Be Confident: Soccer Lessons

"Be confident, not cocky."

   When I played soccer in college there were 3 types of goalies: goalies who really didn't know what they were doing/were new, goalies who knew what they were doing and were cocky about it, and goalies who knew what they were doing but were not cocky they were confident. I remember one keeper in particular was particularly cocky. She would keep the ball at her feet a long time until one of our players ran up to her and almost hit her. She would yell in a mean tone at her teammates. She would run out at players to scare them. She did more, but you get my point.

   One day we were playing a game against them. It was our Homecoming day and we had to defend our field. My team came out swinging. We scored 7 goals that game against this keeper. She wasn't cocky that day. She was angry. She was angry at her team. She came into that game thinking her team was going to win and she would get another shut out. Instead she hurt her team more.

   That's the problem with being cocky: you think that you are the greatest thing since sliced bread and you can't own up to your own mistakes. Confidence is different. Confidence is different because of where, or who, it comes from. If you are confident it is most likely because you are doing something you've done for a long time. You have had practice because you know what you are doing. But, did you know that you can have confidence in everything that you do?

   2 Timothy 1:7 says: "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." We have power in the Lord. He walks with us each day. He guides our steps and wants us to follow him. If we follow his ways we can have confidence that he is with us. Now, that doesn't mean that we should be cocky because of this.

   James 4:10 says: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." If we exalt ourselves, then God will not exalt us. Cocky is the opposite of humble. There's a very fine balance between being confident in the Lord, yet humble, and being prideful. If we go around praising ourselves all the time, that's not humility. If we expect things and people to do things for us that's not humility, that's entitlement. You don't deserve anything you have. The only thing you deserve is death. BUT (this is where hope comes), because God sent his son to die for our sins we can have confidence. We have been redeemed and that's why we can be confident. That's why we should have confidence in the talents God gave us. That's why we should use our talents to reflect God's glory. He deserves all the honor.

   So, are you confident or cocky? Do you have confidence in God or in your own abilities? How can you reflect God's glory by showing humility today?

   Image from here.

A Christmas Challenge

   Children. What a blessing they are. Many of you know I am a teacher. I believe that statement that they are a blessing. But I also believe they can be a handful. Much if that is due to the fact that they have much to learn.

   Years ago I came up with an idea to help students remember/learn how to show the true meaning of Christmas. Why did I feel that it was important for students to learn this? Well, every year we do an Advent calendar to practice counting. And every year it becomes a tool for my students to use to count down when they get presents.

   Thus, instead of just counting down I came up with a challenge for each day of the count down to help students remember to show love, show care, and give to others rather than just ask for what they want.

  See, I've found something interesting. When we are young, we focus on the getting, unless we are shown otherwise. As we get older, that changes. I remember the first year I gave presents to my family. That year, I was excited about what I was going to get. But I was more excited about what I was going to give.

   Each year I love finding the perfect gift for someone. You know, that one that you know you'll see a smile on their face as they realize what you've gotten them.

   Well, God has given us all the perfect gift: salvation and eternity with him through his Son. That's the reason we celebrate Christmas. It's not for a countdown. It's not for the food. It's not the music. It's not the decorations. It's not even about family and friends. It's about getting the greatest gift. And remembering that, because of that gift, we are to use the gifts he has given us to show others his love.

   So, what's Christmas about to you? How can you spread the gift God has given you?

   John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Keep Your Head Up: Soccer Lessons

"Keep your head up."

   Soccer is very trying at times. You are tested physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. It is especially difficult when you keep losing and messing up. That's when it is important to be mentally and emotionally stable. As previously mentioned, soccer is a team sport. If one person is having problems staying strong mentally and emotionally the rest of the team will probably suffer.

   I remember coaching a team that was losing very badly at the beginning of the season. I kept telling them many different things and teaching them things to help them improve. But, I told them "one thing I will not stand for is seeing your heads go down. Body language is a very important thing. As soon at someone puts her head down it's like we have given up. You are saying to your team that you have lost hope in them."

   That team never put their heads down during a game. They kept working hard for each other. They kept hope that they would improve and could still win. By the end of the season we were winning games because we kept our heads up.

   In life we will also have trying times. Romans 8:23-24 says:

"Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to son ship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

   We have the greatest and only hope for this lost world: Jesus. We cannot see Jesus now, but we see his work. We know that we are children of God. We will receive his inheritance, which is eternal life with him. All of the trials and problems we go through in life on earth are temporary. If we make a mistake, Jesus washes us clean (that doesn't mean we should continue to sin James.4.7). That's where our hope comes from.

   That's why we don't need to hang our heads. Because, we have a father who sent his son to die for us. When we look down on ourselves we are looking down on what he created. We are looking down on his child. God loves us and finds us worthy through Jesus' work on the cross. We can keep our heads up because of that hope, no matter what trials we go through.

   So, do you have hope in Jesus? Do you beat yourself up too much? What can you do when you go through trials to remember that they are temporary; and that you have a hope in Jesus?
   Image from here.

Keep It Simple: Soccer Lessons

"Play simple, play smart."

   The basic goal of soccer is quite simple: to get the ball in the opposing team's goal. The difficulty in soccer is actually getting the ball up the field and into the goal. The reason that is difficult is because the opposing team has a pesky habit of stealing the ball from you or blocking your shot. It's simple to get the ball in the goal, but it isn't easy.

   Some teams have a problem of making it harder on themselves because certain players hold onto the ball too long, they don't pass at the right time, or they don't shoot at the right time. That's where the saying, "play simple, play smart" came from.

   In soccer, sometimes you end up facing your own net. Some players will try to turn the ball around to go the other way. Sometimes that works, many times it doesn't because the other team won't let you turn. Thus, why I tell my players to play simple. If my players pass the ball back to their teammate, that teammate can then send the ball forward easier. Now, when I finally got my team to understand playing simple, we then had the problem of people passing the ball back when the opposite team was there. Or, we would pass the ball around the same area too much. That didn't really help us get up the field. That's why I added to play simple, play smart.

   In life, we also have a goal. The meaning of life can be found in Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." While we are here on earth, our purpose is simple: we are to reflect the light of God. It seems simple, because it is, but it isn't easy.

