Devotional
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July 08, 2004
Set:
To many campers, truth is a relative thing. "Being close counts, doesn't it?" they ask. Not exactly. During one of the ice-breaker games for the week, people were asked to share three things with their group, two truths and one not so true. But all three seem rather believable at times.
Finding truth can be very difficult. Students are being bombarded with many different truths today. They are told that sex is safe, drugs are fun and won't hurt you, drinking too much won't do anything to you, and so on and so on. Everybody's doing it, so it must be okay. WRONG. During today's Huddle time the campers learned what real truth is, and who He is.
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July 07, 2004
Set:
How many different ways can you get to FCA Camp? Planes, trains, automobiles. Those are just a few, but they come from all directions to make it on time. Once they arrive, the games begin and the coaches find each athlete has a different way of playing their sport. Each technique is similar but has its own unique way of getting things done.
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July 06, 2004
Set:
It's FCA Camp time again! Everything is set. The Huddle training done, the coaches are in place, the band is ready to rock the campers, and all is ready to begin. As a Huddle coordinator for our camp this week, I have the privilege of working beside someone who has embodied the mission of FCA for more than 20 years. She has served at more than 50 camps in various roles, and through it all her mission has remained the same.
Every day, Carol "Coke" Long works hard to uphold the mission of showing each and every camper and athlete the right path to follow. She shares with the Huddle Leaders during training that her love for God grows deeper everyday and that sharing Him with others is her primary mission in life.
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June 15, 2004
Set:
This Major League Baseball season has been tough on me. I've had to watch my favorite team battle through the first half of the season being devastated by injuries. This team, which was predicted by some to win the World Series, is now near the bottom of its division. They desperately need their All-Star players to return so that they can compete to win their division. These players aren't helping the team win by sitting on the bench.
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June 11, 2004
Set:
He received the handoff, and moved towards the line. They had him cornered, pinned in the backfield for a big loss. But next thing you know, Barry Sanders wiggled his way through all the defenders for a touchdown. Left standing in his dust, the linemen had to think, "We had him trapped! There's no way he could have gotten out of that jam." More often than not, Sanders did get out of the jams, and that is what made him such a special player. A modern-day football Houdini, Sanders broke through many traps set before him and turned calamity into celebration. All it took for Sanders was a small opening.
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June 10, 2004
Set:
As I write these devotions, I always try to challenge the readers with the questions at the end. I find myself beginning my final questions with "start today" or "today, how can you start…" In a society that is so goal-oriented, we sure procrastinate a lot. Why do something today that can wait until tomorrow? We say, "It can wait," or "I will have time later to get to it." Is it because we are self-serving, or because we simply aren't willing to do what it takes TODAY to make necessary changes in our lives?
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June 08, 2004
Set:
Smarty Jones became the third consecutive horse, and the 18th overall, to fail to win the Triple Crown after winning the first two legs. Virtually an unknown before winning the Kentucky Derby, many fans have grown to adore the young Philly. "We're starving for a Triple Crown winner, and I think everyone thought that this was the one, including myself," said Smarty Jones' trainer John Servis.
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June 07, 2004
Set:
In 1992, the Olympic Games were held in Barcelona, Spain. Athletes from around the world gathered as they did every four years to compete against the best from every country. One such athlete was Derek Redmond. Representing England in the 400 meters, Redmond was a sure medal contender until his semifinal heat. The packed stadium was filled with the anticipation of a great race from this champion runner. The gun went off, and the race was moving along well with Redmond in the lead … until it happened. Halfway down the back stretch, Redmond collapsed on the track with a pulled hamstring. Medical staff rushed toward him, but he fought to his feet. Derek Redmond had only one thing on his mind … finishing the race.
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June 04, 2004
Set:
Twenty-two years old and a varsity basketball coach in the great state of Indiana. We were playing for the conference title in the mecca of basketball: Marion, Ind. Ok, maybe we weren't the three-peat Marion Giants of the 80's, but I was coaching the mighty Lakeview Lions in the state Christian school league. So maybe our roar wasn't that great, not even bigger than our gym — the city armory's gym where there were more dead spots than the local cemetery. But nevertheless, we were playing for the championship against Faith Christian.
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June 03, 2004
Set:
Tiger Woods doesn't win a tournament in a month. Barry Bonds doesn't homer in a week. Jeff Gordon doesn't win a race for a month. All of these are recent happenings. Sportswriters love this type of reporting because they get to go for the jugular. They break out the big "S" word — SLUMP. Sports fans and writers get used to the sports heroes performing day in and day out. When reality hits that these athletes aren't perfect, they feel like they have to make an excuse or that something must be terribly wrong with them. For the three examples above, I'm not sure if the word "slump" is right, but we all go through tough times in life and in sport.
