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May 05, 2009
Set:
Our lives are strengthened when we focus on that which gives us strength. As a pitching coach, three words often come out of my mouth: use your eyes. The theory is that our eyes tell our body where to release the ball. Thus, by focusing on a target, we are more likely to hit it. There is much to think about and many distractions as a pitcher, just as in our daily lives. However, like a pitcher, if we put our whole focus on our target, we no longer have any room to focus on distractions.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Some of the greatest games began with a good ol’ locker room pep talk. It was a talk by the coach or team captain. It was the motivation to start the team off on the strong foot and carry them through the game. Sure the team could’ve went out there and played the game without the words of wisdom, but the outcome may not have been the same.
March 20, 2009
Set:
With the media magnifying all that is wrong and corrupt in the world today, it’s hard for people to believe that a loving God could let this happen. From the moment Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, the relationship between God and man has been altered. Because of that sin, we see and experience the bad, the ugly, and the brutal. Although this is our burden, Jesus provides an escape from this world to be a part of a better place—His kingdom. God wants us to be victorious!
Through Jesus, our tests become our testimonies. In darkness, we have light. We alone don’t have the willpower nor strength to overcome what life throws at us. It is in Jesus where we can stand triumphantly, giving all the glory to God.
February 03, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Not every thing always goes as planned. An off the mark pass. Missed shot. Whatever it may be, getting ticked off and giving up isn’t going to make it any better. Take it that the play is still good and don’t give up on it. Whatever didn’t happen then will turn into another opportunity and that’s something to be thankful for even if it wasn’t the original play.
November 01, 2008
Set:
What enters your mind as you read the verses above, knowing that God hates the behaviors listed there? Do you find yourself thinking of times, perhaps even recently, when you have done something that God abhors? It’s interesting (and convicting) that the Lord puts shedding innocent blood and spreading strife among brothers in the same list. To the world, shedding innocent blood is certainly considered much worse than creating conflict. But just what does it mean to stir up “trouble among brothers”?
April 03, 2009
Set:
The college baseball season is in full swing, and I am spending many hours on a bus and away from my family. Unfortunately, my daily devotionals usually take a hit during this time of the year.
One night in the spring of 2008, God called me on it. I relish the opportunity to read to my daughters. My wife and I make it a priority to read at least one Bible story to them each night. One evening, as we finished reading, my oldest daughter noticed me closing the Bible and setting it on the night stand next to her bed. She asked why I closed the Bible, and I told her that we were done reading for the night and that it was time to go to bed. She said, “Daddy, I know but I would like the Bible to stay open. Please don’t close it.”
March 07, 2008
Set:
While I sat by my computer on Wednesday, the FCA Daily Impact Play popped up. Every once in awhile FCA will rerun a devotion from the past if it still relates to the present. To my surprise, a devotion I had written two years ago resurfaced. And as I read what I had written, I immediately started to weep.
November 01, 2008
Set:
One of the common questions posed to sports fans is, “Who do you follow?” Most people answer with a city, school or mascot: “I’m a Denver fan.” “I follow the University of North Carolina.” “I’m a Hoosier.” No matter how you phrase it, we all follow one team or another. This applies to our lives in Christ as well.
It is not uncommon today to hear believers ask, “What are you?” Some say, “I am a Baptist.” Others claim to be Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic and so on.
June 19, 2009
Set:
True satisfaction—people search for it every day. Some people spend a lifetime acquiring DVDs, MP3s, video games, clothes, cars, and relationships—hoping that more of this world will satisfy them. As coaches and athletes, we often try to find satisfaction in practices, competitions, and victories. None of these things bring fulfillment. Christ should be our first priority. He should be the reason we wake up, the reason we breathe, and the reason we coach, practice, and play. This is a tremendous challenge. We have relationships, commitments, and schedules that pull us in different directions. We must refocus and get back to the basics—spending time daily in prayer, reading the Word, and being accountable to a fellow believer.
March 19, 2009
Set:
“Do you have fire in your belly?” was a question I often heard from coaches. It was never intended as a question, but as a challenge to play harder. Coaches want to know if an athlete has the passion and determination to play with a competitive edge. As an athlete, I never had others’ natural ability, but I did have the fire in my belly—a hustle, grit, and tenacity to get the job done—whatever coach asked of me.
September 11, 2008
Set:
"Out for the season." It was the tough phrase of the week used by most sports broadcasters and repeatedly scrolled across ESPN's Bottom Line. It also was an unexpected and harsh reality for NFL stars Tom Brady, Shawne Merriman and Nate Burleson.
Some of the League's best, done in a moment. You've probably heard the frustrations of the Fantasy Footballers (I think that's actually a real title) in your office or school, just like I have in mine. "With Brady out, my team's done!"
February 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Have you ever seen a guy who looked like the puck glued was to his stick. It may have looked like it from his puck handling. Those guys frustrate every defenseman. They have such control of the puck that it’s nearly impossible to take away. A poor puck handler will leave the puck behind every time.