   We have trials every day where we have a choice: we can reflect God's glory or follow our own desires. That's where being smart comes in. We know we are to follow Jesus' example by following God's word. We need to be smart because our adversary will try to get us to slip up. We have a big adversary. It is impossible for us to defeat him. It's a good thing we don't have to because Jesus already did defeat him. If we walk with Jesus, spend time with him, pray, etc. It will be easier for us to know what is simple and smart. He will help us in the trials of life.

   So, do you know what your purpose in life is? Are you spending time with Jesus each day? Do you make simple, smart choices when you go through trials?
   Image from here.

Support Your Team: Soccer Lessons

"Get back to support your teammates."

   As stated before, soccer is a team sport. Even though there are different positions on the field, everyone plays defense and everyone plays offense. If the team doesn't transition between those two positions well then the team will not be successful. I've been a part of many teams. Some were good at getting up the field and back the field others were not.

   Once, I was playing in a championship game. There was less than a minute left in the second overtime. I had the ball and I needed to do a goal kick to send it out. I set the ball up as the clock was ticking down. My team had played 109 minutes of soccer and they were tired. All we had left was less than a minute and we would go to penalty kicks. All my team had to do was push past the pain and play a little bit longer. I kicked the ball out. It went to an area that was in between my teammate and one of the other team's players. My teammate didn't go to the ball. The other team's player did. She took some space, shot; the ball flew up, hit the crossbar, and went in the goal. The game was over. We lost.

That was my final NEAC soccer game. My teammate thought that she didn't need to get back because there were only a few seconds left. She didn't put a complete effort in; and, because of that, we lost. She chose not to support her team through the whole match.

   In life, we will have hard times. It is difficult to get through those hard times alone. That's why we aren't on earth alone. We are relational beings. It is important to support one another. Galatians 6:2 says: “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." We are to carry other people's burdens. It's hard to carry certain burdens alone. That's why we are called to help. We can pray for that person, spend time with that person, or help in many other ways to help make that burden lighter.

   So, are you trying to carry burdens on your own? What can you do to help someone with his or her burden today?

   Image from here.

Doubting Yourself: Soccer Lessons

"Don't doubt yourself."

   A coach is so much more than just someone who shows someone how to play a sport. A coach is a teacher, sometimes a doctor, a leader, an encourager, a friend, a role model, and so much more. One area that I have found that coaches need to be more of nowadays is an encourager.

   One year I was coaching a team that had lost every game and we were halfway through the season. I saw a player sitting on the bench after a game when all other players had gone home. I went up to her and asked her what was wrong. She said she was discouraged because she felt she wasn't playing well and she had never lost so much in a season. That's when I had to put on my encouragement hat as a coach.

   I reminded her that we were a brand new team. I had many girls who hadn't played before. Many of the girls hadn't ever played with each other before either. I said, because of my experience in soccer, I didn't really mind losing. What I did mind is if we didn't put forth our best effort. I then asked her if she had done her best in the game. She said, "yes." I said, "that's all I ask."

   I then pointed out that not only had she improve herself, but we had improved as a team. We weren't losing by much anymore. And, we were completing passes up the field in order to get scoring opportunities. I told her "we will get there at some point. Stop doubting the team and your own abilities. Try to focus on what we have accomplished as a team rather than what we haven't. Make it your goal to get better every day. Then you will help us reach our team's potential." She agreed and went about doing what I asked.

   In life, we also will have doubts. We aren't perfect. We are going to mess up. But, if we focus on what we cannot do or didn't do then we are hurting ourselves. To make matters worse, we are not just hurting ourselves but those around us who work with us and love us. These people care about us and want us to succeed.

   As if that's not enough if we doubt ourselves we are hurting our creator. Philippians 2:13 says: "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." God gave us our abilities. He wants us to use them to reflect his glory. He doesn't want us to grumble or complain about what we cannot do. If we fail or fall he is with us to pick us back up. That's how much he loves us. That's why he doesn't like it when we hurt ourselves by doubting our abilities. He gave us those abilities and he wouldn't have done that if he didn't believe in us to use them.

   So, do you doubt yourself too much? What can you do to encourage someone today? How can you reflect God's glory today?

   Image from here.

Team Effort: Soccer Lessons

"You can't win a game by yourself. Soccer is a team sport."

   Once I had a player who was very much a me player. She felt she had to do everything herself. She would dribble up the field instead of passing to the open player. She would shoot from strange angles. And, if she did pass to her teammates, she would yell at them if they messed up. It just wasn't the greatest situation for her or the other girls on the team.

   I thought about what I could do to help her understand that soccer is a team sport. I enjoy doing what I call experiments at practices. If my team is having a problem I do an object lesson to help them learn a lesson. This time I asked for 4 volunteers. I set up goals on a small field. Then I had one player against the other 3 players. That doesn't seem fair does it? Well, it wasn't but I was making a point. The girl by herself lost. The 3 girls won. The 3 girls won because they worked together to score. They played as a team. The girl by herself had to play every position.

   It is the same way in life. If humans were meant to be alone God wouldn't have created Eve. We are relational beings. We don't all have the same abilities either. Romans 12:4-5 says: "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." Just like in soccer there are many positions, there are many positions in society. Every position is important. If we didn't have sanitation workers everything would be dirty. If we didn't have builders we wouldn't have buildings to work in. If we didn't have assistants we wouldn't be able to focus on big projects.

   It's the same way in the body of Christ. Everyone in the body of Christ has different gifts. If we didn't have someone in the body then the body wouldn't be the same. We all work together to reach the lost for them to join the body of Christ. It is a team effort. One person can't reach all the lost. It is a team effort. I pray that we support one another as we do our work for Christ.

   So, are you trying to be a lone ranger and reach others on your own? What can you do to reach the lost today?

   Image from here.

