I have a flaw that I need to admit to.  I am a fair-weather fan when I watch the teams that I say I’m a fan to.  To be specific, I follow the New England Patriots, the Denver Broncos, and the Arizona Cardinals.  I lived in Boston for 7 years, grew up in Colorado, and have lived in Arizona for 32 years.  I love to watch my teams, but when they get behind, I have a tendency to get up from the couch and go into the kitchen, or other places, because I hate to see them losing.

Yesterday was the Super Bowl featuring the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. If you have heard the news, the Falcons went up 28-3 over the Patriots and I was in the kitchen trying to find some comfort food to soothe my feelings.  Tonight wouldn’t be the night that the Patriots would get their 5th Lombardi trophy.  My tendency as a fair-weather fan was to turn off the television, but this time I decided to hold off on my emotional desires and continued to watch.

Little did I know that what was unimaginable began to happen.  What went against all odds began to go against all odds.  The New England Patriots began to crawl out of the hole and score one touchdown after another.  They scored 31 unanswered points and in overtime beat the Falcons, the first overtime in the 51 years of playing the Super Bowl.

I learned something last night.  Nothing is impossible even when it seems doomed to defeat.  The New England Patriots taught me something last night and that is to never give up.  It reminds me of Winston Churchill who when he was asked to give a high school graduation speech to a military school of young men.  He got up and said, “Never give up!!!  Never give up!!!  Never give up!!!” and he sat down.  When all seems to be lost, there is always another way out.

On this journey, there will be times when it seems like there is no way out but to give up.  I’m here to tell you to stick with it.  If the New England Patriots can come from 25 points behind and win, your circumstances, no matter how bad, can be turned around if only you don’t give up or give in.