Injury Time
Theme: Injury Time
Verse: But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Injuries are part of all sports. If you participate long enough, you will personally experience one somewhere along the line. Personally, I’ve dealt with a broken femur in high school, a ruptured Achilles tendon in my 30s, and most recently, two knee replacement surgeries.
When those inevitable injuries occur, it is very easy to play the “What-If” game.
- What-If I don’t recover fast enough?
- What-If I’m not the same athlete I was before the injury?
- What-If I’m more prone to injury?
- What-If I lose my position on the team?
- What-If I can never play the sport again?
You can combat the “What-If” game by knowing God has a plan for you in your injury time. Trust that He has your best interest in mind and that He will use your story to be a Kingdom moment to reach someone you never imagined through your recovery story.
Meanwhile on a personal level, while physical therapy is obviously a key component to the recovery, injury time is an opportunity for you to dig deeper into God’s Word and strengthen your faith. If you surround yourself with positive people (and I have had many of them surround me in my injury time over the years), you will find that is a vital part of the healing process as well.
So, when an injury befalls you, don’t become a recluse and a “Woe is me, Wally”. Trust that the injury is simply a part of God’ plan for your life. Embrace the challenge and know that He is preparing you for an AMAZING comeback!
Have a GREAT (and hopefully injury free) week!
Adapted from Lead with Faith, Play with Purpose by Andy Dooley
Rituals
Theme: Rituals
Verse: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)
Wade Boggs (a Tampa native) had a remarkable baseball career. He is in the exclusive 3,000 hit club and one of only three players to have his 3,000th be a home run.
Boggs was famous for his pre-game ritual of eating chicken before each game. While there is no evidence that chicken provides any superpower for baseball (or anything else), there is some evidence that rituals help players focus on the task upcoming and perform better in the game.
The power of rituals is not confined to sports. How well our day goes seems to depend on how we start it. Perhaps you start with morning exercise, eat a certain food for breakfast, or wear specific clothing based on what day of the week it is. (Yes, I rotate my shirts through the colors of the rainbow each week and my closet is organized by Roy G. Biv.)
There is another ritual that can give us all great power. That is reading the Lord’s word and prayer. In Ephesians, Paul describes the word of God as a spiritual weapon to be used to combat forces that we struggle against each day. Having this weapon gives us the power of Jesus alongside us to combat problems such as destructive thoughts, anger, pride, and conceit.
So, as we start our days let’s ask God for His insight, protection, direction, and strength. That’s a ritual we can all share and in the end we will all be able to join God’s 3,000 hit club!
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from Lead with Faith, Play with Purpose by Andy Doole
Want Unity? Get an Alignment!
Theme: Want Unity? Get an Alignment!
Verse:
The University of Washington 8-man crew of 1936 was a special group. Their journey to an unlikely gold medal in the Berlin Olympics is featured in the movie “The Boys in the Boat.” Despite a number of setbacks along the way the team had a level of cohesion that transcended all the advantages held by their competitors from more experienced schools and the European national teams.
The 8-man crew competition is all about teamwork and unity, more so than most other Olympic sports. Even the strongest rower can be a detriment if he/she is not in synch with the rest of the team. Unity is paramount.
But unity in life is a difficult thing to achieve. We all have differences and disagreements. After all, we are not robots. The world around us makes that clear every day. Unity needs to be something we are constantly striving to achieve.
So, Dave, how do we do that?
It starts with having a common goal or focus. As Christians a good place to start with Jesus. Let Him be the filter we use to determine our actions and decisions. With that filter we gain alignment with Him. Just like our cars run smoother when the wheels are in good alignment, our ability to be good teammates, friends, spouses, parents and children goes smoother when we are in alignment with Jesus. We become more coachable in all aspects of our lives.
So, as we enter 2025 focus on Jesus and allow him to be the filter for all our decisions, especially when we are tempted to be disagreeable with others. Get in alignment with Him and the unity that provides will lead to a better and probably and less stressful life.
Have a GREAT week and Welcome to 2025.
