focus on one another and express their love with gifts — maybe a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a card, roses, jewelry, or a nice dinner. I realize that there are many who find this date to be difficult because the spouse who once shared this celebration is no longer around, due to death, divorce, or other circumstances. I’m certainly not minimizing this pain, but I want to remind you that God’s love for you is unconditional. God’s love is above and beyond that of human beings.

The Bible tells us that God’s love is so wonderful you can’t comprehend it fully. “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Ephesians 3:18,19 NLT).

God’s love is available to anyone who will receive it; but many people are unaware of it. There are numberless ways He shows His love for you every day. You just need to slow down and look for it, and then thank Him. Anytime you experience favor or something good, it’s actually from God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…“ (James 1:17). He also uses people to show His love to you. In addition, He’s sent you a lifetime’s worth of valentines and love letters in the Holy Bible.

Do you know, understand, and believe you’re special? Excerpts from Psalm 139 proves this truth: “You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion…. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.” God created you just so He could love you and you could love Him. Now that’s something to be happy about! Nothing can separate you from His unconditional love. But you do have the choice to either receive or reject this wonderful gift of love.

When we receive and return His love, we become children of the heavenly King. “See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NLT). God will never neglect, reject, or leave you because you’re His special child. On this Valentine’s weekend, receive by faith the unfailing love of the Great I AM.

The Bottom Line: Does God love you because you’re special, or are you special because God loves you? Yes to both.

Pastor Jimmy Tucker

Diamond Community Church

Worship 10:45 a.m.

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:3

I like to work in my yard. I like to work in my yard because it is good exercise. I like to work in my yard because it is good therapy. I like to work in my yard because it is good quiet time. I like to work in my yard because my wife tells me that I must work in my yard.

When I work in my yard, I have a good time. It’s just me and Jesus. So, I like to sing praises to Jesus. I often worry the neighbors will hear me singing and call the police because they think I’m killing a cat. I don’t have the best singing voice.

There is a small orchard in our back yard. There are peach trees, apple trees, pear trees, plum trees, and cherry trees. One day, I was pruning those trees. I filled up a trashcan with leaves and limbs and I was singing. Have you ever had a song get stuck in your head? That day, I was singing, “He has made me glad. He has made me glad. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.”

I filled up the trashcan with leaves and limbs. The trashcan was full, but there was one little pile left. While I was working, I was singing. “He has made me glad. He has made me glad. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.”

I wanted to make more room in the trashcan for the last little bit of leaves and limbs. So, I grabbed hold of it, and I pulled myself up into it. I was still singing. “He has made me glad. He has made me glad. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.”

I began to jump up and down. I wanted to smash the leaves and limbs down, so I could pile more in the trashcan.

Did I tell you that there are wheels on the back of that trashcan? The trashcan began to roll with me jumping up and down inside of it.

There was nothing I could do. I hunkered down in the fetal position as the trashcan rolled out from under me. When I hit the ground, it knocked the “He has made me glad” right out of me!

I stopped singing. I stopped giving Him glory. I stopped praising the Lord when I hit the ground.

The point is: When life is going great, it is easy to give praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. However, when trouble comes, we forget all about Him. The One we need the most, we call on the least when we are in trouble.

I don’t know what trials and tribulations that you are going through today. But whatever your problems are, you can call on Jesus. He is the God of all comfort.

James Collins is the pastor of Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church. His latest book, “Don’t Throw The Believer Out With The Baptistry Water: The Best of The Point Is…Volume I” is available on Amazon or by calling (620) 223-2986.

For the past nine years, our friends, Scott and Pam, have come to Mazatlán to hang with Dave and me, and every year, the predictable happens. Wherever Pam and I go, strangers bump into light posts and wives elbow their husbands. That’s because Pam is stunning and people stare at her. I can’t figure it out. Other than her silky black hair, her cobalt blue eyes, her Italian skin, her perfect white teeth, her petite shape and her impeccable style, what’s to look at?

