In Paris, 2024 Olympians Give Glory to God
Finding Truth, Part 4
Here’s a story to set the stage for today’s post on The Tolton Path:
My memory erased? Can Truth do that? And why would he want to do that? Where did he go? He’s not in the living room. I check the bedroom downstairs and the three upstairs.
“Truth!” I shout. I need to catch my breath. What’s that smell?
I’m running downstairs and see smoke. I spot Truth in the kitchen–burning the newspapers!
His head turns towards me. “Thank you for showing this to me.” Flames shoot out of the cooking pot on the stove. “This is extremely dangerous.”
“But it seemed to explain things. It’s just information! For my 18 years, I’ve been alone, wondering what happened to everyone else. Don’t you want to know what happened?”
“I am Truth.”
“I get it, I get it. You’re Truth. But I don’t know who I am.”
“You are Yusuf.”
“I want to know where I come from. How I got here. Why no one else is here. Don’t you understand?”
“What has come before does not matter. The present is all that matters. The present is safe.”
“If you’re, Truth, tell me what happened. Where did everyone go? Why am I alone?”
“You are with Truth. You are no longer alone. You are safe.”
I was less frustrated when I was alone. His eyes are locked onto me. He doesn’t seem to blink very much. Does he blink at all? Wait, there he just blinked. One blink. I guess that’s normal. Truth follows me into the dining room.
“Look, I know you’re trying to help me. To keep me safe.” I’m pacing on one side of the table. “But I need more information about the world to know who I am. I’m more than just me. It matters what others are or have done. The good and the bad–all of it. I don’t need to be protected from the truth. I need it.”
I stand at the end of the table in front of Truth. “Why was everyone arguing in the newspaper? Why did the writer say we were being deceived?”
“Your consumption,” Truth says, “of the newspaper information was unfortunate.” Before I can react, his hand stretches across the top of my head. What is he doing? I try to look up at him but I can’t. He’s too strong.
My eyes are closing. I’m so tired. I just need to…
–End story (for now)–
Finding Inspiration
Despite the 24/7 news cycle of danger and worries, there is inspiration all around us. We aren’t alone like Yusuf in his journey. We are a reflection of one another. And if you continuously look at the bad you’ll start to think that’s all we’re capable of doing.
I wasn’t able to catch a lot of the 2024 Paris Olympics, but I did enjoy seeing these powerful and dedicated athletes humbling themselves and giving the glory to where it belongs—to God. I’ve organized some of their inspiration for you below.
For the first dose of inspiration, here are athletes from different nations coming together at Olympic village singing and praising God.
Here is team Fiji singing during a Sunday service.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Here is German shot putter, Yemisi Magdalena Ogunleye singing her praise to God.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
US hurdler, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone gives all credit to God in this clip.
Here is her again praising God after another world record.
Here’s a clip of Brazilian skateboarder, Rayssa Leal, after winning the Bronze. She is deaf and signs John 14:6:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Tennis great Serbian Novak Djokovic thanks God after his first tennis Gold medal at the Olympics. Here he drops to his knees, looks up and makes the sign of the cross.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Here is him speaking about the blessing of being in the Olympics.
After South African Tatjana Schoenmaker won the gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke, she wore a gratitude t-shirt thanking those who helped her. The first three names are God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
https://x.com/David_Isaacson/status/1818029326828507394/photo/1
Here is Ethiopian Tsige Duguma, who won the silver medal in the 800-meter race. When she flipped her number around, it revealed the writing, “Jesus is Lord”
https://x.com/Sachinettiyil/status/1821536990871044292
Here is American Cole Hocker in the men’s 1500m. Watch this exhilarating come from behind win to take the Gold in this :30 second clip.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Watch Cole Hocker’s Catholic High School cheer him on.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Cole Hocker: “I just let God carry me through the finish line.”
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
And as bonus inspiration, watch this amazing man tip Doordash drivers $800 each over a 15 hour period. Watch each driver’s reaction of disbelief and thanks.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
What a blessing to have people from across the world to remind us to work hard, be thankful and give the glory to where it belongs.
Peace.
If you found this post inspiring, please share it!
