Legendary University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball coach Pat Summitt was diagnosed with early onset dementia. The 59-year-old, winningest college basketball coach of all time, made the announcement and would attempt to continue coaching as long as she could.

It was a shocking announcement not only to UT fans, but to sports fans in general. Summitt had always seemed so indestructible. But even the strongest of men and women still face challenges in life that are common to everyone.

I like to cook, and I like simple recipes. For example: open can; pour contents into pan; heat until hot; serve in bowl. Now that's my kind of recipe. Coach Lou Holtz gave the recipe of a winner when he said, "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." Ability,motivation and attitude are all ingredients of a winner, and they cannot be omitted or substituted.

Likewise, Peter gave us the recipe for effective Christian living. The two main ingredients the Lord provides are His power (2 Peter 1:3) and His promises (v. 4). As we mix His power and promises into our believing and living, He'll strengthen our ability, inspire our motivation and empower our attitude.

"Whatever" has been a popular word, particularly among teens, for years. But did you know that this word is also found 173 times in Scripture? My personal favorite use of this word—and a use that has become important for my team—is in Philippians 1:27. Here, Paul instructs us that “whatever” happens, we should conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Wow. That makes the over-used word "whatever" seem a lot more serious.

As athletes and coaches, we spend a lot of time at practice. As an endurance athlete, when I’d train for marathons, I’d spend a minimum of two hours a day training for it. While that may seem like a lot, I remember back to my college days when we’d spend up to six hours a day training for football. As part of a team, though, I wasn’t alone for all those hours. I was on the field, in the meeting room, in the weight room and in school with nearly 100 other guys.