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No Risk, no Reward! Know Risk, Know Reward!

Theme: No Risk, no Reward! Know Risk, Know Reward!

Verse: So, He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. (Matthew 14:29)

In sports we often see teams and individuals “playing not to lose” vs. “playing to win.” (Yes, there is a difference!)

Playing “not to lose” is where you take no risk what-so-ever whereas playing “to win” leads to the occasional mistake while playing with total confidence in the eventual outcome. I don’t know what the actual stats are, but it seems like when a team or person plays “not to lose” they often do just that, LOSE. The opponent senses fear or apprehension which in turn provides the opponent with extra confidence to post the victory.

The best coaches do not punish players for making hustle mistakes. They know that taking some risk will expand the players’ abilities allowing them to reach their full potential. God acts in the same way.

So, when it comes to our faith walk, let’s not be afraid to step out boldly. “Playing to win” is how God wired us. As Christians, He wants us to boldly take risks as He fills and leads us. He will do GREAT things in and through us.

Have an AWESOME Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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If you want to be GREAT …

Theme: If you want to be GREAT …

Verse: Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant (Matthew 20:26)

Metrics are sweeping the American sports world. There seems to be a stat for everything. All have their place helping sports executives evaluate talent, but if we are going to be honest the average baseball fan can’t distinguish between an OPS and WHIP. (Go ahead, I’ll wait while you look those up on your favorite search engine.)

The movie “Trouble with the Curve” has a character that is a high-level MLB prospect who is pretty full of himself. With that status, he falls into all the traps that stardom offers. Meanwhile, there are others in the star’s orbit that take a different path just to be around the baseball diamond. One is the person portrayed by Clint Eastwood. He is an old-time baseball scout that, let’s just say, has lost his fastball over the years. He must rely on his experience to serve the ball clubs he scouts for AND convince the baseball executives that he knows what he is talking about even though the newfangled metrics indicate otherwise. But he loves the game and is willing to serve in this role to help make the game better.

Without ruining the movie, I’ll just say there are several other stories of servant behavior that provide good lessons for each of us.

Jesus was the ultimate servant leader. Time after time, the Bible cites instances where He humbles himself to the role of servant shunning the spotlight a KING rightly deserves. Check out Mark 10: 43-45 (Jesus did not come to BE served, but to serve) or John 13: 4-15 (Jesus washing the disciples’ feet). They are two really good ones to read.

Serving out of humility produces greatness! There is no other road. If you want to be great, be a servant!

Have an AWESOME Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Strive Together

Theme: Strive Together

Verse: Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2: 3-4)

Around Labor Day baseball fans in cities with teams still in contention for the playoffs will spend a good amount of their baseball viewing time watching the out-of-town scoreboard. (Note: Those of you on the South Side of Chicago, Denver, or Miami, that would NOT be you this year.) Fans, and sometimes players, will be looking to see what the teams in contention with them are doing. It’s an interesting time of the season and according to my friend, Alfonso, when the MLB season should start. (Alfonso’s lament: “Come on, man! There are too many games.”)

Competition is healthy. It motivates those involved to perform better than they would if left to themselves. It’s how world records are achieved, new inventions are developed, and breakthroughs in medicine are discovered.

There are two types of competition. The first is the most commonly thought of; that is to defeat an opponent in score, skill, or combat. If this is the only way we look at competition, that can lead to an unhealthy attitude towards others. It assumes a finite pie, a “We-Win, You-Lose” view of the world.

The other way is to go to the origin of the word. In Latin, the word “competere” means "to walk along side of, for two or more to work together to bring another along OR to strive together”. Using that view, we elevate each other to higher levels of participation, skill development, and effectiveness. (If that sounds like Small Groups at church or workout partners at the gym, I don’t think that is a coincidence.)

There are some classic movie scenes in which characters play Ping-Pong by themselves (Forrest Gump and The Longest Yard (2005 version) come to mind). The scenes are funny, but they make a good point. Life done without healthy competition can be a very boring existence where nothing ever changes or improves. That is not what God intended for us.

