While growing up playing many types of sports, with a variety of coaches, there were many chants cheered. However, one that sticks out in my mind is “Go, Go, Get ’em, Get ’em, Fight, Fight, Win!” This cheer was a common saying from my high school basketball coach. We would break every huddle with our hands held high saying this simple, yet meaningful, chant. These words would help us persevere throughout the entire game.

Tampa Bay Rays All-Star Ben Zobrist wasn’t drafted by Major League Baseball out of high school. In fact, he wasn’t even offered a baseball scholarship to play in college. Yet, after attending a skills showcase the summer after his senior year, one college coach saw potential in Zobrist and offered him a position on the team.

Now one of the brightest young infielders in the game, Zobrist has experienced a divine path to success—both on the field and off. Just before the start of the 2010 season, Zobrist sat down with FCA’s Sharing the Victory magazine to talk about that career, his family and, most importantly, his faith in Jesus Christ.

Have you ever met someone who feels they have all the gifts God gives to people? They are exhausted—spread so thin they are no earthly good to anyone. At times, we all try to do too much. Sometimes we are asked to go beyond our gifts and talents, but God’s desire is for us to serve Him with how He has gifted us.

Paul’s concern for the Roman people was that each person’s gift would be identified and he or she would strive to use it appropriately. However, some people looked at others and grumbled over why they did not have that gift or if that person truly was gifted in that manner. It was exhausting. Paul encouraged them to work together to build God’s kingdom.

Hockey Chat:  With the NHL expansion in the late 1960s and the emergence of skilled players like Wayne Gretzky, enforcers became more common.  Their role was to try to knock those skilled guys on the other team off of their game.  The enforcers were poor at nearly everything else because their main role was to hunt down the good guy and get ‘em and they spent their ice time doing just that.

It’s finally over. I just completed my first tax season as an accountant. It was a huge transition for me as last year at this time I was competing in a baseball season. This year, it was tax season.

In baseball we all look forward to opening day. We can’t wait for the day when we finally get to quit scrimmaging our own teammates and suit up against another team. As opening day draws nearer, we all get those pre-game jitters. We know are ready to play, but the fact that it’s something new causes us to be a little bit nervous and anxious.

A wise man once said, “When you are through learning, you are through!” I don’t know who actually said that, but my father repeated it often. As he would patiently try to teach his sons various sports, he would catch us occasionally not paying attention. We would make simple mistakes that, if we had been listening, wouldn’t have happened.

Solomon was a wise man. He could’ve easily thought he had gained all the knowledge he needed, but understood a simple concept: if we don’t pay attention, listen, and learn, we won’t get the knowledge needed to further our understanding in life. We can learn a lesson from Solomon and other believers of his day: Learning is not just for young people; it is a lifetime process.