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Following God Into Battle
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Following God even when you are in doubt is difficult. We often get caught up in the uncertainty of our future and forget Who is ultimately in charge. After Moses died Joshua was immediately made the Israelites’ “Commander in Chief,” and part of his responsibility was leading God's chosen people into the Promised Land.
When Joshua took his new position God instructed him three times to be “strong and courageous” as he led God's people into battle. Joshua had to boldly follow God despite the uncertainty of the future. And not only did he have to remain unwavering in his faith as the Israelites fought their adversaries, he also had to stay diligent to conquer the temptations that came along the way.
Sign of Strength
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I recently saw a great program by NFL Films about religion and football. It was a great 30-minute program that has the potential to produce many great discussions within your Huddles and team studies. One segment featured prayer. A former player, Deacon Jones, said that those who prayed before a game or during a game displayed a sign of weakness, and that perhaps they hadn't prepared well enough in the week leading up to the game. Wow, what a powerful statement. Prayer being a sign of weakness...
Are You an Elephant
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Elephants are some of the biggest, most powerful, and intelligent animals on the planet. And in certain parts of Asia, farmers still use elephants to do much of the heavy labor. Some countries even hold elephant festivals to
celebrate their strength and intelligence. These festivals always end with a tug-of-war between one elephant and
one hundred men—and you guessed it, the elephant always wins!
But amazingly, the only thing that elephant owners in Asia have to do to control an elephant is tie a rope to its right hind leg and a small wooden post in the ground. That’s it! The elephant won’t move, even though the wooden post and rope is like a toothpick and dental floss to you and me.
Dancing
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A Division I basketball school entered its conference tournament as the number eight seed, which meant a low probability of making it to the NCAA tournament. Despite the odds, they achieved that goal by knocking off the one-, two-, and four-seeded teams, thereby earning entry into the NCAA tournament. As one team member summarized, “We put it together when it counted most.” We all know that falling short of our expectations leads to disappointment both on and off the court. However, if we, like that eighth-seeded team, keep looking forward to even a small hope of success, we’ll often be glad we did.
We’re All Brothers
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“We’re all brothers” is a quip we used to say in high school football. I loved the meaning of this statement—we’re all in this together and will support each other no matter what! I felt the love when it was shouted for all to hear. A brotherhood is not a neighborhood. A brotherhood is a group of people bonded together that faces obstacles together. A neighborhood is just a place we reside. A brotherhood is a union or fraternity that joins forces to win—just like a team.
Secret Formula
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Every season, coaches and players alike try to figure out the “secret formula” for winning a championship. Throughout my years as a player and coach, I’ve learned that every championship team has one thing in common. That one thing is not talent, it’s not size and it’s not intelligence. Time and time again, the common denominator of a championship team is a servant heart. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to believers. Even Jesus, the King of Kings, spent His entire life serving others. Sometimes He served others by listening to them. Sometimes He encouraged them. Sometimes He washed their feet. Ultimately, He served us all by dying on the cross.
The Battle Within
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There is a beginning and an end to all things here on earth. After making the cut in 142 consecutive PGA tournaments over a seven-year period, Tiger Woods' streak came to an end at the 2005 Byron Nelson Championship. "I just had a tough day," Woods said after making a bogey on the final hole to miss the cut by one stroke. "Things I don't normally do, I did today."
After becoming a Christian, the Apostle Paul found himself entrenched in a war with the sin in his life. We sometimes think that after surrendering our lives to Christ the battle with sin will subside, but that's not the case. That is actually when the real struggle with sin begins because that is when we become more aware of our own sinful nature.
Time to Spare
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"Come on, Coach. Just a few minutes," was the daily request of this young player. Everyday after practice he asked his coach to stick around to help him with his batting. This player's average -- even if he had 20 consecutive hits -- would never even reach the Mendoza line (.200 batting average). But he wouldn't quit. And time after time the coach would put him off. The young man was never going to play, so why should he bother?
Fit 4 Ever: Proper Hydration
It should come as no surprise that Jesus knows how important water is to life; that’s the way He designed it. And in this Scripture, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman everything she needs to find salvation. Living water represents eternal life. Jesus has it, you must ask Him for it, and it is a gift to be received.
Kara Lawson Video Study – Part II
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It’s hard to decide what Kara Lawson is most known for.
SEC fans remember her as the All-American from the University of Tennessee who led the Lady Vols to three Final Four appearances between 2000 and 2003. Followers of the WNBA know her as a key member of the 2005 league champion Sacramento Monarchs and now as the starting point guard for the Connecticut Sun. Still more recognize her as a member of the ESPN college basketball broadcasting team through which Lawson serves both as a studio analyst for the NCAA women’s tournament and a color commentator for men’s games. And fans of the Summer Olympics would most likely know her for the gold medal she won with Team USA in 2008.