Let’s take the second view of competition (TO STRIVE TOGETHER) and use our skills and talents to elevate others. That may mean we elevate them beyond our achievement level and that is ok. When we come along side others and raise them up, the whole community wins.

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Are you a Sponge or a Mirror?

Theme: Are you a Sponge or a Mirror?

“Let the competition begin. Let the glory be God’s.” (From the Fellowship of Christian Athletes creed)

When we compete, there is plenty of opportunity to take glory in our accomplishments. Fans, teammates, family are always there to heap praise on us for our achievements. It becomes easy for us to get caught up in grabbing for glory in all the things we do, trying to soak it up as if we were a sponge.

The truth is God transacts His glory through each one of us every day. Just like in sports, it becomes easy to soak in God’s glory as our own as those around us are quick to praise us. It doesn’t take long to forget that God works through us and start to believe the narrative the world writes for us. The sponge seems able to absorb a little bit more each day.

But what if we acted more like a mirror instead of sponge? As a mirror we would reflect the glory back at the source, God and His son, Jesus. By doing that, we would keep things in proper alignment, preventing us from absorbing too much glory and believing that WE are responsible for the remarkable things God does THROUGH us.

So, as we proceed through this life when people heap praise on us for whatever we have done, remember the source of our strength and be mirror instead of a sponge. Reflect the praise straight back at the source and give God all the Glory!

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Make Positive Margin

Theme: Make Positive Margin

Verse: “But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10: 41-42)

Most people have heard of the “Miracle on Ice”, the U.S. Men’s hockey team’s victory over the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics. At the time the Soviets were the world’s dominant hockey team having won the four previous Olympic gold medals and 13 of the previous 16 World Championships. In the 1980 game, Team USA scored to take a 4-3 lead with exactly 10:00 remaining in the game. The Soviets had rarely been in this position. After a potential game-tying goal rang off of the post, the Soviets appeared to panic. The margin they were accustomed to playing with was no longer there. Over the final minutes the Soviets shot the puck wildly and failed to pull their goaltender to gain an extra attacker as the seconds ticked away.

What’s the point? The Soviets had lost their margin and it affected how they executed in those final 10 minutes.

With margin in our lives, we make better decisions and reduce our risk of burnout or breakdown. But what kind of margin are we talking about?

First, there is time margin. We often fall into the trap of believing “activity equals achievement”. We schedule our days until there is really no more effective room. Then, when something or someone tries to put another “important” thing on our schedule, our life starts to unravel. We need to learn to say no to some good things to ensure we have time for the best things. With time margin we have more energy and enthusiasm for life.

Then, there is moral margin. That is the space between how we live and a sinful action. It’s not uncommon to see how close we can get to the line without crossing it. It’s kind of human nature. God, however, wants us to put a lot of distance from temptation (The Lord’s Prayer: “Lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil). With no moral margin, one small mistake can lead to disaster. To use a baseball analogy, He wants us up 12-0 in the bottom of the 9th inning, rather than leading 1-0 where a walk followed by a hanging curveball ends the game on a sour note for our team. With moral margin, we reduce the risk of emotional meltdown.

The challenge for the week (and the rest of our lives) is to examine the margin in our lives. Take action to create the proper space for life to happen to us without it unraveling our world.

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Call Timeout

Theme: Call Timeout

Verse: “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” (Mark 6:31)

Have you ever been part of a basketball game that is getting out of control? A couple of bad passes here, a few missed shots there, then the opponent knocks down some long range three balls, and the next thing you know in about 90 seconds of gametime a 1-2 point game has become a double-digit deficit.

If you watch basketball a lot, you know what is about to happen at that moment. The coach is going to call a timeout. Why? He/She needs to settle the team down, get them focused and hopefully right the ship.

This same principle can apply to our lives. There are many of us that try to fight God’s design by trying to pack 200 hours of action into each 168-hour week. Unfortunately, it does not take long after following this pattern that you will find yourself out of control and in need of the emergency timeout.

