The statement, “Your ‘yes’ must be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ must be ‘no’ ” is at the heart of what it means to be faithful. A faithful person can be trusted. Jesus told the disciples that they should be so well known for their integrity, that they should never have to take an oath. The oaths of yesterday are the legal contracts of today. We can do almost nothing today without a legal contract. Fifty years ago a handshake was considered binding. People felt keeping one’s word was important. Today, our word means nothing because of a general lack of societal integrity. Faithfulness is not just keeping our word, it is telling the truth.

I accepted the Lord at thirteen years old and had no problem sharing my faith with friends in junior high and high school. Not only was I a Christian, but a wrestler too. Wrestling gave me an audience to spread the Word, so I made a T-shirt that would show evidence of my faith.

Preseason: a time of intense workouts, two-a-days, ice baths, and maximum exertion!

Fall sports are just now emerging from this intense time. Great teams are being forged through the crucible of preseason and are getting ready to run the gauntlet of the regular season. But as tough as those preseason workouts may be, there is one day that athletes dread even more: the day the cuts are made.

As an athlete, I remember the rapid heartbeat in my chest, the doubts and anxiety, the holding in of my breath as I walked into the locker room to see if my name was on a list. I dreaded the voice of the coach saying, “Son, step into my office.” But, on the flipside, it was always such a great experience if I did make the cut and saw the diligence pay off!

The ministry of FCA is about many things, but one specific thing is influence. In athletics today, we all are influenced. Athletically, athletes are influenced by teammates and coaches by other coaches, but where is the spiritual influence coming from? One athlete recently told me that when it comes to athletic excellence he could help any teammate get to the next level, but when it came to growing in Christ he was not the man! An honest and compelling commentary for sure.

Everybody knows that WWJD stands for “What Would Jesus Do.” A couple of years ago the saying swept across America like wildfire, becoming so popular that this witnessing tool also became a fashion statement, even to unbelievers. However, most athletes and coaches, men and women, young and old wore it to share their love for Christ. Even though WWJD is not new, the message is still powerful.

The last thing we need is another acronym, but GGTG is a great reminder for athletes and coaches. It should be the reason why we compete. As competitors, it helps us to focus on the main thing. The message is plain—it is not about us, but about Christ. So what does GGTG stand for? It stands for “Give God The Glory.”