Nine years ago, our first time shopping at a Mazatlán mall, we asked a sales clerk how to read the Spanish clothing tags. She gave Pam a quick once-over and said “Chico.” Turning to me, she bellowed “Grande.” GRANDE! Pam was a chico. I was a GRANDE. As Pam headed towards the size-two sales rack and I turned towards the tops that double as RV tents, Pam gave me that “I’m so sorry” look. I countered with that “We no longer are friends” look. After I recovered (like three years later), the whole thing became funny. To this day, we both crack up when I bring it up…which is every time we are together.

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.

See, I laugh.

Three years ago we were shopping in a jewelry store. I could have robbed the store blind while Edna, the sales clerk, fawned all over Pam. Walking up to her, Edna cupped Pam’s face and began speaking of the “aura” that my friend exuded. She droned on and on and on and on while I stood there like a hood ornament on a junk yard Plymouth. After enough was enough, I cleared my throat and said, “Edna, what about me?” Her response, after staring at my face for a few seconds, was more than even I expected.

“Uh…No.” Then, returning her gaze to Perfect Pam, said, “But your friend, she is magnificent.”

You’d think I would learn, but I don’t. Yesterday P.P, and I went…you guessed it, shopping. Entering a different jewelry store, the clerk greeted us in English and then addressed my friend. “You have a stunning neckline.” I responded that it went well with her “aura,” and the saleslady agreed.

It’s a conspiracy. That’s what it is, a conspiracy.

The amazing thing about P.P. is that her beauty is not her only gift. She is a talented singer, dancer, voice-over specialist and painter. Our condo is filled with Pam’s magnificent contemporary paintings. On this visit, I ordered her latest: an abstract star. The minute I saw it, I knew it was perfect to hang above our guest bed. Pam shared that when she posted it on her website, she received this response: “You call this art? My dog could paint better than you do.”

I asked Pam how she answered. “I told him that he must have an awfully talented dog.”

Add cleverness to Pam’s list of attributes.

What people don’t know about my friend is that her life is not as perfect as it appears. As a child she was a victim of satanic ritual abuse. Her story is horrendous and too shocking to share, but it took years of counseling for Pam to recover. Her paintings became her therapy as she found that her unique blend of colors was a source of healing. What she has overcome would put most people in a mental institution. Not Pam.

Through her experience, she learned that God wants her to share with others who have been abused how to overcome their pain. She realizes (and it has taken her years to get here) that what satan meant for evil, God will use for good (rephrased Gen. 50:20). Pam now depends not on any therapist but on Jesus and only Jesus. Our thirty-six year friendship has become richer and deeper because of Him, and I am grateful that He has allowed me to be a part of her journey.

“And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:4

“Help me! Help me!” he screamed.

My friend, Bob Jackson, and I had just walked into a local assisted care home. Bob stepped around the corner and went into another room. I was left alone with the man. He screamed again, “Help me!”

He was sitting in front of a television. I glanced over and saw Michael Landon on the screen. I thought, “Maybe he doesn’t like Bonanza and wants someone to help him change the channel.” So, I walked over to where he was sitting and kneeled in front of him.

“I will help you.” I said.

“Close the gate.” he yelled.

“What gate?”

“That one. Close the gate before those calves get out.”

I pretended to close an imaginary gate.

“Okay. It’s closed.”

“Thank you.” He held out his hand. I took it. He had a firm handshake.

“My name is James. I’m a preacher.”

“I’m Otis (not his real name). This is my ranch.”

For the next few minutes Otis told me all about his place. He had Angus cattle grazing out in the back pasture. He grew milo, corn, and wheat on the rest of his acreage. His wife, Anita (also not her real name) was waiting for him with their baby at the farmhouse.

“How long have you and Anita lived on this ranch?” I asked. There was a sparkle in his eye as he thought about Anita. He smiled and said, “I grew up here. I’ve lived here my whole life. Anita joined me a couple of years ago when we got married.”

“Otis,” I said, “I have to go. Before I leave, would it be okay if I prayed for you?” He said, “Sure, preacher. But make it quick. I have to get back after those calves.”

He bowed his head and closed his eyes as I prayed. For just a moment, the confusion seemed to leave him. For just a second or two, he seemed to be with me there in the assisted care home. When I finished praying, we both said, “Amen,” and I could tell that in his mind, he was back on his ranch.

I stood up and walked away, but somehow Otis went with me. Oh, he didn’t physically come with me, but I have not been able to stop thinking about him. I plan to visit his ranch again next week.