The Thankfulness Challenge

   Nowadays we have problems remembering to be thankful for what we have. That could be for many reasons: we advertise for Christmas and skip Thanksgiving, after Halloween we want to start making wish lists, we are not happy with what we have etc.
   At the beginning of November I took it upon myself to do a challenge. Each day in November I chose one thing or event from a category and was thankful for that. I called it the thankfulness challenge.
   For this challenge I thought of different categories of things people could be thankful for. Then I organized them into 30 days. I came up with rules like: each day you had to say the thing you were thankful for to one person, you had to say why you were thankful for that thing, and you had to thank God for that thing/person.
   I'm not quite done with this challenge yet but there are a few things I discovered already. First I realized how hard it was to pick one thing or person in each category. For example, one day I had to say a hobby I was thankful for. I have many hobbies that I'm thankful for, for different reasons. I discovered when I focused on the thing I was thankful for the problems of the day didn't seem to be as big of a deal. Finally, I discovered when I told others what or who I was thankful for it got them thinking about what they are thankful for as well.
   Think about it: do you have a lot to be thankful for? If you had to choose one family member, friend, possession, etc. To be thankful for would you only be able to choose one? I encourage you to really think about what you have to be thankful for. Don't just think of tangible things or good things. I'm sure you've had problems in your life that you may not have liked at the time, but they helped change you for the better. Are you thankful for those problems? Will you give thanks to God for all you have?

   1 Thessalonians 5:18, Philippians 4:6, Psalm 106:1

   Image from here. 

Respect: Soccer Lessons

"Respect our team, the coaches, the other team, the refs and yourselves."

   Right before every game the coaches and the captains meet with the refs. During that time the refs do a little speech. In that speech the refs say to basically be respectful of the fans, refs, the opposing team, and your team. They need to do that because nowadays people have issues respecting just about anyone, even themselves sometimes.

   Thus why I began to say this quote to my team. Was it hard at times? Yes, especially when the other team is swearing at you, the refs are missing blatant calls, or the fans are heckling you. I remember many times I'd have to calm my team down because they'd want to retaliate. But, what does retaliating actually do? It just makes everyone angrier. Then things get out of control and people get hurt.

   Respect is something that I believe is beginning to be lost nowadays. People don't say sorry, excuse me, please, or thank you. People look out only for themselves. People don't respect their elders, police officers, doctors, teachers, and many more jobs that used to have automatic respect. Yes, I know some people in those professions have messed up but that doesn't mean that all people in those professions are bad.

   Romans 12:10 says: "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor." Respect could also be known as love. Before you say or do something put of anger you need to think. Are you going to show love and respect in what you are about to do? It's okay to have emotions but in acting in them will you regret what you did or hurt someone you love? It's not always easy to respect everyone yet that's what we are called to do. That's how people will see we are different.

   So, are you showing respect to others? What can you do to show respect to someone today?
   Image from here.

How Motivated Are You: Soccer Lessons

"You choose how much you give on the field. Be motivated to give your best to make the team better."

   I have coached at many different levels for soccer. One time I was coaching a JV team. This JV team had many different level of players. I had some players who had never played. Others had played for years. Looking at my team's ability I knew I'd have to go back to basics.

One of the players on my team came to me about halfway through the season. She said that she doesn't feel motivated or challenged in practice. I asked her why she felt that way. She said she'd been doing Brazilians and passing her whole life. She felt she was ready for the next level, varsity. She also said she was having a hard time staying motivated during practice.

   Those things that she said didn't concern me as much as the fact that she said she was having a hard time staying motivated. There are certain things you cannot teach as a coach. One of those things is motivation. I can't give my players a cup of motivation and it's taken care of. I can encourage and I do. But, that doesn't always work for every player.

   I talked to this player about what I was seeing and where she needed to improve. Then I talked with her about motivation. If she's not motivated in practice she needs to find a way to stay motivated on her own. She needs to challenge herself. She needs to say I'm going to get at least 7 out of 10 touches back to my partner in this drill. Because, if she's not motivated, she's not only not helping herself but the team as well.

   In life it's the same way. Many of us go through our days stuck in the same routine. We wake up, maybe eat breakfast, go to work or school, come home, eat, do some things around the house, relax, go to bed, and then get up and do it all over again. Doing that day after day may make it hard to stay motivated. That's when you need to find a way to stay motivated. You could help someone, encourage someone, or challenge yourself with something new each day.

   Another reason we should stay motivated is because we aren't just doing the things we do for ourselves or others. We are doing them for God. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says: "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." We are doing everything we do for God. That should make us motivated to do our best every day.

   So, are you stuck in a rut? How can you help someone today? How motivated are you?

   Image from here.

How Do You Play After You Lose: Soccer Lessons 13

"Success isn't determined by how many times you win, but by how you play the week after you lose." (Pele)

   Losing isn't easy. When a soccer team loses it is very rare that they are okay with it; and, to a certain extent, they shouldn't be okay with losing. However, winning and losing shouldn't be the measure of that team's success.

   When a team loses they have a choice. They can wallow in that loss. They can think, "we are never going to win so why try?" Or, they can use that lose to push them to be better. They can think, "Yes, we had a setback but I'm going to get better and we will play better next time." To me, as a coach, I would rather see my team lose games and improve over the season than have them blow out teams and win all the time with no improvement. Thus, why I introduced this quote by Pele to my team.

   In life we don't play games where we have wins and losses. We do have obstacles and setbacks though. Hard times are going to come because that's life. Our success in life isn't determined by how many setbacks we have but by how we deal with those setbacks.

   James 1:2-4 says: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." We choose what we are going to do after we face a trial. We can decide to wallow in that trial and let it rule our lives; or, we can choose to use that trial to make us better. We can choose to lean on God through that trial.

   So, what do you do when you face a trial? Are you choosing to use trials to help you grow? Do you lean on God through trials?

   Image from here.

Don't Leave With Regrets: Soccer Lessons

"Don't leave a game with regrets."

   In soccer one moment can mean the difference between winning and losing. The choices players make in games greatly impact their team and the result of the match. As a goalie, I know many times I look back at games and think about what I could've done differently. I do my best every game but mistakes are bound to happen because no one is perfect.

   My players know that I don't expect them to be perfect. But, I do expect them to play their best for their team. In order to do that, we've adopted this saying that we don't leave a game with regrets. Will the players get tired? Yes. Will they mess up? Yes. But, that doesn't mean that they should regret the way they play unless they don't do their best and put the effort in.

