Alphabetical
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April 08, 2009
Set:
John the Baptist was the man! He was the herald prophesied by Isaiah — the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He was the great baptizer of the people, the one who drew crowds everywhere he went. Yet he knew a time would come when his “star status” would diminish.
Fast-forward to 2009. Tyler Hansbrough, the reigning NCAA Player of the Year, had to make a choice for the sake of his team. In order to help his team attain their goal of a national championship, he would need to take a "back seat" to Ty Lawson. His scoring average fell, and he graciously passed the mantle of leadership to Lawson. When asked about the shift in his role, Hansbrough repeatedly said, “I'll do whatever it takes to help this team get to the championship."
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April 10, 2009
Set:
It has been said that life is not a playground, but a battleground. Most battles happen in the unseen world and play out in the physical world. Knowing this, God gives us spiritual armor to be prepared for battle. Every piece of armor—the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit—protects from the front. None provide protection for our backs. In fact, we are instructed in Philippians 3 to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. God has our back. He gives us no armor for our backside because He has it covered. When we are right with God and confess our sins, we have nothing to fear. Proverbs 3 tells us that when we use good judgment, our sleep will be sweet.
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May 14, 2010
Set:
Bicycle touring is a favorite hobby of mine. There’s just something satisfying about hitting the open road on a bike. You pack your bags, check your tires, fill your water bottle, and start pedaling. A sense of adventure takes over as you venture through the countryside, visit small towns, and work up a good sweat exercising. It’s great fun.
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August 02, 2013
Set:
Coaches come with all types of personalities; some tend to yell more than others, while some favor a more laid-back approach. No matter their coaching technique, all have the same desire for attentive athletes.
Listening is vital in sports. If you don't listen, you don't learn. If you don't learn, you will never improve. The same is true in our walk with God. But how do you listen to a God whom few have ever heard speak?
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March 25, 2011
Set:
The crowd is screaming. It’s a big game: a rivalry, a championship or just a great contest with a frenzied crowd cheering at the top of their lungs. The gym is filled with so much noise from the crowd, the band and the PA announcer. The coach, who has almost lost his voice, yells out to his players to make an adjustment, and the players respond. But how does the player even hear his coach among the chaos and the intense noise in his surroundings? Because he spends time with the coach in the weight room, at practice and maybe even in the classroom. Thus, he hears the voice of his coach day after day and recognizes his voice in the intensity of the game.
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June 22, 2013
Set:
Here’s a heart check—do we do what pleases our coaches all the time or only when they are watching? Do we do the right thing just to win their favor or because it’s right? In Ephesians 6:6, Paul was rather direct with the people of Ephesus about their work ethic.
I often watch teams closely during practice and as they warm up prior to competitions. I see players who give a great effort when the coach is watching, but as soon as the coach’s head is turned, some of those players immediately start cutting corners and cheating on drills. Their hearts are not fully with their coaches or their teammates. They fail the heart check.
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February 16, 2010
Set:
There are so many qualities needed in order to have the heart of a champion: discipline, perseverance, dedication, endurance, focus, and the ability to overcome any obstacle. We all admire heroes who have made it to the top and have accomplished their goals and become champions. They have displayed the heart to withstand and endure to become great. But the more I understand greatness and what it takes to become successful, the more I see that there is one thing everyone must have to become a true champion—and that is a coach.
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October 29, 2009
Set:
Ready. . .Set. . .Go! They were off. Sixty runners were headed for the first hill.
Junior high cross country is an adventure. In this particular race, the 1.5-mile course ran through woods and hills, around playgrounds, and all over a park. Jay, a seventh-grade boy, was leading the field about halfway through the race. As they headed into the woods, Jay and the runner behind him approached a turn. Jay went on one side of the cone, and his competitor the other. The race continued, but Jay turned around.
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May 18, 2010
Set:
Years of effort, sacrifice, and planning come down to this game. The commitment of the coaches and players has brought them to this point, and the payoff is right in front of them. The time of growth and struggle is finally paying off. A one-win season has grown into a three-win and then into a five-win season. The program has reached a point of respectability. The goal that has been front and center for years is finally in reach—the conference championship.
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April 13, 2013
Set:
Coaches need support just as their teams do. As a result most schools have booster clubs made up of a wide range of people from parents to interested members of the community. Most of the time, club members work sacrificially to help make the school’s athletic programs more effective. Some, however, may become more of a thorn in a coach’s side through expressions of uninformed criticism.
