January 2021 – Page 2 – The Prefectures

There Is a Time to Stand Up – FaithGateway

January 22, 2021 Daily Comments Off

After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them. And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?”
Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?” — Nehemiah 5:7-9
After Nehemiah spent valuable time backing off, he then moved to the next step in conflict resolution: there is a time to stand up. And that is exactly what he did. Nehemiah boldly stood up and confronted those he believed to be in the wrong and whose actions had initiated the conflict. “I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, ‘Each of you is exacting usury from his brother’” (Nehemiah 5:7). Nehemiah “rebuked” the elders and brought them face-to-face with the point of contention — they were charging interest to their own Jewish brothers who were in financial need, and in so doing brought “reproach” (Nehemiah 5:9) upon the people of God.
It is important to note that conflict resolution never means backing off and giving in at any cost. Nehemiah was a strong and effective leader. After backing off to listen to his heart, he stood up and rebuked those who were in the wrong.

Conflict resolution is never simply another form of pacifism.

One afternoon on a grassy green hillside on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus addressed this very point in His well-known and often quoted Sermon on the Mount. He pronounced a blessing on the “peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9, emphasis added), not the “peace lovers.”
Yes, we should love peace, but we should not seek it at the cost of sacrificing what we know to be right. There are times when nations and individuals have to “make peace” by standing up and not just backing off.
One example of a person who cared enough to confront is found in a man named Nathan. Most of us remember the well-known Bible story of King David lusting after a lady named Bathsheba so that he eventually committed adultery with her and sent her husband into battle, where he was killed. He didn’t want his family or friends to find out about it. Like so many today, he was foolish enough to think he could cover it up with lies and deceit so that no one would ever know. But David was fortunate enough to have a trusted friend who refused to simply back off and pretend it didn’t happen. Nathan cared enough to stand up and confront the king, who was on a collision course with exposure and defeat. He stood up courageously, in confidence and with love. David came clean. It hurt, but it also healed.
The sad truth in many relationships today is that too many simply cut what they could have untied. Some are quick to criticize instead of confront. Others seem to find joy in condemning. Then there are those who only want to castigate. Still others are quick to give their own self-righteous counsel. And, finally, some find it more convenient to simply cancel out of the relationship altogether. This is not how God wants His people to stand up for what is right.
Consider the apostle Paul’s teachings. In Galatians 6:1-2, he called on us to “restore” the one who was in the wrong. The Greek word he chose, which we translate “restore” in our English Bibles, is actually a medical term. It was used to describe a physician who sees a man with a broken bone in his arm, and he puts it back into place so that it can mend and be useful again. Only God, the Great Physician, can truly heal relationships that need to be mended, but it is our job to get the bones properly aligned so that He can do His healing work. This, like the work of the physician, is often painful, but it is also necessary.
When we continuously back off and do not stand up, our conflicts tend to fester like an untreated boil that needs to be lanced or like a broken bone that is not properly set in place. While we may be trying to avoid pain, a refusal to stand up to wrong can actually result in even more pain and agitation in our relationships. On the other hand, we all have witnessed unresolved conflicts that are the result of someone standing up (often in anger), without first backing off to listen to his or her heart. In conflict resolution it is never a matter of “either… or,” rather it is “both… and.” There is definitely a time to stand up, but Nehemiah’s example demonstrates that it should only come after a time of backing off. Rebuilders never cut what they can untie because they are convinced… it’s never too late for a new beginning!
Excerpted with permission from The Nehemiah Code by O. S. Hawkins, copyright O. S. Hawkins.
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Your Turn
There is a time to stand up. Conflict resolution is never simply another form of pacifism. Spend time with the Lord, back off, don’t let the conflict fester. Speak up! We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily […]

I Pay Male Escorts For No-Strings Sex And It’s The Best I’ve Ever Had’

January 22, 2021 Daily Comments Off

At 29, my boyfriend of two and a half years turned round one day and told me he didn’t want a long-term relationship. He was living in my house and everything seemed perfect, but he was three years younger and had had an epiphany that he still wanted to travel the world. It was predictable. It was painfully unoriginal. I was crushed.
He moved out to start his new life – drinking the same pints in a hotter climate – and though I wasn’t ready for another boyfriend, after a few weeks, I craved some fun and excitement. I needed sex. I needed skin-to-skin contact and the rush of flirting.
I work a 9-5 office job for a marketing company in Brighton, which did little to get my mind off my loneliness, so I downloaded all the dating apps. But it felt hopeless. Casual dating in your mid-twenties is exhausting enough, but on the cusp of your thirties? Excruciating. There were the men I was stuck in perpetual pen pal status with, who ghosted me as soon as I applied the pressure to actually meet up. (Really, why is this a thing?) There were the men who turned up to dates looking nothing like their profile. There were others I knew I had zero sexual chemistry with from the moment we locked eyes. I felt defeated. These apps only caused me distress and one-night stands were hardly worth the next morning awkwardness on the pleasure front. Was it too much to ask to have a period of time focused on myself, having fun with friends, but also getting laid with a man I fancied, who didn’t want commitment, yet popped over to satisfy me at my every whim? It seemed so.

Zoya Kaleeva

Four months after the breakup, my friend convinced me to take a look at the escorting site Envvy. She’d worked on it as an escort herself for years and told me to consider ‘ordering’ a guy to get the sexual ball rolling. We were a few margaritas down at a bar and she assured me that people who pay for sex aren’t just losers who can’t get a shag in normal life. ‘I’ve had young clients, even quite hot ones,’ she said, ‘It’s usually about the thrill.’
Later that night, I tucked myself up in bed, vibrator at the ready for another Saturday night of solo masturbation, and paused. I decided have a quick browse of the escorting site instead. Obviously, I was curious. As I scrolled down the never-ending images of men in my local area, there were some guys I wouldn’t go near, but there were some I most definitely would. Photos ranged from mirror selfies in their underpants, to professionally edited photos that spoke of experience. Abs were plentiful.
Could I follow through with this? I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of an awkward prude, but perhaps now was the time to push myself out of my comfort zone. Albeit in the wildest way possible.

There was a commitment to my pleasure and my needs that I’d never experienced before

It was about 1am when I hit send on a message to Reece*. He was 6ft 4inch with abs you could grate a slab of granite on, never mind block of cheese. His face was nice enough and his smile friendly – if it was actually his. ‘What if these photos weren’t of him?’ I thought. ‘What if a killer con turned up at my door, or arguably worse, someone old and hideous?’ He replied the next day asking straightforward questions about time and date logistics. The exchange felt professional, as if I were booking a PT session. I got Reece* to send a selfie holding up a photo of my name and exhaled a sigh of relief. Looking into how the site vets escorts helped me relax further. He asked me about what kind of fantasies I had in mind, but I told him I’d rather we just have a drink and get to know each other as ‘normally’ as we could. Our session was set for Friday night, his rate £160 for two hours – cheaper than I expected.
I was distracted at work that day with more butterflies than your average Friday feeling. As soon as I got home, I gulped a glass of wine and got put on a dress and heels, as if I was going on a proper date. I was shaking with nerves, but mainly over worries that he’d see me and turn away. I’d heard they could do that. What if he thought I wasn’t worth the £160?
By the time he knocked at the door, I was a bottle of wine deep. I answered sheepishly, gripping onto a nearly empty wine glass. He chuckled and entered, letting me know that, ‘It’s everyone’s first time once’ and that there was no need to be nervous. ‘You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to. Let’s have a glass of wine,’ he said.
We chatted about our lives, he asked me about my job and how I’d found him. It felt very similar to an actual date, as if we’d come back to mine after a Tinder meet up – bar me slipping him cash in an envelope, of course. The intimacy happened naturally. It started with a light stroke of my arm and cheeky touch of my bum, there was nothing clinical or forced about it. He didn’t ask me for directions on how to turn me on, I just let him do his thing.

