2026-05-20
Mark 11:24 NKJV
Country-music star Randy Travis and his manager, Lib, remember the lean days of his career – all 3,650 of them. For ten years, Lib did whatever it took to keep her club open long enough for somebody to discover Travis’s talent. For his part, Randy sang his heart out. And when he wasn’t singing, he was frying catfish and washing dishes in the kitchen.
Then it happened. His break came, and everything seemed to click for him. He had a hit called “On the Other Hand,” an album contract, a tour offer, and a movie deal. He was hot! Suddenly, everyone seemed to be calling him an overnight success. But Randy recalls it differently: “We were turned down more than once by every record label in Nashville. But I’m the kind of one to believe that if you work at something long enough, and keep believing, sooner or later it will happen.”
Randy Travis went on to become an American music legend, winning three Grammies and seven Dove Awards and being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. But it didn’t come easily or happen overnight. It happened because he worked hard, remained faithful through the tough times, and trusted God to come through for him.
Jesus said: “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” And here’s something you need to keep in mind: It will happen in God’s time, and on His schedule. Your part is to keep walking by faith and trusting Him to bring it to pass.
Soul food: Judg 4-6; Matt 12:1-14; Ps 93; Prov 13:7-8
2026-05-19
Lukas 5:2 NLV
Waarom sou vissermanne hulle nette, wat nie gebruik is nie, was? Hulle het tou opgegooi omdat hulle oornag niks daarmee uitgerig het nie. ‘…Ons het die hele nag hard gewerk en het niks gevang nie…’ (vers 5 NLV). Hulle was verslae! Jesus het egter toe opgedaag. Hy het gekom tot waar hulle was; Hy het reg in die middel van hul teleurstelling met ‘n oplossing ingestap.
Eers het Hy vir hulle gevra om hulle boot te gebruik om vir die skare te preek en die menigtes te genees. Kind van God, gee alles aan Hom oor – alles wat jy het, alles wat jy is en alles wat jy ooit sal wees – en laat Hom toe om jou vir sy hoogste doeleindes te gebruik. Daarna het Hy vir hulle ‘n woord gegee wat slegs deur geloof ontvang kon word: ‘…Vaar nou dieper in en gooi jou nette uit, en jy sal baie vis vang’ (Lukas 5:4 NLV).
Verstaan jy nou hoekom Hy wag tot jy alles gedoen het waaraan jy kan dink? Slegs dan is jy gereed om te luister. Al lyk dit of sy Woord nie sin maak nie, is jy dan gereed om dit sonder vrae te gehoorsaam. Is jy vandag mismoedig? Is dit jou bediening, jou huwelik, jou werk of jou gesondheid wat jou moedeloos maak? Jy is dalk besig om jou nette te was, maar dis nie verby nie. Wie het vir jou gesê God gaan jou nie weer seën nie? Wie het vir jou gesê Hy gaan nie oorwinning uit jou wanhoop voortbring nie?
Dis nie verby totdat Hy sê dis verby nie. As Hy die leë nette van daardie mismoedige dissipels kon vul, dan is daar nie ‘n probleem van jou wat Hy nie kan oplos nie.
Sielskos: Rig 1-3; Matt 11:20-30; Ps 88:9b-18; Spr 13:4-6
Luke 5:2 TLB
Why would fishermen wash nets that hadn’t been used? The answer is they were quitting because of an overnight problem. “We have fished all night and caught nothing” (see v. 5). Their expectations had been destroyed. They believed that the way things were was the way they’d be. They were beaten! That’s when Jesus showed up. He came to where they were; He walked right into the middle of their disappointment with a solution.
First, He asked them for their boat and used it to preach to the crowd and heal the multitudes. Child of God, turn everything over to Him – all you have, all you are, and all you’ll ever be – and let Him use you for His highest purposes. Next, He gave them a word that only faith could receive: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught” (Luke 5:4 KJV).
Can you see now why He has to wait until you’ve done everything you know to do? Only then are you ready to listen; even though His Word doesn’t seem to make sense, you’re ready to obey without question. Are you discouraged today? Is it your ministry, your marriage, your job, or your health? You may be washing your nets, but it’s not over. Who told you God wasn’t going to bless you again? Who told you He wasn’t going to bring victory out of your ashes?
It’s not over until He says it’s over. If He can fill empty nets for those discouraged disciples, then you don’t have a problem He can’t take care of.
Soul food: Judg 1-3; Matt 11:20-30; Ps 88:9b-18; Prov 13:4-6
2026-05-18
Josua 1:9 NLV
Dit is onmoontlik om suksesvol te leef sonder om risiko’s te neem. Leo Buscaglia het geskryf: ‘Om te lag is om die risiko te loop om dwaas voor te kom. Om te huil is om die risiko te loop om sentimenteel voor te kom. Om lief te hê is om die risiko te loop om nie liefde terug te ontvang nie. Om te lewe is om die risiko te loop om te sterf. Om te hoop is om die risiko te loop om wanhoop te ervaar en om te probeer is om die risiko te neem om te misluk. Risiko’s moet egter geneem word, want die grootste gevaar in die lewe is om niks te waag nie. Slegs die persoon wat waag, is werklik vry.’
Franklin Roosevelt het ‘n groot deel van sy lewe teen siekte geveg en was aan ‘n rolstoel gekluister. Hy het gesê: ‘Dit is gesonde verstand om ‘n manier te kry en dit uit te probeer. As dit misluk, erken dit openlik en probeer ‘n ander manier. Maar bowenal, probeer net.’
In sy boek, The Pursuit of Excellence, gee Ted W. Engstrom hierdie raad oor die belangrikheid om te probeer: ‘Vanaf vandag kan jy begin om jou gawes te geniet, te gebruik en te ontwikkel. As jy nog altyd wou skryf, skryf dan iets – ‘n kort artikel, ‘n gedig, ‘n verslag van jou vakansie. Skryf dit asof dit gepubliseer gaan word. As jy ‘n fotograaf is, maak jou beste foto’s bymekaar en skryf vir ‘n kompetisie in. As jy dink dat jy ‘n goeie tennisspeler is, neem dan aan ‘n paar toernooie deel en kyk hoe jy vaar. Jy wen dalk nie die prys nie, maar dink net hoeveel jy sal leer en ervaar deur net te probeer. Die grootste mislukking is om nie te probeer nie!’
Sielskos: Rut 1-4; Matt 11:1-19; Ps 88:1-9a; Spr 13:1-3
Joshua 1:9 NKJV
It’s impossible to live successfully without taking risks. Leo Buscaglia wrote: “To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement… To place your ideas, your dreams, before the crowd is to risk being called naïve. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair, and to try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing… Only the person who risks is truly free.”
Franklin Roosevelt spent much of his life battling illness and was confined to a wheelchair. Yet he became one of America’s greatest presidents. He said: “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”
In The Pursuit of Excellence, Ted W. Engstrom gives this advice about the importance of trying: “Starting today, you can begin to enjoy using and developing your gifts… If you’ve always wanted to write, then write something, a short article, a poem, an account of your vacation. Write it as if you were going to be published; then submit it somewhere. If you’re a photographer, gather your best pictures together and submit them as entries in a contest. If you think you’re a fair tennis player or golfer, enter some tournaments and see how you do. You may not win the top prize but think how much you’ll learn and experience just by trying. The worst failure… is failure to try!”
Soul food: Ruth 1-4; Matt 11:1-19; Ps 88:1-9a; Prov 13:1-3
