The Power of Preparation

We’ve just completed another NCFCA Speech and Debate Tournament in Dallas. I say “We” because I dig my heels in along with the other parents and community judges who volunteer to judge the debate and speech rounds. I’m always amazed at these young people who are “preparing” for life by being involved in a program that provides such a firm foundation for their future. They’ll take these skills with them into whatever vocation or occupation they pursue in the future. The stage presence, the ability to think-on-their-feet, the mental steadfastness, etc. are just some of the benefits. In some of the debate rounds, it didn’t take long to determine what the outcome of the debate was going to be because it was evident who the most prepared debaters were – they were the ones who had great vocal articulation, confidence, knew their subject matter well and you knew they had studied and PREPARED for this event.

Both Payton and Alexia have done so well this year! They have both already qualified for Regionals, so Alexia didn’t compete this weekend, but Mr. Aggressive Payton is working on more speaker points so he competed again and did so well -- ranked in six different categories. I know, one day, we'll look back on the preparation they've gone through in their speech and debate tournaments. Without a doubt, they are being prepared for that perfect plan God has for them. These times are preparing the soil for the future harvest!

There’s something to be said for PRE (before): Why do we look for the vegetables before we till the soil and prepare it for the seed? It’s the soil, and not the seed, that determines the quality of the harvest!

It would have made no sense for the young shepherd boy, David, to be able to kill a giant with a sling shot. A lion and a bear didn’t look like a Goliath, but they were the perfect instruments of preparation. Seriously, everything is preparation. Every mistake we make is preparation. Every lesson we learn is preparation. Every step of our faith journey is preparation. God uses it all.
One of Payton’s speeches in the category of Original Oratory was “Learning from Adversity”. In it he talked about in his young years when his mother insisted that he practice his piano and those were the years when he’d rather play outside than practice his piano, but his mother would say, “Trust me. One day you’ll be so glad I made you practice.” And Payton said, “Yes, today I am so glad as I teach others to play the piano, and I would never be here today were it not for the times of practice and preparation.

I know God prepared me for the season I am in. Who knew I would be living so on purpose with what I do today….even with these blog posts? Oh, God did – when I was in typing lessons in my high school class; when I became a technical writer for companies that I worked for; when I needed a forum to shout to the mountain tops that “GOD IS FAITHFUL” in the midst of my greatest trials.

The school teacher prepares lessons that will prepare her students for good grades that will help promote them to their next grade and prepare them for life. Most certainly, THE Teacher (our Heavenly Father) knows best about what He is PREPARING for us. When we start seeing our pain as preparation; whatever we’re going through is preparation; whatever is hurting us – is preparation. God is preparing us for what He has prepared for us. It is not failure – it is preparation. Indeed, there is POWER in preparation.