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Class

February 27, 2007

devotional
Set: 
Basketball great, Bob Cousy once said, "Sports give your life structure, discipline and a genuine fulfillment that few areas of endeavor provide." I couldn't agree with him more. Sports can make a lasting impact and difference on every athlete's life. It's about facing adversity, handling the challenges of competition and dealing with the pressures of the game. Those combined through athletics forges our character and reveals our class.
 
What is class? I believe it's an easily recognizable quality that is hard to define. Class is demonstrated by athletes and coaches through their actions under pressure, in both victory and defeat.
 

God's Team

September 22, 2006

devotional
Set: 
Great teams are made of players who make contributions on more than just game days. You may not be a starter, but with the right perspective, you can make an impact on your team's performance.
 
In this passage, the older brother displayed the wrong perspective. He viewed himself as a servant rather than as a son. He got his self-worth from what he did rather than from who he was. Do you know that as a Christian God views all of us as sons and daughters? He loves us regardless of our role on the team, how small our bank account might be or what our title is at work. In fact, He sent His only Son to die for us even though He knew we would deny Him (Romans 5:8).
 

If I...

May 12, 2010

devotional
Set: 

Lately I’ve been having some “if I” moments in my life. I love the TV show “The Biggest Loser” and wonder how, if I lost some weight, my knee might not hurt as much. But then I don’t change how I eat or exercise. Then I hear my friends talking about playing hoops on Saturday mornings and think that, if I try to play, I could get back into shape again. But then I never make the effort to try. My intentions are good, but my heart is not changing. What’s the deal?

Top 10 - Drink More Water

April 02, 2009

podcast

If you don’t drink enough water it’s like driving your car on flat tires!

Travel - Tips for the Road

August 14, 2008

podcast

If you travel, these tips will help you stay healthy on the road!

Come Forth as Gold

December 14, 2007

devotional
Set: 

Everyone knows the story of Job and how God tested him with some pretty serious stuff. Though at times Job questioned why everything was happening to him, he never really lost sight that God was in control. After Job was tested and was proven faithful, God granted him more than he had ever had.

Good Habits (Excellence - Chapter 4)

December 01, 2008

devotional
Set: 

Numbers. In sports, they often mean everything. Even the seemingly most inconsequential numbers can spell the difference between winning and losing — the difference between a gold medal and a silver medal, the difference between a championship and second place, the difference between greatness and mediocrity.

Numbers are especially important to professional athletes because things such as a league-leading scoring average or a consistent number of home runs can result in high-dollar contracts and job security.

Outward Appearance vs. Heart

January 09, 2012

devotional
Set: 

The Lord corrected Samuel’s natural inclination to judge people by their outward appearance—their height, weight, and other physical features. He called Samuel to look more deeply into people’s heart, as God does.

In the world of sports, it is easier and quicker to make judgments by what we see. Everyone who walks on to the field of competition immediately sees where the largest players are. What cannot be so easily seen is the nature of a player’s heart. Qualities like courage, perseverance, love, and loyalty cannot be observed by a glance. These are qualities of the heart and require a deeper look into the player and his values.

Keeping On Top

May 09, 2010

devotional
Set: 

Hockey Chat:  Since 1905 in playoff games between in the NHL, MLB, and NBA there have been well over 800 playoff series.  Within those series, over 230 teams have taken a 3 games to none lead.  Only twice in the NHL (less than 1%) has a team come from behind three games to win the series.  That means the team that gets ahead has a better than 99% chance of winning the series.

Psalm 28:7

September 03, 2010

devotional
Set: 

Hockey Chat:  We wear all kinds of gear when we’re on the ice.  We put our trust into engineered plastic and padding to be our shield.  Knowing that it’s there, we feel stronger and braver.  When we get hit with a puck or stick in that area, we are so thankful that we have that protection!

Shared Talents (Serving - Chapter 11)

October 09, 2008

devotional
Set: 

Taking life for granted and daydreaming about greener pastures are things everyone does at one time or another. They are so common, in fact, that they’ve been the centerpieces of countless offerings from the entertainment world over the past 60 years. Feature films ranging from 1946’s It’s A Wonderful Life (starring Jimmy Stewart) to 1988’s Big (starring Tom Hanks) and 1990’s Mr. Destiny (starring Jim Belushi) have all tackled the subject.

PRAYer Poser

February 28, 2007

devotional
Set: 
In today's devotion, I intentionally capitalized PRAY in the title. I want to emphasize that I am not talking about the act of praying, but about one who prays. Are you a pray-er? I often talk to coaches and athletes who feel limited by the public school system in regards to what they can do with their faith. The school system can regulate what you say and do, but they cannot touch your prayers. Do you want to have an eternal impact on your players and teammates? Pray for them, often and by name.
 
