In early 1992, some remarkable passengers were cast overboard during a fierce storm in the North Pacific. Nearly 30,000 Chinese-made plastic bath toys began slowly making there way across the waves.

For the past 15 years, yellow ducks, green frogs, blue turtles and red beavers have been quite a colorful flotilla! Their journey of nearly 17,000 miles, has taken them across the Arctic Ocean where they were frozen as décor in bright over sized ice cubes. They bobbed and dipped their way the entire length of Greenland and even have drifted down the eastern seaboard of the United States.

According to Fox News, the brave little duckies began life in a Chinese factory and were being shipped to the U.S. when three 40-foot containers were washed overboard! Two-thirds of the castaways drifted south through the tropics, landing months later on the shores of Indonesia, Australia and South America. But 10,000 of the tenacious tub toys floated north and by the end of that year were off Alaska and heading back westward.

On their journey, many of the little fellas were stranded in circulating currents, lots were blown ashore and some unfortunates were crushed by icebergs... It's tough being a little duckie on a big ocean!

Oceanographers predicted they would spend years trapped in the Arctic ice moving at the rate of only one mile a day and eventually land on the shores of Great Britain. By the time the survivors were predicted to land, in 2007 they would be bleached white by the sun and salt, ragged and torn, and certainly deteriorated.

I assume the toys washed ashore as predicted and I bet those miniature mariners may lack their former luster. They are probably hardened and weathered. They may be less useful than when they were first created. But they are what I want to be... over comers!

We don't really know where the current of God's plan will take us. Sometimes we, like those water logged warriors, find ourselves just trying to keep our heads above water when life's storms begin to roll.

Sometimes our journey feels long, goes slowly and lands us on foreign shores.

Those plastic bath toys overcame insurmountable odds and by the time you and I arrive at Heaven's shore, we will have faced our share of turbulence too. So, what does it mean to overcome?

The, Greek, translation for the word overcome in 1 John 5:4 is "nikao" or "nikawv" which means to come off victorious. To describe a Christ Follower as an "over comer" is not to say they win every battle in life, but to say they hold fast to their faith, even unto death. An over comer endures temptations and perseveres through trial and persecutions. The one who rides the waves of this life, holding firm to their faith are those who are unwilling to quit. Over comers persevere no matter what the journey is like. They are described in the book of Revelation this way: "And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." (Re 12:11)

My friend, someday we too will finally arrive on a distant shore and what matters is not how difficult the journey, but how beautiful the shore. Our victory isn't in eliminating the adversity; our victory is in faithfully finishing the journey. For those who overcome, a crown of life is promised. So, if you feel as if you are going under, being tossed about or just trying to keep your head above water... ride the waves, my friend. The tumult of your travels here cannot compare wit the triumph of your arrival in Heaven someday. You will trade in your weary, worn, weathered sojourning suit for a glittering crown.

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

Blessings and Joy,
Jennifer Rothschild
Author of Self Talk, Soul Talk: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself, and Founder of WomensMinistry.NET

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This month we are going to take a look at Crisis Ministries. We feel that there is a growing need for women to be equipped to help in these types of ministry and will explore them with you. We would also like to know about what your church does in these areas...

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This idea was originally published in Issue 214 on May 13, 2004

Event Idea: "Lord, Bless My Nest"

Based on: Praying for your spouse and children (your home)

Description: For a Ladies Night Out meeting we decorated the tables with yellow tablecloths with strands of green ivy running down the center of the table. At the end of each piece of ivy we placed different birdhouses donated by leadership team members.

We wrapped edible bird nests (made out of chow mien noodles and chocolate with candy eggs) in tulle and tied them with ribbon and placed them at each place setting with an original poem entitled "Lord, Please Bless My Nest".

Our door prize was a ceramic flower pot with birdhouses painted on it. Inside was a devotional book about prayer and various bird related items...a hummingbird feeder, ceramic coasters with bird feeders and houses painted on them, and several stationery items with bird themes.

Our refreshments were fruits and vegetables (that counts as bird food, doesn't it!?)

Our program was based on the subject of praying for your family and others.

For our icebreaker we played a game that paired sets of ladies to pray for each other for the next month.

Our speaker spoke on the topic of praying for your spouses and children. We recognized military spouses whose husbands are deployed, presented each of them with a prayer candle with a saying attached to it, and spent time praying for their families.

Our soloist sang "I Get on my Knees" by Jaci Velasquez. And for our craft, we made "post-it note prayer pads".

Some of these ideas were originals, some were taken from other sources, but it made a lovely theme that centered around prayer.

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From one tool to another, I thank you from the very depths of my heart for your wonderful article, "Tool Talk." It was amazing timing on God's part as I am sitting in a hotel room right this very minute. This weekend, I am one of two speakers at a conference in North Carolina. By the way, they found me through womensministry.net and flew me in from California. May God continue to use and bless your fabulous ministry! ~ Dori Drabek

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