While it may seem counter-cultural in the 24/7 world in which we live, try this instead. Take regular rest on a weekly Sabbath. Studies show this pattern will improve performance so much it actually makes you more valuable to the team/work force than those who always are in the action.

The Sabbath was so important that it made #4 on God’s commandment list. If it is that important to God, it should be important to us.

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Be G-K-O

Theme: Be G-K-O

Thought for the week: Empathy is the cornerstone of kindness, allowing us to understand and connect with others on a deeper level. (Gabriel Wilensky)

I had breakfast the other day with my workout friend from the Y, Joe. Aside from the misguidedness of being a Boston area sports team fan, he’s a really good guy.

During breakfast we discussed quite a few things including his new hour-long walking regime, sports, the state of the nation, our families, and some of the new-fangled inventions associated with Artificial Intelligence.

AI has a lot of great applications for us. Among other things it can help us optimize our exercise so we can balance it with the rest of our life activities.

But as smart as AI is there is one element of life I doubt it will ever replace; how we interact with our fellow humans. Just like last week when my Uncle Bob had some words of life wisdom, Joe offered some great advice for how we live our lives.

Be G-K-O; Generous, Kind and Optimistic

Be Generous: Be thankful for all that God has provided to each of us and approach life with an open hand. Be lavish with your praise of other’s accomplishments, and if you have the means, financially support those who serve us in so many ways. Encouraging verses: Acts 20:35 and Luke 6:38

Be Kind: This one is often the probably the hardest of all. Take the default position of compassion; you do not know the other person’s circumstance. Encouraging verses: Matthew 8:1-4, Luke 19:1-10, Luke 6: 35-36

Be Optimistic: As we grow older, we long for a time when things didn’t seem so difficult. We often wonder if the world will be the same for our children and grandchildren. I’m fairly certain our grandparents said the same thing when they were our age. Encouraging verses are Joshua 1:9, John 14:27.

So, Joe, here’s to your outstanding take on how to live our lives. When in doubt, be G-K-O!

Have a GREAT Week!

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Assume Positive Intent

Theme: Assume Positive Intent

Verse: A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. (Proverbs 18:2)

Running is a great activity to bring people together irrespective of each person’s fitness level. In any given running group (including ours) you will find a person training for a marathon, others readying for the next 5K and others that are happy to participate without training for any race whatsoever. But that difference in experience level does not preclude them from being a support group for each other.

Not all our social groups are nearly as supportive. We have become a very polarized society and that is working to our detriment. How do we fix that? Great question. Here’s an idea I’m borrowing from my Uncle Bob that I learned from his son, my cousin, Eric.

A few years ago, Eric shared life lessons he learned from his father, and this is one that has stuck with me. He said one of his dad’s philosophies is when a person does something you should “Assume Positive Intent, (until proven otherwise).”

What does that mean? Well, once you stop blocking the validity of a person’s point of view just because of certain pre-conditions you will find that most people are acting in good faith. That is when they say something, do something, answer questions etc. they are not trying to offend or hurt someone.

So how do we apply this philosophy?

By not blocking them we can listen to others with an open mind with the intent to UNDERSTAND what the person is saying. This is easier said than done. This is in complete contrast to our normal process of listening with the intent on how to respond. There is a big difference.

There is plenty of Biblical guidance on this as well. James 1:19, Proverbs 18:13, Proverbs 12:15 are but a few verses to check out.

Just as Rome was not built in a day, this will NOT be an immediate transformation. But give it a try. Assume Positive Intent in others and Seek to First to Understand (borrowed from Steven Covey). These two practices will go a long way to making our communities more cohesive just like most running groups I have ever experienced.

Have a GREAT Week!

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What is Freedom?

Theme: What is Freedom?

Verse: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians 5:13)

If my timing is right, you are reading this on July 4th, the day we celebrate the independence of the nation. I thought this might be a good time to reflect on what it means to be free.

Freedom is a journey not a destination. The journey continues each day and allows us to make choices about our best next step. What criteria should we use to make that decision? While our instinct might be to always look inwards when making those decisions, what would happen if we occasionally looked outward?

