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I was raised a coach’s son and have coached football for 16 years at the college and high school levels. In that time, I’ve learned that both levels have had one thing in common. I’m not talking about blocking and tackling, but the time between the third and fourth quarters. When everyone in the stadium holds up four fingers representing that their team is going to close the game out by winning the fourth quarter.
Our girls’ volleyball team just won state, and it was so exciting! Seeing their hard work, dedication, sheer talent and determination all come to fruition was amazing. These girls were united as a team and stood strong in the face of some very tough competition. They also had a great coach leading them and the full support of the student cheering section, which traveled across the state on several weekends in order to cheer the girls on.
Very few people love to practice. To most, it is just a means to an end. Only if we practice will the coach allow us to play in games. Even if we loathe it, practice is irreplaceable as the best way to improve skills. Athletes at every level must train. In fact, professionals only get where they are through hard work. How hard we work in practice may predict our game-time performance.
I love watching Gatorade® commercials. They show athletes giving everything they have for their sport. The neon green or orange Gatorade® even pours out of them as they sweat! The commercials always end with, “Is it in you?” The implication is that somehow this drink is going to make us perform better on the field. Do we have what it takes to be a champion? Is it in us?
As Christians, God tells us that the Spirit of God, the very essence of Christ, is in us. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead comes to dwell inside of us. When we give our heart to Jesus, the Holy Spirit breathes life into our spirit. He literally brings us back from the dead—spiritually that is. Sin brings death, but the Spirit brings life.
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.
It was just a matter of time. But even though it was inevitable, we saw it coming. My kids had a pet rabbit for many years. They loved the rabbit and took great care of it. However, over the years, as activities increased and life got busier for three growing children, it become difficult for them to find time to feed the rabbit. I covered for them occasionally, but the rabbit simply did not get the food it needed. One day, we went to the cage to find a motionless rabbit. It had died. The kids didn’t mean to starve it, or even want to see their pet die. But when you don’t feed a rabbit, it dies.
Seattle Mariners pitcher R.A. Dickey, former Major League pitcher Dave Dravecky, University of Texas starting center Chris Hall and FCA President Les Steckel
I play fantasy football with my friends. Although it’s not technically a sport, it is fun. Recently, a person offered to trade me two of his players for one of mine. His players were good, but I didn’t see them as great, so I battled about this trade, I looked at player stats, future projections and schedules to analyze this trade. In the end, I didn’t make it. Why? Because I was afraid! I was afraid that the players were not going to be as good as the one I had and that the two players would let me down. I had fear that my team wouldn’t be as good, and that if I traded that player I would lose the championship.
The next week the players he offered me scored a combined 40 points. My player scored 7. In hindsight it would have been a good trade.
Solomon knew the importance of taking care of the heart. It is not only the most important muscle in the body for physical life, but also for spiritual life. Have you ever considered that your behavior is really a reflection of your heart? We are encouraged to guard our hearts because our attitudes, our thoughts, our emotions, our words and our actions all flow from the condition of the heart. Anger, jealousy, pride, conflict — all of these reveal the state of your heart.
Almost every Christian coach I know wants to have a philosophy of coaching that is positive. But in the battle of competition, sometimes we get caught up in the heat of the moment and lose our focus. We may stay positive on the outside, but inside we are feeling the tension—tension that causes us to lose that positive edge.
I have found that what we tell our athletes to think about is exactly what they will think about. We may say, “Don’t ever miss a serve on game point.” What are they thinking when they come to the line? They are thinking about not missing the serve. What do they see? Missing the serve, which is exactly what we told them to think about!
I recently saw my old coach whom I love and respect. He seemed even closer to Christ and his faith more vibrant than the last time I saw him. He is 67 and still desires to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. It gives me great optimism. My coach will never change. For him to change would be to stop moving forward, to stop desiring God. He knows he is on a journey, he knows where his citizenship rests.
Can we grasp how hard it is, and yet how fundamental it is to progress? Our brains, bodies, and even friends resist our transformation. Habit, routine, and a planned agenda give a sense of security. The older we get, the harder change becomes. It is much easier to transplant a sapling than a mature tree.
Selected Struggle: Worry
Dictionary definition: “To feel uneasy or concerned about something; to be troubled.”
My definition: “To torment oneself with anxieties or troubles.”
Next month, 51-year-old triathlete Gary Brasher will complete back-to-back-to-back Iron-distance triathlons in order to raise funds for FCA. Yep, you read that right. A triple Iron! Right now, he's in the middle of training for the big event, which will take place Nov. 20-22.
Going in, Brasher knew that the sacrifice would be intense. I mean, can you even imagine completing 7.4 miles of swimming, 336 miles of biking and 79.2 miles of running in three days? For most of us, that is unthinkable. But that is exactly what he is willing to do for what he feels is an important cause.
Guests include Ben Hartsock, Don McClanen, Bob Lilly and FCA’s President Les Steckel
University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt, feature on Georgia football team taking a mission trip to Honduras, Former NFL defensive lineman Mike Rucker and FCA President Les Steckel.
2008 inductees into FCA’s Hall of Champions, Madeline Manning Mims, Betty Probasco, Dr. Charles Kemble, Buck McCabe and Ed Britton III.
With the 2005 spring training underway, the biggest issue facing Major League Baseball seems to be steroids. Who has used or is using them, what should be done about it, how can it be prevented, does it affect broken records, etc.? Unfortunately, baseball isn't the only sport battling steroid problems, and steroids are not the only drugs causing problems in the world of sports. There are many harmful substances that athletes are putting into their bodies -- some for performance, some for pleasure.
My junior year of college, a young man I knew for only a week came into my room and after 40 minutes broke down in tears. Men don’t cry, especially young, proud, college men like Shawn.
Later, after we talked through the issues of life and God, I realized there were more “Shawns” out there. Young men, old men — men of all ages — all bound together by similar challenges and struggles. And no matter where they are in life, the remedy is the same: today’s men are desperately in need of their heavenly Father.
Can what you feed your kids for Breakfast really affect their performance in the classroom?
Common interests, passions, experiences, and skills naturally draw people together. We all enjoy partnering with others with whom we can identify. When someone says, “I know how you feel,” and you believe that he really does, a bond is formed. David and Jonathan are examples of two men who experienced that deeper connection; they were, “one in spirit,” drawn together by a shared faith (1 Sm 14; 17). Both men trusted God when no one else did, and as a result, David and Jonathan were key in God’s plan to defeat the dreaded Philistines. Both men trusted God even though the odds were not in their favor.
With a good lead off of second base, Texas A&M outfielder Sharonda McDonald sprinted to third after teammate Jana James knocked a single through the infield. But knowing her own ability to get from third to home in a mere 2.4 seconds, McDonald wasn’t stopping. Realizing the throw would cut it close, she slid cleats-first into home and scored the first run of the Aggies’ game against the Missouri Tigers.
As the dust settled, however, McDonald knew something was wrong.
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
-Matthew 6:21
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