Adapted from Lead with Faith Play with Purpose by Andy Dooley
Finish 2024 Strong
Theme: Finish 2024 Strong
Verse: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7)
The 2006 St. Louis Cardinals were one of the most unlikely World Series champions. They endured a bumpy ride that included a 31-16 start, then two 8-game losing streaks and a losing record in the months of June, August, and September. Despite that, they found themselves qualified for the playoffs with an 83-78 record.
When it counted (playoff time), the Cardinals were ready. They were underdogs against the Padres, Mets, and Tigers, but won all three series to be crowned the champions!
Finishing Strong is what champions do! There are plenty of examples in the Bible! Paul started as a persecutor of Christ followers but finished as probably the quintessential Christian leader of his time. David and Peter were much like the 2006 Cardinals. Each started strong, stumbled along the way, but recovered to finish well.
So how can you FINISH WELL?
Self-Talk: Our words are very powerful. How we speak to ourselves can be the difference in finishing or not. To quote John Blutarsky (Bluto) in the movie Animal House, “When the going gets tough, (pregnant pause as he attempts to remember the rest), the tough get going”! Filling your mind with positive thinking, optimism and belief will help you finish well.
Encouragement: Having people in your corner will help you overcome obstacles and setbacks. These can be members of your small group, or your team at work. Think about the last time your fans carried you to the finish line and know that you can be on the other side of that for someone else.
Clear Vision: Finishers keep the goal in sight. When the WHY is big enough, distractions tend to melt away.
So, as we conclude 2024, analyze the journey you have been on. Maybe it has been a rocky road. If it has, just think about those 2006 Cardinals who hung in there. Like them, you too can finish the season strong to become the champions!
Have a GREAT week and Finish 2024 Strong.
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Making the Impossible, Possible!
Theme: Making the Impossible, Possible!
Quote of the Week: “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” (Helen Keller)
Jake Olson was a college football player for the University of Southern California Trojans. He played in only two games in 2017, as the long snapper. You know, the guy you hear about only when the punt or field goal attempt doesn’t go off as expected. Although Jake played only two games, his story is one of the most compelling in school history.
You see, by the age of 12 Jake had lost both his eyes to cancer of the retina.
Despite his lack of sight, Jake had vision. He loved the game of football, so he taught himself to excel at the only position he could play without sight — long snapper. He was so good at the skill he made the Trojan football team as a walk-on.
His impact has gone well beyond being responsible for the points the Trojans got on plays he snapped the ball for. To this day, he continues to be an inspiration for everyone who needs a vision in their lives.
Having a vision is more than being able to see. It means creating a picture of the world you want for yourself and those around you. Without vision, life becomes mundane, and we will not be living up to the potential that God has for each one of us.
Our church has the vision to be the church of “Three Rs.” That means
We seek to be ROOTED in God’s Word. Being rooted in God’s Word means to be established firmly and deeply in Jesus Christ; He is one voice that we seek to direct our paths.
We seek to be RENEWED by the Holy Spirit. God can change us from the inside out! This means getting rid of the old, unhealthy, and worldly parts of our lives and allowing God to do something new within us.
We seek to REACH the world for Jesus Christ. Keeping the joy of knowing a very real Jesus is not something to be kept to ourselves. We need to share His love with others.
As we approach Christmas and the New Year, it’s a good time to examine our lives and ask what our vision is.
Are you up for it?
Have a GREAT week and Merry Christmas!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Don’t Believe Everything You Think
Theme: Don’t Believe Everything You Think
Thought of the Week: If you think you can OR you think you can’t, you’re right!
Have you ever listened to a postgame interview after a team seemed to grasp victory from the jaws of defeat? After the reporter asks the obligatory, “How do you feel after leading the game-winning drive?” or “Can you take us through that final sequence?” the player(s) usually come back with something like
“We believed in ourselves and knew all we had to do was execute.”
That, my friends, is powerful!
The winning team (or person), especially at the higher levels, is usually the one that operates better on the six-inch playing field that exists between their ears, not the one covered with grass, hardwood, asphalt, or ice. They have trained their brains to have mental toughness. They reject negative, self-defeating, discouraging thinking.
