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