Getting Through It Together

We can rejoice that God meets us in our times of struggle and pain. He loves us and He offers us His power when we face adversity, so that we might know Him better and display His glory. In Zephaniah chapter 3, we can read this:
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak.
17 The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

We can remember this when we feel weak or burdened - He is with us!  He is the Mighty One, He has come to save us, and we can depend on Him to act according to His love, by His will, in His time. We can be joyful in the Lord, and that joy, as the book of Nehemiah says, is our strength. So, when discouragement sets in, we can turn to Christ and recognize His presence - we can also rejoice in the Lord for giving us people who will minister to and help us.

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In our times of struggle, we can draw strength from the Lord, as well as from the people whom He has placed around us. Deuteronomy 31 contains these words:
6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."
7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.
8 And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."

Yesterday, we talked about the power of prayer in our times of adversity or challenge. Today, I want to share a story of two high-profile athletes, who actually happen to be married to one another and have walked together and with God through a recent time of trial.

If you follow women's soccer, you are probably familiar with Mallory Pugh, a member of the U.S. Women's National Team and a player for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women's Soccer League.  Well, she is now known as Mallory Swanson, having married member of the Atlanta Braves world championship team, Dansby Swanson, who likewise plays now in Chicago with the Cubs. 

Recently, according to Movieguide, Mallory was "carried off the field in a stretcher after suffering a torn patella."  The article reported that:

Swanson updated fans in a post on her Instagram following surgery to her knee.

“This is hard. I’m in shock and don’t have much to say other than, thank you to everyone for the messages. I feel the love and prayers, and holding them close to my heart. Surgery this morning was a success. I’m thankful for my trainers, doctors, coaches, and teammates for their help throughout this process,” Swanson wrote.

She concluded the post stating that God has all control.

“The beauty out of all of this, is that God is always good. He’s got me and always has ♥️.”

The article notes that her new husband, Dansby, "took her to surgery then later played his game...He removed himself early from the game but not before striking four hits on four at bats."  People Magazine reported:

The Cubs shortstop said he'd been "up since 4 am," The Athletic reports, with Dansby telling MLB.com that his "body was just kind of done" due to the mental and physical exhaustion of worrying about his wife, who'd just had knee surgery.

The MLB.com story related:

The fatigue he experienced -- which manifested in tightness and cramping in his left side -- stemmed from more than his four-hit showing in the Cubs' wild, 14-9 comeback win over the Mariners at Wrigley Field. Swanson had been up since the early-morning hours to be with his wife, Mallory.

The Movieguide story said:

Following the game Dansby commented on the trial that the couple is facing as well as where their hope lies.

“She’s all right,” Dansby stated, referring to his wife. “Everybody knows it’s a pretty tough and heartbreaking situation. I’m heartbroken for her, just a lot of tears and sadness. Two things can be true at the same time: We can be sad and upset, but we can also understand God’s bigger picture and plans. We’ll get through it together.”

The Swansons were married in a Georgia ceremony in December of last year. That month, Sports Spectrum reported on their growth in Christ as a couple:

In an interview with Sports Spectrum in May for a Summer 2022 magazine feature, Pugh shared a conversation she had with Swanson early in their relationship. She told him the only way the relationship was going to work was if God was at the center of it.

“When Dansby and I first started dating, I told him if we’re going to be a thing and we’re going to have a future together, Jesus and God, that is our foundation,” Pugh said. “I look back at the past four and a half years, and it’s amazing how much growth that we both have had in our faith.”

The December 2022 article also said:

The former No. 1 overall draft pick joined the Sports Spectrum Podcast in January to discuss what it’s like becoming a World Series champion and the importance of letting God guide every aspect of his life.

“He’s the one doing the leading, and I’m just the one on earth that’s doing the leading,” Swanson said on the podcast. “But He’s leading through me, and I really feel like that’s kind of the challenge for me as I grow in my spiritual relationship with Him and as I grow in my relationships with Mallory and with my friends and family.”

The Swansons have been married less than a year, but they have certainly demonstrated the attribute of teamwork.  And, that is an essential part of a rewarding marriage in Christ.  The attitude of mutual sacrifice - placing each others' needs before our own - has been demonstrated here. 

On Friday's Meeting House, you will hear the testimony of an athlete who had a life-altering injury and who looked to the Lord as he walked through it.  We should always look beyond adversity and place our focus on the One who is there with us.  And, Mallory Swanson not only is looking to the Lord in her time of injury, but she has help - in the Lord and in her husband. We can make sure that we are walking with those who are struggling.

On this day after the National Day of Prayer, we can also recognize the power of prayer that can help get us through.  And, when we have a need, we can take it to Jesus and be mindful that there are others who need our prayers, as well.