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
Be a Jackie to Someone
Theme: Be a Jackie to Someone
Verse: “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14)
This past weekend about 60 people gathered at the local YMCA to conduct a mini-Triathlon in the memory of our dear friend, Jackie Okun. The Triathlon really exemplified her life at the YMCA. She could do it all; running, biking, swimming, weightlifting, yoga, you name it. And she did everything with such passion. The epitome of this was her 67th birthday when she swam 67 laps (50 yards each) in the pool to “celebrate” her birthday. (I’m not going to do the math here but trust me, that’s a lot of swimming.) Sadly, two days later Jackie went to be with Jesus after being struck be a vehicle while she was on an early morning run.
That day reminded me that we all are on the earth for such a short period. Since we have no idea when our time on earth will end, it might be healthy for us to reflect on Jackie’s inspirational example and ponder these questions.
-Are you being a good steward with the life you have been given? Take good care of your body by exercising as well as eating and drinking in a healthy way.
-Are you helping your fellow man? Ask your co-workers, family, workout partners, etc. “What can I do for you today?”
-Are building a relationship with God? Make Him your central focus and all other things will fall into place.
-Are you living with a purpose? We all have things to contribute to the world. Sometimes we just have to get out of our comfort zone and just “DO IT”!
Jackie hit the bullseye on these every day! How about you?
This week’s challenge. Try a couple of these questions on for size and see how they fit. When you can say yes to all four, you will be making the world a better place by “Being a Jackie to Someone.”
Have a GREAT Week!
Protect this House
Theme: Protect this House
Verse: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
This week is the conclusion of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s college basketball tournaments. College basketball is famous for home teams having tremendous advantages. The legendary Marquette basketball coach and basketball commentator, Al McGuire, often said any time the road team wins in college basketball you consider the result an upset.
Winning at home is sports is often referred to “Protecting Our House.” While perhaps not intending to be theological, sports make an important observation about our faith lives. It is important for us to protect ourselves from the negative influences that can derail us OR in other words PROTECT OUR HOUSE.
Ok, Dave, how do you suggest we Protect Our Spiritual House”?
God gives us two tools that are always at our disposal: Prayer and His Word. Matthew 4 provides the model. After 40 days in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted by Satan in various ways (relief of his hunger, challenging him to prove God’s protection, and finally offering Jesus all the worldly kingdoms if he would worship Satan. In each instance, Jesus relied on God’s Word to resist temptation, demonstrating unwavering faith and obedience.
Using that as the model, let’s strive to go on a long home court winning streak and PROTECT OUR HOUSE!
Have a GREAT Week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Going Backstage
Theme: Going Backstage
Verse: Iron sharpens Iron, and one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17)
Have you ever had a backstage pass to a concert or other event? Those passes are typically reserved for people that have connections to the performers, those they are comfortable letting inside the inner workings of their on-stage productions.
For most people, a backstage pass is about seeking accountability. That accountability might be about running or exercise; that is the person that gets you up at 4:30 each morning to knock out a five miler or some other workout. If you are in school, maybe it is studying for the biology exam. In our Christian life, it might be reading a passage of the Bible in preparation for Small Group or Sunday worship.
In our culture, especially in sports, we are taught to be self-reliant. Self-discipline is considered a high value. But it is problematic to take that self-reliance too far moving into isolation. Isolation is where we pull back from community to do all things, including live out our faith, on our own.
The problem with isolation is that it makes us think that when we experience a particular difficulty or addiction that we are the only ones that this has ever happened to. We fear that no one else can possibly understand our situation so we resist opening up and seeking help. Nothing could be further from reality.
Having people with a backstage pass to our life are essential in our Christian life. We all need someone (or a group) we can share the joys and sorrows of our life. Those people keep our lives in balance and keep us inside the lines.
Who has the backstage pass into your life?
Have a GREAT Week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
If You aren’t Serving, You aren’t Leading
Theme: If You aren’t Serving, You aren’t Leading
Verse:
My Dad was a Rotarian. My Brother-in law, Tab, is one as well. The Rotary Club is a great community organization with a motto that is the theme for this week, Service Above Self.