   This quote can also apply to life. I believe we should live our lives without regrets. You choose how hard you will work every day. As long as you try to do your best every day it will be very difficult for you to have regrets. Will your best look the same every day? It probably won’t, because every day you won't feel 100%. Yet, you can still do your best.

   Titus 2:7-8 says: "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." These verses tell us that we are to be good examples to others. We know if we call ourselves Christians all of our actions will be scrutinized by others. That's why we need to do our best. We need to try to live our lives without regrets, not for us, but so that God's glory is reflected in us.

   So, are you living your life with regrets? How can you do your best every day? How can you reflect God's glory today?

   Image from here.

Control: Soccer Lessons

"You can't control the refs, the weather, the fans, the other team, or your teammates. You can only control yourself."

   One part of soccer that is very hard for players to understand is the mindset. They have a hard time focusing. What I mean by that is they take their mind off the game. They focus on how the referees are making bad calls. They focus on how the weather isn't good soccer weather. They focus on the fans taunting them. They focus on the other team who are making dirty fouls. They focus on how their teammates are not working as hard as they could. What they don't focus on is the only thing they can control: themselves. Players choose if they are going to make excuses and say "we lost because it was rainy." Or, they can push past it and play the game.

   Just like my players, you have a choice. There are so many things in life you can't control. You choose if you focus on them and make excuses. You choose if you will focus on that driver who cut you off on the way to work, the fact that the power went out so you went to work looking like a mess, that it is raining and you can't go somewhere to get a break, or that your boss yelled at you for messing up. Or, you can just do your best and focus on what you can control: yourself.

   Matthew 6:34 says: "Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." In this instance we are not worrying about things we can't control but tomorrow. Still this verse applies because we cannot control what will happen tomorrow. We can plan and work to try to make sure certain things happen but sometimes circumstances happen that we can't control. When those things happen we can choose if we will focus on that and worry about that; or, if we will roll with the punches.

   So, are you focused too much on things you cannot control? What can you do to try to focus on the things you can control?

   Image from here.

Attitude: Soccer Lessons

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

   One of the first things my players learn about me is the two things I look for the most in players. The first we've already discussed: effort. The second is attitude. I've always said that I would rather work with a player who knows nothing about soccer and has a good attitude than work with a player who knows a lot about soccer and has a bad attitude. I still work with both kinds of players but one is easier to train than the other.

   When I was in 6th grade I first read the saying "attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." I didn't think much of it at the time but as I grew up I saw what the poster was saying. In life if you come to work and you see a person with a sour attitude; are you going to want to work with them? Or, would you rather work with someone who has a positive attitude? People like working with and helping those who have a good attitude. Attitude is something we can control. We choose every day if we are going to have a good attitude or not. We choose if we are going to work hard no matter what, learn, and grow.

   So, how has your attitude been lately? Do you have a good attitude no matter what happens to you? How can you brighten someone's day today with your good attitude?

   Philippians 2:14-15

   Image from here.

Keep Improving: Soccer Lessons

"Keep improving and moving forward."

   One of the worst things a player that I coach can do, in my book, is to not improve. As a coach, I cater many of the drills I do in practice based off of our last game and what we need to work on the most. I also talk with my players about what areas they need to improve in and how they can improve in them. The players I coach are given everything they need in order to improve.

   The beginning of each season is usually rough. The players are working on their own individual weaknesses and working on their weaknesses as a team. That makes it difficult to win games. Thus, we don't usually win many games at the beginning of the season (JV team). However, if the girls apply themselves normally by the end of the season we are winning games. Or, if we aren't winning we are improving against teams we replay. That's what I care about. If we are not improving year by year, what was the point of playing?

   In life we also have strengths and weaknesses. We choose if we want to improve in them or not. We are also to grow in God. 2 Peter 3:18 says: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." To grow in God you need to pray, get into his word, and spend time with him. If you do those things you will grow, improve, and keep moving forward.

   So, do you try to improve and keep moving forward? What can you do to work on improving your weaknesses? How can you grow in God today?

   Image from here.

Give Your Best Effort: Soccer Lessons

"The result doesn't matter as long as you give your best effort."

   This quote sometimes catches some of my players off guard. I also had problems believing it when I was a player at times. But, I believe it now let me tell you why.

One year I was coaching my Junior Varsity team and I had many new players who hadn't played soccer before. Thus, the beginning of the year was rough. As the season went on we played a team who beat us the prior year 6-0. We implemented everything we had been working on that season during that game and ended up tying that team. I was very proud of my girls because they played well, put the effort in, and did everything I asked.

   The next day we played another team. This team had 1 sub. This team had not won any games that year. We played well the first half and were winning 4-1. At that point I backed off because it doesn't feel good to crush a team's spirit (some coaches may disagree but I have my reasons for saying that). The girls were hyped and let up in the second half. I was not happy. We ended up winning but the final score was 5-2. That meant that if we had only played the 2nd half we would've tied that team.

   I looked at my girls and asked them how they felt about the result. Many were hanging their heads. They said they didn't feel too good about it. I said, that's why I want you to put your best effort forward and let the result happen. Then I dismissed them. One of the girls came up to me and said, "Coach, I know that was our first win but I am more proud of our tie yesterday than our win today. Is that bad?" I said "no." Then we moved on.

   My girls learned this lesson that day. They knew they didn't put a good effort in the whole game so the win didn't feel much like a win. In life if you don't give your best it probably doesn't feel too good if you don't get the result you were expecting.

   Galatians 6:7-8 says: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." If you don't put the work and effort in that's your best you will probably not get the result you wanted. God knows if you are doing your best. He wants you to give your best in all you do. He doesn't want you to do that simply so you get rewarded on earth. He wants you to do that for him.

   Colossians 3:23 says: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." If you choose not to give your best you are not only letting yourself and your co-workers down but God as well. Will God still love you? Yes, but you are not following his word. God wants you to give your best for him. Will you always get the result you were expecting if you give your best? No, but you will have done what God asked you to do.

   So, do you always give your best effort? Do you work hard even though you may not get the result you were expecting? How can you put in a good effort today?
   Image from here. 

