This year I turned 50 years old. It’s amazing to see how God has stood by my side through a half century of life. Has it been easy? Is a life with Multiple Sclerosis, like the one I lead, a life without challenges? Is training for bodybuilding competitions, something that is virtually impossible with MS, a walk in the park? Is God prepared for victory even as I face a battle that man says cannot be won? The answers are NO, NO, NO and YES!

Training with a debilitating disease is certainly challenging. MS has left my extremities with numbness and lack of coordination. I sometimes wonder why God has chosen me to do what I am doing, but I always come back to the same conclusion. He has His purpose, and I am just a vessel for His work.

Have you ever met someone who feels they have all the gifts God gives to people? They are exhausted—spread so thin they are no earthly good to anyone. At times, we all try to do too much. Sometimes we are asked to go beyond our gifts and talents, but God’s desire is for us to serve Him with how He has gifted us.

Paul’s concern for the Roman people was that each person’s gift would be identified and he or she would strive to use it appropriately. However, some people looked at others and grumbled over why they did not have that gift or if that person truly was gifted in that manner. It was exhausting. Paul encouraged them to work together to build God’s kingdom.

Today’s athletes are being pressured to be the best. More athletes are turning to whatever they can to get to the top or to stay there. Alex Rodriguez is one case. If you’ve seen his recent interview, you know that he said the pressure to perform drove him to take banned substances.

Texas Ranger Josh Hamilton was also one of those athletes. He was an amazing talent as the No. 1 draft pick in 1999, and he quickly turned heads in the major leagues. But it did not last long. The pressure and stress of staying on top took its toll on Hamilton, and he turned to drugs and alcohol to help him deal with everything. Eventually, he was suspended from baseball in 2002. He was no longer No. 1 in his eyes, let alone the eyes of those who loved him.