Hockey Chat: A goalie’s skill is part physical and part mental.  The better physical shape they are, the better they can make quick moves to cover the net.  But the most important thing to do is to keep focused.  They keep in control and keep their mind clear of all the commotion going on all around them.  If they give into it, they’ll be off their game and out of place.

What enters your mind as you read the verses above, knowing that God hates the behaviors listed there? Do you find yourself thinking of times, perhaps even recently, when you have done something that God abhors? It’s interesting (and convicting) that the Lord puts shedding innocent blood and spreading strife among brothers in the same list. To the world, shedding innocent blood is certainly considered much worse than creating conflict. But just what does it mean to stir up “trouble among brothers”?

"Nobody's perfect." A phrase we hear all of the time.

Everyone knows that no one can be completely perfect, so we use it as an excuse when we mess up. We often settle for less than what we are capable of because we think it is impossible to be perfect. But in Matthew 5 Jesus commands us to be perfect, just as God is perfect. "How can that be?" we ask. "How are we supposed to be perfect?"

We know all to well Romans 3:23, that all have sinned and fallen short, and we focus on the fact that humans are sinners. But did Paul not say that God would not tempt us past what we could handle? And did he not say that I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength?

Coaches often use signals in competition to tell players which play to run, which pitch to throw, where to attack or defend, and more. It’s the best way to remind a team what they need to do without letting the other team find out.

Not many know that a familiar Christmas carol was really a song of hidden messages. In the early 16th century, British Catholics were forbidden by law to practice their faith. Anyone caught speaking or writing of his or her faith was arrested or executed. In a time of persecution, similar to the Christians in Rome, Catholics in England went underground. They met and studied secretly and had signs to share their faith.

Driving down the road yesterday I saw something that made me take notice. Coming toward me was a middle-aged man running against traffic. Now, that did not bother me so much; I see that all the time. But what I found strange was that he had his iPod on and was running right on the edge of the cars. Then I broke out in laughter because not 10 feet from him on his left was a beautiful well-groomed sidewalk, on which there was not a single person.

One of the common questions posed to sports fans is, “Who do you follow?” Most people answer with a city, school or mascot: “I’m a Denver fan.” “I follow the University of North Carolina.” “I’m a Hoosier.” No matter how you phrase it, we all follow one team or another. This applies to our lives in Christ as well.

It is not uncommon today to hear believers ask, “What are you?” Some say, “I am a Baptist.” Others claim to be Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic and so on.

Hockey Chat:  Oh the skates!  A premium fitted boot with a sharp blade can have you moving across the ice with fancy footwork. Try a loose boot with a dull blade.  You’re better off playing barefoot.  Having a fitted skate gives you peace of mind knowing that you can get where you want to go confidently.  If you tell your feet to move, you’ll dig in the ice and make the play.

Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you were going to be honored, but the honor was given to someone else? Have you ever taken someone else’s seat and been asked to move? It’s embarrassing, to say the least.

In the height of his playing days, Charles Barkley claimed that he was not a role model. The University of Colorado claimed that the troubles with its football program were not as bad as they seemed. Coach Nueheisel claimed that his gambling was no big deal. The people involved in these situations did not want to be held to a higher standard. Why? Because they felt that athletics and off-the-field issues should be kept separate.

This weekend, the world’s greatest female distance runners took to the streets of Beijing to compete in the Olympic women’s marathon. U.S. representative and 2004 bronze medalist Deena Kastor was among the group and was expected to finish among the leaders of the race. However, just a few steps into mile 3, Kastor felt a “pop” in her foot, and she sank to the curb. She’d broken her foot, and her Olympic race was over.

Think for a minute about her situation. She’d trained hard for years, she had the expectations of her country on her shoulders, she had personal ambitions to do well, and she only had one shot. But injuries were out of her control, and she will now have to mentally deal with what happened.

Our lives are strengthened when we focus on that which gives us strength. As a pitching coach, three words often come out of my mouth: use your eyes. The theory is that our eyes tell our body where to release the ball. Thus, by focusing on a target, we are more likely to hit it. There is much to think about and many distractions as a pitcher, just as in our daily lives. However, like a pitcher, if we put our whole focus on our target, we no longer have any room to focus on distractions.

True satisfaction—people search for it every day. Some people spend a lifetime acquiring DVDs, MP3s, video games, clothes, cars, and relationships—hoping that more of this world will satisfy them. As coaches and athletes, we often try to find satisfaction in practices, competitions, and victories. None of these things bring fulfillment. Christ should be our first priority. He should be the reason we wake up, the reason we breathe, and the reason we coach, practice, and play. This is a tremendous challenge. We have relationships, commitments, and schedules that pull us in different directions. We must refocus and get back to the basics—spending time daily in prayer, reading the Word, and being accountable to a fellow believer.