Contrary to popular belief, being a leader is not being served, rather it is about being a servant. At least if you want to be a successful leader. Jesus was the ultimate servant leader. In John 13, He performed what in that day was the ultimate servant act. When the disciples forgot to secure a foot washer for the Passover Feast, none of them volunteered to fill this void. Instead, they argued over which of the twelve was the greatest and should not be subjected to such a duty.
Meanwhile, Jesus took matters into His own hands (literally). He took a basin of water and a towel and began washing his disciples’ feet.
What a lesson for leaders! This story teaches leaders that they need to be SECURE ENOUGH IN WHO THEY ARE so that they know they don’t abandon their leadership position by assuming the servant position. It also teaches that leaders should look to INITIATE SERVANT ACTION when required.
As we go through our week, think about how Jesus acted in this story. Look for opportunities to be a Servant Leader. You and the world around you will be better for it!
Have a GREAT Week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Put the FUN in Fundamental
Theme: Put the FUN in Fundamental
Verse: Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
The best part of running races is the after party. Most race organizers create a party-like atmosphere to honor the hard work and best efforts of the runners to celebrate everyone’s achievement.
Anything we plan to put our heart and soul into needs some element of FUN if we are going to make it for the long haul. Sports coaches understand this. That is why you often see coaches allow the players to have a bit of unstructured silliness sometime during practice. I recall during my undistinguished high school basketball career I would start most practices heaving a shot from the half court line. Every once in a while, the ball would actually go in. Coach Cook and Coach Bowden allowed it probably because they knew my skill limitations and rightly assessed that since we were trying to win ball games, that may be the only time I would get to shoot the ball.
Our spiritual life needs to be the same way. Fun and Worship are not polar opposites. In fact, often they go hand in hand. Devotions need not be drudgery. Going to church should be something we look forward to, not simply a Sunday task we check off the list. These spiritual moments are FUNdamental to a successful Christian walk. Without others seeing our joy and the FUN our walk brings us, the less likely they are to follow our path, which is “Making More and Better Followers of Jesus.”
Have a FUN Week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Keep Moving the Chains!
Theme: Keep Moving the Chains!
Quote: I run 6 plays, split veer. Like Novocain. Just give it time. It always works! (Herman Boone, Head Coach T.C Williams High School, “Remember the Titans”)
Have you ever watched an Air Force Academy football game? The offensive scheme is pretty consistent, lots of running plays. Three yards, Four yards, Three yards, and they go for it on 4th down if they are just a little short.
Opposing defenses dread it as their defenses are on the field for over 7 minutes while the offense just keeps getting first downs or MOVING THE CHAINS. Before you know it, the Falcons have the ball at the five-yard line and are ready to score. (Then the Doolies (the freshmen) get to do some push-ups.)
MOVING THE CHAINS is a great metaphor for life. In life, it doesn’t require flashy things, just doing what it takes to reach your goal. Doing the little things that lead to growth. It also means doing the hard things when you are tired and want to quit or you don’t see the results you want immediately.
In our spiritual life we need to have a MOVE THE CHAINS mentality. We need to spend time in His Word daily, being the one who consistently gains 3-4 yards. Seeking God on a daily basis will make us more like Jesus, which is our goal. Most days transformation will not be apparent but as you continue MOVING THE CHAINS, before you know it you will be 1st and Goal and the enemy will have already been defeated.
Go AIR FORCE, Beat ARMY, BEAT NAVY and Have a Great Week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Don’t Worry, Be Praying!
Theme: Don’t Worry, Be Praying!
Verse: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (John 14:1)
Last week we discussed planning. Some of those who know me are aware that I tend to plan things to the extreme. I ask “what if” about 15 times more than the average person. It doesn’t matter if it is writing a contract proposal for work, preparing the next group workout, or considering how the group is going to celebrate the next set of birthdays, I think I’ve heard the phrase hundreds of times, “Don’t worry, Dave, let it go, it will be just fine”.
