1+1=2

2+2=4

4+4=8

8+8=16

16+16=32

32+32=64

64+64=128

128+128=256

256+256=512

512+512=1,024

1,024+1,024=2,048

2,048+2,048=4,096

4,096+4,096=8,192

8,192+8,192=16,384

16,384+16,384=32,768

Tedious.

Methodical.

One-by-One-by-One-by-One . . .

Adding, never subtracting.

Even reaching a place of multiplying, but never dividing.

MATH—WAS JUST NOT MY THING WHEN REQUIRED TO CALCULATE INSIDE MY HEAD!

Thus, all of my daughter’s mathematical skills that would cause her to be a MATH major come from her dad, my husband.

My husband truly can calculate numbers FASTER inside his brain than I can RUN for a paper & pencil or my phone calculator.

“You just need to break it down,” he claims, but truthfully, I become so lost in the “break-down” that by the time I “break it down,” I have forgotten the numbers I wish to calculate or even the reason why I wish to calculate.

I am the kid who loved the mathematical word problems in school for the PLACES the stories would take us as “the train traveled 29 kilometers for 2.5 hours heading east.”  Who cares how fast will the train go as it traveled because I was THERE on the TRAIN (in my mind) going on a journey (even while my body remained placed in the chair, fourth row from the door, & third seat back from the front of the room).

Go back with me to second grade.

We had MATH RACES in class.

I LOVED the MATH RACES!

Ms. Owens would select one person who would stand up, moving back one chair to stand next to the person sitting in the chair directly behind.

Then came the MATH problem spoken aloud.

MATH-IN-ONE’S MIND.

I LOVED THE THRILL OF THE RACE.

ONE CHAIR, MAYBE TWO CHAIRS.

ONE TIME I ACTUALLY MADE IT HALFWAY AROUND THE CLASSROOM.

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME!!!

I LOVED THE RACE MOST DAYS, NOT FOR THE MATH BUT FOR THE “THRILL” OF THE MOVEMENT, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE UP & MOVING “AROUND THE WORLD” OF THE CLASSROOM.

There were also days when two student names were spoken aloud, and they were expected to race to the chalkboard where they listened for the teacher’s spoken mathematical problem.  Hurriedly, we grabbed our chalk, listened intently, scribbled down the problem on the chalkboard, and then factored, added, multiplied, subtracted, or divided—in front of the whole room of students.

That exercise clearly DIVIDED the “could(s)” from the “could nots” for the “could nots” returned to a designated side of the classroom, as they awaited other “could nots” to join them.

I always wished, hoped, yearned for other classmates to join me on my designated side of the classroom, and although the “could not” side of the room grew in number, I never became dismayed because there was a RACE involved in the math lesson, and MOVEMENT was my favorite subject in class every single day!

The choir director whose words are recorded within the book of Psalms, said—

“These things I remember and pour out my soul within me.

For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,

With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.”

(Psalm 42: 4)

How many people will there be in heaven once we arrive?

Will we try to count the total number once we step on the streets of gold?

Will we strain to see over the heads of all those there, inside the gates made of pearls, or will we spend our time in “music” more than in “math”?

Last night, the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics was televised, and I knew that I did not wish to miss this spectacular display of athletes, this parade, the waving of flags, the smiles as the athletes entered the stadium, ecstatic to have arrived, to have trained, performed, won, and received the invitation to attend the “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity.

As I sat there watching the parade of athletes, the colorful display of flags and the matching, colorful wind suits, I thought—“This is exactly what heaven will be.”

A display of people from all nations, coming together in one place, for one reason, carrying their banner high for all to see, smiling, waving, filled with immense joy.

The difference:  the athletes entered the stadium in unity but today, they will be competitors.

The difference:  the believers will enter heaven in unity and remain forevermore brothers & sisters in Christ Jesus, forever filled with joy, praise, & thanksgiving to the King of Kings!

The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary has been tracking the statistics associated with the growth of Christianity around the world.  That’s so cool, that they are counting how many people are “IN THE COUNT” & “ARE WALKING TOWARD HEAVEN.”

This study shows—Christianity is growing!

This study displays how Christianity has gained a 1.17 percent growth.