Instead, they have belief and faith. Instead of focusing on what can’t be done, they focus on what is possible. Adversity and problems are replaced with solutions.
This is called transformative thinking! Romans 12:2 tells us we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Colossians 3 and Philippians 4 have some things to say about retraining our minds as well.
The game of life is won or lost above one’s shoulders, in our minds. If you want to win you need to train your brain to know it can be done. Until that transformation takes place don’t believe everything you think.
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Be an Inadequate Leader!
Theme: Be an Inadequate Leader!
Quote of the Week: “I'm a karate man! Alright. Karate man bruise on the inside! They don't show their weakness.” (Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy), Trading Places, 1983)
Aside from being asked to explain the quadratic equation formula or asked to name Uzbekistan’s capital, when was the last time you uttered any of the following phrases?
“I don’t know!”
“I’m going to need some help!”
“I have some weaknesses!”
“I don’t have all the answers!”
If you said you can’t remember, you are not alone. Our human nature is to avoid showing weakness in any situation. We are raised to believe that any sign of weakness means you are not a leader. The reality is nothing can be further from the truth.
The most successful leaders are what are known as Limited Leaders. They know they have gaps, blind spots, problems. In Jeremiah, he cries out to the Lord, “Lord, I am inadequate, and I can’t do what you are asking.” But God did not choose Jeremiah for his skill (BTW: God does not need our limited skills). He chose him for his availability, humility, faith, and trust. God wanted him to be a Limited Leader.
A Limited Leader has three key characteristics.
1. Great Self Awareness: This helps them build effective teams that will not be clones of the leader. The Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions would not be leading the league if they sent out 11 Patrick Mahomes or Jared Goffs every play.
2. Openness about their weaknesses: This sort of openness empowers team members to step in with skills the leader lacks. It helps the team grow.
3. Realization that failure is inevitable without God: Failure is at our doorstep each day unless God steps in. If you want to do something really big, trust God with the “impossible.”
Do you want to be a Leader? Then be an Inadequate One. Be available, humble, faithful, and trusting. God will fill the voids and lead you to VICTORY!
BTW: To save you a Google search Uzbekistan’s capital is Tashkent.
Have a GREAT week!
Just Be You!
Theme: Just Be You!
Thought for the Week: “You are unique, just like everyone else.”
When you were a youngster, I’m sure at some point you dreamt of being someone else. It might have been a sports icon. During the 1960s and 1970s in Crystal City, MO that might have been a local sports hero like Danny Larose, an All-American at MIZZOU who played for several teams in the NFL, or Bill Bradley, who played basketball at Princeton and for the New York Knicks. For others, it might have been an actor/singer or other performer or a relative that was quite special to you. My Uncle Bob likes to recall that I wanted to be President of the United States (not a particular one, just the President).
Fortunately for the country my childhood dream never became a reality.
There is nothing wrong with childhood dreams. They can be motivating, inspiring us to do better in school and work harder in sports or other crafts. The challenge is as we get older, we need to lock in on who we are and eventually stop trying to be something or someone other than the person God created us to be.
The “True You” is what you are on the inside. That is much more powerful than any outward appearance we might take on. Changing how we look on the outside doesn’t do anything about what is on the inside.
As we enter the Christmas season, this is a good time to reflect on the reason for the season, Jesus, and the transformational power He has for our INSIDE. Through Him, our hearts, mind, thoughts, and attitudes (all internal things) can change opening our lives to be all that God designed us to be on the inside; a unique person that has a purpose and a path to follow.
The journey to the “True You” goes through Jesus. Seek Him First!
Happy Thanksgiving and Have a GREAT week!
CAST some sunshine toward others
Theme: CAST some sunshine toward others
Thought for the Week: “Spread sunshine all over the place and put on a happy face.” (Albert Peterson (Dick Van Dyke) Bye Bye Birdie, 1963)
My good friend, Ron Rook, had a tag line on his e-mails that said a lot about his attitude towards work and life. It read, “The Answer is Yes! Now What is Your Request?”
Ron was famous for always working to get to “Yes” when someone asked something of him. That attitude opened the door to conversation about whatever issue was at hand. That led to a discussion and more often than not a solution that was acceptable to all.