Encouraging Others: Soccer Lessons 6

"A little Encouragement goes a long way."

   One time when I was playing soccer in college our team was really struggling. People were angry with one another because people were yelling at other people on the field. It got very bad and our captains called a meeting. One of the captains said, "how many of you don't like to be encouraged?" No one raised her hand. Then we discussed how we like to be encouraged specifically. Some people needed to be demanded to do things on the field. Others would rather be talked to one on one. However, no one said they wanted criticism all the time.

   Playing a sport isn't easy especially if you are losing or in an intense match. Many times people have yelled things at me that didn't make me want to play harder for them. I still did my best but at the end of the game it just made me feel bad even if we won. Other times I've had people encourage me on the field and I feel like I could play forever if I needed to. One compliment can make someone's day.

   In the world it is very difficult for some people to encourage others. All it takes is a few words to make or break someone's day. You choose if you are going to make or break someone's day. Many people are unhappy with their work because of what people have said or done. I have been the most comfortable at my job when I've had people who support and uplift me. These people go out of their way to ask me how my day is going. They try to encourage me.

   What would happen if, instead of being negative all the time, we tried at least once a day to encourage someone? What would the world be like? I'm not saying to sugarcoat things. I'm saying to look for little things you can do to make someone's day better.

   So, do you try to encourage others? What can you do to encourage someone today?

   1 Thessalonians 5:11
   Image from here.

Before You Say Something: Soccer Lessons

"Before you say something think: is it helpful, is it necessary, is it said in love?"

   As previously mentioned soccer is a grueling sport. But, to make matters worse in High school you could have 19+ games in 2 months. Those games are not typically spread out either. One year we played a game Friday, Saturday, had off Sunday, then played Monday and Tuesday. Needless to say the girls were exhausted. Then when you are not playing in games you have practice every weekday you don't have a game. That's a lot of time with the same people. If you get along with each other that's great... If you don't get along with each other well let's just say things don't go so well at the end of the season.

   Many times when the players are tired and things aren't going well things are said in anger that those people may not mean. Or, they may not think about. I remember countless games where tensions were him and people screamed at me. Do you think that helped me at all? Do you think I was listening to their message? Do you think that encouraged me to play harder? No, it really didn't it just made me feel worse about myself.

   This is where this saying stemmed from: "Before you say something think: is it Helpful, is it Necessary, is it said in love?" In the heat of the moment people say things they may not mean to say. But, like a tube of toothpaste, once you say something you can't take it back. You can apologize, and many people do after the game, but the damage is done.

That's why we need to stop in the moment and think. Is what I'm about to say helpful? Will this help this person improve their game? Can this help my team? Will this help this person improve overall? If you are going to say something to someone you work with will it be helpful for them or will it hurt them?

   Next we need to think is this necessary? Do I need to say this? Is this pressing to say right now or should I wait to see what happens or get more information?

   Finally, if you get past these first two stipulations, you have a responsibility to say what you say in love. Think about a time where someone came to tell you something good that would've or did help you improve; but the way the person said it made you not want to do what the person said. Did you listen to them or did you get defensive? If you don't say what you feel you need to say in love, then that person may never improve and you will have lost a relationship.

   Galatians 6:1 says: "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." Did you catch that? You should restore that person in a spirit of gentleness. That means in a  spirit of love. Rather than saying "that presentation was horrible Jim. Why did you decide to present it that way?" You could say, "Jim that was an interesting presentation. Maybe next time you could try to look at everyone as you are talking. If you want help on the next presentation or any more suggestions I would be happy to help." Do you see the difference?

   So, do you think before you speak? If you don't what can you do in order to do a better job of correcting someone in the right way? How can you show someone you love them today?

   Image from here.

Your Last is Your Best: Soccer Lessons

"Your last one is your best one."

   Soccer is a very grueling sport. Some people who don't know soccer or have never seen it played just assume that soccer is just passing the ball up the field to score. Yes, the goal of the game is to score in the goal but there is so much more strategy to it. What formation are you going to play? Where are you going to play certain players? Should you contain or step hard to the ball? Should you pass or shoot? There's more but I'll stop there.

   One area that I have noticed that is very difficult about the game of soccer is the endurance it takes to stay in the game. I'm not talking just running endurance. I'm talking body endurance too. For those of you who don't know, soccer is a contact sport. Players need to take hits, some harder than others, and still play the game. The only protection players wear are shin guards. Thus, they get the wind knocked out of them a lot.

   All of these things are the reason I began to say: "your last one is your best one." This may seem strange. You may be thinking, "wouldn't you want your first to be your best?" Yes, you still want your first to be good but that's when you aren't so tired. I've coached teams and been on teams that were doing well at the beginning because they were not tired. Then they got tired and lost. If you don't do your best through the whole game it doesn't matter how you do at the beginning of the game. No one remembers about how you did at the beginning. It matters how you do at the end. The result tells a story.

   It's like this: when you first start a job you want to prove yourself so you work really hard. Then as you are there longer you may get tired of the trivial everyday tasks you do. If you start to slack off on your duties what's going to happen? Do you think people are going to remember you for what you did when you first started working there or how you worked when you were there your last days?

   Colossians 3:23 says: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." If we are working for the Lord then we should give our best all the time. Will our best be different on different days? Probably, I mean if you are sick your best may only be working as hard as you can even though your body is yelling at you. Nonetheless, we should still give our best even if we are tired. Like I said before, people probably won't remember how you started something but how you finished it.

   1 Corinthians 9:24 says: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." This verse brings home my message. If you run really hard at the beginning of the race but don't do your best at the end you won't get the prize. That's why your last one has to be your best. Because, when you think to yourself, "oh I've worked so hard. I'll just slack off this one time" that one time could cost you a lot.

   So, do you work hard to do your best every day? Are you running the race to win the prize? What area of your life do you feel you need to work harder for God's glory?

   Image from here.