Zoya Kaleeva

The sex was incredible. It was as if he knew everything my body craved before I did. There was a commitment to my pleasure and my needs that I’d never experienced before. It felt selfless. He wasn’t expecting anything in return and he didn’t allow me to try. It was all about me. As he left, I told him his price was selling him seriously short.
Afterwards, I did feel a little dirty. But only in the way a one-time hook up always makes you feel, in the back of your mind. I still worried that it was embarrassing. Fear struck me at the thought of anyone I knew finding out. My quest for sex had gone to the utmost extreme, but this was wholly more satisfying than any bumbling idiot in a bar would be. By the second time, I felt empowered and liberated. I saw the same guy three times in total, on a monthly basis, my self-care treat as it were. Obviously, I was fully aware that our relationship was strictly business, but it was nice to feel familiar. We kept in contact and had brief chats while arranging our next meetings. It felt almost like a friendship. There was no stress over what any of it meant, I wasn’t bogged down trying to read ‘the signs’.
My fourth experience using the site was far more dramatic. Reece* was on holiday and I was disappointed, but my escort friend convinced me to give someone else ago. I chose a guy for his excellent abs, once again, but this time didn’t ask for a verification photo. I still don’t fully understand why. Partly, I thought it’d add some excitement not knowing who would show up and I think I felt silly seeing asking after how smoothly it’d gone last time. I assumed this time it’d be the same. His body seemed good enough for his face to be, but his face ended up being the biggest problem of them all.

The sex was incredible. It was as if he knew everything my body craved before I did

It was my ex. Our jaws dropped. I asked him what the hell he was doing here and he said, ‘I’m Tom,’ in disbelief. He was using a fake name and though I’d used my real name on the site, it was generic and I’d moved flats since we last saw each other, so he didn’t recognise the address. It couldn’t have been more awkward, but we started hysterically laughing and I told him to come in. I still had a box of his belongings left behind during the break up, so I gave it to him. This made us laugh more. We caught up and he told me about his brief stint around Asia. Then he asked if he was staying or going. ‘Well, you’re here now, aren’t you?’ I replied.
We had sensational sex, one of our best, and he told me not to pay him, but I felt bad about using one of his slots and wanted to keep this strictly business. He was charging £70 an hour so I insisted on giving him £50, deducting money he owed me from our last gas bill, as a joke. The experience was entirely unexpected and hilarious, but afterwards, I was in a blind panic worrying about how easy it’d be for my secret to get out. I swore Tom* to keep this between us, but the fear that it could slip out to any one of our mutual friends still haunts me.
I’ve obviously told my escort friend about these experiences, but no one else close to me. The thought of it getting out to my friends, family or colleagues makes me feel sick. I may feel empowered, but I know what they’d think. I don’t want their pity, questions or judgements. It might change their entire perception of me. I want this to remain my own thrilling secret.
Tom* ended up being the last guy I managed to ‘order’ before Covid-19 hit. Right now, I’m missing any human contact, never mind the best sex of my life. I’m having to trust that my secret will stay safe and that it’ll be old news by the time we’re ‘released’. Still, the inner turmoil has never once made me seriously consider stopping. There have been too many hassle free orgasms for that. I’m counting down the days till I can get my next fix.
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‘I Sold Sex To Fund My Shopping Habit’

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Redrafting the 2014 NBA Draft

January 21, 2021 Daily Comments Off

The 2014 NBA Draft is a memorable one because it featured two superstar centers, one of which (Nikola Jokic) wasn’t drafted until the middle of the second round. The rest of the first round consisted of a number of high-level role players along with some players with loads of potential, but inconsistent production. There were also a couple of huge busts like Dante Exum and Nik Stauskas, so this draft a had a bit of everything.
Let’s see how things would shake out if we redrafted things today.

Original Pick: Andrew Wiggins
This may come off as a surprise given Joel Embiid’s otherworldly talent, but Nikola Jokic is simply a better, more reliable NBA player. Yes, Embiid is, by far, a more impactful defender. He can also dominate opponents in the post in ways only the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and other Hall of Fame big men could. However, Jokic can dominate basketball games too – look no further than his career playoff averages (24.7 ppg., 11.7 rpg., 6.8 apg. with 51-42-84 shooting splits in 33 career playoff games) – it just involves less brute force, and more skill. In fact, the Joker is arguably the best passing big man ever (7.1 apg. over the past two season). And the final separator for the no. 1 redraft choice: reliability is the best ability. Jokic, unlike Embiid, never misses games. He’s played an average of 76.2 games per season during his five year career (he spent 2014-15 overseas) whereas Embiid has only played 52.3 games per season during his four year career (and that doesn’t even take into account the two FULL seasons Embiid missed with injuries to start his career).

Original Pick: Jabari Parker
With the Joker off the board, Joel Embiid is the obvious choice here at no. 2 for the Bucks, who passed on him for Jabari Parker back in 2014. When he’s on the court, Embiid is a Hall of Fame level player. His career averages are 23.9 ppg., 11.5 rpg., 3.1 apg. and 1.8 bpg. with a 24.8 PER. His On/Off numbers (how his team performs when he’s on the court vs. off the court) have been greater than plus-10 in three of his four seasons. In fact, in the 2018-19 playoffs, the 76ers were plus-20.5 with Embiid on the court and minus-21.1 with him off the court – a preposterous 41.6 points per 100 possessions difference!! If you’re the Bucks, you take Embiid without any reservation and you reap the rewards when he and Giannis (drafted in 2013) start to hit their respective primes around the same time.

Original Pick: Joel Embiid
With the two All-NBA level guys off the board, a typical team drafting third would need to weigh both potential and fit. Fortunately, this was the beginning of “The Process” for Philly, so all they really worried about is potential. Enter Aaron Gordon. Stuck playing small forward for the poorly run Magic through his first six seasons, Gordon has barely scratched the surface of his abilities as a small-ball four in the NBA. Despite playing off of position, Gordon has managed to average 16.0 ppg., 7.6 rpg. and 3.3 apg. the past three seasons for Orlando. At some point – and you’d hope that that point would be much earlier in his career if the Sixers had drafted him – a smart team is going to turn Gordon into a hyper-athletic version of Draymond Green. While he doesn’t have the playmaking chops Green possesses, he can pass well enough to be a great roll man off of pick-and-rolls, and his crazy athleticism will be enough to overcome any shortcomings he might have on either end of the court.

Original Pick: Aaron Gordon
The Magic haven’t had adequate spacing for modern-day basketball since Dwight Howard left. So we know that they’d most likely choose a big man, which means they’d be choosing between Jusuf Nurkic and Clint Capela – both good big men, but each has a vastly different skill set. Nurkic is the choice here because he offers more offensive versatility than Capela. Despite having a terrible leg injury late last season, Nurkic has returned to his pre-injury form and averaged 17.6 ppg., 10.3 rpg., and 4.0 apg. in eight regular season games and similar numbers in the playoffs.

Original Pick: Dante Exum
At pick no. 6, the Jazz make amends on their Dante Exum pick by selecting a better overseas prospect, Clint Capela. Capela became a full-time starter in his third season and has averaged 14.3 ppg., 11.1 rpg., and 1.6 bpg. and shot 64.5 percent from the field. He’s an above-average rim-runner and rim-protector, and would be a great centerpiece for the Jazz to build their defense around for the rest of the decade.

