In four days I’ll be in a rental house on a golf course in Florida with 11 other pastors. It’s an annual trip full of golf, poker, great food, and catching up with brothers in Christ. 

We spend time daily praying for each other. Sharing struggles and celebrations. Giving each other ears that truly hear because we share the same heart.

It’s an entire body experience.

Most of us in the group have done this for years. We start counting down to next year the week after this year’s event’s over. COVID’s 2020 cancellation causes double anticipation this year.

Countdowns fall into two camps. The good ones offering celebration and fun. The bad ones unwrapping endings and separation.

Every day ushers in a slew of both. 

Looking forward to dinner with your kids. Excited about spraying Roundup on weeds so that walkways look better. Can’t wait to fall into bed.

Having the phone call with the vendor who let you down. Attending the counseling session with the spouse who let you down. Sitting in the hospital room waiting for mom to breathe her last.

Do you tend more to good countdowns or bad? Which ones jockey for the lead in your daily life?

Do you easily fall into fogs where you visualize only the bad ones? Allow them to overwhelm the good? Spend a few moments at the start of your day planning the good countdowns. 

Mark them in pink on your calendar. Circle them with a crayon that screams joy. Accent them visually so your eyes never lose sight.

Use another joy-filled color for the daily divorces and disappointments. Jesus will be present at those, too. You won’t be alone. He doesn’t know how to desert His people.

He’ll walk you through and hold you up. Carry you, perhaps.

He’ll make sure the countdown counts for good in your life. That’s His specialty.