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As coaches we want players who are “on fire” for our team. We want players who “live” our sport and don’t just “play” from time to time. As athletes we should want to excel to the highest level possible. We should not be satisfied with less than our total “sold out” effort. That is exactly what God wants from us.
Whenever I have an upcoming race, especially a marathon, I spend a lot of time training. People often ask me, "Where do you find the time?" But I think the real question on their minds is, "Why are you CHOOSING to spend your time doing that?"
When I began running marathons in 2009 my life and my pursuits were out of balance. I knew the training process would instill characteristics such as discipline, accountability and goal-setting. What I later realized was that running would also allow me plenty of time alone with my thoughts and time alone with God. Now I no longer have to justify my reason for doing marathons. People realize it has changed me for the better.
Coaches often travel the country recruiting future players, selling their programs, and hoping that future stars will pick their particular school. Blue-chip recruits are in high demand, and every coach is inwardly crying, “Pick me! Pick me!” This is a great analogy for choosing godly wisdom, as illustrated in Proverbs.
In chapter 8, wisdom calls out to us and pleads her case about why we should pick her. Choosing wisdom is invaluable. It is better than the best thing we could ever want. Why? As the writer says at the end of the chapter, whoever finds wisdom finds happiness and life, and obtains favor from the Lord.
From a spiritual perspective, my parents raised us according to the Christian norms that were prevalent in the late ’60s, but we never went to church, and I didn’t have an understanding of what it meant to have a relationship with Christ. I had a reasonably good moral compass, but it wasn’t grounded in the truth of Scripture. We sought to do good to others and do the right things, but we were more of what you’d call “happy pagans.”
During the Christmas season there seems to be a more evident and fresh feeling of hope in the air. There is extended time with family, presents to give and receive, more gifts and money given to those in need, cheerful music and so on. Most of us look forward to these things all year.
As a coach, I also notice this hope-filled feeling in our team right before each game. Leading up to the game we have practiced hard and prepared, and now the score’s 0-0. We have the hope of playing well and getting a victory.
“Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world…everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world.” – 1 John 2:15-16
This summer I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Haiti with a group from my church. While the trip was an outstanding time of ministry and connection with God, I did have one challenge: the food. It wasn’t even close to my normal diet!
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” – Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
The Olympic Games are so inspiring to me. There’s something incredible about the Olympic Spirit—the athletes’ internal quest for greatness and their desire to push themselves—body, mind and soul—to the limit.
I remember those games when I was a child where captains were appointed and then all waited to see who was picked by whom and when. Nobody wanted the distinction of being picked last. It was a horrible feeling, and I experienced it on a number of occasions.
How wonderful it feels to be wanted. Many times, people fall into bad relationships or immorality just because they desperately want to be wanted by someone, anyone.
Download the complete 21.5 Days with John study in PDF
Sports today have almost consumed our society. Who can even imagine a world before Sports Center? It seems everyone lives their lives through other athletes and coaches—their successes and their failures.
In this highly competitive world, the approval of fans and media can be very appealing, just as their disapproval can be very discouraging. As a Division I basketball coach, my teams and I are often the subject of lavish praise or severe criticism. I constantly struggle with the “approval syndrome”—the need for the approval of others. If I strive for man’s approval, I become elated with success and despondent with failure.
Baltimore Orioles’ second baseman and leadoff hitter Brian Roberts knows what it means to trust the Lord amidst injury and trials. The 12-year Major League Baseball veteran has spent the last year battling through a myriad of injuries making him dig deep with his faith and trust the Lord with the results.
When asked what God has taught him through his experience battling injury, he explained how it has produced spiritual growth and ultimate trust in the Lord, “If we never went through trials we would never grow. If I just hit .300 every year and everything went smooth, I wouldn’t ever grow in my faith. I would never have to rely on Him or trust in Him for everything.”
My faith story begins like many others with my parents taking our family to church when we were kids. As I got involved at our church, youth group and FCA, my faith began to take root. I attended my first FCA Camp in eighth grade and went every summer through my senior year in high school. FCA perfectly blended my faith and my love for sports. I’d started playing golf when I was just 3 years old and had continued to play it, along with other sports, throughout high school.