Original Pick: Marcus Smart
Certain players and teams – like Marcus Smart and the Boston Celtics – just seemed destined to be together. Smart is the heart and sole of the Celtics, and he’s coming off the best season of his career where he averaged 12.9 ppg. and 4.9 apg. and made First Team All-Defense. His impact on the game goes beyond the stat sheet, however. His ability to guard (and agitate the hell out of) any position from point guard to power forward makes him as valuable as an All-Star level player to a team like the Celtics.

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7. LA Lakers – Andrew Wiggins (1)

Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire

Original Pick: Julius Randle
Coming off of an Achilles tear in 2013, Kobe Bryant was only able to play six games in the 2013-14 season. His rapid decline in production had begun as had his urge to be great at other endeavors in life, so he spent little time with the team the next two seasons. But what if the Lakers had had the opportunity to draft Andrew Wiggins? It’s not impossible to think that Kobe would have taken an interest in mentoring the Canadian basketball prodigy. Imagine the player he could have developed into had he been supplemented with some Mamba Mentality. There aren’t many people blessed with the kind of God-given ability Wiggins possesses, but Kobe Bryant was surely one of them. Maybe he could have helped Wiggins get a little more out of himself.

Torrey Purvey/Icon Sportswire

Original Pick: Nik Stauskas
Having signed Zach LaVine to a big contract as a restricted free agent (which the Bulls surprisingly matched), it’s clear that the Kings organization covets Zach LaVine. Fortunately for them, they’ll get a reprieve after drafting a bust in Nik Stauskas back in 2014 and select the high-flying guard out of UCLA instead. LaVine, much like Andrew Wiggins, is blessed with the kind of vertical athleticism you only see in a handful of NBA players and utilizes it well on offense (averaged 25.5 ppg. last season). Unfortunately, that athleticism hasn’t translated much to the defensive end of the court, so the Kings will need to play him alongside some strong defenders, or else they’ll never go far.

Original Pick: Noah Vonleh
Had we done this exercise a year or two ago, TJ Warren probably goes outside the lottery. Hell, even before the Bubble, Warren probably doesn’t go this high. However, in his first six bubble games, Warren averaged 31.0 ppg. and 6.3 rpg. on 58-52-89 shooting. This incandescent stretch seemed to justify, or at least make us think twice about glossing the fact that he’s averaged 19.3 ppg. the past three seasons. Blessed with this knowledge, the Hornets take Warren and try to develop him into a big-time scorer earlier in his career.

Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire

Original Pick: Elfrid Payton
After selecting the uber-athletic Aaron Gordon with the third pick in the redraft, they’ll select the exact opposite at pick no. 10: Joe Harris. But don’t roll your eyes, Harris can play. He’s one of the most effective three-and-D players in the league and has averaged 12.9 ppg. and shot 43.9 percent from three the past three seasons. With the direction basketball moved the past decade, Harris would develop into an ideal starter on any team.

Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire

Original Pick: Doug McDermott
After tearing his ACL in college, Spencer Dinwiddie fell a bit on draft night, landing at no. 38. It took him a few seasons to develop, but last season he averaged 20.6 ppg. and dished out 6.8 apg. for the Nets. Although they traded the no. 11 pick back in 2014, the Nuggets will keep the pick here and grab the overlooked Dinwiddie and hope to make him their point guard of the future.

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12. Orlando Magic – Bogdan Bogdanovic (27)

Original Pick: Dario Saric
Although he won’t make it over to the NBA until the 2017-18 season, Bogdan Bogdanovic would be well worth the wait for the Magic here at no. 12. The Serbian playmaker can light it up from deep (career 37.2 percent three-point shooter) and make plays in the pick-and-roll. He’d be a less expensive, better version of what the Magic currently have in Evan Fournier.

Daniel Kucin Jr./Icon Sportswire

Original Pick: Zach LaVine

Original Pick: T.J. Warren
This seems like a bit of a draft day slide for Julius Randle, who has averaged 16.1 ppg. and 9.0 rpg. in his career, but if you assume that today’s data and advanced analytics are available in the redraft, then this slide makes more sense. Whether it’s a product of being on bad teams or not, Randle just isn’t a winning player in the NBA thus far in his career. Hopefully, going to a slightly better situation than the Lakers were in 2014 would help Randle’s early-career development, especially on the defensive end of the court.

Original Pick: Adreian Payne
Believe it or not, Dwight Powell is actually third in Win Shares in the draft class of 2014, trailing only Nikola Jokic and Clint Capela. If it weren’t for his torn Achilles this past season, he might be more of a household name because he was one of the more effective pick-and-roll players in the league with Luka Doncic. The Hawks select Powell at no. 15 and fortify their front line alongside Al Horford and Paul Millsap.

Original Pick: Jusuf Nurkic
Ironically, the Bulls actually selected Gary Harris with the 19th pick in 2014, but then traded Harris along with the Nurkic to the Nuggets for Doug McDermott (whoops!). They’ll keep Harris this time around and hope that he develops into the player that averaged 17.5 ppg. in 2017-18 and defended at an above-average rate.

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17. Boston Celtics – Elfrid Payton (10)

Original Pick: James Young
Elfrid Payton never developed into the Rajon Rondo-type point guard that his ceiling suggested he might be when he was drafted in 2014. However, he’s still a solid guard in the NBA and can make set up teammates fairly well (7.2 apg. last season) and make some plays on defense. The Celtics take him at no. 17 and turn he and Marcus Smart loose on defense.

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18. Phoenix Suns – Dario Saric (12)

Original Pick: Tyler Ennis
Though his development was tripped up a bit when he was traded twice in the past two seasons, Dario Saric seems to have regained his footing in Phoenix, so we’ll expedite the situation a bit here and have the Suns select him in 2014. With Saric, they’re getting a nice stretch four who has averaged 12.2 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. over four seasons in the NBA.

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19. Chicago Bulls – Jabari Parker (2)

Original Pick: Gary Harris
Once upon a time, Jabari Parker was arguably the most promising player in this draft class. Hell, before he blew out his ACL, he’d averaged 20.1 ppg. in 2016-17, and looked like he might develop into a Carmelo Anthony-lite. Unfortunately, his career didn’t play out the way people expected it to, and Parker is now a slightly above-average scorer who stinks on defense – there aren’t a ton of NBA teams looking for that player these days. The Bulls will select the Chicago-prodigy and pray that his knees hold up.

Original Pick: Bruno Caboclo
In a different world where he didn’t get so unlucky with injuries, Exum could have been a two-way force in the NBA as he’s blessed with great size and athleticism at the guard position. Unfortunately, due to those injuries and a lack of playing time, Exum had his growth as a player permanently stunted. In this redraft reality, perhaps the Raptors give him more minutes a little sooner than the Jazz did and Exum turns into the player everyone thought he would be.

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21. OKC Thunder – Doug McDermott (11)

Original Pick: Mitch McGary
As has been well-documented over the years, the Thunder lacked three-point shooting and floor spacing during the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook era. I’m thinking Dougie McBuckets could have helped on that front as he’s a career 41.2 percent three-point shooter. He doesn’t have the athleticism to score like he did in college, but he would have been an important contributor for OKC – much more important than Mitch McGary ever was.

Original Pick: Jordan Adams
Kyle “Slo Mo” Anderson seems to have carved out a decent niche with the Grizzlies as a playmaking forward, so let’s get him to Memphis a little earlier in his career. A jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none (especially shooting), Anderson is a poor man’s Boris Diaw and makes for a nice second unit player who can help run an offense with his advanced ball-handling and passing skills.