So, I apologize up front, this week is one of those devotionals I’m writing to myself. You all get to come along for the ride.
While prudent planning is a good thing, WORRY about the eventual outcome has no redeeming value. Worry is truly GOOD FOR NOTHING. Human nature is such that we like CERTAINTY and CONTROL. Unfortunately, the higher we move on those two scales the lower we move on the TRUST scale. Low levels of trust lead to WORRY.
So, in a world where CERTAINTY and CONTROL are never absolute, how do we bridge the gap and not fall into WORRY? Philippians 4:6 gives us the answer. “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD.”
LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN, also known as prayer! Yes, Prayer is that bridge! Max Lucado says, “No one can pray and worry at the same time.” Prayer is being in real communication with God not necessarily to let Him know what we need (He already knows). Rather, it is a way to open the lines of communication so that we can hear God’s voice telling us how to navigate the life conundrum we currently face.
With apologies to Bobby McFarrin, this week’s call to action to avoid worry is a paraphrase of his greatest hit.
Don’t Worry, Be Praying!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
The Game Plan
Theme: The Game Plan
Quote: Plan Ahead. It was not raining when Noah built the ark. (Richard Cushing, Archbishop of Boston)
If you were one of the 120 million people that watched the Super Bowl, you probably noticed some of the coaches walking the sideline with laminated papers and wearing headsets. If you were one of those watching not just to see the $7 million commercials, to see what Taylor Swift was wearing, or to see if Usher was going to sing “Yeah!” at halftime you may wonder what was on those pieces of paper.
Those papers held the results of the coaching staff’s game preparation or the Game Plan. It was the action plan that those in charge believed would put their team in the best position to win the game.
For our lives, our “laminated papers” are the Bible. It has the parameters we need to live a successful life in harmony with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God put the plan together; the offense and defensive schemes as well as the method to prepare for the competition. But none of that does any good if, as the players on the field, we don’t study the plan, so we are ready for the game.
So that is our part. Study! If you are not already doing so, think about making a 90-day commitment to studying God’s game plan for us.
Have a great week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
It’s Not Easy Being Green
Theme: It’s Not Easy Being Green
Quote: When green is all there is to be It could make you wonder why? I am green and it'll do fine. It's beautiful and I think it's what I wanna be (Kermit the Frog / Jim Henson)
My grandson, Wyatt, just finished his extended stay at our house. On the drive to return him to his refurbished home, we listened to songs we have become oh so familiar with over the past several weeks, Sesame Street’s Greatest Hits.
As I found myself singing along to ALL OF THEM and nearly being able to pronounce ABC-DEF-GHI-JKL-MNOP-QRSTUV-WXYZ (the most remarkable word Big Bird has ever seen) it was Kermit the Frog’s “It’s Not Easy Being Green” that inspired this missive.
Kermit starts the song sad about his lot in life because “HE’S A FROG, AND THAT MEANS HE IS GREEN YOU SEE!” He wonders why he isn’t “RED OR YELLOW OR GOLD OR SOMETHING MORE COLORFUL LIKE THAT.” But by the end he realizes that green is the “COLOR OF SPRING” (the season of renewal and baseball) and realizes that being green is OK.
God has a plan for each one of us. We have no idea what the totality of that plan is until we live it out. In Sunday’s Super Bowl each team had 53 roster players and they all had a role in getting their team to the game with a chance to raise the Lombardi Trophy. Plus, for each of those players there were coaches, teachers, teammates, and even rivals that all have since blended into football obscurity and like Kermit they seemingly “SPEND EACH DAY THE COLOR OF THE LEAVES.” But they inspired each of those players in some way to get to them to football’s pinnacle on Sunday night.
For someone in this world you are the right person who will come along at just the right time to make a game-changing impact on their lives. To them you will be “BIG LIKE AN OCEAN OR IMPORTANT LIKE A MOUNTAIN OR TALL LIKE A TREE.”
Have a great week!
Run with Jesus
Theme: Run with Jesus
Verse: 2 Corinthians 5:7: Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight.
