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November 01, 2008
Set:
Upon arriving in Atlanta for the National Wheelchair Championships, the stewardess informed me that they had forgotten my manual wheelchair in Minneapolis when I had changed planes. Fortunately, they had remembered to load my racing chair, but it arrived with a huge crack in the back wheel frame. I knew that there was no way I’d be racing with that!
As I sat in the claims office, filing reports on these two wheelchairs, I thought back to some verses that I had memorized from Psalm 56:3-4:
When I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
These verses calmed my heart. I didn’t know if I’d be racing, but I knew that God was in control of everything.
November 29, 2006
Set:
The word "awesome" is used to describe so much in sports today. "Did you see that awesome catch?" "Did you see his awesome dunk?" "That home run was awesome!" And let's not forget the words of the modern-day philosopher Tommy Boy, "That was awesome." I looked this word up in the Urban Dictionary. It defines awesome as being "totally cool." It is what is called a "sticking plaster" word, which is something used by Americans to cover over the huge gaps in our vocabulary. It is one of the three words that make up most American sentences. And in sports today, that is definitely the case. Everything great is awesome.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: We’ve all had the dreams of playing in the big leagues at sometime in our lives. For most of us, we’ve taken a different road in life but we are still grateful to be skating. So what if we never made it. We still love the game and enjoy playing it.
February 27, 2007
Set:
After nearly one year of controversy off the field, the Duke lacrosse team returned to action in their 2007 season opener and defeated Dartmouth 17-11 in front of a crowd of 6,500. Rape allegations caused the university to suspend the team from play in March of 2006. The lacrosse program was reinstated later that June, and upon returning to practice, senior captain Matt Danowski was overflowing with thankfulness for the opportunity to compete again. "I can say personally I definitely appreciate it more. I took it for granted. We took going to the national championship game for granted. And playing games on Saturdays in front of fans, I took that for granted."
July 18, 2006
Set:
Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said, "Winning means you're willing to go longer, work harder and give more than anyone else." To reach ultimate success in athletics an athlete must realize that there is always room for improvement and that the harder you work, the more successful you will become.
March 28, 2008
Set:
After a season of high school football and a season of coaching my oldest son’s YMCA basketball team, I now find myself coaching my two sons’ 10-13 year-old PAL football team. Our first game was Saturday, and we were winning 13-7, but we were looking at third and 18 from midfield. I looked at my 10-year-old quarterback, David, and told him “Bunch Left, Bootleg.”
September 20, 2006
Set:
Detroit Lions wide receiver, Roy Williams wasn't the first person to "guarantee" a victory, nor will he be the last, when he assured that his Lions would emerge victorious against the Chicago Bears in week two of the 2006 season. Unfortunately for Williams, his comments ignited an already high-powered Bears defense to lead the way to a 34-7 thrashing of the Lions.
Peter was also known for being a little hasty with his words. When Jesus told the disciples that they would all turn their backs on Him Peter replied boastfully, "Even if all fall away, I will not" (Mark 14:29). The fact is that Peter not only disowned Jesus once, but three times that very night.
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: There are many players who are great in there own mind. They lead the team in ice time because they won’t line change. They lead the team in goals but have zero assists. They don’t have any penalty minutes because they never bother to play defense.
March 14, 2007
Set:
Every year, coaches will ask their teams what their goals are, what they hope to accomplish, how far they want to go, what their destiny is that season. The answers to these questions will help decide what is important to a particular team, but each player must fill in his or her own blanks as an individual and for the team. And not everyone will have the same answers or goals.
In life we face some similar questions that require us to fill in the blanks. In the book of Philippians, Paul challenges the people with four questions:
1. Who/What are you devoted to?
2. Who/What is your destiny?
3. Who/What is your desire?
4. Who/What is on display in your life?
December 13, 2007
Set:
I was recently at the state volleyball tournament in Yakima, Wash., for the 1A state title game. I traveled on a "rooter bus" with some of the students from the school. They had been such a supportive crowd all year, getting dressed up in crazy outfits and always being loud and supportive to our girls' team, which finished 4th in state. The volleyball team thinks that the fans had a lot to do about their success. That day, as I was watching our student body, who were dressed in crazy costumes and face paint, cheering as one, I got an image in my mind. What if. . . What if that was how we were to worship God and spread the Good News about what He has done?
June 14, 2010
Set:
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.
December 28, 2009
Set:
If you have been on a team, chances are you’ve heard the phrases “Be a leader,” and “This team needs leadership!” Statements like those constantly remind us as players to work hard, demonstrate integrity, and display a model of intensity for other players.
May 23, 2007
Set:
Recently, while preparing for a Sunday School class, I was reading a lesson on Jesus calling the tax collector into service. I was reminded of my high school baseball days. I remembered those games when we were tied 0-0 into the later innings and then the opposing team would score a run. As we ran into the dugout after the third out my coach would say, "That's alright. We had to score one to win, anyway." In a situation which many people would lose heart, our coach would offer us a different perspective to give us hope.
Let me say this: sin has a purpose.