Too often our face and body language shut down an exchange before conversation even begins. That’s called having the “No-Face”. If you are in the business Making More and Better Followers of Jesus (or frankly any endeavor), that’s no bueno. You always will get further and grow more by wearing your “Yes-Face”!
Ok, Dave. What does a “Yes-Face” look like? Well, try this. Think that you want to C-A-S-T your “Yes-Face” to others. You want your face to be:
C – Confident
A – Approachable
S- Smiling
T - Trusting
(There are more characteristics, but I could spell a word with these four, so I went with these. I guess I need to get better at Wordle.)
As a coach, it is imperative that you wear a “Yes-Face” for your team. The team will be inspired if they know the coach believes in them. If you are a player, the “Yes-Face” tells the coach you are with the program and ready to perform in the game.
We all have opportunities to be a coach or a player in life, so we all have an opportunity here. Let’s wear our “Yes-Face” more than our “No-Face” and CAST rays of sunshine in others direction.
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Let’s have some PDA
Theme: Let’s have some PDA
Verse: Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10)
The military frowns on (or at least it used to) Public Displays of Affection (PDA) while in uniform. The leadership thought that it hampered good order and discipline for the soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and now guardians (a Space Force person, not a member of the baseball team from Cleveland).
But God’s ok with PDAs, in fact He encourages it. Our relationship with Jesus was never intended to be a private thing. Did you ever consider how passionately we can discuss our cars, our vacations, the Buccaneers latest game, why we hate the Yankees, or a host of other subjects, but we keep our passion for the Lord on the downlow?
As we enter the Holiday season, maybe this is the time to show some PDA for God and His son, Jesus. How should we do that? Here are a few suggestions.
Humble Service - Look for ways to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus
Anonymous Giving - Not that there isn’t a need every year, but this season seems to call for extra level of generosity. If you are in a position to do so, look for opportunities to support quality charities in your local area.
Unselfish Sacrifice - It can be as simple as being the one who gives up their chair for an elderly person or pregnant lady or the one who buys (or makes) a meal for a homeless person you see as you go about your day. Do it without a thought of what you will get in return.
PDA is an external expression of an inward reality. We want the rest of the world to see God through each one of us!
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Let’s have a winning record!
Theme: Let’s have a winning record!
Verse: Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)
In August 1977, about 30 members of the Crystal City Hornet football team got the season-opening remarks from coaches Dick Cook and Rodney Mills. It had been a few years since the Hornets had finished the year with a winning record, so the coaches provided a team goal to finish in the upper half of the conference standings. As the smallest school in the county, it seemed like a daunting task.
But Coach Cook and Coach Mills knew what they were doing. They had given the team a challenge that would stretch us beyond our expectations. Sure enough, three months later we finished at 6-4 and in third place (out of 9). Most importantly, we beat the crosstown rival, the Festus Tigers, a year after they stole a victory from us (but that’s a story for another day).
The beauty of this goal was it kept us focused throughout the year. Unlike college football where a single defeat for most teams can ruin any hope of a getting in the playoff for the national championship, we could focus on the whole season. One little setback didn’t derail us.
We need focused goals in our lives. Many times, those can be found in a Mission Statement. Our church has a simple to remember, but POWERFUL, mission statement that applies to everyone in the Christian faith.
MAKE MORE AND BETTER FOLLOWERS OF JESUS. It does not get much simpler than that. If someone is not a believer, let’s bring them into the fold. If they are a believer, help them become more like Jesus.
If you try to do that every day, you will finish with a winning record!
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
No Pain, No Gain
Theme: No Pain, No Gain
Verse: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)
When athletes train one of the common adages heard is “No Pain, No Gain.” It’s great motivation to do an extra set of weights, or run another mile on the trail. But can the same motivational saying be applied to the rest of our lives?
Answer, Sure!
If we want to grow SPIRITUALLY, our faith must be tested. We need to engage in situations in which we must depend on God instead of our own strength. In short, we need to get out of our comfort zone and really dig into His word.