Have you ever been in a large race where they have pacers? Those are people who train to run a very consistent pace throughout so racers have help meeting their time goal. If you want to finish in the time that person has on the sign they hold, you just stay with them side by side through the race and they will get you there.
We all need pacers in our lives. Someone to show us the ropes in a new job or new exercise routine. That is especially true in our faith walk. The pacer is Jesus. All He asks of us is to run with Him. Matthew 22:37 is “pace” on Jesus’ “sign”. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Have a great week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Live Like a Rookie
Theme: Live Like a Rookie
Quote (for my sister, Beth, who loves this guy): Rookies put their head down, work hard, stay positive, live fearlessly, and are naïve enough to be successful. Let the rookie mind-set fuel your optimism and passion. (Jon Gordon)
Do you remember the rush you had when accomplished something that previously seemed unattainable? Maybe you made the varsity team in high school, were selected to have a role in a play, or sing in a select choir with a famous symphony director. If you remember one of your “moments,” you probably experienced what many professional athletes refer to as the “Rookie Rush.”
The “Rookie Rush” is the experience of getting the “chance of a lifetime” and is characterized by:
Passion: Rookies are fueled by love of the game
Belief: Rookies believe in the impossible
Humility: Rookies have a lot to learn from veterans
Gratitude: Rookies know that nothing can be taken for granted
Intensity: Rookies are willing to do whatever it takes to make it.
The movie “Brian’s Song” depicts running back Brian Piccolo’s journey in the NFL alongside HOF running back Gayle Sayers. If you have not seen it, it is worth finding and watching. Piccolo demonstrated all five characteristics of the “Rookie Rush” throughout his all too short career. My favorite movie scene was when as a rookie, Piccolo is asked to stand up in a team meeting and sing the fight song from his college alma mater, Wake Forest. Even in this activity, he demonstrated the passion of a rookie singing with great gusto only to sit down to a plate full of mashed potatoes (placed in his chair by his eventual best friend, Sayers) as his “reward.”
We all have the ultimate “chance of a lifetime” when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The challenge is to live as if we were rookies and meet that relationship with rookie level Passion, Belief, Humility, Gratitude, and Intensity.
Have a great week, ROOKIE!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
The Real Deal
Theme: The Real Deal
Verse: God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)
Sometimes athletes get so caught up in the hype around their abilities they start to believe they are better than they actually are. It’s called reading one’s headlines. It can be a dangerous thing at all levels, but especially for a developing athlete.
The same thing is true in our faith walk. If we forget the God is in control of all things and start thinking we can handle things on our own, God often has a funny way slicing his way into our lives to remind us.
God wants us to be real with Him and with our fellow man. The best word for it is INTEGRITY. It sounds simple but integrity is challenging. It requires being transparent with those around you and not believing the headlines people write about you. It also requires the courage to do what is right even when doing the right thing is hard. Sometimes you may be standing alone defending an idea or principle that is not popular. When you do, God will be with you and frankly that is all you really need.
Challenge for the week: Find something that is holding you back from being truly real with God and therefore keeping you from experiencing the fullness of Christ. God already knows what it is, He’s just waiting for you to catch up. When you do, let God heal it and see if it does not transform your life.
Have a great week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
The Faith Peloton
The Faith Peloton
Verse: Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12)
Have you ever watched the Tour De France? If you are not familiar with it, it is a three-week long cycling race, that covers nearly the distance across the United States. To win it, one needs a team to play their respective roles. It’s fair to say that no one has ever WON the race ON THEIR OWN.
One of the unique characteristics of cycling is the peloton. The peloton is a large group of riders working together to conserve energy. Estimates are that the peloton group experiences about 40% less wind resistance than the breakaway group of leaders in front of them. But that breakaway group works much harder. In the end, the peloton often catches the breakaway group by the end of the stage and has a lot more energy the next day.
As humans, God designed us to work together, so the idea of a peloton is one we should embrace. Just like in a peloton, our groups can help us bear each other’s burdens or push each other for greater achievement.
In our spiritual lives we all have the same goal, to become more like Jesus. To do that, we inevitably must rely on the strengths of others to make up for our shortcomings (and vice versa).