Original Pick: Rodney Hood
We’ve got another player going to his current team sooner via the redraft as Jordan Clarkson heads to the Jazz at no. 23. Clarkson is a microwave scorer off the bench who plays every game with a pickup hooper’s mentality. Before a very nice stretch with the Jazz last season where he averaged 15.6 ppg. on 46-37-79 shooting, Clarkson was usually viewed as a ball hog who was detrimental to his team’s success. Was last season an anomaly? Or has Clarkson truly turned a corner as a contributor?

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24. Charlotte Hornets – Rodney Hood (23)

Original Pick: Shabazz Napier
Ah, the infamous Shabazz Napier pick…recall, that the Heat actually dealt for Napier in an attempt to appease LeBron James a few weeks before he went home to Cleveland. This time around, the Hornets keep the pick and take this draft’s Jeff Green in Rodney Hood – a player who flashes spurts of immense talent, but is maddeningly inconsistent and, ultimately, nothing more than a high ceiling role player. Hood has averaged 12.5 ppg. for his career.

Original Pick: Clint Capela
Noah Vonleh, a highly-touted prospect from hailing from Indiana University, looked like he was going to be a bust early in his career with Charlotte and Portland. However, he turned things around and developed into a good defender. He goes to the Rockets in the redraft and perhaps is encouraged to shoot more three-pointers early in his career so he can adapt to the modern game.

PI/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire

Original Pick: PJ Hairston
GR3 finally flashed some of the three-and-D potential we’d been waiting for this past season when he averaged 11.7 ppg. on 39.1 percent three-point shooting for the Warriors and 76ers. He’s dealt with some injuries early in his career, but the Heat will hope that he stays healthy this time around and turns into one of those rangy wings the Miami Mafia is known for developing.

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27. Phoenix Suns – Shabazz Napier (24)

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Original Pick: Bogdan Bogdanovic
Largely forgotten about after the Heat dealt him following a blah rookie season, UConn’s two-time champion, Shabazz Napier, has quietly become a decent backup point guard in the NBA. He averaged 10.3 ppg. and 4.7 apg. for the T’Wolves and Wizards this past season. The Suns select him here and hope that he’s ready to provide some stability in their guard rotation.

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28. LA Clippers – Jordan McRae (58)

Original Pick: CJ Wilcox
It’s slim pickings at this point in the draft, so teams are basically just looking for an occasional contributor. Jordan McRae essentially has one skill: scoring. In fact, despite only appearing in 123 career games, McRae has score 35 or more on four separate occasions. The Clippers snag him here and see if he can provide a scoring punch off the bench once or twice a month.

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29. OKC Thunder – Khem Birch (Undrafted)

Original Pick: Josh Huestis
Khem Birch becomes the first and only undrafted player to hear his name called on the redraft. He’s a backup center who has played well enough on defense to steal minutes from Mo Bamba in Orlando the past two seasons, so he should be able to give Steven Adams a blow here and there for the Thunder.

Getty Images

Original Pick: Kyle Anderson
Originally selected by the Kings (“Stauskas? Stauskas.”), Nik Stauskas was a complete bust for Sacramento and probably doesn’t deserve to get redrafted. Then again, what if a player blessed with his shooting touch was drafted by the Spurs? Think they’d figure out a way to turn him into a solid NBA rotation player? My guess is yes. […]

Redrafting the 2011 NBA Draft

January 21, 2021 Daily Comments Off

The 2011 NBA Draft class will go down as one of the greatest in NBA history. As many as five players will make the Hall of Fame. A number of other players made All-Star teams and/or major contributions to championship teams. Above all else, with one unfortunate exception (Isaiah Thomas), most of this class got PAID.
Ironically, this draft class also had some spectacular busts in the top-10 and some impactful late-round sleepers. Here’s how this fascinating draft class should have panned out.

Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire

Original Pick: Kyrie Irving
As great as this draft class is, the first pick is an absolute no-brainer: Kawhi Leonard. The two-time Finals MVP is the obvious pick here because he’s the one true superstar whose presence alone guarantees that your team will be a contender as he has the best winning percentage in NBA history for players who have appeared in at least 150 games. This re-draft presents the Cavs with a fascinating “what if” as well: What if they’d drafted Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving with pick nos. 1 and 4 instead of Kyrie and Tristan Thompson?

Original Pick: Derrick Williams
Though a case can be made here for Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson is the better choice for the T’Wolves at no. 2. Back in 2011, Thompson was a perfect player for the coming three-point revolution that was about to take the NBA by storm (career 41.9 percent three-point shooter). He’s also been an excellent defender, especially against some of the league’s most elite point guards. Thompson and Kevin Love were almost traded for one another in 2014 – they would have made for great teammates in Minnesota.

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Original Pick: Enes Kanter
Fresh off an incredible playoff run that saw him submit two of the finest Finals performances in recent memory, Butler is an easy choice over Kyrie Irving for the Jazz here at no. 3. Why? Because, unlike Mr. Irving , Butler drives winning. He may rub people the wrong way at times with his crazy work ethic and “win at all costs” mentality, but the proof is in the pudding for the five-time All-Star. Imagine where the Jazz would be now had they selected Butler the year after they drafted Gordon Hayward.

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4. Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving (1)

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Original Pick: Tristan Thompson
In this alternate reality (Kyrie would love talking about that), the Cavs end up with Irving yet again – only this time, he’s accompanied by Kawhi Leonard. Three summers later, LeBron James would have returned to Cleveland with a young roster ready to dominate the NBA for years to come. Hell, the Cavs might still be winning titles today if they’d selected Leonard and Irving in 2011.

Original Pick: Jonas Valanciunas
Possibly the fifth Hall of Fame member of the draft class of 2011, Kemba Walker is the clearcut choice for the Raptors at no. 5. In nine NBA seasons, the UConn star has averaged 19.9 ppg. and 5.4 apg. on 42-36-84 shooting. Unfortunately for Kemba, eight of those seasons were spent with the miserable Bobcats/Hornets franchise. Here, he gets to go to a well-run organization in Toronto and presumably becomes what Kyle Lowry is presently to the Raptors.

Original Pick: Jan Vesely
Although IT, Vucevic, Tobias Harris are all on the board, Tristan Thompson was the guy for the Wizards to pair with then-second year blur of a point guard, John Wall. Thompson is everything the Wizards thought they were getting with Vesely, and then some. As he proved in the 2016 NBA Finals, Thompson was athletic enough to help swing the Finals with his energy on the boards and ability to switch out onto the perimeter. He was never a star (career averages of 9.4 ppg., 8.7 rpg.), but he was a star in his role. At pick no. 6 of any draft, that’s good value.

Original Pick: Bismack Biyombo
Though the Kings traded the rights of Biyombo to the Bobcats as part of a three-team deal that landed them Jimmer Fredette (whoops!), we’re going to presume that they keep this pick for re-drafting purposes. Though it’d be tempting to select Isaiah Thomas – the future All-NBA guard the Kings selected with the 60th pick back in 2011 – Sacramento goes with the ever-consistent big man, Nikola Vucevic. Over his past six seasons, the USC product has averaged 18.2 ppg. and 10.5 rpg. Vucevic’s availability edges him over IT, whose career has been hampered by injuries.

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Original Pick: Brandon Knight
The IT-Detroit Redux!! One of the ultimate chip on his shoulder players, Isaiah Thomas jumps from being Mr. Irrelevant (pick no. 60) to the top-10. Had he not suffered a career-altering hip injury in the 2016-17 season, he may have gone even higher in the re-draft as he was good enough to finish fifth in the 2016-17 MVP vote (28.9 ppg. and 5.9 apg. on 46-38-91 shooting).