As our verse says we were all called to be free. There is great opportunity in that freedom but also tremendous responsibility. As we go through our free lives let’s consider how each decision affects not only ourselves, but also the greater community. When we choose wisely, freedom grows!

So, let’s use our freedom to be humble servants of one another! If we do, our nation and our world will be a better, freer place.

Happy Birthday, America!

Have a GREAT Week!

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Just Be Nice

Theme: Just Be Nice

Verse: For They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love (song lyrics adapted from John 13:35)

I just had a rite of old age passage that not everyone has the “pleasure” of experiencing, and my prayer is that you never do. I just had knee replacement surgery, my second one in exactly 6 months.

I am grateful for my medical team at the MacDill AFB Orthopedic Clinic and the HCA South Hospital in Tampa, for not once, but twice demonstrating the tremendous professionals they are as they took care of my operations and recovery. Each step of the way they all genuinely cared about my particular situation, even though they only knew me for this brief moment in time.

Each day we encounter someone that we will have only that brief moment with. Maybe it is at an intersection while driving, or a store clerk, or while participating in a sporting event or exercise. If things in that encounter don’t go perfectly, what vibe do we send out? How close have we come to exhibiting the care and compassion of my medical team?

The solution? My wife has a saying that if applied would transform your community, your state, the nation, the world. I call it the “Holly Principle” It’s simply, “Just Be Nice” a version the Biblical Golden Rule, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Found In Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31

You have no idea the circumstances of the person with whom you have a chance encounter. Maybe they need to pick up their child before getting charged an extra fee at the day care, so letting them go first at the intersection was just what they needed. Maybe your smile was just what they needed to get them through a very rough day.

This week’s challenge is to try the “Holly Principle” and see if your world does not become a better place.

Have a GREAT Week!

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Weekend like Bernie’s

Theme: Weekend like Bernie’s

Verse: One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God. (Luke 6:12)

Recently one of our devotional group members, Bernadine (or as we call her, Bernie), celebrated her birthday (of course, her 29th) by taking several days off to disconnect from the trappings of the world. No cell phones, No social media, No television, No e-mail. She said she used this time to re-charge herself and does so every year. It sounded like a good idea when I heard about it.

She was following a practice Jesus modelled for us two thousand years ago where He often disconnected from His ministry to pray alone. In Mark’s gospel, while Jesus was building his group of disciples the word of His ability to heal the sick was starting to spread. One particular night an entire town came out bringing their sick, so He spent an entire evening healing people of various diseases. Mark 1:35 describes Jesus’s actions the following day, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Luke 5:15-16, records that, “Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. BUT JESUS OFTEN WITHDREW TO LONELY PLACES AND PRAYED.”

In Matthew, after feeding the five thousand (with five loaves of bread and two fish) he withdrew to the mountainside to pray.

Analysis: If Jesus needed to withdraw to recharge, it’s probably a good practice for us to adopt.

So, thank you Bernie for modelling in modern day that time disconnected in solitude is a healthy thing.

Have a GREAT Week!

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NIL

Theme: NIL

Verse: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)

It would be the understatement of the century to say that college sports have been transformed by the introduction of NIL or (Names, Likenesses, and Images). For those that are unfamiliar with NIL it is a way for college athletes to earn money for their exploits on the field of play.

There is another kind of NIL that might be helpful to not only college sports, but everywhere we go in our daily lives. I’ll call it NEW INFLUENTIAL LEADERS.

In 1986, before one of the versions of the Oklahoma-Nebraska Games of the Century two of the combatants, one Sooner and one Cornhusker led nine teammates out to midfield to have a pre-game prayer. The “859th” straight sellout crowd at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln was confused by the players’ action. The players prayed, not for victory or earthly glory, but for a clean, hard fought, injury free contest that would honor God. They invoked our feature verse Matthew 18:20.

At the time, such an action was risky behavior. Opponents were putting God on display in a very public setting asking for Him to be with them in advance of the activity. While that seems to be common sense it was at the time quite rare in college football or other high-level competitions. They were saying “Before we even start, let’s pray and ask God to be at the center of everything.”