No life-changing adversity or blessing can separate us from the love of Christ. We can be more than conquerors through Him. Neither our present circumstances nor even things that are on the way can change His love for us—not the mountaintop of success and favor nor the valley of adversity and disappointment. God is there in the midst of all our life-changing moments.
In today’s world many people seem to have forgotten about this wonderful word "thankful." Some of us are thankful when times are good, but as soon as anything bad creeps into our lives, this word tends to be thrown to the curb.
There are many things in life that just do not go the way we think they will, but we must remember that this is God’s path for us. I know that when the going gets tough it’s hard to be thankful, but God says to give thanks in all circumstances.
Seven-footers stand out in a crowd. Wichita State junior Garrett Stutz has understood that for several years now, and it’s something his basketball opponents have to deal with every time they take the floor against the Shockers. Last season, the Kansas City, Mo., native hit his stride on the court, closing the season by earning All-Tournament honors in the MVC Tournament. This season, Stutz is working on cultivating a spiritual stature that rivals his physical frame as part of the FCA leadership team at WSU.
Nestled snugly along the banks of Illinois’ Fox River, Judson University has long offered its students a chance to follow their athletic and academic dreams in a nurturing, community-minded environment. But for student-athletes at Judson, an evangelical Christian university, there always seemed to be a hidden disconnect that kept them from truly connecting to Christ, each other and the surrounding community of Elgin.
The gym was packed with screaming fans. You could cut the tension with a knife. It was late in the fourth quarter and Luke had just come into the game—his first game as a varsity player. With time slowly ticking away, the ball was passed to him. He began to dribble toward the basket and . . . bounced the ball off of his foot and out of bounds. I am so out of place, Luke thought. Why did Coach put me in the game?
Sometimes I believe English is the first spoken language in America, and “dishonesty” a close second. I often hear people say, “To be honest with you . . .” Does that mean that in previous conversations, they were not telling the truth? To have a successful team, to be a champion on and off the court, honesty must exist!
“You have no wall.” The cardboard sign tacked to the telephone pole couldn’t have appeared at a better time. As I pushed my legs up the hill of mile 10 in the local half marathon, I knew this would be the toughest part of the race. During training, mile 10 had always been the hardest both mentally and physically—and now it was uphill.
“You have no wall.” It was like God’s voice resonating in my mind as I pushed my legs a little harder, trying to crest the incline as fast as I could. And just then it hit me—I had no wall. I had trained hard enough to make it through mile 10 and finish the race well.
Make a team of guys and girls and have one of the groups say to the other, “Honey, if you love me, would you please, please smile.” If the person smiles, then it is a point for the team that made them smile. If they don’t smile, then it is a point for their team. Allow them either 2 or 3 tries to make them smile. Teams could consist of 4 or 5 members and only one member goes at a time.
Ever wonder what it takes to live a godly lifestyle in a Major League Baseball clubhouse? According to MLB stars Andy Pettitte, Brian Roberts and Luke Scott, it takes courage, strength, accountability and faith.
Today, instead of reading a 4-minute devotion, watch one! Check out STV magazine’s online video to learn how these three athletes stand strong for the Lord in a faith-challenging environment. Simply click on the video link below, then answer the questions and read the related Scripture verses. Finish by praying and asking God to help you live a lifestyle that brings Him glory in every way.
http://fcaresources.com/video/stv-interviews-godly-living
Basketball in March — it's really good. I was thinking yesterday about what drives us to "madness" in March. I'll tell you the secret (hardly) … it's because everything is on the line. From high school playoffs to the NCAA Tournament, it's "do or die" for every team. Win and move on — lose and be done. The season is at stake with no second chances. This inescapable fact loads every game weight and consequence. Everyone gives it all they've got, lest it be their last chance.
After playing in and coaching thousands of games, I have found that I struggle with one main issue: Whose team is God on—my team or the other team? How can God pick sides? If He does pick sides, how does He decide which side to be on? If there are Christians on both teams, then how can God be on both teams? These questions challenge us as athletes and coaches.
My dad may have been playing in the NBA at the time, but the best basketball games I remember from my childhood were the ones between my little brother, Seth, and me on our backyard basketball court in Charlotte, N.C. We’d play for hours and hours, oftentimes well into the night with the use of a bright stage light shining on the court, until our mom would yell out the window for us to come in. Those games would get pretty heated, but that was the norm for brothers as close as we were.
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