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April 17, 2010
Set:
History always repeats itself because man fails to learn from his failures. Therefore, we do well to remember historical events such as the Holocaust, the Civil War, and the Israelites’ forty-year wilderness wandering. The Bible tells us why the world is like it is: sin. The Bible has much to say about the blessings that come as a result of obeying and the curses, or consequences, that occur as a result of sin. We find these truths from Genesis to Revelation. God certainly forgives the sin of those who belong to Him through Jesus Christ; however, there are still consequences to be faced. Are God’s people today settling down comfortably in the society in which we live, casting out our distinctive Christian focus?
May 19, 2010
Set:
In this passage, Jacob wrestles with God in the person of Jesus. We know this because the man says, “I have seen God face to face” (Gn 32:30). It could not have been God the Father because John 1:18 states, “No man has ever seen God.” Therefore, we know that Jacob wrestled with God the Son, Jesus.
As they wrestled, Jesus dislocated Jacob’s hip. Every coach knows that athletes need strong legs to compete, especially in wrestling. Without his legs an athlete cannot wrestle; he can only hold on. That is exactly what Jacob did. He gripped God!
February 27, 2010
Set:
We fret about everything. We worry about the future, our careers, and our team’s performance. We are afraid of failure. We live in a harried society where many illnesses are stress-related. Medication is prescribed at record rates. However, as Christians, we know there is a healthier way to live our lives.
God is so good. He offers us freedom from worry and stress if we will seek Him first. There are so many things that distract me from truly seeking God: money, job, success, comfort, security, and worldly pleasures. God wants to be first in our lives, not just in our words, but also in our deeds and daily agendas.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: I imagine the first invention of hockey must’ve been pretty boring. One guy sort of figuring things out. But when he got his buddies together and got a game going, it was a good time. Hockey is definitely not an individual sport. If you’ve ever been out skating alone you know the excitement when someone else shows up to play. It’s that kind of dynamic game.
July 08, 2010
Set:
Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you were going to be honored, but the honor was given to someone else? Have you ever taken someone else’s seat and been asked to move? It’s embarrassing, to say the least.
June 29, 2010
Set:
As a Christian, I understand the meaning of Philippians 1:21, but the events of 1999 gave me a new perspective on the verse. God had blessed me with wonderful, caring parents despite the fact that my father did not walk in the light. My mother, on the other hand, had my two siblings and myself in church every time the doors were open. Many nights I would awaken to her praying and weeping for my father’s salvation. My father was a provider who loved his family more than anything and worked long, hard hours at a factory to demonstrate that love. He gave us material things, but all I wanted was for him to be happy and walk in God’s victorious peace.
April 28, 2010
Set:
It appears that our hearts are the repositories for both confidence and fear. When we feel overmatched by a seemingly superior opponent, it’s our heart that keeps us from fearing him. When it seems like everything is going badly, when all the momentum has swung to the other team’s bench, it’s our heart that brims with confidence in spite of it all. A coach’s heart is the key that enables his or her team to compete strongly.
April 23, 2009
Set:
Man, I am a workout-aholic. Can I get an amen from anyone else out there? Ever since I was in high school I’ve lived by a motto I read on a t-shirt: “Somewhere, someone is working out. And when you meet her in head-to-head competition, she will beat you.” I think somewhere along the line I adopted that as my personal mantra (especially when I started running), and I have been a gym rat ever since.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: There are treasured skaters out there on the ice. We can play for ourselves and have a great game and still walk away losers. Or we can share our treasured skills with the team and win every time. One of my favorite teams was the Florida Panthers when they first made it to the playoffs years ago. Although they had some great players, not a single one of their players were in the top 20 of the NHL goal scorers. They all stored their treasures in the team not themselves and made it to the finals. Where they stored their treasure, they made it while all the great individuals were eliminated.
April 08, 2009
Set:
John the Baptist was the man! He was the herald prophesied by Isaiah — the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He was the great baptizer of the people, the one who drew crowds everywhere he went. Yet he knew a time would come when his “star status” would diminish.
Fast-forward to 2009. Tyler Hansbrough, the reigning NCAA Player of the Year, had to make a choice for the sake of his team. In order to help his team attain their goal of a national championship, he would need to take a "back seat" to Ty Lawson. His scoring average fell, and he graciously passed the mantle of leadership to Lawson. When asked about the shift in his role, Hansbrough repeatedly said, “I'll do whatever it takes to help this team get to the championship."
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Some guys use graphite sticks. Some guys use aluminum sticks. Some guys use composite sticks. Some guys use wood sticks. When you have your stick, you trust in it and anything else just isn’t right.
February 19, 2009
Set:
This year I turned 50 years old. It’s amazing to see how God has stood by my side through a half century of life. Has it been easy? Is a life with Multiple Sclerosis, like the one I lead, a life without challenges? Is training for bodybuilding competitions, something that is virtually impossible with MS, a walk in the park? Is God prepared for victory even as I face a battle that man says cannot be won? The answers are NO, NO, NO and YES!
Training with a debilitating disease is certainly challenging. MS has left my extremities with numbness and lack of coordination. I sometimes wonder why God has chosen me to do what I am doing, but I always come back to the same conclusion. He has His purpose, and I am just a vessel for His work.