October 20, 2010
Set:
When I was in college, our FCA leaders were called the “God Squad.” We represented most sports and held each other accountable for our actions as ambassadors for Christ on the court and field. I remember after one game in which I got into a fight on the basketball court defending my point guard. My fellow squad members prayed for me that it would not negatively impact my testimony. I realized then for the first time that my life was either all godly, or all compromise. I apologized publicly at the next meeting for not representing Christ in public.
June 30, 2010
Set:
Man's laws don't always jive with God's laws or Spirit, just as God's laws are not subject to man's laws, doctrine or acts. But the fruit of the Spirit? These are all of God. Anything that is not of God is rebellious in nature. Do you have a rebellious spirit or one of God? Are you contentious or anxious when things don't go your way on the court? Do you live a confused life? Do you honestly prefer positives or negatives? Is everything in your life one big mess?
February 13, 2007
Set:
Football season is now over, and it's time to focus on the NFL draft. It's time to see which of our favorite college players will take that step up and make it in the big arena. Now, even if you're not a football fan, you likely know that the goal in the game is to get the football across the goal line to score a touchdown. In order to get there, a team must make forward progress either by passing or running the ball.
This concept also applies to life. The goal is to win, and the way to win is to score against the Enemy. To score against the Enemy, we must make forward progress.
Ways to score against the Enemy:
1. Surrender your life to Christ (salvation).
July 06, 2007
Set:
Every day we impact the people around us. Others see our actions and hear our words, and that causes them to form opinions regarding who we are. We do that same thing with the professional athletes we watch. The athlete who makes a scene with his temper is perceived differently than the player who is conscientious of his actions and keeps a level head.
But because of the world we live in, professional athletes also are followed away from the game. The media watches their every move and tells us immediately if they make a mistake.
December 13, 2010
Set:
I don’t know if any of you saw the Jets/Dolphins game yesterday or if you caught the highlights on SportsCenter, but if you did, you probably saw the clip of Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi tripping Dolphins CB Nolan Carroll as he was running down the sideline. Alosi was quick to apologize and make amends with the offended parties, so I’m not by any means pointing fingers at him. It was probably just a very bad decision made in the heat of the moment during competition.
November 12, 2010
Set:
This was my first year ever as a football coach. I was unsure of what to expect, but I went into the season with one goal: being satisfied not with producing a winning record, but with producing winning athletes.
Billy Graham once stated that one coach would influence more people in one year than the average person would in a lifetime. This was an idea I took to heart. At the beginning of the season, I had no idea who my players were or what their backgrounds were like, but I did know one thing: while they were on my team they were going to learn not only about football, but about life and God.
February 16, 2010
Set:
There are so many qualities needed in order to have the heart of a champion: discipline, perseverance, dedication, endurance, focus, and the ability to overcome any obstacle. We all admire heroes who have made it to the top and have accomplished their goals and become champions. They have displayed the heart to withstand and endure to become great. But the more I understand greatness and what it takes to become successful, the more I see that there is one thing everyone must have to become a true champion—and that is a coach.
May 08, 2009
Set:
Thirty-three years later there is still evidence that my front tooth took a chunk of wood out of my mom’s furniture. When my two older brothers and I were kids, we invented a game called “Walkie-Talkie.” I know a walkie-talkie is a portable, handheld communication device, but we hijacked the name because it perfectly fit our game. When I think back on it, I’m pretty sure it was really just a game that allowed my brothers to inflict bodily harm on me, but I wasn’t smart enough to figure that out. I was just thankful they wanted to do something with their youngest brother. (Do I hear an “Amen!” from all the youngest kids out there?)
September 10, 2010
Set:
Hockey Chat: Being a great hockey player takes a great amount of work. To reach to a level worthy of playing in the big leagues, guys persistently work at their skills. Things that were once difficult become easier with practice.
August 06, 2009
Set:
It was a beautiful day in the Windy City. A hot dog, a Pepsi and a ballgame at Wrigley Field. . . What could be better? The game was going just as I wanted it to go. My team was scoring run after run, but the crowd was turning ugly. People were getting upset and starting to leave. Finally, after he'd had just about enough, the little boy sitting next to me pulled on my sleeve and asked, "Mister, who are you cheering for anyway?" You see, I am Reds fan, and the Reds handled the Cubs that day pretty easily. I left the game a happy fan.
December 25, 2009
Set:
Basketball fans can still hear the words, “And now, the starting lineup for your Chicago Bulls . . .” The words echoed as Pippen, Grant, Cartwright, Armstrong, and Jordan were announced. High schools and colleges still imitate these now famous words.
April 11, 2006
Set:
On the surface it sounds pretty easy to humble yourself before God, but in reality it’s tough. To humble ourselves before Him means to be subject to Him. But we can’t see Him, so we forget He’s watching. Sometimes we can’t hear Him, so we forget He’s speaking. We can’t always feel Him close, so we forget He never leaves or forsakes us. So you can see why it is tough to humble ourselves before Him. Just because we can’t always see, hear, or touch God doesn’t mean He isn’t mighty. God is mighty. He is able to destroy entire nations if He so desires, as illustrated in many Old Testament stories like the one in which He gave the Israelites the highly fortified city of Jericho. (Read more about it in Joshua 6.)
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