Teens Talk - First Place Prize

The Grand Rapids Times
5-30-2008
By Marcel Gamble

Many people don’t believe it but it is possible to excel in a race even if you don’t receive the first place prize.

No matter what your future plans are and no matter what drama you went through last week. I just want to say, “Class of 2008 we have crossed the finish line.”

Even though some of us did not cross with honors and awards, we still made it. Just because some of us weren’t Class Valedictorian doesn’t mean we didn’t receive a prize.

God has blessed us all of these years to live to see graduation day.

We have lost friends to drugs and violence on the way to the finish line. There have been troubling times that we have had to experience in order to make it to the finish line.

One thing that we can all say is that we have all earned the ultimate prize, we have graduated.

People forget that after one race is finished another race always begins. Class of ’08 now that we have made it through high school it is time to begin our race in life.

The race through high school might have been a breeze but this race through life will be very difficult if you don’t choose the correct path.

There may be multiple water breaks when bills have to be paid and you’re all out of money. There may be breathers in your education when you have children and you were already struggling to provide for yourself.

This race will not be easy and you are going to sweat. We have to realize that a race can’t be completed if there is no path for us to follow.

God creates a path and it is up to us to follow. God makes it a little easier by guiding us to make the correct choices in life.

You will fall off the path from time to time but God will always be there to guide you back to the race and always put you in first place. Once you run a race with God you are only a first place winner.

Class of ’08, we have made it!

Let me know what you feel about the first place prize.

I’m going to leave you all with these words of wisdom, ”God knows what you are going through let Him help you through your race.”