November 08, 2010
Set:
Too often as coaches we feel we know the right way—the right way to go. If we would stop and think of these verses, we might take a different path. Since we are coaches, others look to us for leadership, and we might be leading in the wrong direction. We might let our bias get in the way of seeing the real potential of student athletes. We may only see what we think they can do for our career or our team instead of how the Lord is looking at them.
April 14, 2010
Set:
As coaches and athletes, we put all of our hearts, bodies, and emotions into our endeavors. We’re instructed to “give it all we’ve got,” and as we do, we begin to understand what Paul was saying to the Colossian Christians.
December 30, 2009
Set:
Our power lies not in our perfection, but in our pursuit. We are a results-driven people, especially athletes. Perfection is the goal and we do what it takes to get there, even if that means sacrificing what really matters. There is much good in wanting to perform well. However, tunnel vision comes when we place our worth, security, and joy in our idea of perfection. But we can never arrive at perfection. Perfection has no power because it leaves us empty. Pursuit, on the other hand, holds what is real. Pursuit says, “I’m not perfect, but I will do what I can with what I have in the moment I have been given, in the midst of where I am.” In pursuit we find God.
November 19, 2009
Set:
When a player gets double teamed up against the boards they know their in trouble. As they battle for the puck, they’ll often hear a familiar voice of someone on their team calling out instructions on a safe place to pass it. They would stay in trouble and lose the puck if someone didn’t call out to them.
November 06, 2008
Set:
Driving down the road yesterday I saw something that made me take notice. Coming toward me was a middle-aged man running against traffic. Now, that did not bother me so much; I see that all the time. But what I found strange was that he had his iPod on and was running right on the edge of the cars. Then I broke out in laughter because not 10 feet from him on his left was a beautiful well-groomed sidewalk, on which there was not a single person.
October 25, 2010
Set:
All-star quarterback Jack Kemp and his teammates boycotted the 1965 AFL All-Star game in New Orleans “as a statement against the racial climate in the city.” Jack’s black teammates were not treated with the same respect as he and his white teammates, and because they were a “team united,” they did something about it. As a result,the game was moved to another city.
February 11, 2010
Set:
How many of you know if all your friends and family are saved? How many of you would have the nerve to simply ask each and every one of your friends and family, "If you died today, do you know 100% where you would spend eternity? My answer to both of those questions to this point would be, "No". These are questions that I spend a pretty fare amount of time thinking about, but can't muster up the courage to ask.
September 08, 2008
Set:
When I was a youngster, I used to play basketball with my older brother and his buddies. They were high school seniors when I was in fifth grade. Many times I was simply the kid that evened up the teams—an extra body.
Because I played with older guys, the trials I went through on the court were tough, and I often got discouraged. Eventually, however, I was able to handle the ball well enough to hold my own, and I developed enough game that, when I was left open, I could knock a shot down. When I went to play “bitty ball” at school against guys my own age, the game seemed much easier and I enjoyed success. Looking back, I realize that the experiences with the older players helped improve my basketball skills.
April 22, 2010
Set:
Just prior to pregame warmups during my rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs, one of the officials introduced himself to me as the father of a friend of mine. After a brief chat, he suggested I let him know if I was having any trouble in the game. Not thinking too much of his comment, I thanked him and joined my teammates for drills.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Goalies know that in any odd man situation they take the shooter. The shooter on the other hand juggles his decision to take the shot or pass it. If you have a clear pass, it’s always best to pass it to an open guy on the other side of the net. That makes the goalie have to reposition himself to take the pass receiver as the shooter. It’s tough for the initial guy with the puck to give up the glory to make the pass but it’s for the benefit of the team. But often times we question who that guy is that is open. Is he going to connect with the pass? Will he make the quick move to put it in? Just consider that he will. In this situation, he better than you. Maybe skill for skill, one-on-one he&r
September 14, 2010
Set:
How do you feel when someone wrongly criticizes you or says something false about you to another? In Nehemiah 6 we read how the rumor mill got started by a group of people who wanted to slander and intimidate Nehemiah. A man named Tobiah wrote a public letter stating that the reason Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall was for his own benefit, so that he could become king and lead Israel into a revolt against the reigning powers of the day. However, Nehemiah had received God-given guidance for his actions, so when he was confronted by adversaries, he trusted God for further wisdom. God will give us wisdom if we seek Him when we are faced with slanderous attacks and false accusations.
September 03, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: A few years back, the Chicago Blackhawks started a post game tradition at home. When they won they would gather at center ice, raise their sticks, and wave to the fans as a salute to those who supported them. It was their way of giving acknowledgement and thanks back to the those who cheered them on throughout the game.
January 13, 2010
Set:
Why is asking so hard for some of us? Whether it’s for a ride to the airport, a few dollars for lunch, or financial support for FCA camp, many of us avoid asking for things we or others need.
Of course, there are times when even the most self-sufficient among us is willing to swallow our pride and plead before “the throne of grace.” I have personally witnessed the humbling of coaches, players, and fans when difficult circumstances turned them into fervent prayer warriors. Sometimes the difficulty is momentary, such as during a game when the team is down by a point with a few ticks left on the clock and the least-talented shooter is on the free-throw line. Who among us hasn’t uttered a prayer in times like these?