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Original Pick: Kemba Walker
The Hornets end up getting Harris, a player they originally drafted in 2011 (but was rerouted to Milwaukee as part of a three-way deal). Harris is a good, not great wing, who can get buckets (18.6 ppg. and 48-38-84 shooting splits the past four seasons) as a secondary scorer. He’ll always leave you wanting a little more out of him, but not every player has the mentality necessary to be a star in the NBA.

Original Pick: Jimmer Fredette
Although he’s never been a true needle-mover, Valanciunas has put together a very solid career in the NBA, averaging 12.4 ppg. and 8.9 rpg. in 559 career games with an impressive 20.2 PER. He’s only 28 years old, so he should submit another couple of prime years – especially if he continues to extend his shooting range to the three-point line (he attempted a career high 1.3 three-pointers per game last season). The Bucks, who swapped this pick in 2011, sending Jimmer Fredette to the Kings, land themselves a consistent big man for their future.

Original Pick: Klay Thompson
The Warriors don’t get so lucky this time around with Klay Thompson having gone no. 2 overall in the re-draft. While the Morris twins and Enes Kanter are decent value here, neither would fit into the Warriors culture, but Bojan Bogdanovic sure would. Bogdanovic would probably have gone in the top-10 if it weren’t for the fact that he spent the next three seasons after being drafted in Turkey before coming to the NBA in 2014-15. His underrated offensive ability (20.2 ppg. last season) and deadeye three-point shooting ability (39.4 percent for his career) would make him worth the wait.

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12. Utah Jazz – Marcus Morris (14)

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Original Pick: Alec Burks
Just like in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Morris Twins go back-to-back in the re-draft, only this time, Marcus Morris goes first as he’s had a slightly better statistical career. After a slower start, Morris has averaged a very solid 14.4 ppg. and 5.2 rpg. with 42-37-80 shooting splits since 2016. He’s the ideal bigger three-and-D player who can slide between small forwards and power forwards on defense. This re-draft bodes much better for Utah than 2011 did – they walk away with Jimmy Butler and Marcus Morris instead of Enes Kanter and Alec Burks.

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Original Pick: Markieff Morris
Keef Morris winds up in the same spot that he was drafted in 2011, landing in Phoenix with the 13th overall pick. While things ended on a sour note with the Suns, Markieff enjoyed arguably the best season of his career there in 2014-15, when he averaged 15.3 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. In this re-draft alternate reality, perhaps the Suns never acquire Marcus Morris from the Rockets, and thus, never have an opportunity to screw over the Morris twins by negotiating a combo contract, only to trade both shortly thereafter.

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Original Pick: Marcus Morris
Had we done this re-draft at any point through 2016, Chandler Parsons would have gone as high as no. 6 as he averaged 14.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg. and 3.0 apg. with 47-38-71 shooting splits. Unfortunately, Parsons promising career fell apart due to a number of knee injuries, and, most recently, a scary car accident that may have ended his career for good. The Rockets nabbed Parsons in the second round back in 2011, they’ll draft him here at the end of the lottery, and likely be able to retain for a few more years than they did the first time around.

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Original Pick: Kawhi Leonard
The Pacers ended up trading the rights to Kawhi Leonard to the Spurs for George Hill. With Kawhi off the board, let’s assume the Spurs aren’t willing to make that deal again, so instead, the Pacers will select the best point guard available, Brandon Knight. For those that just did a double-take, remember that Knight was considered a decent prospect the first five years of his career before injuries got in the way (he averaged 15.9 ppg. and 4.6 apg. from 2012 through 2016). Much like Hill, Knight could have provided the soon-to-be contending Pacers some solid offensive play and steady production for a number of years so long as he stayed healthy.

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Original Pick: Nikola Vucevic
Philly gets a more one-dimensional version of Nikola Vucevic in the re-draft with Enes Kanter. But don’t feel bad for the 76ers, they didn’t realize what they had in Vucevic as they traded him after his rookie season. In Kanter, the Sixers get an excellent offensive player (Kanter’s career per-36 stats: 19.2 ppg. and 12.6 rpg., including 4.9 offensive boards a game), but an awful defensive player. Who can ever forget Billy Donovan’s infamous “Can’t play Kanter” remark to himself on the sidelines in 2017?

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Original Pick: Iman Shumpert
Kenneth Faried, Markieff Morris and Chandler Parsons have all had similar career arcs – they all started out looking like high-level role players, or even future All-Stars, and all have largely disappointed in recent years. Faried’s drop-off from age 27 to 30 has been pretty staggering, though it mostly relates to his poor defense. Through his first five seasons, Faried averaged 12.3 ppg. and 8.7 rpg.; the next three seasons, he averaged 8.9 ppg. and 6.7 rpg. Last season, he played in China. At least he’d give the Knicks fans some thrills for a handful of years with his frenetic, hustle plays.

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18. Washington Wizards – Derrick Williams (2)

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Original Pick: Chris Singleton
Instead of going zero for two with their 2011 draft, the Wizards get a sure thing at pick no. 6 with Tristan Thompson, and take a home run swing at pick no. 18 with Derrick Williams, a top prospect whose career may have turned out a lot differently had he not gone to such a poorly run organization in Minnesota.

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19. Charlotte Bobcats – Reggie Jackson (24)

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Original Pick: Tobias Harris
Instead of ending up with Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo, the Bobcats come away with Tobias Harris and Reggie Jackson. I’d rather have Kemba, but that’s not the worst trade off in the world. Early in his career, especially after some big playoff performances off the bench for the Thunder, it appeared that Jackson was destined to become an All-Star. However, when given the opportunity to shine in Detroit, he never quite got there, topping out at an above-average point guard in his first full year in MoTown (18.8 ppg., 6.2 apg.), but then declining ever since.

Original Pick: Donatas Motiejunas
Two things keep this sweet-shooting stretch-four from going higher in the re-draft: for one, he didn’t make his way to the NBA until 2014 (recall that he was one of the Bulls’ best assets between 2011 and 2014); and second, he went back to Europe for big money after only five NBA seasons. Even though they’d only get Mirotic for a few seasons, five years of 12.3 ppg. and 5.9 rpg. on 42-36-81 shooting is about the best you can do if you’re Minnesota at pick no. 20.

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Original Pick: Nolan Smith
Shumpert’s career numbers aren’t all that impressive (7.2 ppg., 3.3 rpg. and 1.8 apg. with 39-34-76 shooting splits), but his value was more on the defensive side of the ball. A good athlete, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 215 pounds, Shumpert was able guard small forwards, shooting guards, and point guards, including guys like Steph Curry in high-pressure playoff games. That skill alone justifies this pick at no. 21 for the Blazers, who would ironically go on to face Steph Curry countless times in the playoffs between 2011 and today.

Original Pick: Kenneth Faried
Although he won’t start his NBA career until 2016, Bertans’ ability to space the floor (career 41.1 percent three-point shooter) make him worth the wait for the Nuggets, a team that could have used his three-point accuracy in the 2020 bubble playoffs against the Lakers. Bertans is proving to be a decent scorer in the NBA as well (15.4 ppg. last season), so there is also some upside for the soon-to-be 28 year old Latvian power forward. Denver happily takes that at pick no. 22.

