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We were having an intersquad scrimmage and I was standing among a group of athletes, waiting to find out which team I would be on. I was sure that I would be placed on the team with the best athletes in the school, who were also my best friends. But instead, I was chosen to join a team that was considered to be the underdogs. In my anger and disgust, I told the coach that I was going to quit and began walking off of the field.
To my surprise, the coach let me go. I had been so sure that he would try to stop me, but he didn’t. As I continued walking away slowly, I started thinking, What am I going to tell my parents? And what are my friends going to think of me?
As an athlete your job is fairly simple in some ways – just listen to the coach and do what he or she tells you to do. But this doesn’t guarantee success because the coach does make mistakes and will at times fall short in his or her instruction.
Of course a driven athlete would never be completely satisfied with what only one coach has to say. The driven athlete may go to a better coach and seek advice or read a book for additional input, or even watch a video to gain some direction.
Many people miss the heart of the promise in Jeremiah. Many of us forget that this promise is about God’s plans. It’s doesn’t say anything about our plans. As we develop and think about our mission and purpose on earth, we often create our own plans and then ask God to bless them. But a mission that makes a real difference, that makes the very most of our lives, comes from seeking and following God’s plans.
If we want a life-changing, earth-shattering mission—if we want real purpose in our lives—we need to empty ourselves of our ambition and our own plans for our lives. In exchange, God gives each of us a life of meaning, peace and fruitfulness.
Ask anyone associated with the American Basketball Association (ABA) or National Basketball Association (NBA) throughout the mid to late ’70s and the early ’80s about the hardest-working players in professional hoops and inevitably one name will come up time and again: Bobby Jones.
Legends such as Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, Larry Brown and Dean Smith—men who all played alongside or coached Jones—all give the same glowing praise of his blue-collar work ethic, his respect for the game and its rules, and his virtuous life of integrity.
It’s the time of the year when winter sports teams are taking shape and seasons are hitting full-swing. I can’t help but think back to my days as a hockey player looking forward to team tryouts. I was an eighth grader looking forward to playing hockey and basketball. I was so excited! But, as things unfolded, the first tryouts for hockey came and went, and I didn’t make the team. I was crushed, but I still had high hopes for basketball tryouts. Well, I was cut from that, too. It was tough for me to think that I wasn’t good enough to make either of the teams I wanted so desperately to play for.
Do you know the difference between a chicken and a pig? When it comes to a breakfast of ham and eggs, the chicken is a contributor but the pig is committed! The chicken only leaves a part of itself, while the pig has to die.
The difference between being an all-star and a benchwarmer usually has less to do with talent and more to do with the level of commitment you're willing to give to your sport. Those who succeed literally leave it all on the field because they're deeply committed to their sport and their team's success. Winners are usually found lifting weights or watching video of their opponents after the game. The rest go home to pursue meaningless activities.
As a member of the sports media, I hear quite a few stories about athletes who build their entire lives around their sport. They eat, sleep, breathe and live specifically to achieve their personal athletic goals. It consumes so much of their mind that they don’t focus on anything else.
But then something unexpected happens. It could be a variety of things: injury, illness, or whatever. Suddenly, they are stripped of the sport that had occupied so much of their time and energy. And when it’s gone, they’re left with nothing. Complete emptiness.
It is at this point that many athletes realize they need something more—something that can’t be found in trophies or medals, something that is eternal. And this is exactly where God wants them.
When I first moved to North Carolina a number of years ago, I was blessed with a fine home. It sat on a beautiful river and was surrounded by mountains. It was idyllic in many ways, but I didn’t own it. I enjoyed its many amenities, but it wasn’t mine. And that made a big difference.
Prior to moving to Boone, I had owned my own home for many years. Renting is much different. Instead of spending a lot of time working on home improvements, as I had before, the closest thing I did to home improvement was mowing the lawn. Why? Because I wasn’t going to invest in something that was not mine. Look at any rental district, and you will see I am not alone. Rental properties are well known for the lack of care shown to them by their tenants.
Hockey Chat: Some players try to cheat by making it look like they were fouled. Maybe they got bumped but they make it look like they’ve been hit by a truck. The technical term for this is “Diving” and it is a penalty that will cost the guy trying to twist the system two minutes in the penalty box and possibly up to $1000 fine.
It’s finally over. I just completed my first tax season as an accountant. It was a huge transition for me as last year at this time I was competing in a baseball season. This year, it was tax season.
In baseball we all look forward to opening day. We can’t wait for the day when we finally get to quit scrimmaging our own teammates and suit up against another team. As opening day draws nearer, we all get those pre-game jitters. We know are ready to play, but the fact that it’s something new causes us to be a little bit nervous and anxious.
When I played college football, our coach insisted that we wear our helmets from the moment we left the locker room until the end of the game. We were only allowed to remove our helmets during half-time while in the locker room. He was adamant that our helmets stay on during the course of the game. I always complied, but thought this demand was a little excessive. Everyone understands the merits of wearing a helmet during competition, but few would understand the necessity of wearing one otherwise.
This summer, many coaches and athletes will come to know Christ through the camp ministry of FCA. Every year, there is a new theme for FCA Camp, and this year it is “GET FOCUSED.” As coaches and athletes we often prepare for competition by getting focused in different ways. We may read Scripture, listen to music, talk to ourselves or do other pre-game rituals.
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