What a message! And these young men were NILs. In that moment they transformed the focus of the game from being on them to being on God.

Can you imagine a world where opponents on the field of play stopped and asked God to be with them during the game. To take focus off of them and give Him the glory for their ability to compete. It would completely change the way we play and watch sports.

But most of us are not college athletes. Never fear, stopping to pray can apply to non-sport endeavors as well. We need NIL everywhere, in our homes, our work, and yes in our sports. You can be one! Try it and see the change happen before your eyes.

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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We’ve Got the Power

Theme: We’ve Got the Power

In the movie “Bruce Almighty” news reporter Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey), frustrated with his life, challenges God and throws the blame for his problems in God’s direction. God, played by Morgan Freeman, responds by giving Bruce all of His powers. Seemingly a great gift, Bruce really has no idea how to use the power he has been given.

While a silly premise, it made me wonder how much power each one of us possess already. As it turns out quite a bit. But like Bruce, we likely have no idea how to best harness that power.

Power #1: Power over the flesh. We face several temptations in this area. Desire for alcohol or drugs, excessive food, laziness all fall in this category. From where does our power to battle this come? In Galatians 5:16 we can read, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Power #2: Power over the World. This goes to our theme from a couple of weeks ago (PRIDE). We can get hung up on our earthy achievements or the things we can possess due to our earthly (monetary) success. Our counter? 1 John 5:4 “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

Power #3: Power over the Devil. Satan has a singular purpose. That is to destroy us usually by distracting us from obeying God. What is our defense? James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Unlike Bruce, we don’t need to challenge God to receive the gift of His power. We already possess it, written in His Word. When faced with various challenges you need to look no further than the Bible for guidance and a way to overcome whatever challenge is before us.

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Use Response #5

Theme: Use Response #5

Verse: Incline not my heart to evil words; to make excuses in sins. (Psalm 141:4)

Saying: “He that is good for making excuses, is seldom good for anything else.” (Attributed to Benjamin Franklin)

Upon arrival at the United States Air Force Academy in June 1978, I was greeted with an altitude of over 7,000 feet above sea level, a buzz haircut, and a limited choice of vocabulary. We were given five basic responses, the only things that were supposed to come out of our mouths in the presences of upperclassmen. They were 1) Yes, Sir (Ma’am), 2) No, Sir (Ma’am), 3) Sir (Ma’am), may I ask a question (Ironically, we already had), 4) Sir (Ma’am), may I make a statement, and my personal favorite and most often uttered 5) No Excuse, Sir (Ma’am)!

Doolies (which is what freshman are called at the Air Force Academy) rarely get much right. Sometimes even when they are right, they are wrong (if you know what I mean). Response #5 is important for all of us to consider. Learning and embracing it sets us up well to tackle life’s inevitable challenges.

Mistakes are part of our life. Life coaches often suggest we learn more from our failures than our successes. Granted failures don’t feel nearly as good, but they are wonderful teachers.

Excuses, on the other hand, don’t help at all. Excuses NEVER make you better! They don’t change the circumstances of what happened. So, while I don’t wish failures on any of you, understand they are opportunities to TAKE responsibility and MAKE changes. In that way, we exercise a spirit of humility and assume ownership of both the action and the solution.

In that spirit, let’s accept that mistakes are part of life. Try not to make them, but when they occur, remember RESPONSE #5 and not amplify the problem by trying to explain the mistake away with an excuse.

NO EXCUSE, SIR (MA’AM)!

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Drop the E-Bomb!

Theme: Drop the E-Bomb!

Verse: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18)

Spanish Proverb: Tell me what you brag about, and I’ll show you what you lack.

Pride is a difficult thing to manage. Unfortunately, it is part of our human nature. Often, we slip into a prideful nature without warning and unbeknownst to us. When we do so, it is known as dropping a Pride Bomb.

Pride Bombs can go off in the form of one-ups-man ship when sharing stories (especially true in the military). They also can go off when competing in or training for a race and we reach a personal best or a significant milestone. Or possibly if we do something fantastic in school or on the job. There is a fine line between sending encouragement to others through your example (communicating that they too can reach their goals) and bragging about how awesome we think we are.