Joy in Working: Labor Day

   It is Labor Day, a day that we think about not working. But, I'm going to rain on your parade and talk about work. I am a teacher and a coach. Therefore, I hear a lot of complains about work whether that be from co-workers, students, or players. Why do I hear so many complaints? Should I hear so many complaints?
   Way back, at the beginning of time and the creation of the universe, God made everything and it was good (Genesis 1). God is smart and caring. He did not create anything that did not serve a purpose in the universe or on earth. He created Adam to have dominion over all the earth. In Genesis 2:15 we read why Adam was put in the Garden: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
   Hold up, Adam had to work before the fall? Yes, and since God created everything and said that "it was good" then that means work is good. We don't read much about Adam working in the Garden before the fall but we do know that he named the animals, which was a job God gave him. Do you think Adam complained about it? No, Adam was happy to be given a purpose/job. He got to be a leader on earth and walk with the ultimate leader/boss.
   What happened? How did we get from being joyful in our work to complaining? The answer is the fall, and sin. Work suddenly got really difficult because Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Genesis 3:17-19 says: "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
   Thus, we began to have hard work. That is why we complain about work. It is hard and it hurts our bodies. Yet, God created it to be good. When children grow up what do they do? They get a job. Even when children are little they work by doing chores or finding odd jobs to make money. Work is to be a good thing. Should we complain about doing work? No, because God created it to be good. 

   So, do you complain too much about work? What can you do to find joy in work?

   Image from here. 

Don't Give Up: Soccer Lessons 3

"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up" (Babe Ruth).

   In soccer it is very easy to feel defeated when you lose. As a JV coach it is also very easy to feel defeated in general. Many times I will get players who have never played soccer. Many times I will have less players than the other team so my girls will be more tired. Many times when there is a sliver of hope, because I have had a player improve so much, that player gets moved up to varsity and I have to find a new player for their position. Don't get me wrong, I love being a JV coach because I get to help build my player's foundations in soccer and see them grow. But, it's not easy at times.

   Over the years I looked at my JV team and I had to figure out a way to keep their spirits up. That's when I began using the quote: "It's hard to beat a person who never gives up" (Babe Ruth). Will we lose games? Yes. Will we play bad at times? Yes. But, we are never truly defeated unless we give up. If we give up in a game we are giving up on ourselves. We are giving up on the lessons we learn in that game. We are giving up on improving during that game which can make us better. On top of that, if you give up in a game, you will not have any chance of winning that game.

   In life, it is hard to not feel tempted to give up at times, especially if we get sukkerpunched with a lot of things at once. Maybe you have problems with a co-worker who just won't get off your back, maybe a friend is angry at you, maybe your child isn't doing well at school, maybe your family member is sick, or maybe because of many things you are beginning to lose your faith.

   Once again, you have a choice: you could give up or you could keep going on and keep fighting. It may be easier to give up but will giving up help you grow? Will giving up feel good? Probably not, which is why we have to keep fighting no matter how hard it is. Yes, you can start to feel down. You can vent to people. You can have a good cry. But, don't let any of those things impact you to the point where you feel it's okay to give up. If you choose to give up you are just defeating yourself.

   Galatians 6:9 says: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." If we give up we will not reap the harvest. Your harvest may be different than someone else's on earth. But, true Christians are all working toward the same harvest: heaven. If we give up we are not giving God our best and others may not see Christ in you. That's why we can never give up.

   So, do you tend to give up when things get too hard? What can you do to stop yourself from giving up? How can you lean on God in order to not give up?
   Image from here. 

How Good Do You Want to Be? Soccer Lessons

"Its not how good you are it's how good you want to be" (Paul Arden).

   The first quote I ever used as a season quote for my team was: "Its not how good you are it's how good you want to be" (Paul Arden). This quote is all about effort and growth. At first, my girls did not understand it but by the end of the season they heard it loud and clear.

   Sometimes it is hard to push yourself. You may have been doing the same thing for so long you don't feel like doing it anymore; or, doing it to the best of your ability. You may be feeling sick and not up to doing your best. Or, you could just be exhausted and not feel like doing anything.

   During our 2 month season the girls faced a lot of these things. It is taxing on the body to play soccer 5-6 days a week for 2 months. The girls got tired and sick. I told them that they just needed to do their best on that day to improve. If they gave anything less than their best they were not only hurting themselves but their team.

   The girls knew to work hard to become better every day. I have had some girls on my teams stay after practice to ask me what they can do to improve. Or, they would take it upon themselves to practice by themselves after practice. These girls were following the quote.

   In life, we have choices every day. We can choose to work hard to get better every day or we can stay stagnant. If your goal in life is to become CEO of a company but you don't put the work in to become smarter in the jobs in that company then you probably won't become a CEO. If your goal in life is to be the best parent you can be but you don't spend time with your own child you won't be the best parent you can be.

   We must take steps to become the best we can be. That means working hard no matter what. That means growing in knowledge of what we want to be the best in. That means caring about those around us because if we get better we can make others better.

   This quote also embodies what God calls us to do. In Colossians 3:23-24 it says: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." We are called to do our best, not just to improve ourselves and others, because God calls us to do our best for him. If you are folding laundry you aren't just doing it for yourself or you family, you are folding laundry for God. If you are working on a big project you aren't just doing that for yourself or you co-workers, you are doing that project for God. God wants our best. If we don't give it we won't grow in him.

   So, are you choosing to stay stagnant because you are not giving your best? How good do you want to be? Are you giving your best to God?

   Image from here.

Soccer Lessons Series

   In life you learn a lot of lessons. Those lessons come in different ways but they all help you grow if you let them. One way I learned many of my lessons in life was through sports. I particularly learned many lessons through the sport of soccer. Now, I am blessed to coach soccer and teach the lessons I learned to players as well.

   When I first started coaching I knew I learned lessons from soccer but I was still figuring out my coaching style. I was focused on teaching soccer skills. Some of you may be saying "isn't that what a soccer coach is to do? Aren't you supposed to teach your players how to play soccer? "The answer is yes, I am to teach my players how to play soccer. But, I would like you to think about how many players who play when they are young actually go on to play soccer in college or higher. There are not that many. What is the point of high school sports then? Some would say to have fun. Others would say for social skills. Both of those are true. As a coach I take it one step further. I believe sports teach valuable lessons.