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23. Houston Rockets – Alec Burks (12)

Original Pick: Nikola Mirotic
Burks always had the potential to be an above-average starting two guard in the NBA (career average of 10.3 ppg. on 42-36-79 shooting). However, injuries always kept him from reaching his ceiling and developing into that player – he’s averaged playing only 55 games per year over his nine year career. The Rockets snag Burks here, and hope that that he can develop into an Eric Gordon-lite alongside James Harden during the mid-to-late 2010s.

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Original Pick: Reggie Jackson
Holiday becomes the first undrafted player to hear his name called in the re-draft, landing with the Thunder at no. 24. Holiday’s nice three-point stroke (40.5 from three last season) and competitive spirit on the defensive end will make him a good role player for the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook-led Thunder. While we’re rewriting Thunder history, let’s hope they don’t bother trading James Harden while they’re at it.

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Original Pick: MarShon Brooks
Save for a nice playoff run in 2016, Biyombo never delivered on his lofty lottery pick status. He’s basically been a backup center who can block some shots, grab some rebounds and intimidate smaller players in the paint. The Celtics select him here at pick no. 25 and hope that he can provide some of the defensive presence Kendrick Perkins once provided for them before they traded him in the 2010-11 season.

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Original Pick: Jordan Hamilton
Even in a draft as deep at the 2011 draft, it gets to be slim pickings after about 20-25 picks. In a handful of his best seasons, like 2016-17 where he averaged 9.3 ppg. and 3.3 apg., Joseph was an above-average backup point guard. That will have to do at no. 26 for the Mavericks, who were fresh off of their shocking championship victory over the Heat.

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27. New Jersey Nets – E’Twaun Moore (55)

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Original Pick: JaJuan Johnson
Moore gets the call here at no. 27, replacing his former college teammate from Purdue, JaJuan Johnson. Though he’s never had a super memorable moment in the league, Moore is a backup guard who can come in and get you some buckets – career average of 8.1 ppg. on 39 percent three-point shooting. He’ll land on the Nets a year before their infamous Paul Pierce and KG trade.

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Original Pick: Norris Cole
Although this pick eventually ended up with the Miami Heat, we’re not doing any trades in the re-draft, so Cole goes in the same position, but ends up with the Heat’s biggest rival in 2011, the Chicago Bulls. Cole would have made for a nice backup point guard to Derrick Rose, which could have been very helpful as we all know how coach Tom Thibodeau drove Rose into the ground, eventually leading to him tearing his ACL in the 2012.

Original Pick: Cory Joseph
Wanamaker has had one of the more unique voyages to the NBA – going undrafted out of Pitt, playing overseas through 2017-18, and becoming a 29-year-old rookie in 2018-19 for the Celtics. In this re-draft reality, we’re going to assume that Wanamaker’s NBA skills get developed at a more expedited rate by Gregg Popovich and the Spurs, so we’d probably see the current version of Wanamaker (6.5 ppg., 2.5 apg., 2.0 rpg. with 45-38-93 shooting splits this past season) a lot sooner.

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30. Chicago Bulls – DJ Kennedy (Undrafted)

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Original Pick: Jimmy Butler
Who? This pick is admittedly a bit of a stretch, but it’s pick no. 30 – do you think the Bulls really want to run-back MarShon Brooks’ career here? For those that watch The Basketball Tournament every summer, Kennedy is its most decorated player, winning four straight championships with Overseas Elite and taking home the tournament MVP honors in 2015. At 6-foot-6, Kennedy possessed nice size and athleticism for the positionless direction the NBA was going after his four years at St. Johns. Sadly, he missed out on a chance at being drafted after he tore his ACL shortly before March Madness in 2011. He gets his NBA reprieve in the re-draft. […]

NBA postpones Friday’s Wizards/Bucks game

January 21, 2021 Daily Comments Off

The game between the Wizards and Bucks that was scheduled to be played on Friday in Milwaukee has been postponed, the NBA announced tonight (Twitter link).
It’s the sixth consecutive postponement for the Wizards, who haven’t played since January 11. The team was cleared to return to the court to practice on Wednesday, but remains significantly shorthanded.
Deni Avdija, Davis Bertans, Troy Brown, Rui Hachimura, Ish Smith, and Moritz Wagner are out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, while Thomas Bryant (ACL) and Russell Westbrook (quad) are sidelined due to injuries, leaving just eight available players on the roster (Twitter link).
According to the NBA’s announcement, the game is being postponed due to the number of unavailable players for the Wizards, contact tracing affecting players on the roster, and the club’s lengthy layoff from practicing.
As Fred Katz of The Athletic wrote earlier tonight, Bradley Beal and the Wizards had been planning to lobby for a postponement of Friday’s game, since they felt that potentially playing with the league-mandated minimum of eight players after not practicing for the last week would result in a high risk of injury for the active players.
The next game on Washington’s schedule is Sunday in San Antonio. The hope is that the Wizards will have enough available players – and enough practice time between now and then – to be ready to play that game.
The NBA has now postponed 17 contests this season. The full list is here. […]

Walking on the Wild Side of Parenting – FaithGateway

January 21, 2021 Daily Comments Off

In our enthusiasm to celebrate children (a good thing), we are sometimes tempted to overlook the key Christian doctrine of original sin. A child can be raised by godly parents, yet still choose to live an ungodly life:
A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke. —Proverbs 13:1
Some sons can bring great honor to their home and their parents; others choose to bring shame:
He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. —Proverbs 10:5
Some children will bring anguish rather than joy:
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother. —Proverbs 15:20
At times children can even steal from their parents (Proverbs 28:24) or drive their mother from her own house (Proverbs 19:26). In this regard, the Bible is more honest than many contemporary Christians. In the Old Testament, God gives us accounts of children who do all sorts of heinous acts.
Abimelech, the son of Gideon, provides one such example. We don’t know a lot about Gideon and his parenting style, but we do know that God’s hand was with Gideon as He used him to free Israel from the control of the Midianites. After Gideon’s great exploits, the people tried to make Gideon king:
Rule over us — you, your son and your grandson – because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian. —Judges 8:22
Gideon refused, demonstrating a noble and humble character:
I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you. — Judges 8:23
Gideon lived a post-military life of blessing and had many children. After Gideon’s death, one of his sons, Abimelech, burned with ambition to rule the nation. Desperate to establish himself as ruler and remove all pretenders, Abimelech murdered all his brothers, except for one. By the providential judgment of God, Abimelech died when a woman dropped a millstone on his head. The Bible tells us that God lay behind this attack:
Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. —Judges 9:56
God apparently didn’t have a problem considering this child a curse. In His providential plan, He sought the death of this wickedly ambitious son.
Sometimes a wayward son or daughter results from a poor upbringing; the parents may indeed have to assume some of the blame (Proverbs 29:15). But a child can receive many spiritual advantages and still choose, with the freedom God gives him, to become a wayward son. Jesus loved Judas as a son, yet the betrayer still opted to turn against Him. Adam and Eve had a godly son (Abel) and a murderous son (Cain). Was their parenting the only factor leading Abel to offer worthy sacrifices and Cain to turn into a selfish, jealous, and bloodthirsty sibling?
President John Adams had one son —John Quincy — who followed him into the presidency and enjoyed a prosperous career. Two other sons had shameful lifestyles. Charles Adams became an alcoholic – his mother described him as a “poor, unhappy, wretched man.” One relative described Thomas Adams as “one of the most unpleasant characters in this world… a brute in manners and a bully to his family.” John and Abigail raised one remarkable son and two disgraceful ones. Was their parenting the only factor that determined each boy’s character?
I suspect I’ve probably raised more than a few eyebrows by now. I can even imagine some condemnations: “How dare you suggest children aren’t a blessing? I bet you also favor abortion, don’t you?”
No, I definitely do not. I am ardently, passionately, and unequivocally pro-life. But I’ve also had enough life experience to know that parenting – even sacred parenting – comes with no guarantees, and I grieve for the good, decent, and godly parents who get treated like pariahs because a kid of theirs goes bad. They weren’t “perfect” parents, of course, and in that sense they may share some of the blame. But tell me – just who is a perfect parent?
Show me one father or one mother who didn’t, at times, spoil their child, just a little. Who didn’t, out of fear or weariness or ignorance or overcommitment, fail to confront something that needed to be faced, at least one time? I’ll let that parent cast the first stone.
Some of us got away with it; some of us didn’t. In my travels I’ve met far too many godly parents who live with a gaping wound. Not only do they face the pain of watching their deeply loved child self- destruct, but they also live with a judgment that the child’s abhorrent way of life stems from their failure as parents.