If we want to grow RELATIONALLY, we need to consider others before ourselves. Put aside our selfishness and lay down our pride. We must extend forgiveness when harboring resentment may be the easier path.
If we want to grow MENTALLY, we must seek new learning experiences and engage with others who know more than we do (for me, FINALLY there is something on the list that’s easy to find). Seek out those experts and find out not only what they know but find out how they think.
If we want to grow EMOTIONALLY, we need to experience what others are feeling. That is, “walk in their shoes” before rushing to judgment or to “SOLVE” their problems.
The Apostle Paul did all these things. In Romans he said that no matter what present suffering he endured (and he endured plenty), it was not worth comparing to the glory that all believers will experience because of Christ’s suffering on the cross.
God will walk with us through our pain. We just need to stay in the game. Push beyond your perceived capabilities and let God help you grow to be everything He intended.
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Let’s Have a LONG word of Prayer
Theme: Let’s Have a LONG word of Prayer
Verse: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
We’ve heard it a thousand times. It goes something like this “Let’s have a QUICK word of prayer.” It usually comes at the start of a church meeting, a big sporting event, or before we sit down for a meal. The message is, let’s get this obligatory prayer out of the way so we can get on to the “IMPORTANT” event that is before us.
What is prayer, really? Is it the bowing of our heads and reciting words we barely think about OR is it communication with God?
If prayer is communication with God, then shouldn’t our lives be one continuous prayer? Should it not be the driving force in our lives?
Communication is a two-way street. Part of prayer is our words TO God; but the other part of prayer (and probably the more important part) should be listening to what is coming FROM God; what He is telling us!
Our prayer time should be intentional, patient, and purposeful. It should not be something we rush through to get to the next order of business.
So, the next time you are tempted to have a QUICK word of prayer, know that all you are really doing is changing the form of the communication with God. Quick Prayer or Long Prayer, He hears you either way.
But do you hear Him?
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
The People in your Neighborhood
Theme: The People in your Neighborhood.
Verse: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39)
It’s been quite a couple of weeks in Florida. In case you were on a trip to Antarctica or something like that, we’ve had a couple of hurricanes blow through the Tampa area. The recovery from Helene and Milton is on-going as I write this. Hundreds of thousands of homes are still without power and thousands have big recovery efforts in front of them.
But in my microcosm of the world, the hurricane aftermath revealed something about the human spirit that inspired this missive.
On Thursday morning, I woke to see what Milton had brought. As the sun rose, people emerged from their homes and began cleaning their yards. But soon I noticed something. After cleaning their own yards some of my neighbors went to the next house and cleaned that lawn as well because they knew the family had evacuated, or the residents were elderly or infirmed. As the phenomenon of “doing of little extra” became evident, it became the norm. Dozens of families were going the extra mile. It became almost a competition between the sides of the street. Who could get their side done faster?
In about 5 hours, the neighborhood looked like nothing had happened (but for the bags of debris neatly piled by the curb). The road and sidewalks were clear! I know it wasn’t the biggest of deals in the recovery effort, but it was inspiring to see neighbors helping neighbors rake debris, cut limbs, sweep paths, and get life back to some sort of normalcy.
That’s all being a neighbor is. Giving a little extra when you are able. Show some kindness to your fellow man. That’s what God asks of us is to “Love our Neighbor as Ourselves. (Matthew 22:39)”
My salute to the Remington neighborhood in Lake St. Charles, Riverview, FL. You may not have known it, but you were putting God’s Love on display by exemplifying what being a neighbor is all about.
Have a GREAT week!
Who’s on your Dream Team?
Theme: Who’s on your Dream Team?
Verse: Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
When Coach Herb Brooks, 1980 Olympics U.S. Men’s hockey coach, presented his proposed team to his staff he got a little surprised reaction. His assistant remarked that Coach Brooks had left some of the best players in the country off of the team. Coach Brooks response was, “I’m not looking for the BEST players, I’m looking for the RIGHT ones.” Those players may not have been the best individual players, but as a group, they were the best for the assignment at hand.
