I thank Christ Jesus our Lord,
who has given me strength.
—1 Timothy 1:12
Duffy Daugherty, Michigan State football coach (1954–1972), gave his three-point rubber-chicken speech hundreds of times. It consisted of Duffy’s claim that you only need three bones to navigate life successfully: a wishbone to keep dreams alive, a backbone to get through the tough times, and a funny bone to laugh at life during the journey.
The apostle Paul had the whole package. He had an optimistic dream that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20); a tough times conviction that “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13); and a journey of joy expressed as he and Silas sang duets in a dismal jail cell (Acts 16:25).
Dream big. Stay strong. Be happy.