Godly children are a tremendous blessing; this is a precious biblical truth. But Scripture is honest, and we should be as well. Wayward children can, at the very least, feel like a fierce curse.

How sobering to face the vulnerability that someone could make our lives absolutely miserable – and yet we would lay down our lives on his or her behalf without thinking about it. Just such an amazing spiritual transformation takes place in the journey of parenting. Once again, Paul models our call to this ministry when he writes,
Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? —2 Corinthians 11:29

For many of us, however, the difficulty of parenting comes not in facing betrayal but in enduring a very tiring occupation. Today’s Christian usually prays for relief, for comfort, and for healing – but that’s not always what Scripture teaches us to do.

For example, the apostle Paul prayed that the Colossians would be…
…strengthened with all power according to [God’s] glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. —Colossians 1:11
Instead of immediately asking for their deliverance, Paul prayed that the believers in Colosse would grow in maturity. If you think about it, how do we grow in endurance and patience? Only one path exists, which we’ve already mentioned: to have both our endurance and patience sorely tried, even past the breaking point, until we learn to rest in God’s “glorious might.” You’ll never develop your biceps if you lift just one-pound weights; you have to stress the muscle beyond its normal routine. The same principle holds true spiritually. If God gives us situations we already have the strength to handle, we won’t have to grow in order to deal with them.

The crux of the issue is this: Our first and natural inclination in any trial is to pray for God to remove the difficulty. But God’s first priority is often to strengthen us in the midst of the difficulty rather than to take us out of the difficulty. That’s because He can see the treasure that lies at the end of the trail.

Consider how many times you have broken your promises once offered fervently and earnestly to God. Consider on how many occasions you have said or thought or even done vile things in full sight of a holy and perfect God. Consider God’s eagerness to forgive you, the persistence of His grace, the limitless supply of His understanding and patience and mercy —all offered without condition on your behalf.
Without difficult children, we might take this patience and mercy and forgiveness for granted. That’s where difficult children become a rare gift – they show us a side of God we might otherwise miss.
Parenting may not be an easy journey, but in this it is truly a sacred one.

Excerpted with permission from Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas, copyright Gary L. Thomas
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Your Turn
Raising difficult children is definitely the often painful, hidden, and unspoken wild side of parenting, especially among Christians. But, what our children ask of us pales in comparison to what we ask of God. How have your parenting difficulties actually shined a brighter light on God’s grace in your life? Come join the conversation! We want to hear from you. ~ Devotionals Daily […]

God's Love

Signs of a True Disciple of Christ

January 20, 2021 Daily Comments Off

The road to discipleship begins at the place of salvation. From the moment you give your life to Christ the journey of discipleship begins. However just as you choose salvation, you must choose discipleship. It does not happen automatically. Discipleship is becoming mature in your faith.
Unfortunately, everyone does not reach a place of maturity. The good news however is that the length of time you have been saved does not determine your maturity. If you want to, you can grow, mature, and become a true disciple regardless of whether you got saved early in life or much later. You must simply decide like the old song says, to follow Jesus – no turning back.
Why Should We Have a Discipleship Relationship with Other Believers?
One of the things to remember is that Jesus saved you for a purpose. Yes, heaven is the reward but he has work for you to do before you get there. If he just wanted you to go to heaven, then he would save you and take you to heaven. The fact that he does not do that means he has things for you to do. This is why discipleship becomes so important.
Part of the responsibility of helping people grow into followers of Jesus is to also help them discover why God has saved them and what their purpose is. Beyond that it is also to help others learn how to represent Christ to the world. This is why how you live and the things you say and do matter so much. It is also why we can’t just say we are disciples, we must live like it. The more you follow, the more you obey, and the more you become like Jesus, the better you will represent him. When this happens you become a true reflection of Christ which will ultimately bring glory and honor to God in the earth.
I want to close this article with a verse from James which I believe sums up what it means to be a disciple.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

The true heart of a disciple is not just in the learning. It is in the doing. Not doing to win God’s favor or approval, but doing to be obedient to what God desires. When you reach the place where you seek not only to be a learner or student but to really follow what God wants you to do, then and only then will you know what it means to be a disciple.
Related articlesWho Were the 12 Disciples and What Should We Know about Them?Why Discipleship is Essential (and Where to Start!)Why Does Jesus Say His Disciples Are “Ye of Little Faith”?
Photo credit: Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, author and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and has just released his first book, The Pursuit of Purpose. If you have ever struggled trying to find God’s will, this book will help you discover the different ways God leads you into his perfect will. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com. […]

10 Scriptures to Pray for Our Nation and Our Leaders

January 20, 2021 Daily Comments Off

As our nation finds itself in yet another highly divisive election season, our tendency can be to draw firm lines between ourselves based on which candidates we support, and that can in turn lead to personal dislike for one another, anger towards those who lead, and eventually division.
As Christians, we are to live in a fine balance; standing for that which is true while seeking unity amongst ourselves whenever possible, standing firm in the faith while showing grace to those who do not, holding our leaders accountable while praying for their wisdom and well-being.
We are to learn from the words of Ezekiel 22:30, “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” We are to be those who stand in the gap, who lift up our nation with all it favors and faults before the throne of God, and pray that He continues to work in our midst.
Download your own personal copy of Prayers for America HERE! Print these and use them as a reminder throughout the day to pray for our nation and leaders.

Scriptures to Pray For Ourselves:
1 Timothy 2:1-2 – I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
1 Peter 2:17 – Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
Romans 13:1 – Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Jeremiah 29:7 – Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Scriptures to Pray for our Leaders:
Psalms 2:10-11 – Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.
Proverbs 11:14 – For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Proverbs 21:1 – The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
Job 12:23-25 – He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.

Proverbs 2:1-8 – My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2) turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3) indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4) and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5) then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6) For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7) He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8) for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.May we be faithful, informed and thoughtful when praying and talking to others about our politics, and as we ask for God’s wisdom and righteousness to be evident in our nation’s policies and leaders. […]

Has God Withheld Good from Me?

January 20, 2021 Daily Comments Off

If it feels like God has withheld good from you, remember that your Father knows your needs even better than you do. […]

God's Love

Does God Really Close Doors and Open Windows for Us?