So, as we continue our faith walk, don’t worry about your shortcomings. If you stay with a faith group (your Faith Peloton) there will always be someone to pick you up when you need it.
Know your role. Embrace it. Do that role as well as you can for the sake of the team. That way all of us can FINISH THE RACE STRONG.
Have a great week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Competitive Greatness
Theme: Competitive Greatness
Verse: Run with a purpose in every step. (1 Corinthians 9:26)
Quote: “Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better” – Bill Bradley, New Jersey Senator, 2 x NBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, Basketball Hall of Famer, and 1961 graduate of Crystal City (MO) High School. (Go Hornets!)
When I consider the greatest coaches of all time, it’s hard to argue with John Wooden, “The Wizard of Westwood” who led the UCLA Bruins to 10 NCAA basketball championships in 12 years. Sure, he had great players, but he had to mold them into a team that could execute consistently night after night.
Wooden coined the term “Competitive Greatness.” What does that mean? It’s not being the BEST but being the BEST YOU CAN BE. There is a big difference. While there can only be one “BEST,” everyone can simultaneously be the “BEST THAT THEY CAN BE.” When that happens, especially in a team environment, that’s when you often see David defeat Goliath.
Competitive Greatness is rising to the occasion to push yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually to reach your God given potential. It boils down to three “B”’s:
“BE” Prepared: This is fundamental to Competitive Greatness. During life God will present countless opportunities for you to be great. The question is will you be ready for the opportunity? Will you have prepared sufficiently when God puts an opportunity in front of us to be His Hands and Feet? Will you have the tools ready to provide spiritual, physical, or perhaps financial help in the opportunities placed before us?
“BE” Disciplined: This is working hard on your craft when no one is around. Great athletes put in the work. Maybe they do an extra set of pushups after the prescribed workout or shoot extra free throws after practice. For us maybe it is the self-discipline to read an extra book to make us ready for the opportunity that is coming around the bend.
“BE” Focused: This is about clear vision. We cannot hit a target upon which we are not focused. In the 2004 Olympics, the leader in the 50M rifle competition fired his final shot at the wrong target. His lack of focus took him from the gold medal to 8th place (BTW: except in the movie “Meet the Fockers” there is no medal for 8th place). When we focus on the right things, whether that is in sport or in our spiritual walk, our target remains clear. Staying focused on OUR RIGHT TARGET will lead to Competitive Greatness.
Maybe none of us can be THE BEST (Think of your favorite G.O.A.T. here). But the challenge going forward is for each of us THE BEST WE CAN BE. If we do that, we cannot be stopped and through us God will do amazing things.
Have a great week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Bigger, Faster, Stronger
Theme: Bigger, Faster, Stronger
Verse: For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8)
Did you know athletes spend over 95% of their time training for the less than 5% that they actually compete. That training is designed by coaches with specific objectives in mind. The athlete must make sacrifices of time and pain to get to where they want to be.
How much time do we spend in spiritual training? The ratio is often reversed. Do we even have a plan? Absent a coherent plan we often find ourselves spiritually ill-prepared for life’s challenges.
Just like in athletics, our desire must be matched by our ACTIONS. We need a good training plan, and we need to put in the time executing that plan. As you do that you are likely to find these truths:
1. Training is often opposed. The enemy is going to show up to disrupt your training plan to connect with Giod.
2. Training is painful but has a purpose. You will be stretched beyond your limits and become sore. As I’m being reminded post knee replacement surgery, pain is always a precursor to growth.
3. Training is a means, not an end. It’s great to have a training regimen, but without the goal to be changed into the likeness of Christ, our spiritual training can easily devolve into religious activity that we check off of our to-do list.
Challenge entering the new year: Show up for your physical AND spiritual workouts. In both, make the sacrifice. You will be BIGGER, FASTER, AND STRONGER, on the other side.
If we do the TRAINING, God will take care of the CHANGING!
