Have you ever watched a game or played sports? Sometimes in some major games, you might hear the commentator say, “let the games begin.” Within each match, you have to complete some courses or ‘battle’ against the opposing team, but none of it can be done without teamwork.

The purpose of teamwork is to create unity of the player so that they defend each other effectively to win the game.

But there may be times when you feel as if the entire world is on your shoulders and you are so heavily burdened by problems that you feel crushed to the ground. I felt this burden during my preliminary years in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

When I began my new job in the BVI, I was immediately bombarded with tremendous stress from every side. The working environment was entirely different from what I was accustomed to, and so I was trying hard to learn the protocol and adjust to the new culture of the workplace.

On top of all that, I was struggling to keep my family together while nursing a sick child who was immediately hospitalized upon our arrival.

I was feeling the weight of my burden but instead of getting lighter it got worst. My child’s congenital heart defect was a mystery to the tending physician at the time, and there was no Pediatric Cardiologist on the island.

I was told to return home by a number of individuals. I became discouraged and depressed, but I was never one of those people who gave up when the going got tough, so I persevered.

Eventually, my son was discharged from the hospital, and we were referred to a Cardiologist in Puerto Rico. God was paving the path, and all I had to do was to follow.

However, during the course of those earlier years when I struggled to succeed in my job and my family life I had a strong foreboding feeling that my family and I was alone in a strange land with no one to watch our backs.

On top of this, a co-worker told me one day that I should ‘watch my back’ because there were complaints about my performance at work and I might lose my job.

The news compounded my apprehension, and I went to God in prayer. He told me quite plainly that He was watching my back, so I did not need to worry about anything behind me all I needed to do was to focus on moving forward.

I remembered I was told that same statement by my nephew when he was teaching me to drive. Those words from the Lord were my motivation that kept me for fourteen years on the job without any discrepancies.

As children of God, we are working towards the same goal but we do not need to feel as if we are ‘alone’ in this world if we try to encourage and look out for each other.

We need to follow the principles of teamwork from the geese. The essential values that we need to practice are: sharing leadership responsibilities, respecting and protecting each other unique gift from God, trusting each other, helping each other in rough times and honking or sounding the alarm for our brethren in order to encourage them to move forward.

The Book of Nehemiah gave us a compelling story of how unity in a common cause can destroy the plots of the enemy. Nehemiah was a cupbearer in the king’s palace when he became burdened for his homeland that was desolate and in ruin.

The King saw his distress and asked him about it. After he had told the king about his people’s suffering, the king gave him permission to return home to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah quickly made preparation and returned home to gather his people together to begin rebuilding the walls. However, he was immediately bombarded by many obstacles from the adversary who was plotting to attack them and prevent them from completing their work.

Nehemiah decided to arm his workmen with weapons. So while these men were working, they were heavily armed and prepared for battle at any time.

On top of that Nehemiah posted men with trumpets in key areas, who were told to blow the trumpet at the sign of any attack and then they would all rally together and fight.

All of the men guard at nights and then they worked in the day. They neither rested nor changed their clothes except when they took it off for washing. The Lord gave them supernatural strength.

The Lord revealed the plots of the enemies and destroyed them. Nehemiah and his men completed the wall successfully as a result of teamwork and the power of God.

Sound the Alarm for Your Brother

Are we blowing the trumpet for our brothers?

Are we sounding the alarm to reveal the enemies’ plot?

We ought to be our brother’s keeper.

Look out for each other;

Comfort and strengthen each other.

There is no time to sit idle by

While we watch as our brothers perish in the wilderness.

We can help!

There is always something that we can do.

A simple touch, a hug, a spoken word from

The heart will lift a difficult problem.

It will light a path and send a glimmer

Of hope to a heart in despair.

Do not hold back in fear!

Reach out!

Withhold not good when it is in the

Power of your hands to do so. (Proverbs 3:27).

Rise up and fight for your brethren!

Fight for your sons and daughters!

Fight for your wives and husbands!

And the Lord God of heaven will be with you.

Prepared by Beverley Wright

Have you ever felt like the entire world is resting on your shoulders? Have you ever felt alone in your thoughts or views? Share with us.