April 18, 2007
Set:
A couple of weeks ago, during the 2007 Masters golf tournament, commentator Nick Faldo addressed the three character traits he believed were necessary to be a champion: desire, determination and courage. Faldo expressed that, in order to put on that coveted green jacket awarded to the Masters champion, a golfer must have the desire to win.
Faldo is certainly right about one thing: desire is necessary in becoming a champion. Why else would we put ourselves through the pain and agony of intense training, the discipline and focus of honing our technique? Why else would we spend hours upon hours studying our particular game? Is it not desire that causes great athletes to dig deep and find a way to win?
July 13, 2009
Set:
You have to admit that the TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” has a fantastic concept. The show should be called “Extreme Transformation” because they identify a huge need and then, not only fill the need, but also go way beyond it. When they finally tell the driver to move the bus no one ever casually says, “That is exactly what I thought it would be. Thanks for meeting my expectations. Not bad work.” No, their expression tells it all. They are blown away. And, it’s hard for those of us watching not to tear up a little when we see their responses.
January 19, 2012
Set:
Are you honest about your finances? Jesus spoke more about material things and how we handle them than anything else. Why? Because how we handle material things is an indicator of how much we really trust God. We all need material things to survive—money, food, water, and clothing—all of which God promises to provide for those who seek Him. People everywhere believe the more of these things they have, the happier they will be. That is just not true. In America, we have more things than any nation in history, but we are not a happy nation.
April 25, 2010
Set:
Coaches work hard to get the job done for their programs, but the head coach spends even more time in preparation for his or her meetings. It’s not just the season preparations that need to be done, but also pre-season, postseason, and summer workouts to consider. The head coach must think of everyone in the program and blend every person together for the success of the next year.
February 20, 2008
Set:
Often times, a victory might be determined by the game within the game. Can our left tackle keep their defensive end off of our quarterback? Can our closer strike out their best hitter? Can our off-guard shut down their "go-to" guy?
We spend a lot of time in practice doing individual drills and one-on-one drills. In our one-on-ones we want to go "best-versus-best"; we don't want one of our starters going against a second-string player because he is not challenged as much. He does not improve from the situation.
When we go best-versus-best, we quickly find a player’s weaknesses--the flaws in his technique--so that we can correct them. We also see who is going to rise to the top, whom we can depend upon when the game is on the line.
May 18, 2010
Set:
Years of effort, sacrifice, and planning come down to this game. The commitment of the coaches and players has brought them to this point, and the payoff is right in front of them. The time of growth and struggle is finally paying off. A one-win season has grown into a three-win and then into a five-win season. The program has reached a point of respectability. The goal that has been front and center for years is finally in reach—the conference championship.
November 01, 2008
Set:
January 16, 2004, is a date that may have significantly impacted the sports world for many years to come. Two 14-year-old athletes made a big splash in their respective sports. Michelle Wie played in the Sony Open on the PGA tour and missed the cut by one stroke, tying two men who had won major championships the previous year. Freddy Adu, in a move that shocked no one, was chosen as the top pick in the Major League Soccer draft by D.C. United.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Goal judges were first used around 1877 in Montreal and stood right behind the goal (a brutal job for someone with no pads). Years later, they sat in elevated cages behind the glass and when they would see the puck cross the line, they’d turn on the bright red goal light to signal to everyone that a goal has been scored. The red light is a hockey icon now being a symbol of scoring a goal.
April 17, 2008
Set:
Anyone who knows sports knows that turnovers and missed opportunities, especially in the game of basketball, spell disaster. This was never more apparent than in the championship game of our holiday tournament, when our starting point guard had 11 turnovers before halftime, and our team faced a 12-point deficit. The message for her was simple at halftime: “What could you do with 11 more possessions? Could you score the 12 points we need? Perhaps dish out 6 assists to overcome the deficit?”
September 21, 2010
Set:
At some point, we have all lost our keys or our wallet. It can be very frustrating. After a while, we begin to make a strong effort to find what is lost. I have spent hours or days searching for something that was missing. I go into “search and rescue” mode, thinking, Those things are valuable to my life and I’ve got to find them!
March 29, 2009
Set:
If you love God, you’ll obey Him. So your act of worship is service. If you’re truly worshiping and loving and admiring who God is and what He’s done in your life, it’s going to be a natural process to serve. If you think of worship as a whole, you worship God with the talents that He’s given you. For me, basketball is a way that I can worship Him and give back what He’s given to me. If you think of it with respect to service and the time and the resources that He’s given you, your act of worship is utilizing those things to help others. So when it comes to true worship, my prayer is, “Change my heart.” I feel like your heart should be a true reflection of God and what He would want you to be doing.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: One of the greatest things about winning the Stanley Cup is that each member of the winning team gets to spend a day with the cup. They get to have all their friends over to show it off personally. They get to share the great reward they have with everyone.
November 19, 2008
Set:
Alexis is a talented basketball player. As an eighth grader, she played on the varsity team at one school. Others quickly saw her ability and soon began mistreating her. Coaches and teammates beat her down mentally, and she began to grow a root of bitterness deep inside of her. She suffered several injuries and even transferred schools, but her situation did not improve. The root grew deeper and deeper.