Have a great week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Game Changing Moments
Theme: Game Changing Moments
Verse: Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)
David Freese will never get into the MLB Hall of Fame without paying admission, BUT for St Louis Cardinals fans he will live in their hearts forever for his sequence of game-changing moments in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. With the Texas Rangers one strike away from their first WS championship, Freese’s two-out, two-strike triple tied the game sending the game to extra innings. He later won the game leading off the 11th with a blast to centerfield sending Busch Stadium into a frenzy and the Series to Game 7 (which the Cards won).
We can all probably point to a game-changing moment in sports, but what about in our lives? What was the moment that inspired you to do your vocation? What about when you knew you had met the love of your life? And most importantly, when did you really take Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
Game-Changing moments rarely are as apparent in real time as David Freese’s “heroics” in Game 6, but they are nonetheless just as important to mark as time references when we look back.
Challenge for the New Year: Consider your significant life milestones especially the one that led you to Christ. If possible, contact the person or persons responsible for that game-changing moment and tell how they inspired profound change in your life.
Have a great week!
Adapted from True Competitor by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page
Good and Bad
Theme: Good and Bad
Verse: Joy comes in the morning after a night of weeping. (Psalms 30:5)
When I lived in Hawaii, people used to ask me if I missed having four seasons. My typical response was “There are still four seasons in Hawaii; they are called Baseball, Football, Basketball, and Hockey.”
In places other than our 50th state, there are four WEATHER seasons. The seasons are a reminder that our lives proceed in cycles. If we find ourselves in darkness (Winter) there is light (Spring) ahead. The stress of Summer heat at some point will yield to the beauty of Autumn’s leaves.
We need to accept the Good with the Bad. Both are part of God’s plan for us. No one leads a “perfect” life nor is any life without value. The challenge is to not get too high on the Good or too low on the Bad.
My prayer is that the Good for you far outweighs the Bad and that when you have the Good, you are in a position to help those who are experiencing the Bad.
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Live in Community
Theme: Live in Community
Verse: Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
I often use baseball as a metaphor for life. There are one-on-one struggles between pitcher and batter. There are lines on the field that separate fair and foul balls (right and wrong; sometimes we don’t always get the call right on the initial viewing), and finally, in most cases, multiple people have to contribute to the successful conclusion of an inning (a task; it’s pretty hard to get out of an inning without several people contributing, as the unassisted triple play is pretty rare).
While running is typically an individual event, that does not mean we do it alone. There are running groups in almost every community that encourage and promote healthy exercise habits. In the case of Brandon, FL the groups I’m familiar with (Brandon Running Association and Plant City Running Club) do a nice job of supporting each other and the community.
We all need community to live a full life. That is especially true in our faith walk. Much like in running clubs, people in our faith groups are going to be at different spots on the journey. The point is to be part of the community. Your presence may be the encouragement someone else needs in the moment OR you might be fed something important that you weren’t anticipating.
God has a knack for showing up at just the right time in just the right way!
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Harness Your Motivation
Theme: Harness Your Motivation
Verse: 2 Corinthians 9:7
Getting in the proper frame of mind when performing a “task” is important. Pastor Jamie Westlake used to describe serving life around our church as doing “GET TO” things instead of “HAVE TO” things.
What if our jobs, school, church and yes, even exercise were things that we always looked forward to instead of drudgery? Do you think we would handle each of them differently than we do today? Would you have more bounce in your step as you dressed for work? Would you read the textbook with a little more enthusiasm? Would you study the Sunday School lesson before the drive to church? Would you see the 40-minute run before you as an opportunity rather than a chore?
A life of “GET TOs”! What a transformational way of looking at our lives!
The “GET TO” model is my youngest daughter, Amanda. She is a schoolteacher and by all accounts a pretty good one as she is her school’s nominee for Teacher of the Year. She genuinely cares about her students and how they progress in her classes. Consequently, she is constantly creating innovative ways to present material (Algebra and Statistics) to high schoolers giving them the best chance at academic success.
So, the challenge going forward is to look at our motivations in things we do. If they are not “GET TOs,” maybe some changes are in order. Our lives are too short to not be happy in all that we do.
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black