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Nate is as strong as a bull. While playing superback in college in the Big Ten Conference, he battled some of the toughest players in the game of football. Right before Christmas this year, however, he found out that he was battling an even tougher opponent: Stage 3 cancer. On Christmas Eve, he had a tumor removed, but the doctors were still concerned that more cancer might have spread. No amount of physical strength alone would be able to tackle this issue.
Immediately following her team’s overtime loss in the 2012 NCAA Division II national championship, Sue Ramsey prayed that God would use the disappointment for His glory. Tears of agony turned to shouts of joy one year later when her inspired Ashland Eagles won the school’s first-ever women’s basketball national title. Now in her 19th season with the program, Ramsey is focused on continuing their winning ways while teaching her team about an eternal purpose beyond the hardwood.
Shalee Lehning-Atlanta Dream
Stand Strong in Your Faith
Key Verse: "These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." - 1 Peter 1:7
Shalee has been asked many times about giving up. Why would athletes want to give up in their sport? Is this a common feeling? Explain.
The girl is escorted around the room by the first guy. He then asks her if he can have her heart. She says, “no, I’m not ready yet.” He says’ “Oh come on, everybody is doing it.” The girl gives in and tears ¼ of her heart off and gives it to the guy. He takes it and walks off.
The girl is then escorted around the room by the second guy. He asks her if he can have her heart. Again, she says, “No, I don’t want to go that far.” He says, “If you love me, you will.” She gives in and tars off another ¼ of her heart and gives it to the guy. He walks off.
Standard rock-paper-scissors. Except with 2 hands.
Everyone is in a circle. Your right hand plays against another person's left hand. Your left hand plays against another person's right hand.
If one of your hands loses, it's okay, because that hand is still in the game. You only get eliminated if both your hands lose.
Begin by thanking God for the new day and then ask Him to help you learn from what you read. Prepare yourself by:
Read the chapter below. You can either read below or read your physical Bible. Read it slowly, take it all in.
Ask yourself the following questions after reading your chapter for the day. Write your answers down in a journal or notebook you can use just for your time with God.
As athletes, it’s easy for us to find ourselves in situations that we never played out in our minds. Down by 10 in the fourth quarter against a team that didn’t stand a chance against us. Gripping our knee after tearing an ACL right before our senior season started. Left off the roster of the team we thought we deserved to be on. The list goes on and on. But it's how we handle these “speed bumps” of life that set us apart as Christians.
Recently, I was faced with an unexpected speed bump myself as I found myself working on my second round of rehab from knee surgery. (My knee had decided it didn't want to comply to the demands of my coach and the sport I loved.) But having Christ at the center of my life was key in this situation.
This was our time. My college basketball team had been in the middle of a rough losing streak, but now we found ourselves in a close game with a rival team on their court. This was our time.
After a series of tough foul calls, we were still within reach--down by three with one minute to go. During the timeout, all my coach asked of me was to get open on the wing and skip it to my teammate coming off of a fade screen. No way could I mess this up for my team.
An icebreaker that gets the group to move towards various parts of the room and to find others with shared interests and preferences, based on various interesting categories.
The first part of the game is the "Sorts" game. You will throw out two contrasting choices and the group has to move either East or West of the room (e.g. "Do you prefer Target or Walmart?"). Then you throw out two more choices and have them move South and North. That way, they are all having to move somewhere and can't get "lost" in the crowd. Sorts that work well include: movie or book; salty or sweet; dress up or casual; inside or outside; be on the stage performing or in the audience watching, etc.
Begin by thanking God for the new day and then ask Him to help you learn from what you read. Prepare yourself by:
Read the chapter below. You can either read below or read your physical Bible. Read it slowly, take it all in.
Ask yourself the following questions after reading your chapter for the day. Write your answers down in a journal or notebook you can use just for your time with God.
“No way. Are you kidding me? What??” Those were my responses when someone told me news I never thought I would hear.
It had been right after I’d finished up speaking at a college FCA Huddle several years ago. One athlete, who I thought would never enter an FCA meeting, showed up to the Huddle. This player had been antagonistic to the things of Christ and was as mean-spirited as anyone I’d ever met. If there was a fight in practice, he was in the middle of it. If there was foul language being shouted out on the football field, it usually came from him. In my estimation, this kid was as far from becoming a Christian as LeBron James was from winning Wimbledon. In my mind, it was just not going to happen.
If you own stock you can give it as a tax deductible gift to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Download the PDF below to learn more!
Risk and danger go hand-in-hand. Taking a risk usually implies a positive or negative reward depending upon the outcome. Coaches take risks all the time, although some coaches are more risky than others. Going for it on a fourth down, shooting a threepointer when down by only two and starting the freshman player instead of the senior are all risks. If the decision does not work, there are plenty of questions to answer, but if the decision does work, then you look like a genius.
Can you recall a time that you took a risk in coaching? How did it work out?
Two friends are hanging out watching TV when the phone rings and God tells them He wants to stop by for a visit. They freak and begin cleaning the whole place. They dust off their Bibles, turn on Christian radio, etc. to get ready for the visit. During this time two visitors come at different times, needing something. The friends turn them away saying they are waiting on an important guest. To end, God calls them, and they ask where He is and He says He has been by two times. Quote Matthew 25:35-46.
Characters:
Narrator (God’s voice), friend #1, friend #2, homeless person needing shelter, and person whose car broke down and needs to use the phone
In more than two decades of marriage, University of Georgia Head Football Coach Mark Richt and his wife, Katharyn, have learned valuable lessons about three very popular things in FCA: faith, family and football. Today, we’re continuing our four-part video devotion series based on the Richts’ recent interview with FCA’s Sharing the Victory magazine.
To access the video, click the link below to watch or download the clip. After you’ve watched the short video, take time to answer the questions below. Finish by reading the related Scripture and asking God to work in your heart as a result of what you’ve learned.
VIDEO LINK:
Key Verse: "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, 'Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.'" - Proverbs 3:27-29
This hiker had issues. What were his main problems?
He kept saying, “I’m not this, or I’m not that.” He could have done something. What story in the Bible does this clip remind you about?
A fill-in-the blank workbook for Leadership Board members to follow along during Board Training. This document requires Microsoft Word or compatible program to open.
Key Verse:
Whoever lives with integrity fears the LORD, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.
Proverbs 14:2
Materials:
*A chair for all but one person.
Make a circle with the chairs as if you were setting up a game of musical chairs, the person without a chair will start the game.
Have everyone seated, the person in the middle of the circle will state a clothing item or physical characteristic, such as, but not limited to, green eyes or blue jeans. (The person in the middle must match the criteria they call)
The persons with those characteristics, etc. will stand up and switch seats, since there won't be a chair for everyone since the person in the middle will need a seat, the last person standing is "it". The game goes on for any amount of time.
As an amateur cyclist (very amateur), I just love the Tour de France. For 21 Stages in just 23 days, 180 of the most highly conditioned athletes ride 2,200 miles through some of the most beautiful countryside and grueling mountains in the world. It’s considered the “Super Bowl” of cycling, and it’s arguably one of the most physically, mentally and spiritually demanding events in all of sports. The riders average over 100 miles each day and burn over 130,000 calories! And while most of us would find it hard to drive a car thru the Alps, just imagine trying to do it on a bike.
The 2011 Camp magalog is a multi-page PDF that highlights the Game Changer camp theme as well as a variety of other camp information.
Information focuses on:
This is a great promotoinal piece that cleraly explains the FCA camp ministry and introduces people to all that FCA offers during the summer.
Ministry
Sport
Book of the Bible
FCA Bible Topic