God wants us to be humble in all that we do. We see it is postgame interviews a lot. The athletes we respect the most are the ones who, even though they say hit the game-winning grand slam, does something like gives credit to the three teammates that got on base allowing a grand slam to be possible.

Any time you feel the urge to use the pronoun “I” or “WE” in a sentence describing a time when something went well, stop for a moment, consider those around you that contributed to the success. Then, instead of dropping a PRIDE BOMB (I am / WE are great!), try dropping an ENCOURAGEMENT BOMB (or E-Bomb). Turn the accolade around by using “YOU” instead! Chances are there are many contributing factors to every success so it should be easy to find a way to provide genuine praise for members of your group or team.

Encouragement to others can be transformative in a world where many people struggle with self-worth. Help be part of the solution and drop a few E-Bombs whenever you can.

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Throw the Challenge Flag

Theme: Throw the Challenge Flag

Verse: Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. (Luke 17:3)

In the interest of getting the game officials’ calls right, Challenge Flags have become a reality in today’s sports.

Technology being what it is, we now have the ability to review film to correct a sports official’s calls (except apparently a kicked ball violation in the NBA-See Knicks vs. Pacers Game 1) or as coaches to help students review technique and help them improve.

But reviewing the “film” occurred long before instant replay was invented.

In Psalm 139 David asked God to search into his life, look for anxious thoughts and lead him in the way everlasting. That may be the first recorded instance of throwing a Challenge Flag.

Like David, if we allow God to look into our hearts from various angles (read: our accountability group) and in slow motion we often are confronted with the reality of our words, attitudes, and behavior.

If you are in someone’s accountability group, take that responsibility seriously. The person who issued you the Challenge Flag is counting on you to be there when they need you most.

If you have not issued any Challenge Flags (are not in an accountability group), consider doing so you can have someone available to help you “get the call on the field” right!

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Character is Formed under Fire

Theme: Character is Formed under Fire

Verse: Endurance produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:4)

The second greatest tradition in sports has to be the handshake line at the end of hockey playoff series. (The first is the order the Academies sing their respective alma maters after inter-Service Academy football games. Go Air Force! Beat Army! Beat Navy!) But back to hockey: Athletic warriors have just spent a week to 10 days battling for each loose puck and ramming each other into the boards all while skating around 20-30 miles per hour. THEN after all that, the victors pause their celebration to honor their vanquished foe who stays on the ice in their moment of disappointment to congratulate their conqueror.

There’s a great takeaway in both of these traditions. Both demonstrate the character of the participants. After they battle, when the struggle is complete, both sides honor the others’ effort, showing respect for the other as a team and as individuals.

Struggles are not confined to sports fields of play. We all have them in many ways throughout our lives. While no one likes them while amidst them, they have a role in creating who we are.

In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced an unimaginable trial by fire (literally). When they refused to worship a false god, they were thrown into a fiery furnace where the true God protected them from harm. When the king who had sentenced them saw them come out unharmed, he immediately praised our God recognizing that He alone could save in a way that earthly false gods could not.

Our trials hopefully are only metaphorically going into a fiery furnace. But whatever they are, they present opportunities for God to transform us, making us unshakable in our faith and His power unmistakable.

Every season of life will have some adversity; injuries, setbacks, disappointments. Each of those is an opportunity to GROW and BE TRANSFORMED. Without them our character’s sword cannot be sharpened.

Embrace the challenges of life. Praise God that we have them so our character can be formed by fire.

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy PageTheme: Character is Formed under Fire

Verse: Endurance produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:4)

Struggles are not confined to sports fields of play. We all have them in many ways throughout our lives. While no one likes them while amidst them, they have a role in creating who we are.

Embrace the challenges of life. Praise God that we have them so our character can be formed by fire.