The Hay Is in The Barn
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The day before last year’s Kansas City marathon, I was meeting with Chris Anderson, our National Director of FCA’s Endurance Ministry. I was fired up for the race but a bit anxious about trying to run a PR. As I was reflecting back on my training leading up to the race, I mentioned to him that I wished I’d done more long runs, more speed work, more conditioning, more everything. I was feeling the pressure. He smiled real big, leaned across the table and said, “Dan, at this point, the hay is in the barn. The race is tomorrow.
Morning Glory
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How do you start your mornings as an athlete or coach? I'm sure you plan out your day and make sure you get everything done that you need to get done. I recently had the great opportunity to spend a week at the FCA Home Office in Kansas City, and I discovered a new way to start my day.
At 8:30 a.m. every morning, the Home Office FCA staff gathers for what they call "Morning Glory." This is a period of time that they spend praising God and praying for the needs of the FCA ministry. I was humbled to see the staff praying for me personally and for the rest of the staff around the country. What a way to start your work day!
Good Ol' Boy
Long after the last confetti streamer had fallen to the floor and the echoes of the crowd’s deafening roar had stopped ringing in his ears, Lee Humphrey felt an odd sense of emptiness.
It didn’t happen right away, mind you. After all, April 3, 2006, was the greatest night of his basketball existence. That night, at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Humphrey and his University of Florida teammates polished off UCLA with ease in the NCAA championship, 73-57. Humphrey himself had enjoyed a great game and a monster tournament, setting records and winning awards along the way.
The Chosen
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Danny was not a good athlete. In fact, he was pretty bad. I remember he always hated recess. In third grade, we played a killer game of kickball every recess and every boy played … except for Danny. He always watched closely, though. One day the sides were uneven, and I was named captain. I knew what I had to do. With my first pick in the 1970 First Round Draft for recess kickball, I chose Danny Anderson. After everyone got up off the ground from laughing, Danny walked over to my side with his head down.
Self-Sacrifice
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When most sport seasons end, numbers get crunched. As coaches, it’s easy for us to get caught up in this number crunching, especially as the media highlights our career wins, the titles we’ve won and the number of “Coach of the Year” awards we’ve received.
But any true coach knows that records are not what are important. Having the opportunity to work with athletes and make a difference in their lives is what is important. Coaches, like players, make a lot of sacrifices to develop winning teams, but most will tell you those sacrifices and successes are for the athletes—for the joy of watching players mature and grow.
Fit 4 Ever: Dynamic Warm-Up
Have you ever been caught off-guard and missed an opportunity to share your faith? I have. And each time it has happened I have become more determined to “always be prepared.” Peter speaks often of preparation. And he knows that the only way a believer can be fully ready to defend the faith is if he is prepared.
Discipline
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Did you ever notice that discipline and disciple share the same root word? The concepts are the same: surrendering ourselves to something or someone, similar to an athlete surrendering his will to a coach. Discipline is defined as instruction, correction and the training which molds, strengthens and improves character. It is also moral education obtained by the enforcement of obedience through supervision and control. Discipline is required is every area of sports. Athletes must be disciplined to run the correct plays and follow their coach’s instruction. They must also be disciplined by working hard in the weight room and taking good care of their bodies by eating properly and getting enough rest.
Maintaining a Joyful Life
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As athletes we have good days and bad. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. I like winning better. Enough losses in a row and any of us can get a little down. So how do we maintain a joyful life? The Bible provides some answers. In Paul’s first letter to Thessalonica, he wrote three directives and one reason combining to show us the way to a joyful life:
Rejoice always: More than a command, this reassures us that we can find something to be joyful about in every circumstance. Lead with our will, and let our emotions follow.
Pray constantly: If taken seriously, we’d never sleep, eat, or study—probably not what he meant. Surely he meant there is never a situation in which prayer is not proper and powerful.
Fit 4 Ever: Breakfast of Champions
If you are not eating breakfast, you are missing the most important meal of the day! When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, He said, “Come and have breakfast.” It was a time of nourishment—physical, relational and spiritual. Too bad most of us just rush into the day, undernourished physically and unprepared spiritually.
Breakfast is essential for consistent energy, focus and concentration, easier weight loss and more consistent moods. But just eating breakfast isn’t necessarily going to get you started on the right foot.
Truly Productive
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Solitude is a topic that has been on my heart for a long time. It seems like solitude and silence in the presence of God has become optional for us in today’s productivity-driven society. Because we aren’t tangibly achieving anything we can physically see, we don’t think there’s use in it. Or, that if we do take time out to sit silently before the Lord, it’s a waste of time since we’re not getting better at anything or furthering any sort of progress.
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