Jesus created His team of 12 disciples in a similar fashion. The 12 were not the great religious scholars of the day or those who might otherwise be regarded as “the best players of the day”. No, these were men who worked “regular” jobs; fishermen, a tax collector, and even political activist and certainly not widely regarded as a set of perfect people. But this group of regular Joes, Jesus’s Dream Team if you will, embarked on a journey that would change the world.
If Jesus needed a Dream Team around him, who are we to think we can navigate this world without similar support? We all need our own Dream Team around us. A small, inner circle that can support us in areas where we are lacking, or to be there to pick us up when we fall. We need them at our jobs, in our workout groups, and certainly in our spiritual lives.
It’s probably worth looking around your life and examining what our inner circle looks like. Is it a Dream Team? If not, what changes do you need to get not the BEST people, but the RIGHT people on-board.
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Who’s on the Front of your Jersey?
Theme: Who’s on the Front of your Jersey?
Verse: For as in one body, we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Romans 12: 4-5)
I’m a big baseball fan. When asked which team I cheer for, I have a standard answer. My top two are the St. Louis Cardinals (as I grew up there) and the Tampa Bay Rays (as that is where I now live). The third team I cheer for consistently is whichever team happens to be playing the New York Yankees that day.
As much as I cheer for the Yankees to lose, I do respect one aspect of their team culture. Did you ever notice the Yankees do not have names on the back of their jerseys? Why, you ask? It’s not because they ran out of thread to stitch the names on the back and I don’t think it is because they can’t spell their own last names. It is because the culture insists they play for the team rather than themselves.
It’s probably not a coincidence, then, the Evil Empire has won 27 World Championships, seven more than the next two teams on the list combined (The Cardinals being #2 with 11 and the Red Sox and A’s tied, each with 9).
Playing for the team means sacrificing our own ego and doing what is right for the group. We represent a group in many things we do. It might be our school, our city, our country, our business, or even religious affiliation.
Yes, when people identify us as Christians, we have put on the jersey that has Jesus’s name on the front. We are doing whatever our activity is in His name. It is often easy to forget this and become prideful trying to take the podium and glory for ourselves.
There is no room for ego when we compete in the name of Jesus. After all, He did more for others than we can over do. No, when we compete, we need to accept responsibility when we err and give credit to others for their part in helping us win. The world needs to see something different in us when we compete.
If we always think of the front of the jersey instead of the back, it will help us become the “New York Yankees” of whatever competition we are engaged in.
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
The Triple Threat
Theme: The Triple Threat
Quote: “Run it Up, Herman! Leave no Doubt!” (Coach Bill Yoast in “Remember the Titans”)
Coach Jack Lengyel, while lamenting about the challenges of rebuilding the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team after the tragic November 1970 crash, asks his staff, “What is the simplest offense you have ever run and actually won a football game?” His one holdover coach, Red Dawson, offered the Veer, which is a version of the triple option. This offensive scheme keeps defenses, that otherwise are overwhelming, guessing what is coming next giving the smaller (and probably slower) offenses a fighting chance.
Like the 1971 version of the Thundering Herd, in our spiritual life we face an opponent (Satan) that can be overwhelming. We need a version of the triple option to keep Satan from leveraging his advantages.
What is our Triple Threat? BE, PRAY, GIVE
Option #1 (Handoff to the Fullback): BE Joyful Always. Joy is different than happiness. Happiness can be obtained from external sources, buying new shoes, eating our favorite meal, or watching an entertaining movie. But JOY fills our heart so there is no extra room for external factors that Satan might throw at us to infiltrate. Have you even seen the Fullback after he actually gets to run the ball? Even if he gains only 3-4 yards, he has a grin that goes from ear to ear. That is what pure joy should look like in each one of us.
Option #2 (Quarterback runs the ball): PRAY continuously. Prayer is essentially communication with God. It’s not a wish list of requests or a report on our recent activity. Think of prayer as a time of discovery in which God has the opportunity to reveal things to you because you are paying attention and ready to receive. Just like a quarterback that can run the ball is dangerous to a football defense, prayer makes Satan very nervous. An army of prayer warriors can throw Satan off balance allowing us to gain a lot of yardage.
