Alphabetical
-
December 12, 2011
Set:
Recently, I made a pretty significant change in my life. After working for the same company for more than 11 years, I changed jobs. It was a really hard decision—one I agonized over for weeks. I wasn’t unhappy in my job, and I worked for and with some amazing people. I hadn’t even thought about leaving, but another opportunity came along and I really started thinking about possibly making a change. The old line “It’s not you; it’s me” was really true in this case.
But I realized that I’d become comfortable. Too comfortable. And not just in my job. I was too comfortable in my prayer life, in my faith walk, and in my daily Scripture study. I wasn’t challenging myself to have a deeper, closer relationship with Christ.
-
February 24, 2004
Set:
Three years after signing a record-setting $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez was traded to, of all teams, the New York Yankees. Exactly. A team with an already-outrageous payroll of $170.3 million per year is ready to bump $190 million to acquire Rodriguez, arguably the best player in the game. The Yankees will have not one, not two, not three, but FOUR players with 100+ million dollar contracts.
-
November 22, 2004
Set:
This November, thousands of college wrestlers throughout the country begin a four-month journey that will culminate with the 2005 NCAA Championships in St. Louis. Come March, more than 300 will make the trip to wrestle at the NCAA finals, and only 10 will go home with a gold medal. What does it take to be one of the 10? It starts with a denial of selfish wants, a willingness to endure hardships and a relentless, total commitment to the cause.
-
August 31, 2009
Set:
“Touch the line!” is a phrase that athletes hear constantly, a call to run a sprint the right way. In my own personal experience this phrase has often been followed by the dreaded “that one didn’t count.” Needless to say, no one likes to run more than they have to.
Why would a coach make an athlete run again just for missing a line? I mean really, sometimes it’s only a matter of inches. The answer has to do with hard work and discipline. A coach never wants to see a player cut corners. He or she wants every player to realize their full potential, even if that means focusing on seemingly minor things. The same is true of our Heavenly Coach.
-
March 28, 2013
Set:
My basketball team used to sit quietly in the locker room before a game, mentally preparing for the challenge ahead. In our minds we went over and over our defensive and offensive plays, substitution patterns, scouting reports, and all things pertaining to a successful game. During one of these quiet, pregame moments, one of my starters came over to me and asked, “Coach, how do you know what to do when life presents a challenge? How do you make the right decision?”
-
March 13, 2009
Set:
When you are playing a sport, teammates are the most important people with you on the court or field. Sometimes it’s hard to love them, and it can be even harder to stand up for what you believe in when you are around them. The devil is always around, wearing a disguise, making it harder for you to stand up for your beliefs. He can even be wearing the same jersey as you.
I learned this lesson during my basketball season. I was the newbie, the one no one knew. On the day of tryouts I only knew one other girl. Yes, I saw the others in the hall, but I didn’t talk to them. It was hard to start a new season with only a couple real friends.
-
August 30, 2013
Set:
When I was eight years old, my older brother, Steve, younger brother, Bill, and I were heading home from playing baseball. Suddenly, some kid attacked Steve from behind. Six-year-old Bill picked up our bat and began to wail on Steve’s attacker. The kid took off, and we sprinted home. Soon, a knock came at our door. Knowing it was the enemy, we sent Mom. Swinging a rolling pin in her hand, she yelled for the kid to go home and never come back. He never came back because he knew the Elliotts were tough!
-
January 12, 2011
Set:
Many athletes, myself included, keep a journal or log of their workouts. This allows us to set goals and track our times, distances, results, resting heart rate, etc. From this journal, we can see how we’re progressing (or not) and adjust accordingly. It is a valuable tool for training, race preparation, or other goals we’re trying to achieve.
-
October 27, 2013
Set:
Vince Lombardi once said, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” I have never met an athlete who didn’t want to win. Not one. But wanting to win and doing what is necessary to win are two different things. Even
-
June 18, 2010
Set:
Athletes spend hours each week training their bodies. Whether it is with a team, a community group or all by yourself, we all have to practice in order to achieve our athletic goals. Our commitment to training changes the pace of our daily lives. Consider this, how many times have you said “As soon as I’m done with my workout I’ll….” See what I mean? As a distance runner, some workouts have me out on the road for almost 2 hours. With stretching, cool down jogs and cross training, my day can easily become defined by my workout.
