Pick Up The Phone By Gabriell Larson
When I was in middle school I played on an exclusive volleyball team. The type of team that required late-night practices, early morning weight lifting, strict diet, and good grades to be a part of. I can say for a fact that in those years, volleyball was the center of my world. To be considered for this team there was a series of tryouts that happened for 2 days. After tryouts were completed, if you were chosen for a team the coach would contact you within a week to let you know you made the cut. Nerve-racking as you can imagine. Looking back, there was one year, in particular, that stands out to me. The teams were separated by age; that year my friends and I were 14. Tryouts went great, I remember a feeling of performance satisfaction as I was assured that I would make the 14-year-old’s team. The day came when the coach called around to the girls she had picked to be on her team. Well, I waited and waited for the phone to ring but each time it would ring it was another friend telling me she made the team. Midnight came around as I started to cry hysterically in my mom’s bed self-criticizing my every move on tryout day. I woke up the next morning feeling left out and less than... I went to school and sat through all my friends talking about how excited they were to try on the new uniforms and warm-up jerseys. I remember crying between each class in the bathroom, again feeling less than... I walked home that day calling on God asking, “why didn’t I get a call?” “How come they didn’t want me?” “Why am I not good enough?” These questions circled my mind all the way home. 42 | M AG A Z I N E N A M E PAGE 3 41
I got home and started my homework as my parents attempted to comfort their left out child. The phone rang but at that point, I didn’t even flinch as I thought all my volleyball opportunities were gone for that season. My mom answered and looked at me and said, “it’s for you.” I remember looking up at her with tears as I grabbed the phone. It was a coach but not one I recognized. It was a coach from 2 levels up - the 16-year-old’s coach was on the phone to tell me I have been chosen for her team. I can still feel how shocked I was, even today. Once the phone was hung up, I remember thanking God with every ounce in my body. Thanking Him for a new and rare opportunity. I thanked Him for making something I felt was so destructive into something new, something I could grow into. An opportunity of joy, peace, and glory. Grab your bible & read Jeremiah 33:1-11, paying attention to this verse: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (CSB) I felt like Jeremiah, confined in the guard’s courtyard struggling to find a bright side to my new found situation. Did you notice how I didn’t lean on God once during my 24 plus hours of distress? I fell into selfdoubt and characteristic blame before I picked up the “phone” to call God. I am sure Jeremiah had a similar conversation with himself before calling God. It wasn’t until my walk home that I realized that I don’t have to sit with my questions alone, God has the answers. God surely let me know great and incomprehensible things, things that I did not know. God tells Jeremiah that people were on the way to fight the Chaldeans. God said that he will strike
