I am grateful for…by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

The Journey.

Sometimes while watching the Dallas Cowboys, it’s difficult to not lapse into days gone by. I was thinking about how tough it would be for reporters to enter the locker room after the Cowboys disappointing 26-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The question everyone was asking Thursday was “Will Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett be fired?” In my days as a television sports reporter, I covered the Dallas Cowboys when Garrett was the back-up quarterback to Troy Aikman. I always thought he was a great guy, and a “go to” interview when we needed one. I was glad Cowboys owner Jerry Jones decided to stick with him through a potential playoff run.

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As I let my mind continue to wander back to the good ol’ days, I thought, I am grateful for the journey. Although television had its ups and downs, especially with the constant emphasis on ratings, it was still a fulfilling career for this sports-loving-former athlete, and now God has brought me back to a form of media through radio platforms and Facebook Live— using the years of training I received—for His glory.

Sometimes I wonder, What would have happened if I’d remained in Connecticut and accepted ESPN’s offer to become a full-time reporter, rather than return home to my old job as a sports anchor in San Antonio? Honestly, I am not sure I would have been successful because I know I proceeded in God’s plan. His journey was part of a divine destiny to reconcile with my mother, give birth to our second child, Bret, and eventually answer a call to seminary and ministry. All of this took place in San Antonio. I needed to return home.

I am grateful for the journey, and grateful for family, as I know several of my female peers in the national sports reporting world chose career over children. I desired balance because I knew that eventually television would end, which it did after nineteen years in the business, a longer stretch than I ever thought I’d work in the industry.

I remember having to anchor the local television sportscasts almost every Thanksgiving, but once I “retired,” I enjoyed Thanksgiving like most people, and prepared a huge feast for our family every year. This Thanksgiving, for the first time in a long while, I was not in charge of the meal. Our oldest son, Kyle, and our daughter-in-law, Bailey, hosted us in their new home and took care of all the details and the delicious feast. I think I like this arrangement! It has been a wonderful get-together as both our younger son, Bret, and sister-in-law, Sue, joined us for this holiday.

Having us all together for a few days once again confirmed that I made the right choice years ago when I chose family over career. I am grateful for the journey.

What about your life twists and turns? Are you thankful for the times you said “no” to a job, for the opportunities you received, or for the moves you made? Are you grateful for your journey?

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).