Some people might question how a loving God would allow a man like Otis to spend his final days all alone in a state of mental confusion. However, I don’t believe Otis was alone. I felt the presence of Jesus in that room. Otis is far from alone in his old age.

The point is: If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, He promises to carry you when you are old and gray. You may not always be able to feel His arms beneath you, but the Lord has promised that He will never leave you. Your friends may leave. Your family may leave. Even your mind may leave. But Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.

I can’t tell you how many years you will live on this earth or what you might face as you grow old. But I can tell you one thing for certain: Christ will carry you even when you can’t carry yourself.

Soon, the sun will set on Otis’ ranch. When that final sunset comes, I believe he will hear Jesus say, “Enter into your rest, my good and faithful servant. Anita is waiting for you. Don’t worry about the calves. I will close the gate…”

James Collins is the senior pastor at Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church. Find out more about his ministry at the website www.fortscottfsbc.com.

There were so many good-feeling moments from Super Bowl LIV. Here in Mazatlán, Mexico, I had proudly worn my Chiefs’ shirt in anticipation of the big event. Sometimes a stranger would give me a “thumbs-up” and point to my shirt, but since many of the people who live here are from the San Francisco area, that not always was the case.

Dave and I were the only Chiefs’ fans at the Super Bowl party we hosted. That did not dissuade me from hanging two Chiefs’ banners, one in my window and the other in my living room. We were excited! Well, I was. As Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ quarterback, explained when asked in a pre-game interview how he remains so calm, he said he once was a baseball pitcher, and pitchers have to remain calm to do well. Enough said.

The pregame ceremonies were filled with nostalgia as the host city brought back the NFL’s top 100 former football players. Four centurions who served in W.W. II were introduced, with one presenting the token for the coin flip (at which point, I admit I teared up). Yolanda Adams’ rendition of “America the Beautiful” gave me goose bumps, as did the flyover with four jets streaming above in perfect synchronization. Players from both teams lined their respective 24-yard lines as a tribute to legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant who died in a tragic helicopter crash the week before.

And then there was the game which, for three quarters, looked like head coach Andy Reid would be denied his first-ever Vince Lombardi trophy. But then the Chiefs do what they do best: They came back. Down 20-10 midway through the fourth quarter, the Chiefs tacked on 21 additional points to win the game. During the postgame festivities, Chiefs’ CEO Clark Hunt credited the Lord for “blessing us with this opportunity. The glory belongs to Him, and this trophy belongs to the best fans in the National Football League.” According to the “Tyler Morning Telegraphy,” Hunt previously had shared his faith and spoken about how he makes spiritual development a priority. “In the National Football League, Christ is really glorified. My identity is my faith in Christ.”

Like I said, those were some of the many feel-good moments from Super Bowl LIV. My disappointment—shared by many friends—was the half-time show featuring two multi-talented, athletic, gorgeous Latino women: Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. Local Facebook postings were divided between those who considered it “the best halftime performance ever” and those who considered it the worst. In reading several reviews the following day, the word “sexy” appeared in most. But is that the goal of entertainment at the Super Bowl?

One of my girlfriend’s eight-year old twins commented on how “nasty” the dancers were. Granted, the show was intended to pay tribute to the Latin culture (at one point, Lopez’s caped American flag was reversed to the Puerto Rico one), but I felt this show’s vulgarity failed to live up to the dignity that preceded–and followed–it in what is supposed to be a family-friendly event. Both of these entertainers are too talented for such a performance! What confused me was how the NFL speaks out against human trafficking yet allows women to become objects who use their bodies to bring attention to the plight of their country. (As an aside, while the two dancers were entertaining the crowd, a dear friend was rescuing prostitutes on a trafficking sting.) No doubt that adds to why I found this show particularly offensive.

Christ certainly was not glorified during that act, and I was disappointed that an otherwise classy event was marred by such an unclassy performance. Nothing about it made me proud to be an American, except, I guess, that we are a nation of freedoms, even to the point that such freedoms give us the right to pole dance at a football game. Remember Yolanda Adams lyrics, “America, America, God shed His grace on thee…”? Fortunately, that covers even the Lopez/Shakira halftime show.