Follow Tamika’s example and thank God for the teasing and trials you went through as a kid. Maybe you’ll win an Olympic gold medal one day!
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada. Tamika was born with a hearing and speech impairment and kids used to tease her mercilessly. They made fun of the way she talked – mimicking her lisp. Tamika wanted to disappear. But her mother would not let her fade into the shadows. Lovingly, her mom dried her tears and pushed her back out the door. That was when Tamika discovered the basketball court. Relishing in a few successful layups, she decided to put all her energy into playing basketball. And it paid off. Whenever bullies would pester her, she’d taunt them and say, “Let’s go play basketball.” She kept at it, and her endurance paid off. Last summer Tamika won her fourth gold medal in the Olympics. Romans 5 says that suffering produces perseverance. Tamika is proof of that, and she thanks God for the teasing and the trials that taught her to persevere. That is quite the example.
© Joni and Friends