A Journey from Surviving to Thriving

Several years ago Marilyn and I, as ardent Penn State football fans, were watching an evening PSU football game that was not going well for Penn State.   Normally these are exciting games, but this one was pathetic.   The first quarter was terrible and the second even worse.   In disgust, I set the DVR to record the game and, grumbling, went off to bed.   The following morning, much to my great surprise, I was greeted by a text announcing that Penn State had won the game.   I could not believe it!   Later in the day, I could not resist the urge to see how they pulled off this amazing feat and sat down to watch the rest of the game.   To my horror, the third quarter was not any better than what I remembered the second to be.   I was soon sitting on the edge of my seat, perspiring profusely, frantically pulling at my hair and hysterically biting my figure nails — just knowing we’re going to lose this game.   And then I suddenly remembered — we had already won!   I distinctly remember cal

  A key verse that helps me thrive when I don’t exactly feel like thriving is from 2 Corinthians — “Therefore, we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For these light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, NLT) The Amplified Bible helps us unpack this same passage a bit. “Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day. For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cea se!].” (2 Corint

Several months ago I was enjoying some quiet moments sitting on the outside deck of our “get-away” cottage along the Susquehanna River we call the “River House”.   It was an exceptionally hot day made even worse by the fact that I was probably rather dehydrated.   I felt a bit disoriented and lightheaded and retreated to the interior of the house, sat down and promptly emptied my stomach for the next hour or so while the room spun threateningly all around me.   The ambulance ride to the hospital was not much better.   Frankly all I cared about at that moment was to get through this crisis.   I cared little about growth in personal character and had little concern about being a blessing to those around me who were intent on helping me.   My focus was clearly on myself and my vision for the future that day was extremely limited! I simply wanted to survive! The questions remain: exactly what does it mean to “simply survive”? Or better yet, what does it look like to “really thrive”? Mer