Alphabetical
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August 10, 2013
Set:
In the heat of the day, after a drill or competition, athletes crave water. Suddenly the person in demand is the water boy/girl. Being the water boy is not a well-recognized position, but we sure are thankful for their presence.The water boy, managers, or trainers bring relief and refreshment. The thirst of the athlete is quenched and they are able to continue. Without that water, the player’s performance would be weakened.
We are also spiritually thirsty. I’ve noticed a change in people’s attitude toward God, a lack of moral behavior, and a rise in materialism. A lack of love, bad moral choices, and the absence of parental involvement may be part of the problem; but what I believe we need is the nourishment of God’s Spirit.
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January 11, 2005
Set:
I am sure we all have heard about the passing of Reggie White, the former NFL defensive great known as the "Minister of Defense." Reggie passed away on December 26, 2004, from a condition known as sarcoidosis, which affected his respiratory system during his sleep. White was one of the most respected players on and off the field. He also was known for how he preached his faith throughout his playing career.
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February 24, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: For many folks, the greatest hockey player they know was Wayne Gretzky. Even his old coach knew that. While playing for the Indianapolis Racers of the WHA in the 1978-79 season he was sold to Peter Pocklington owner of the Edmonton Oilers for a painting and a million dollars. He went on to win the scoring title 10 times in his career and blasted through the goal scoring record like he blasted pucks into the net. Nine Hart Tropheys, 4 Stanley Cups, 2 Con Smythes. He made the highlight clips nightly but the one clip that has not been talked about as a great feat was a great blunder (I just happen to still have it on VHS tape). As he was racing back to get in between a 2-on-1 break on his own goal, he stuck his stick out to block the p
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July 20, 2009
Set:
In his book "Rise, Let Us Be on Our Way," Pope John Paul II took a chapter to talk about the steps he used as a new bishop to initiate fellowship. He wrote that prayer prepared him for his encounters with others. He suggested that we pray for everyone every day, and also offered that praying as soon as you meet someone would help in all relationships.
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December 03, 2013
Set:
We’ve heard the saying, “If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, acts and thinks like a duck, it must be a duck.” What are we? What do we walk and talk like? What do we act and think like? Let’s face it, the reason we play sports is to win—to be champions. In order to be champions, we have to walk, talk, act, and think like champions.
As Christians, we are already champions because of Jesus’ dying on the cross for our sin. By accepting Christ, God receives us as His adopted children. Since He is the King of kings, we become co-heirs—receiving all the benefits of being His child. To learn about those benefits, we must study God’s Word. The Bible is full of promises we inherit as children of God.
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April 11, 2010
Set:
I was listening to a song the other day. It's called "Give It All" by the band Rise Against. I usually listen to it for my warm-ups in sports. Everytime I listen to it, I get in my head, I'm going to give my all on this match, game, run, or whatever. But I got to thinking the other day, do we really give it OUR all?
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March 24, 2013
Set:
At the end of the movie The Greatest Game Ever Played, there is a scene that depicts what winning is all about. Based on a true story, 20-year-old golfer Francis Ouimet wins the 1913 U.S. Open with a fifth-grade caddie named Eddie. After accomplishing this unthinkable feat by sinking a playoff-winning putt on the 18th hole, Francis yells, “We did it!” Francis played the round of his life, but understood that he won with the help and encouragement of Eddie. This scene captured my heart and I was convicted. I’m embarrassed to say I would have yelled, “I did it!”
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December 29, 2010
Set:
We were in the regional finals of the Virginia high school golf tournament. I was a first year golf coach. My player, Gabe, was tied for the individual championship and was playing in the final round against the defending champion. He had just birdied the thirteenth hole to take a one shot lead with five holes to play.
I suddenly realized that I wasn’t sure what to say or do. Even though I had coached and officiated over a twenty-year period, I had never been a golf coach. Basketball and soccer were my forte. What strategy do you offer in a solitary sport like golf to a young man who must perform alone under pressure? Coaches are supposed to know everything and be ready in any situation. I felt I had little to offer.
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February 13, 2014
Set:
God blessed me with many accomplishments during my football career, but my greatest accomplishment actually occurred on the day my career ended. I didn’t see it that way initially, however. My whole life had been built on the dream of getting to the top in football, so the day I was forced to stop, I began a walk down a road to a life of destruction. I soon destroyed everything in my life and reached rock bottom. However, it was this path that brought me to my knees and made me powerful through my Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, this was actually the first time that I knew what it really means to be strong.
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August 17, 2010
Set:
How often do we worry that we are weak? When the struggles of life start to weigh us down, we sometimes get weak in the knees and feel we don’t have the strength to continue. But it’s not always the feeling of physical weakness that makes us tremble; it’s often the feeling that we are alone in the battle. It is always easier in a negative situation to look to people for support than it is to turn our sights to Jesus who is not there in the flesh.
