Alphabetical
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April 07, 2008
Set:
Depending on the golf course, the average PGA golfer will take roughly 280 shots during a four-round tournament. Within each one of those swings there is an enormous amount of pressure. For some players, one shot could make the difference between picking up a weekend paycheck and making an early exit—the difference between retaining a tour card and going back to qualifying school.
Aaron Baddeley fully understands all of the ramifications that accompany golf’s micromanaged scoring system. He has missed the cut by one stroke and made the cut by the same paper-thin margin. Baddeley never takes his position on the PGA for granted but somehow finds relief from the inherent stress with a special technique.
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February 18, 2005
Set:
I will go on record and say I am not a big Terrell Owens fan. However, what he did in the Super Bowl was quite impressive and worthy of acknowledgement. Though he was hurt and his doctors discouraged him from playing, he knew he had to step up and play to help his team. He did a great job, and I am sure he played through a lot of pain. But he knew he was needed and did what he knew was the right thing for his team.
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June 17, 2009
Set:
Last night our FCA Huddle completed our city clean-up project. While the act of adopting a one-mile stretch of the city streets in our small town is a small service, the fact that we had six Huddle members show up in cold, wet conditions said wonders about their dedication and commitment to serving their community. It would have been easy for them to blow off the event and stay home where it was dry so that they could work on homework or the 15-page paper many had due for their composition class. But these kids chose to take the path less traveled and work through steady rain showers to make their community a little nicer.
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March 27, 2008
Set:
I love March Madness! I grew up playing basketball, continued through high school, and then cheered for my older brother throughout his college career. I coached the game for a number of years, as well. To me, nothing beats the passion, desire and determination that these collegiate men and women display during the "Big Dance." I love watching teams overcome large deficits in order to advance to the next round. Unfailingly, the commentators state again and again how poised these teams are, and I must agree. The teams that prevail are clear-headed and focused, and they stick to their coach's plan.
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July 14, 2010
Set:
This morning when I stepped outside my door for my daily run, I was greeted by the crazy heat and humidity of a Midwest July morning. Usually the heat doesn’t affect my running as much because I run during the coolest part of the day right before sunrise. But today, it was like someone forgot to turn on the air conditioner. It was over 80 degrees and, boy, was it humid.
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January 15, 2009
Set:
I was driving in a hurry to get to a tournament. Although I was going the speed limit, the truck in front of me was not. It was blocking my way, slowing me down, and making me late. I remember similar feelings in athletics. We don’t like it when someone is blocking our path to the end zone, the basket, the goal, or victory. Similarly, I believe there are times when the enemy of our souls, Satan, tries to block our way and cause disruptions and problems in life.
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January 04, 2014
Set:
It was the same ritual before every basketball game: listen to the same song, read my “basketball prayer,” put on my lucky socks, and use my lucky hair tie. If I missed one of these pre-game activities, there was no way I would have a good game. I now find it amusing that my confidence as a high school athlete was so tied to these silly rituals. I thought my athletic strength depended on “good-luck” charms.
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August 30, 2012
Set:
Have you ever tried doing something alone? Something like running, working out or even watching a movie? If you have, then you know how lonely it can get and how much harder it is to finish the task. But, when you do have a partner—a sidekick, someone who has your back, someone who spots you in the weight room—doesn’t it seem to make you push a little more and work a little harder?
When it comes to living as Christians, the same principle applies. Isn’t it more difficult to talk to a stranger about God when you’re alone? Isn’t it so much more tempting to slip into sin when no one is there to help you fight temptation?
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September 22, 2009
Set:
There is more than one person who mentors me and speaks into my life. If I have an issue, I have five mentors on whom I can call, and they all give me different perspectives. It takes many advisers to win the war. That doesn’t mean we should ask 100 people for advice. But there’s some godly counsel that you can have around to pour into your life, and it will keep your steps straight. That’s what happens with strength in numbers. That’s why I believe in accountability. If some issues are popping up, we can all come together in agreement and pull each other out of a bad situation. That’s a powerful thing. A lot of times, we don’t get enough people around us. We might just have one.
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January 01, 2009
Set:
Shaun Alexander has always been a winner. If you ask him the secret of his success, he will probably list more than just one—including the vital component of exemplary teamwork.
Teamwork has been a part of Alexander’s competitive life as long as he’s been donning pads and strapping on a helmet. It fueled his success at Boone County High School in Florence, Kentucky, and vetted his Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship run at Alabama in 1999. The same holds true for the Seattle Seahawks’ 2005 National Football Conference title that led to a berth in Super Bowl XL.
