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“Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” – St. Augustine
We usually don’t like talking about our devotions, because we view it as personal and what works for us might not work for others. Even if we do share, others can take it as bragging or preachy! However, it is essential that we discuss not only what we are learning, but also how we are doing it. As teammates, we should encourage one another in our spiritual walks.
A while ago, I spent a long time recovering from a torn calf muscle. As a cross country and track coach, and as a runner myself, I had been very frustrated and annoyed by this injury. Not being able to run was a huge challenge. I couldn’t show my athletes the steps I wanted them to take. I couldn’t even jog a step without pain shooting through my leg. On top of that I found myself in a bad place mentally.
Basketball coaches love it when their players have court awareness. Unlike dribbling, passing or shooting where athletes rely strictly on athletic talent during the course of a game, court awareness is a talent that involves competing with mental alertness, seeing all the obstacles in advance and reacting while moving at full speed. The great players have that special ability.
Many times over the years our team has competed against opponents with more physical talent. The games all start the same way. The opponents strut onto the court with a sense of confidence and a swagger in their own abilities. Their body language indicates they’re confident of dominating the contest.
In every sport, coaches teach their athletes what they need to do and how they need to do it in order to have success. As believers in Christ, this is what God does for us, as well through His Word, the Bible.
A coach is never happier than when an athlete experiences success by performing in a game what they were taught to do in practice. You've seen how excited the defensive line coaches get in football—jumping up and down, head slapping, chest bumping, high-fiving his athletes the moment after they made a big sack.
While on a hard training ride the other day, I noticed how focused I was on my goal of getting a personal best on this particular course. I kept checking my cadence, heart-rate monitor, speed and perceived exertion, and I even noticed I was making ground on the cyclist ahead of me. This ride and my focus made me ask myself two questions about my spiritual life:
1. Do I spend as much time making sure I am on track with my Christian life?
2. What marks do I use to assess where I am?
While on a recent backpacking trip with my daughter, I found myself crying out to God in prayer before even breaking out in a sweat.
First, my GPS was having issues and couldn't locate the trail head. So, what should have been a 1.5-hour drive, turned into almost 3 hours. While it had only been sprinkling all morning, as soon as we started hiking the rain came pouring down. Then, not even a half mile into the trip, my waist belt broke, which meant my pack would have to rest on my shoulders and back, not my hips. And, finally, at the foot of our first incline, my trekking pole broke, and with my bad knees, this was a vital piece of equipment.
When I was coaching football I was blessed with an opportunity to help at an FCA Football Camp. During one of the coaches’ huddle sessions, our Huddle Leader said, “I tried to coach my players as if one of them would one day become my son-in-law.” That has always stuck with me. And in Mark 12:31, we read that this kind of advice is actually from God Himself.
I’m a Longhorn, a proud University of Texas graduate. I worked hard to earn a degree and even met my husband there. So, yes, we’re both Longhorns!
I used to say we weren’t those “fanatical Longhorn fans,” but then I noticed the amount of burnt orange clothing hanging in our closets, the UT flag on the front of the house, the room in our house that is painted burnt orange, and I realized I needed to admit we were a little more “fanatical” than I thought.
Have you ever had to play a game being down a player? Maybe not enough people showed up. Maybe someone got a red card or a player was serving penalty time. Regardless of the situation, it can be intimidating. All of a sudden, what was once a level playing field becomes a lopsided match. We look at our opponents and think, “Wow. This doesn’t seem fair. They have such a big advantage, now.”
The movie "Invincible" tells the true story of former Philadelphia Eagles fan-turned-NFL-pro Vince Papale. After losing his job and his wife, Papale was told that he would never amount to anything, that he wouldn't make any money and that he wasn't going anywhere.
Has a coach ever told you, "You're not talented enough. You just won't make it."? Has a co-worker, spouse, friend or parent buried you in doubt?
In 1 Timothy, the Bible says that Jesus gave Himself as “a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time."
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