Living a fulfilling life as a Lean Christian in a Fat World ©

Last week, Dr. Larry Nassar from Michigan State University (MSU) was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for sexual abuse of more than 150 athletes (including Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney, who won gold medal for USA in the Olympics). One of the 150 was one of my mentor’s daughter and listening to her testimony broke my heart. I could not come around to listen to others, since the pain was too much for me to handle.  Many of these girls/women were so broken that they had a tough time forgiving Larry for his crimes and the injustice they faced from all the authorities. As a man, I don’t think I or many others can fully comprehend the pain and suffering that these women went through or continue to struggle to find solace. All we can do is simply pray for these young women so that they can find hope and healing. Their life is ahead of them and God will bring them healing. Jesus assures us in, Matt 5:4 (ESV) “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” I a

Mark 14:71-72  Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!” A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept. After Jesus was arrested and taken to the Chief priests Peter, Jesus's key disciple, denies knowing his master Jesus three times, with whom he had spent the last 3 years of his life. His denial came as a fulfillment of Jesus’ words mentioned earlier, “ before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times ”. As I read these verses, I wonder why Peter did not acknowledge knowing Jesus the first time, then the second time, and finally the third time.  I presume Peter wanted to protect his own life, so betrayed his master. I believe Peter failed to recognize his selfish & sinful nature until the rooster crowed a second time. Isn't that tragic? So many times, just li