January 19, 2021 Daily Comments Off

Maybe it is a loss of a job or a tragic turn of events, perhaps a long-awaited opportunity passes you by. Whatever the reason, our lives often bump up against unexpected hurdles that leave us feeling saddened or frustrated. We are not immune from these occurrences. In these times, you may have heard, even voiced yourself, the well-known adage: “When God closes one door, he opens a window!” The phrase appears to be faithful enough, giving voice to God’s sovereignty over all things. While suggesting that God had a hand in the hardship we are experiencing, God does so only to provide something better – although better is left mysterious and undefined.
As with all clichés of the Christian life, there are two important questions we must ask ourselves: Is the phrase biblical? and Is the phrase helpful? In the case of this cliché, the answer to both these questions is a resounding “NO!”
The History of the Closed Door / Open Window Cliché
Tracing the history of clichés can be fun but difficult. Versions of the phrase exist in different places and times. This cliché is most popularly attributed to the musical, The Sound of Music. The phrase is spoken by Maria when she hears of the Captain’s broken engagement. “Reverend Mother says when the Lord closes one door, somewhere he opens a window,” she says. Again, it sounds to be a highly spiritual and faithful realization.
Of course, this phrase did not originate with the musical. Yet here is where tracing the history is hard. Both Alexander Bell and Hellen Keller have been cited as saying something akin to this phrase. This difficulty in tracing the history of this cliché, however, does highlight one fundamental truth. The phrase does not occur in Scripture. In fact, when we think about this phrase, there is hardly anything biblical about it.

There are three faults we must recognize in this cliché:
Fault 1: A Faulty Depiction of Life
The primary problem with this cliché is that it leads us into a faulty vision of the Christian life. Because the phrase is employed at the point of difficulty, it naturally assumes that the way of God is the way devoid of struggling or hardships. The window of God’s will is always that which leads us away from that which is uncomfortable. The good and pleasant things of life are never described to us as ”God closing a door.” Why? Because we like these things, and we assume that God does so as well. The cliché presumes that God’s will for our lives is always that which is easy and trouble-free.
Yet we do not see this in Scripture. In fact, have you ever noticed that the path of righteousness, for God’s namesake, runs right through the valley of the darkest shadows? (Psalm 23:3-4). While we might start in green pathways and still waters, as we progress in our Christian life, we come up against dark valleys and the presence of enemies. More importantly, when we look at the life of Jesus, we see that the way of Christ is the way of the Cross. Christ’s call to follow him is a call to follow him on the path of crucifixion. And yes, while this does end in resurrection, we can never assume that the path of least resistance is the way that God calls us to go.
The cliché assumes that any open window is beneficial for one’s life. It demands no further discernment. It is simply assumed that the earliest opportunity out of life’s struggles is the one issued by the Lord. Yet Jesus speaks definitively against this very notion. Jesus says: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14) The widest path ahead is not always the one we must take. Jesus himself lived this out when he rejected this very temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:8-9).
Of course, we should not assume that God delights in the hardship of God’s people. Of course not! Still, God’s will for our lives is always beyond the mere satisfaction of earthly enjoyments. The true satisfaction of life, the true life we are called to, is found upon the narrow way of Christian discipleship. The truth that Scripture proclaims, the reality that we all know intuitively, is that the decision to follow Christ does not always make our lives “easier.”

Fault 2: A Faulty View of Self
Not only does this cliché pose a problem for our vision of Christian life, it also leads us into a problematic view of ourselves. While appealing to God’s actions, the cliché assumes that we can never know the will of God in our lives. The cliché presupposes that we do not live in an interactive relationship with God. The problem does not lie in the fact that God “closes the door.” The discipline of prayerful discernment is based on the truth that God does, in fact, lead His people. This leading may involve a limiting of a path ahead. We see this in Acts 16. Unfortunately, the notion that “God opens a window” is left completely vague and undefined. One is left to question the what and the where of the open window, with no indication that God will aid in the persons in discernment. While attempting to offer comfort it only offers confusion.
See, the implication implicit in the cliché is that it is up to the individual to find the open window. One does not receive further direction from the Lord. We live our lives blindly moving through random occurrences, just hoping that somewhere we may stumble upon the will of God. Yet what happens if we do not find the open window? If it is true that God opens a window, but we do not go through it, then it makes the reality of our suffering completely dependent upon us. The prolonging of our times of hardships is placed squarely upon our own shoulders. Our sufferings are our own fault. Thus, not only do we experience a time of hardship, we bear the weight of rejecting God’s will. Instead of comfort, the phrase offers us the most horrific of condemnations.
Fault 3: A Faulty View of God
Ultimately, the main fault behind the cliché is a fundamental denial of God’s sovereignty. While the phrase sounds as if it gives full authority to the Lord, it rips these things from God’s hands and places them firmly within our own judgment. The cliché makes both the closed door and the open window dependent upon our own assessment. If we do not like the road ahead or find our path too laborsome, we conclude that God must clearly be closing the door on the path ahead. Conversely, when an opportunity falls in our lap, we need not present the matter to the Lord in humble prayer. Instead, we simply refer to the opportunity as “God’s open window” and charge ahead. Thus, our faith life is not lived in following the will of the Lord; we carve out our path. There is little to no faithfulness here. The language of “God” or “God’s will” simply becomes the rhetoric we use to justify our own self-mastery.

Scripture is filled with examples of people living this way. Each case is seen as a distortion of true faithfulness and obedience. King David, for example, sought to build the temple of the Lord, feeling it was a fitting accomplishment for his reign (2 Samuel 7). Neither he nor the prophet Nathanial inquires of the Lord’s will, believing the existence of the opportunity itself was a testament to the Lord’s approval of the matter. Unfortunately, the act of building the temple was not part of God’s will for David. David is rebuked for pridefully assuming himself to be the one to decides the parameters of God’s will. So too are we rebuked if we do the same.
What Does the Bible Actually Say?
Given these three faults, it is easy to see how the phrase “when God closes a door, He opens a window” does not coincide with biblical truth. As pleasant sounding as the phrase may seem, it offers little hope and no biblical truth to those who find themselves facing difficultly. This, then, begs the question: What does the bible actually say? The truth that Christians grasp, particularly in times of difficulty or hardships, is the intimate presence of God. We are never abandoned in our lives. Jesus’ parting words in the Gospel of Matthew testify to this promise. Jesus proclaims to disciples everywhere “I am with you to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). It is a recapitulation of God’s heartfelt promise in Deuteronomy to never leave or forsake his people (Deuteronomy 31:6).
This is the truth proclaimed in all of Scripture. It is revealed as the Creator walks toward the wayward couple in the cool of the garden, it is the Shekinah of God traveling with Israel through the struggles of the Exodus; it is the truth that God was never away from the sufferings of Job, even though that is how it felt. But more than anything, it is a truth fully revealed in Jesus. We uncover this truth when Jesus comes to us wrapped in vulnerability and when he hangs on the cross, taking all pain and frustrations upon himself. Repeatedly the Bible holds forth the truth that in the places of this world’s darkness, where we may be tempted to believe that God has shut the door on our blessing or happiness. God is closer and more active than we realize. God does not sit on a distant cloud, away from the messiness of our life, hoping that we will grasp whatever lifeline he happens to throw our way. No. God, who is rich in love and mercy, dwells with us. He walks with us. He cries with us. Christians look not to open windows. We look to our incarnate Lord.

So, the next time someone you know finds themselves facing the brunt of unpredictable life, do not attempt to comfort them by some lame appeal to a mystical way out of their circumstance. Rather, point them to the biblical truth of the loving God that surrounds them no matter what life throws at them. Remind them that they need not fear the terrors of night or the arrows that fly by day because God alone is our rest and our fortress (Psalm 91). This is, and will always be, our ultimate comfort and hope in life.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/asiandelight
Reverend Kyle Norman is the Rector of the Anglican Parish of Holy Cross in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He has a doctorate in Spiritual Formation and is often asked to write or speak on the nature of Christian community, and the role of Spiritual disciplines in Christian life. His personal blog can be found here. […]

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