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

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Unlocking Greatness in Others

Theme: Unlocking Greatness in Others

Verse: So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (Romans 14:19)

This is the 20th anniversary of my good friend Ron Rook inviting me to run the “Saturday Morning 12 miler”. I think the longest distance I had run up to that point from about 8 miles. Ron encouraged me that once I got out there, I wouldn’t know the difference between 8 and 12 miles.

For the record, that characterization was a bit of a fabrication.

After a restless Friday night, I arrived at the start point at “Oh-Dark Thirty.” (You don’t want to know the actual time of day.) Ron had positioned some Gatorade at a couple of key locations along the route so with hydration arranged, we were set up for success and off we went!

After a bit over an hour (and several stories about his running career and other topics), we hit the 2nd water stop. Having just passed the longest distance I had gone previously I was tired, but because of Ron’s encouragement, felt good enough to finish the final leg. Then, as the saying goes, the rest is history. From that day, I have been out on the running path most Saturday mornings all thanks to Ron’s encouragement.

Ron, a retired Marine Colonel, was what we call a BUILDER. That is someone who helps others reach their full potential. We all need BUILDERS in our lives to help us reach the finish line when getting there seems impossible.

If you have had a BUILDER in your life (Hint: We all have had one!), reflect on who that is and how they mentored you. As a THANK YOU to that person (or more likely, persons), look for opportunities to “Pay It Forward.” We all have something to contribute that will unlock the greatness God has in store for them. Maybe it is in athletics, or an academic situation, or even guiding them in their faith walk. You might be the very person God has in mind to guide someone to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Never underestimate the power of being a BUILDER. After all, Jesus’s earthly father was a carpenter!

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

Guest User 4/25/24 Guest User 4/25/24

We Have Nothing to Fear!

Theme: We Have Nothing to Fear!

Verse: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Soccer (or Futball) is one of the only sports in America in which it is OK for the game to end in a tie. (NFL football is another but that is only after a tie-breaking process has run its course.) The point is in our culture, sport competitions ending in ties seems to be abhorrent to our collective sports psyche. Accordingly, our sports have developed and refined their respective tie-breaking processes over the years.

One of the most interesting of these is the Braveheart tiebreaker in the game of lacrosse. The Braveheart tiebreaker is played with one player and one goaltender for each team with the game ending in sudden death (first goal wins).

What enormous pressure on the participants! It is in these moments you find which players are ready for the challenge, and which may have let fear overcome their ability to play in the moment!

How does this apply to our faith lives? For example, what happens when our faith is challenged? Most of us have a fear of failure. Fortunately, the Bible has many stories of how FAITH overcame FEAR. Examples: 1 Samuel (David and Goliath), Judges (Gideon’s army force reduction), Esther (Esther standing up to the king to save the Jewish people).

Our verse in Joshua gives clear guidance and great hope. It implores us to be courageous. But how?

Being courageous doesn’t mean having NO fear. Rather, it means you act BY FAITH in the face of fear. The stories of David, Gideon, and Ruth provide SPLENDID examples of how to choose faith over fear.

So, do you want the ball in your hands when the “game” is on the line?

Do not fear - God will be with you wherever you go!

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

Guest User 4/18/24 Guest User 4/18/24

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

Theme: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

Verse: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16)

Whether it is proper running technique or how to execute a proper pick and roll in basketball, fundamentals cannot be stressed enough especially when learning the sport. Legendary coaches Vince Lombardi (U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Green Bay Packers), Bill Belichick (Father coached at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis), Mike Krzyzewski (West Point and Duke), and Bill Parcells (U.S. Air Force Academy and New York Giants) all taught fundamentals and achieved extraordinary success in their coaching careers.

That’s great for basketball and football, Dave, but what about our faith walk? What are the fundamentals of a Christian walk? Where do we find those concepts? God has provided those in His Holy Word. No matter the situation, God has the answers recorded through parables and other lessons in His Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, the BIBLE.

This week’s challenge: Ask yourself when is the best time for you to experience the Bible on a daily basis? What do you have to re-prioritize to make the time?

Make the decision to make Bible time a priority. When you focus on this fundamental, success in life will not be too far behind!

Have a GREAT Week!

Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page