   I knew that's what I believed but it wasn't until the head coach that I worked with said this that I truly put it together in my head: "high school soccer isn't necessarily about soccer. It's about the life lessons." The lessons players learn in high school sports go with them in life. I feel that those lessons are worth remembering. If you are still in High school, in college, or you've been out of school for a long time I feel that it is time for a reminder. That's why I am beginning a series on the lessons I've learned and that I teach to my players. Each lesson I teach in soccer applies to life. I ask you to come on this journey with me and maybe you'll learn, or relearn, some lessons along the way.

   2 Peter 3:18 and Hebrews 6:1

   Image from here. 

Would You Trust God?

 "Do you want to trust the Lord?

Would you trust him if he asked you to pick up a sword?"

 

"I would not, could not, trust the Lord 

if he asked me to pick up a sword.

I would not trust him to help me build a boat,

I'm not even sure it would float.

If he took all my possessions away?

There is no way I would trust him and stay.

If I he wanted me to spend time in jail?

I would run away faster than if I saw hail.

Asking me to go to the king to say, 'let my people go?'

I'd definitely have to say no.

Defeating a city by walking around its wall?

Why, there is no way I believe it will fall.

Using a sling to stop a giant?

I'd have to stay defiant.

Going against many prophets of Baal?

I know I would fail.

Going into a fiery furnace?

I'd run out of that place.

Being thrown into a den with lions?

You would find me running away crying...

What's that you say?

What would I do for my faith in God today?

I would go to church and stay in that safe place,

God knows that doing that is my comfortable space.

Why would a loving God ask me to do more?

I'm way better than I was before."

 

Are you spending too much time in your comfort zone when God is asking you to step out of it? How can you grow in God and have more faith in him? 

Psalm 9:10 and Joshua 1:9

A New Chapter

    I like reading books. It is bittersweet when you end a book because that story has ended. However, a new story can begin. Just like our lives have different chapters.

   If you know me, you know I love reading books. I have quite the library at home of many different genres. I love seeing where the author is going to take the characters. I like finding out how some people have grown in God. There is only one real problem I have found with books I enjoy reading: I want to find out what is going to happen, but I also don't want the book to end...

   Many of the authors whose books I read are very good writers. They are so good at keeping me in suspense till the very end. Yet, when the book ends it is bittersweet. I then know what happens to all the characters, but I am no longer in that story. That story has ended and with that story the connection to the characters in the story are gone too.

   Yet, even in the bitterness of that story ending, I realize a new story can begin. I can meet new characters, go to a new world, and find a new story must waiting for me.

   This is sometimes how our lives work. We open many new chapters in life: going to school for the first time, trying a new activity, our first job, what we do after we graduate, marriage, our first child, etc. We are creatures of habit though. We enjoy doing things we know. We enjoy our comfort zones. Sometimes we may not understand why God closes a door in our lives. We may even say "things were going so well Lord. Why did you take that away from me?" 

   Ecclesiastes 3:1 says: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." God, in his infinite knowledge, knows what is best for us. He knows when it is time for us to stay and when it is time for us to go. We can either continue to look back as Lot's wife did, or we can press on as Paul implored us to do in Philippines 3:14. One chapter in life may be closing but we can choose our attitude about our new chapters in life. What will your attitude be about your new chapter in life?

Needing Water

   Have you ever been dehydrated in your life? I have been a few times. One time, when I was younger, I was at an event in our town. It was incredibly warm out. I began sweating profusely. Thinking it was normal to be sweating when it was hot out, I didn't say anything. Then my vision began to turn blue and green. I bumped into my mother and said I did not feel well. She got me in the shade and sat me down. 
I was too young to know what was happening to my body. My dad said I was probably dehydrated, and he went to get me some water. When the water came, it was the best water I had ever tasted. I drank most of it and my vision became clearer. After a bit, my family and I went home. 
   When I was older, I thought back to that day. I needed water but I didn't realize it. Many of us need water but don't realize it. I'm not talking physical water. I am talking about the water of life.
   John 4 is the passage where we find Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman. The woman is first shocked that Jesus even talks with her. Then he says in verse 10, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." She thinks he is talking about physical water. Jesus emphasizes that that isn't the case in verses 13-14
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
   The woman desperately wants this water, so she does not thirst again. She is like us when we are dehydrated. She would do anything to get that water. However, Jesus is talking about his water. He is talking about thirsting after him. If we have a relationship with Christ, then we are changed. We will not thirst after the things of this world because we know those things are temporary. Only Jesus can quench our thirst. 
   He gives us the only thing we really need. He gives us a relationship with him. Jesus died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for us. We need to accept him, believe in him, and confess our sins to him. Then we will have living water with which quenches our thirst.
   So, is your thirst quenched? Do you have a relationship with Christ? If you do, what are you doing to grow in him each day?

Don't Itch

   One day I was minding my own business driving to soccer practice. It was a sunny day, and I was feeling good and excited to practice that day. Suddenly I had an itch on my leg. Since I was driving, I did not look down and just itched it. When I itched it, it felt good and alleviated the need to scratch, for a bit. 

   I continued to drive and then felt itchy again in the same place. Thus, I scratched again. When I finally reached my destination, I looked down. To my dismay and annoyance, I had been scratching a mosquito bite. The bit had gotten quite big because I was scratching it.

When I was at practice, I would feel the itch again. However, this time I would avoid itching it. If it was really itchy, I would end up slapping it. Eventually, after a few days, the bite mark went away. 

   More than likely, if you live in an area where mosquitoes are, you have had a similar experience. But you may be wondering why I am telling this story. Well, after that experience I got to thinking about how mosquito bites are similar to the Christian walk.

   Sin is like a mosquito bite. Once you sin once it is quite easy to sin again. It is like an itch. The sin is under your skin like a mosquito bite. You know it is there and you know you should not sin. Yet, the temptation is there and if you sin again the temptation goes away, for a little. But if you do sin again it gets easier and easier to do. You may not see the impact of that sin immediately on your life. Eventually the impact is clear though because of the consequences you are facing.

   James 1:14 says: "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." We are sinful beings who are tempted in different ways. As Christians we are called to be holy and follow Christ. That does not mean it is easy to do so. Sinning is much easier most of the time, Satan makes it that way. That does not mean that reason is an excuse for us. 