I recently came across a verse I have read many times: Colossians 4:12-13. Sometimes it takes a different Bible translation to bring it to life. Since FCA is now using the Holman Christian Standard Bible, I was struck by a few things in the passage:

Focus on the Process

September 21, 2006

devotional
Set: 
The 2005-06 Miami Dolphins were a team in transition. First-year head coach Nick Saban had never had a losing season as a head coach on the collegiate level, and he was determined to be a winner on the professional level. However, it appeared that Coach Saban was set to experience his first losing season as the Dolphins were shut out by the Cleveland Browns in week 10, which left them with a 3-7 record.
 

Lesson Learned

March 19, 2007

devotional
Set: 
University of Iowa junior Mark Perry had wrestled Johny Hendricks many times in his life and had come up short every time. When Perry and Hendricks met for the fourth time in the 2006-07 season and the national championship was on the line, however, Perry pulled off the upset with a 4-3 victory. Iowa assistant and wrestling legend Dan Gable said of Perry, "He never acted like he could not beat him. He taught himself that no matter how many times he gets beat, he analyzes it and can beat anybody. And I think he proved that tonight."
 

Is it in you?

March 28, 2007

devotional
Set: 
Gatorade has posed the question, "Is it in you?" in its famous ad campaign. Each ad emphasizes the ability of their product to quickly replenish an athlete's body with the nutrients lost during competition. To back it up, the company provides scientific evidence that it better rehydrates athletes than water.
 

Our Better Can Be Better

June 02, 2008

devotional
Set: 

Have you seen the Nike commercial where the pro athlete leans into the microphone and proclaims, “My better is better than your better”? In this commercial, top-tier athletes from a variety of sports are shown performing some serious training and drills, all with the goal of bettering their game. It’s a commercial advertising Nike’s SPARQ gear—SPARQ stands for Speed, Performance, Agility, Reaction and Quickness. But the commercial serves as more than just an ad for Nike to sell a product. It’s also a reminder of the effort it takes in the off-season to prepare for what lies ahead.

Great Intentions

June 04, 2010

devotional
Set: 

I recently had breakfast with one of my good friends, Dave Jenkins, and we were talking about the show “The Biggest Loser” and how so many people buy fitness equipment and then never use it. He shared this quote with me: ”The world has all these great intentions. Too bad most end up in the basement unused.” How true. Even in my own life, I’ve started to workout, lose weight and get back in shape many times only to stop way to soon. All those efforts fall into the “great intentions” pile.

Running in the Faith

February 29, 2008

devotional

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
-Philippians 3:14 (NIV)

Which Jonah are You?

March 20, 2008

devotional
Set: 

We are all familiar with the story of Jonah being swallowed by the giant fish. But, what is intriguing to me is that in the four chapters in the book of Jonah, he goes through four different phases with God. In chapter 1, Jonah is running away from God. In chapter 2, he is running to God. In chapter 3, he is running with God. And, in chapter 4, he is running ahead of God. I believe that in our Christian lives we all go through these phases as coaches and athletes.

FCA Hockey Podcast

June 17, 2010

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High Expectations

January 04, 2007

devotional
Set: 
Have you ever had a coach who always seemed to pick on you or yell at you more than your other teammates? I felt like this about my high school baseball coach, and I eventually asked him why he always yelled at me. His reply: "I get on you more than some of the other players because I see the talent you have, and I expect more out of you. If I didn't think you could do better, I wouldn't expect you to be better." This gave me a whole different perspective on his actions, and I learned to take his criticism not as anger, but as motivation to become a better athlete. I've carried his response with me and have seen it come up in my own coaching. I really appreciate my athletes who take my criticism and use it to make themselves better.
 

Stay Positive

October 19, 2009

devotional
Set: 

After a tough loss on Sunday, I really didn’t feel like being very positive. It took me awhile to get out of the locker room because I didn’t want to talk to anybody, let alone face people who would inevitably ask that question, “Did you win?” I shut myself up in my room and didn’t move for a few hours, feeling like not only was I a failure, but also the whole day was as well.

It's All in His Hands

July 26, 2010

devotional
Set: 

Death is always a difficult topic to grasp. Whenever someone dies we always wonder, where was God when they died, and why did He let it happen to them? From movie stars, professional athletes, and other celebrities to firefighters, police officers, and loved ones; our hearts are filled with grief and for a while everything pales in comparison to our loss.

Buy In

January 09, 2007

devotional
Set: 
Sean Payton's first head coaching job in the NFL didn't appear to be all that promising. After all, he inherited a New Orleans Saints team that went 3-13 in 2005 and that doesn't exactly have a rich tradition of being an NFL powerhouse. Regardless, Payton came in and implemented his system, and the players bought in to it, leading to an improbable 10-6 record in 2006 and a division title. "Players putting the team ahead of everything else," Payton said. "I think that's the biggest thing that we've been able to do to date. That's what's most important."
 

An Expensive Mistake: Part II

March 03, 2010

devotional
Set: 

When I was 17, I was a young, brash, three-sport athlete who took any challenge that came my way. My aggressive personality allowed me to “hang with the big-dogs” on the court, in the field and on the track. That personality, however, also caused many setbacks.

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