"Despair causes us to contract, pull in, give up."

Chris Canalas is a High School football player confined to a wheelchair as a result from breaking his neck on a tackle.

Chris fell into a deep depression and days at a time would lock himself in his room, refusing to eat and refusing to go to therapy. The reality had sunk in for Chris. He would be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He would never run down a football field again.

In an effort to help cheer Chris up, his father decided to take him to a football game. While watching the game, one of the players made a tackle, went limp and was carted off the field. At that moment, Chris turned to his father and said, "We need to go to him and help him. I know what he is going to go through and you know what the family is going to go through." From that moment, Chris and his father started an organization to help football players with spinal cord injuries.

Chris found the strength and courage to move forward when presented with an opportunity to help others by sharing his experience. However, he did not do this alone. He had the support of his father who stood by him through this process.

At times we may wonder why we go through tough times, maybe not as tough as Chris's, but different; some financial, some relational.

John 14:33 says "In this life you will have troubles, but do not lose heart, I have overcome this world."