This study reveals how 2.56 billion people will stand and say, “I am a Christian,” by the middle of 2022.

This study also states that by 2050, the number of Christians will exceed 3.33 billion!!!

This study also uncovers the opposite—those who claim to be atheists—a declining number.

Praise the Lord, this study shows that in 1970, there were 165 million atheists around the world, and today, there are 147 million.

During the 2022 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony last evening, each country entered the stadium, led by someone carrying the 2022 placard that displayed the country’s name, followed by the athlete chosen to carry the country’s flag, and then followed by the athletes.

Some countries were blessed with a large number of competing athletes, while some countries were blessed with just a few athletes, and some countries only brought one flag-bearer and one athlete marching into the stadium.

Africa’s growth in Christianity shows a 2.77 percent increase!

Asia’s growth shows a 1.50 percent increase!

In Africa & Asia alone, almost 1.1 billion people raise their banners and say, “I am a Christian.”

In the global north (that’s North America & Europe), 838 million people also raise their banners and say, “I am a Christian.”

By 2050, 686 million Christians will live in Latin America & 560 million will live in Asia & 1.3 billion Christians will stand and be counted in Africa.

276 million Christians will live in North America & 497 million Christians will live in Europe.

Finally, this global study states that by the year 2050, 1 in 5 unbelievers (non-Christians & 20 percent of the world’s population) will know a believer, a follower of Jesus, a Christian!

What does that mean?

That means that 1 in 5 unbelievers will have the opportunity to hear the Good News, the Gospel message of Jesus from their co-workers, friends, family, and acquaintances!

BUT THAT WILL ONLY BE TRUE IF WE ARE SHARING JESUS WITH THE WORLD OF LOST SOULS!

AND THAT WILL ONLY BE TRUE IF WE ARE PRAYING, SEEKING GOD’S WILL EVERY SINGLE DAY!

AND THAT WILL ONLY BE TRUE IF WE ARE DIGGING INTO GOD’S WORD, DILIGENTLY STUDYING, AS WE PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THESE FUTURE ENCOUNTERS!

In the Bible, in the book of John, SEE WITH ME.

“From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified.  “He told me all the things that I have done.”

So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them;  and He stayed there two days.

Many more believed because of His word;  and they were saying to the woman, [the Samaritan woman] “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

(John 4: 39-42)

They believed because of the woman’s testimony!

They believed because this woman shared Jesus!

They believed because Jesus Is Who He Says He Is—the Savior of the World!

Are you ONE of the ONES?

I AM.

I became ONE of the ONES at the age of fifteen.

My husband became ONE of the ONES shortly after we began dating.

Our daughter became ONE of the ONES when she was just nine-years-old.

There are still others inside my family who are not ONE of the ONES!

Are you ONE of the ONES?

What about all the ONES inside our families, our friend-groups, our workplaces, our churches?

Every Single ONE Matters to GOD!

We must be ready.

We must be praying, constantly praying.

We must be sharing Jesus with the world.

We must be studying because—

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

So that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

(2 Timothy 3: 16-17)

We (who believe) can be prepared, taught, trained.

We (who believe) can be equipped to do the “good” work God leads us to do.

God has given us everything we need to be triumphant in our work He has given us to do—to share the Salvation found in Jesus Christ with the world.

The 2022 Winter Olympics will last for just seventeen days.

What does that mean?

What if we prayed, asking God to give us seventeen opportunities to share the Salvation of Jesus with a lost person during the next seventeen, calendar days?

What if we “got serious” about our calling?

What if!!!

Could that mean that the Holy Spirit of God could bring conviction to seventeen people, leading seventeen people to be counted with the multitude, the throng, the caravan of believers who stand and say, “I BELIEVE!  COUNT ME!  I AM A FOLLOWER OF GOD!”

1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1 . . . 17 who may come to know Jesus as Savior & who knows how many more!!!

Truly, we who are “called by His name—CHRISTIANS” are strong, are united, are the body of Christ.  May we lace up our shoes, race forward, and do everything God leads us to do & say everything God gives us to say—EVERY SINGLE DAY—until the Lord calls us home to eternity.