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October 29, 2009
Set:
Ready. . .Set. . .Go! They were off. Sixty runners were headed for the first hill.
Junior high cross country is an adventure. In this particular race, the 1.5-mile course ran through woods and hills, around playgrounds, and all over a park. Jay, a seventh-grade boy, was leading the field about halfway through the race. As they headed into the woods, Jay and the runner behind him approached a turn. Jay went on one side of the cone, and his competitor the other. The race continued, but Jay turned around.
July 05, 2006
Set:
As the final whistle blew in Ghana's 2-0 upset of the Czech Republic during the World Cup last month, John Mensah, a Ghanaian defender, got down on his knees and revealed a t-shirt with Jesus on it. In 2004, Brazilian midfielder Kaka' sported a t-shirt reading "I belong to Jesus" over the top of his jersey when his club team, AC Milan, won the Serie A title in Europe. There are countries in the world today where these athletes would be tortured, jailed or possibly even killed for their acts of faith. Both Mensah and Kaka' were able to do these things because they live in countries where they have the freedom to express their belief in God.
January 31, 2007
Set:
Tiger Woods began the 2007 golf season the same way he ended the last one -- victorious. Woods won the Buick Open for the third-straight year and extended his PGA Tour winning streak to seven consecutive tournaments. Only Byron Nelson, who won 11 straight, has more. "As far as how special seven is, you're in elite company," Woods said. "There's only one person ahead of you. He's one of the greatest legends in the history of the game."
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: One on one isn’t much of a scoring threat. Two on one creates a bit of worry for the goalie knowing that the odds are against him and the shot may come from either player. Three on one is a nightmare for the goal tender and almost guaranteed to beat him.
November 22, 2010
Set:
Have you ever wondered why we are so competitive as athletes and coaches? Why when we get onto the playing field we take on a whole new persona? The competitive nature to win comes out in us all. We sacrifice for the team! We lay down that bunt or make the block so that the rest of the team can rejoice in the victory.
Our flesh is competitive, but so is our Spirit. In Galatians 5, Paul talks about this very thing. Our flesh and our Spirit are at war with each other. The things of God are always and will always be completely different from the things of the flesh.
May 18, 2010
Set:
Before we dive in with the message of today’s devotion, I have to tell you a little secret. Ever want to know why runners often run on streets instead of using the perfectly good sidewalks that are just a few feet away? Great question! It’s actually because we know that paved surface is better for our joints than concrete sidewalks. We run on the roads because we know our bodies will appreciate the surface of the road more than the surface of the sidewalk.
August 03, 2010
Set:
I’ll never forget the first day of football camp at the small college I attended. I’d come hoping to be a part of a winning program and perhaps even a national championship. Our head coach had scheduled a team meeting. As he reviewed the goals, he pulled out the video of last year’s national championship—a game we had lost. I then expected him to share his plan on how we would make it back to the national championship game and win.
Instead, he did something I would never forget: he threw the video to the ground, stomped it to bits, and told us if our only dream was to win a national championship, then we had set our goals too low!
November 01, 2006
Set:
Recently, I was making an early morning drive to speak at a Huddle meeting. As I was driving along I realized that I was the only car going in my direction. Hundreds of cars were going the other way. Why was I the only one going my way? I knew the route, so I knew I was on the right road, so I couldn't help but wonder why no one else was traveling my direction.
In God's Word, we read many references to "the way." Isaiah wrote of such a road that is less traveled. It was the highway to holiness. Many were headed down the wrong path or way -- not so uncommon to our society today. In John 14, Thomas asked Jesus about the way to go with Him, but Christ answered simply, "I AM the way. . ."
June 20, 2007
Set:
I love sports-themed movies like "Facing the Giants," which I highly recommend. It is an inspirational story of courage, faith and the power of God's word. I am sure each of you can recall one of your own favorite sports movies, as well.
December 29, 2009
Set:
Hockey Chat: After winning the Stanley Cup in 1924, Montreal Canadiens players on their way to a victory party stashed the trophy in the trunk of their car. Part way to the festivities, the vehicle had a flat. The players removed the Cup to get at the spare, changed the tire and drove away leaving the Stanley Cup perched on a snow bank. Only when it came time to drink champagne from the Cup did they realize they didn't have it Cup with them. They drove back to where they'd changed the tire, found the Cup sitting there patiently waiting for them, and hastily reclaimed it.
April 11, 2006
Set:
“Some of my vivid images of Jerry Rice are him working out at the Pro Bowl. Here you are, after he wins the Super Bowl, he’s played in front of 500 million people. Less than a week later, he’s out there running wind sprints to play in what is our only exhibition game,’ says NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue on ESPN Classic’s SportsCentury series.
Jerry Rice is arguably the best wide receiver in the history of football. Rice had a reputation for training hard. He understood the benefits of taking care of his physical body so that on the field he could perform at a level that surpassed everyone else. He understood the power of training.
May 02, 2008
Set:
Today, the FCA family is celebrating the life of one of its heroes. Longtime FCA teammate Ed Britton went home to be with the Lord this morning, leaving behind him an unsurpassed legacy of faith, passion and life. Anyone who came into contact with Ed, even for the briefest of moments, was left with an impression of Christ and a fresh desire to make an impact for Him. No one could leave an encounter with Ed without being completely fired up for Christ and ready to go out and make a difference in the world! He was truly one of a kind, and we will miss him so much.