   Hebrews 2:18 says: "For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." When we are tempted, we are not alone. Jesus is with us. When temptation comes, instead of giving in, we can call on Jesus. He will help us through our temptations. In this metaphor, I guess you can say that Jesus is hydrocortisone cream. He helps alleviate the itch to sin. 

   Now, one last thing I want to say about this topic: if you have put hydrocortisone cream on a bite you know it only alleviates the itch for a bit. Then you need to put more on to help with the need to scratch. It is the same with temptation to sin. We cannot just call on Jesus once to ask for help with the temptation to sin. We must be in constant communication with him each day. We must get to know him. That is how we can flee temptation when it comes.

   So, are you being tempted right now? What can you do to avoid the itch of that temptation? Are you spending time with Christ each day?

 

What's the Worst Thing That Can Happen?

     Have you ever gone through something, and you keep worrying about it? Your mind drifts to all the things that could go wrong. You just keep thinking about the problem over and over again. You may try to use scripture to help you remember that God is in control, but the thoughts keep coming back. What are we to do in those times?
   Because I am a teacher, I need to take trainings to keep my certification. One training I took asked the questions: "what is the worst thing that could happen?" And "what is the best thing that could happen?" I thought about those questions. They were good questions to ask when going though problems.
   For example: if you are in danger of losing your job, what’s the worst thing that could happen? You lose your job, source of income, and possibly your possessions. However, even if you lose those things can that problem take away anything that matters in eternity? No, in fact any problem we have on earth can do one of two things. It can drag us away from God or draw us closer to him. We just have to choose which way we wish to go.
   If you are in danger of losing your job, what’s the best thing that can happen? You either keep your job or find a better job. You grow closer to the Lord and your family during this hard time. 
   I have found that by asking these two questions quickly when a problem comes up it helps stop the overthinking. I learn that technically nothing can touch me that will overcome me. I have already won every battle in my life that will come because the Lord is on my side. He may not do things the way I expect but he has a plan for my life. I want to fulfill the purpose he has for me in my life. To do that I need to trust him and stop worrying.
   So, when problems come up do you trust in the Lord? How can you trust God more today?
   Proverbs 3:5-6

Shine Like Stars

    If you go outside at night and look in the sky, what will you see? You may see clouds or the moon. But if you live in the country, you could see the stars. Stars have amazed people for years. They are high in the sky, make patterns, are millions of miles away, and still shine bright enough that we can see them here on earth.
   This year, at Camp YoliJwa, the theme is shine like stars. The verse this is taken from is Philippians 2:15 which says: “so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
   In one of the classes, we talked about love languages. I have discussed love languages on my blog before, but I did not realize how much the camp verse connects with them. We are to show love to everyone. That is the second greatest commandment that Jesus talked about. Yet, that is not always easy to do.
   We all have different love languages, and some are more comfortable for us than others. Also, we will get along better with some people than others. But God calls us to love everyone. He calls us to shine like stars. How are we to do that when we live in a world filled with darkness and sin? How are we to do that when people are not kind to us?
   We need to bear fruit. We need to grow in God. We need to be more like Jesus in our actions. In the world there is darkness. We can choose to let the darkness overcome us. We can choose to join in the darkness by sinning. Or we can choose to shine with God’s love and reflect his glory.
   What does that look like? It may mean we have to start small. We begin by loving our immediate family. We start by learning about Jesus, so we grow. That helps us know how to love others in certain situations. It may be hard to do, but we need to remember in the world filled with darkness. That means that even if we only give off a little light it will be seen. People will notice and begin to wonder what is different about us. That will lead them to learn more about Jesus and how much he loves them. And isn’t that the whole reason we are here? We are here to shine like stars and reflect the glory of God.
   So, are you shining for God’s glory? If not, what can you do to reflect His glory? How can you show love to someone today? 

Broken

   Have you ever gone through a time where you just don't think things can get any worse? Maybe multiple things happened to you in the period of a few days that just weren't what you were expecting. Maybe you wondered how God could allow those things to happen to you. That's when you get the typical answer from a Christian friend, "everything happens for a reason." You may not like to hear that answer, I believe it is true and even I don't like hearing it sometimes.

   God does do everything for a reason. To illustrate this let me tell you a story I once heard. Once there was a pastor. The pastor was mentoring a young man who decided he wanted to be a pastor. By meeting together, the pastor had discovered some items that had to be dispelled from this young man if he was going to be a successful pastor. Apparently, the young man was very prideful. He thought he could do it all on his own and that he knew everything. One day the young man got some bad news. His father had just died suddenly of a heart attack. The young man was upset and began to call friends to let them know what happened. When he called his first friend, his friend was already crying. The young man asked if his friend had already heard about his father. His friend said "no." The friend then told him that apparently some of their friends had just gotten into an accident and died. The young man broke down. He wondered why God would let this happen. Then he turned his back on God. He began to drink and separate himself from friends and family. Eventually the young man saw the error of his ways and went back to church. The young man spoke with the pastor and said he realized that he had to be broken in order to grow closer to God. He saw that he was prideful and changed his ways (The Bait of Satan).

   This man could be likened to Peter. Peter was almost always one of the first disciples to speak, and sometimes he spoke without thinking. Peter was one of the disciples who argued about who would be greatest. He thought he could control things that just were not in his control. Peter too, was broken. He denied Jesus 3 times when Jesus needed him most. But, after Peter was broken, he turned to Jesus and was a very influential leader in the beginning of the church. Peter gave up his pride and shined brighter than ever. If Peter hadn't gone through that experience he never would have had that influence on others for Christ.

   As Christians I think we forget that sometimes God brings about bad things for our good, even if Satan caused it to happen. We may not like the things that happen to us but they can help us grow in God, if we let them. Being broken hurts but if we are never broken we cannot grow into something more beautiful. Just think about it, even a glow stick needs to be broken before it can shine (otherwise it is useless).

   So, when bad things happen how will you view them? Will you trust that God can use everything for good? Will you let your light shine no matter what happens?

   Psalm 51:8, Psalm 147:3, Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

   Image from here.