Option #3 (Toss it to the Tailback): GIVE thanks in all circumstances. This means using our exchanges with people to build them up, not tear them down. Our words (spoken and written) when used for healing is a great threat to Satan. Using positive words is like the quarterback bringing the ball down the line as the tailback shadows him. Eventually the defense runs out of players and the final option, the Tailback, often has a clear path for a huge gain (and many times a touchdown).
Try it! Use the triple option as your playbook to keep Satan off balance and run the score up on him.
Have a GREAT week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Mile 24
Theme: Mile 24
Verse: By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household. (Hebrews 11:7)
I’ve run hundreds of races over the years, everything from one milers to full marathons. Each one was the fun part of the running experience as it was the culmination of a training period in which lots of time and miles were dedicated to race day success.
On race day, you can only go with the preparation accomplished to that point. Coaches often refer to this as “Hay is in the Barn” which means the work has been completed.
In our spiritual lives what does “Hay in the Barn” look like?
Proverbs tells us to store up His Commands. Diving into His Word by spending time there regularly is a great way to do just that. Our routine ventures into the Word are to our spiritual journey just as training runs are to marathon (or whatever race) preparation. They are investments in the FUTURE rather than the present.
It might be easy to go through the motions during training, but doing so will show up on race day. When you get to Mile 24 (or 12 on the half marathon), it will become apparent to all if you have put forth the necessary training effort. It’s no fun being on the wrong side of that. Similarly, in our spiritual lives, you don’t want to get to “Mile 24” only to wish you has spent adequate time with Jesus and in the Word.
Examine yourself and assess how you will feel at your “Mile 24”? Will you have energy in the tank to finish the race strong?
Make the investment! Put sufficient “Hay in the Barn.” Your future depends on it.
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
The Right Prize
Theme: The Right Prize
Verse: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4: 7)
Athletes find themselves in constant pursuit of a trophy, a championship, A RING. These are earthly symbols of accomplishment.
In our sports entertainment dominated world, there are several symbols of championships: the Gold Medal in Olympic competition, the Green Jacket as the Masters golf champion, the Lombardi Trophy for the NFL champion, and the Commissioner’s Cup for the in-season WNBA tournament are all symbol of sports accomplishments. While these are great in the moment, in each case another season comes along and these championship symbols, at some point, move on to another team or individual.
So what trophies are we pursuing? Are they trophies that have everlasting value?
In the Bible, Paul was a competitor, just like each of us. When he came to understand the sacrifice of Christ, he knew THAT PRIZE was better than any he could earn himself. He had discovered the right prize, one that had everlasting impact.
Knowing Jesus and being on a life-long pursuit of becoming more like Him is only prize worth pursuing with our whole heart. When we know Him and experience His love, we are truly satisfied.
And that is a trophy that can never be taken away!
Have an AWESOME Week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Perfection or Excellence
Theme: Perfection or Excellence
Thought for the week: Integrity First, Service before Self, and Excellence in all we do! (US Air Force Core Values)
Practice makes Perfect! Those of us that are pushing (or past) Social Security eligibility age, have heard it a million times. Seems like solid advice. But what if you are practicing something wrong? All practice does, in that case, is make things permanently wrong instead of perfect.
Maybe it’s better to do things right. That is, whatever we do, do it with excellence instead of seeking perfection.
Perfection is an impossible standard. It can be frustrating and, in the end, a tremendous waste of time. Excellence, however, is an achievable standard that can be gratifying and healthy.
Excellence is doing the best we can within our own God given abilities. That allows for each of us to attain the standard regardless of our role in life. Excellence is always attainable.
That does not imply we get a pass from working hard. We can’t simply say that’s good enough because that’s all God has allowed me to do. Excellence always involves some level of sacrifice to reach the level God put within our grasp.
Legendary basketball coach John Wooden, winner of 7 straight and 10 of 12 national championship said, “There is no substitute for hard work. If you’re looking for the easy way, if you’re looking for the trick, you might get by for a while, but you will not be developing the talents that lie within you. There is simply no substitute for work.”
There you have it. There is no substitute for hard work when it comes to achieving excellence. The good news is it is always within our grasp!
Have an AWESOME Week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page