June 29, 2006
Set:
Being a soccer player and longtime fan of the sport, I get excited every four years when the World Cup roles around. This year it seems that there are more people watching the competition. One of my teachers had the game on at school during the United States' crushing loss to the Czech Republic. For the rest of the day people kept coming up to me and commenting about the team's poor performance. It bothered me to see people who had never followed the sport making such judgmental comments after watching the team play only once. I didn't think that it was fair for them to pass judgment after watching a single competition.
September 19, 2006
Set:
If you knew when your last practice, last game, last hoorah would be, how would it affect your situation? Many athletes have had to face this early in their blossoming careers. Men such as Bo Jackson, Darryl Stingley and many others. Would you do things differently as an athlete or coach? Brian is one such athlete who may have seen his last play. A standout safety, who walked on, earned a scholarship and now is a fifth-year senior. Last year he missed the entire season (except for the bowl game) because of ACL surgery, and he was counting on this year to be his best. On the Monday before they opened their season, Brian hurt his ankle. At first it looked like a sprain, but over time it has become much worse. Brian's football career may be over.
April 11, 2006
Set:
The debate over steroid use on the college, professional, and Olympic levels is growing. Allegations of steroid use have cost many athletes their jobs and their lives. When their first priority is to honor and glorify self, some athletes will go to extreme measures. Their hope is in themselves and in pursuing their own glory. If they fail, they feel worthless. Their worth is tied up in being the best no matter what the cost.
December 21, 2010
Set:
Webster’s dictionary defines victory as “the winning of a battle, war, or any struggle.” The definition of winning is “to finish first.” Is it possible to gain a great victory and still not finish first? Which is more important: victories or wins?
April 06, 2011
Set:
As competitors, we all know that in order to better yourself on the field, it is vital that you put out the effort in practice. Whether you’re running that last sprint, focusing on the details of a jump shot, or working the finer points of your throwing motion, it is necessary that you train, and push yourself to get better.
And just as weightlifting strengthens the body, we all need to take the time to get closer to God in order to strengthen our spirits. As Apostle Paul told Timothy, godliness has value for all things. Not just meaning value for this life, but also for the life we get to spend in heaven. (1Timothy 4:8) For that reason it is imperative that we live our lives as sacrifices, both holy and pleasing to God.
April 11, 2006
Set:
It is copied in gyms all over the country. It started back in the 80’s in an old beat-up stadium in downtown Chicago. Basketball fans all over can still hear these words in their heads, “And now the starting line up for your Chicago Bulls.” These words echoed as Pippen, Grant, Cartwright, Armstrong, and Michael Jordan were announced. High schools and colleges today still imitate these now-famous words.
Our theme verses for camp this year are basically a prayer and some closing thoughts, but I wonder how they would sound blaring from the loud speakers of heaven down to earth when the Lord returns and we enter heaven. Who might get the job of announcing it to all? It might sound something like this …
October 09, 2008
Set:
If you want to know how much an athlete loves his or her particular sport, find out about that athlete’s daily routine. The basketball player might shoot hundreds of jump shots and free throws. The baseball or softball player will likely spend an entire afternoon in the batting cage. The weightlifter can probably be found doing reps in the gym before and after class. The cross-country runner can usually be spotted jogging along the city’s sidewalks.
Why do these athletes discipline themselves to such regimented and demanding workouts? They put in the time because they are driven to succeed. They are driven to be the best. And, ultimately, it’s this simple: They have a passion for athletic competition.
October 09, 2008
Set:
As the son of an Air Force chaplain, Danny Wuerffel had lots of neighbors growing up. He had neighbors in South Carolina, Nebraska, Colorado and even Spain. Eventually Wuerffel’s family settled in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where he developed into one of the state’s outstanding quarterbacks. And while most kids in his shoes might have fallen prey to becoming typical military brats, Wuerffel had a much different understanding of his circumstances.
“The Scriptures say to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself,” Wuerffel says. “But we are unfortunately caught up with focusing most of our passions not on loving our neighbor but loving and caring and serving ourselves.”
October 31, 2006
Set:
Things did not appear to be going in the right direction for the St. Louis Cardinals at the end of the 2006 regular season. They had lost nine of their last 12 games and had squeaked past the Astros to make the playoffs. "We might have limped a little," said infielder Aaron Miles, "but once we got into the playoffs we started sprinting." When no one gave them a chance, they turned things around at just the right time and "sprinted" past the Padres, Mets and Tigers to win their first World Series championship in 24 years.
January 20, 2010
Set:
I had a point guard who struggled early on with her play and self-confidence. After beating herself up after a practice, I stood by her and said, "What stinks?" She replied, "My game." I disagreed and told her it was her attitude about her game. I told her to stop her stinkin' thinkin'!
To many times as athletes (and coaches) we tend to think the worst about ourselves or our situations. We tend to find our value in who we are as athletes, not in who we are in Christ. When this happens, as it did with this player, our stinkin' thinkin' takes over and our God-pleasing thoughts take a back seat.
December 22, 2010
Set:
I had the privilege of working with Texas high school football coach GaryGaines, best known as the former head coach of State Football Champion Odessa Permian High School as spotlighted in both the book and movie, Friday Night Lights. Gary would often muse, “Coaching would be the perfect profession if only it did not involve the massive highs of winning or the bottomless depths that come about from losing. The extremes are too huge.”
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.
May 10, 2007
Set:
University of Memphis track athlete Cassandra Harding didn't give a second thought to signing a document stating she could lose her scholarship if she became pregnant because, "I wasn't going to get pregnant." But she did. When asked what role the fear of losing a scholarship played in a decision to have an abortion or not, another female athlete said, "On a scale from 1 to 10, it was like a 9. It had a big, big part in my decision; because that's the first thing I thought about, I'm losing my scholarship."
