Alphabetical
-
November 30, 2012
Set:
Our family plays a game at the dinner table called “Would you rather . . .?” When we ask this question our children have to answer with such questions as, “Would you rather win a World Series or a Super Bowl?” One night, I asked my three kids: “Would you rather be a great leader or a great servant?” I barely had time to finish before my ten-year-old said, “Dad, they’re the same thing. If you serve someone, you’re showing and teaching someone what Jesus would do!” After overcoming my astonishment at the maturity of one so young, I realized how right she was. She already understood that a great servant is always a great leader, but a leader is not necessarily a servant.
-
January 22, 2013
Set:
Jake was at a crossroads in his sport. He didn’t know what to do. Should he continue to strive every day and work hard only to sit the bench? Was it worth it? He was at a point in his career in which he needed to make a decision.
Does this sound familiar? Many athletes face similar situations in their careers, and they wrestle with what to do.
-
April 24, 2014
Set:
This past winter I was having the best wrestling season of my life. I was physically and mentally strong, and I was able to fight hard. In my excitement about wrestling, I started watching tons of wrestling videos and quite dramatically stopped reading my Bible and doing devotions every morning before school. My life flipped completely from God being No. 1 to wrestling being the only thing I cared about.
Over a period of 2.5 months, I wrestled every day, not missing any practice. Then, God started trying to wake me up to see what I was doing. I got really sick, and then I permanently hurt my back. Still, I wouldn't listen to God; I kept right on ignoring Him.
-
May 09, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: The Stanley Cup is the only trophy in professional sports that has the names of winning players, coaches, management and club staff engraved and passed to the new winner year after year.
-
April 12, 2004
Set:
The highly anticipated day had come! The big event would take poise, quickness, speed, agility and craftiness. All the skills necessary for success would be needed on this day. The participants were eagerly awaiting the important word. The starter stepped to the front and with one simple word ("Go!"), and it was ON! Participants flew out of the start like cannon shots. Darting back and forth, back and forth, up and down they went! Jumping, running, diving and catching, they hurried to not be the last one to finish. The annual Easter Egg Hunt had begun!
-
February 14, 2012
Set:
Coaches like having things done their way. They will let their assistants teach some, but with the important things, the head coach will usually take the lead. Coaches teach young athletes and pound their game plan into their heads over and over again until it becomes second nature. It’s just what they do.
As coaches and athletes, when it comes to sharing Christ with our team, why do we leave it up to the youth pastor or chaplain or someone else? Moses was given a game plan by the Lord to teach the Israelites. The Lord told Moses, “I am giving you the words to teach them.” It was on the shoulders of Moses to pass God’s Word on to generations to come. Moses knew he had to succeed for the Lord.
-
March 07, 2013
Set:
God knows and directs all that happens in our lives. How foolish it is for us to contend with our Creator.
Jeremiah illustrates how God, at times, allows His children to experience brokenness in order to renew their original purpose. Jeremiah 18:3-7 states, “I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, working away at the wheel. But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do. The word of the Lord came to me: ‘House of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay?’—this is the Lord’s declaration. ‘Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand.’ ”
-
October 07, 2005
Set:
Almost every Christian coach I know wants to have a philosophy of coaching that is positive. But in the battle of competition, sometimes we get caught up in the heat of the moment and lose our focus. We may stay positive on the outside, but inside we are feeling the tension—tension that causes us to lose that positive edge.
I have found that what we tell our athletes to think about is exactly what they will think about. We may say, “Don’t ever miss a serve on game point.” What are they thinking when they come to the line? They are thinking about not missing the serve. What do they see? Missing the serve, which is exactly what we told them to think about!
-
July 04, 2013
Set:
Athletes today live in a “me first” society. Many like to be served, not serve. Some professional athletes lead the way on “me first!” Yet, we hear stories of some who put others in front of themselves. Jason is one of those athletes. He has learned the art of “you before me.”
Paul teaches us that we can be very selfish. In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul explained that others are more important than ourselves. This is not to put us down, but to lift the needs of others higher. A dear evangelist friend of mine, Aidan McKenzie, once said, “If there are two people in the room and you are one of them, guess who is more important? It’s not you.” That is something good to live by.
-
February 13, 2009
Set:
Have you ever met someone who feels they have all the gifts God gives to people? They are exhausted—spread so thin they are no earthly good to anyone. At times, we all try to do too much. Sometimes we are asked to go beyond our gifts and talents, but God’s desire is for us to serve Him with how He has gifted us.
Paul’s concern for the Roman people was that each person’s gift would be identified and he or she would strive to use it appropriately. However, some people looked at others and grumbled over why they did not have that gift or if that person truly was gifted in that manner. It was exhausting. Paul encouraged them to work together to build God’s kingdom.
