You Are Here > Popular content
Isn’t it funny how we always pray when we want something? Think about it. Almost every time people want to win a game or match, they pray before it’s time to play. Then, after that prayer is done, the “God part” is done, and it’s time to put their game faces back on. If they win, they’ll probably even go party after.
BUSTED! You know what I mean. You're 3 years old, not quite tall enough to reach the cookie jar yet; but you want one! So, being the sneaky and bright little kid that you are, you push a chair up to the counter, climb up and reach as far as you can to pull the cookie jar closer. When you get it, you smile that accomplished little smirk just before removing the lid, happily glancing down into the jar and putting your little fingers down inside. Just as you find the PERFECT cookie, Mom walks in. Yep, you've just been caught!
When I was in high school, I was recruited to play for a prominent summer baseball team. It was a boost to my ego. However, early into the season it was obvious that my coach cared more about the reputation of the team than he did for the players. He’d say things that sounded helpful, but were in truth criticisms, such as “I am only trying to make you a better player,” or “This will give you better exposure for the future.” He wasn’t fooling anyone. Athletes have x-ray vision into a coach’s heart. We knew that all he cared about was winning, and it affected our performance. I noticed later that this team fielded a different roster from year to year. Nobody wants to play for a coach like that.
Hockey Chat: When a coach sends his players out there, he is sending them to do the best for him. If the player was to go out there and played just with consideration for the other team, he’d be letting down his coach. But good players go out there and play for the guy standing behind there bench, and that will always clash with the opposition.
Death is always a difficult topic to grasp. Whenever someone dies we always wonder, where was God when they died, and why did He let it happen to them? From movie stars, professional athletes, and other celebrities to firefighters, police officers, and loved ones; our hearts are filled with grief and for a while everything pales in comparison to our loss.
Any athlete engaged in athletic competition—whether individual or team competition—is aware that his or her well-conditioned and dedicated athleticism is the most important weapon of defense. Regardless of his or her size or the opposition, an athlete without properly conditioned athleticism is the prime target for an adversary.
Is Fat really all you have to worry about? Or are other ingredients just as important?
Hockey Chat: Martin Brodeur was a one great forward of his young age, skating hard and scoring goals. Those of you that know Marty as the goaltender from the New Jersey Devils think I’ve got the wrong guy, but not at all. He started skating when he was 3 years old and played to put pucks in the net. He was a forward for the early years of his hockey days. That all changed one day when he was 6 and the goal tender for his team didn’t show up for a game. Coach asked told him to get in net and he’s been stopping goals ever since.
With the 2010 World Cup underway, many fans have noticed that some of the world’s greatest stars have been left off of their respective countries’ rosters. Many factors went into the decisions to leave these incredible players off their teams, but the underlying concept behind their omissions is the same: their presence on the team simply would not have increased their country’s chances of winning the World Cup. While each player is likely talented enough, those making the roster decisions understand that talent doesn’t always translate into success. Each position has a role to play, and, if the men in those positions don’t play it correctly, not only would their teams be unsuccessful, but there would be a certain level of chaos on the field.
How do you go on after experiencing the unexpected death of a friend and loved one? The Illinois Wesleyan University football team was faced with this difficult task after the death of 21-year-old offensive lineman and co-captain, Doug Schmied. Schmied passed away on August 24, 2005, after suffering complications from heatstroke.
This morning when I stepped outside my door for my daily run, I was greeted by the crazy heat and humidity of a Midwest July morning. Usually the heat doesn’t affect my running as much because I run during the coolest part of the day right before sunrise. But today, it was like someone forgot to turn on the air conditioner. It was over 80 degrees and, boy, was it humid.
At the end of the game, the win or the loss falls on the coach. The coach receives the glory or the blame associated with the game. In the game of life, Jesus is our Coach. But, unlike in sports, Jesus can only receive glory. No blame is associated with Him because He is perfect. He is holy. He is everything that we are not.
I was listening to a song the other day. It's called "Give It All" by the band Rise Against. I usually listen to it for my warm-ups in sports. Everytime I listen to it, I get in my head, I'm going to give my all on this match, game, run, or whatever. But I got to thinking the other day, do we really give it OUR all?
I was twenty-one years old, and I had just graduated from The Ohio State University, having majored in education. I arrived as a new teacher and coach at River View high school near Warsaw, Ohio, in 1974. There I met Andy Duda, the varsity football coach. I noticed initially that he was a physically strong man, and I learned very soon that he was also spiritually strong. Any player on Andy’s team knew that we acted like men, we worked hard, and we never used profanity. Andy taught those values to his players and modeled them to everyone.
Most historians believe that modern tennis emerged sometime around the mid-1850s and was based on a similar French game that was invented as far back as the twelfth century. Since that time, the sport has evolved at a rapid pace. From a greater emphasis on power to the size and consistency of the racquets—outside of the rules and prevailing etiquette—there isn’t much left today that resembles the original discipline. Maybe that’s why doubles tennis is so intriguing. There’s something about it that makes you wonder if that’s how the game used to look and feel—with a high value placed on serving and volleying, finesse and creativity.
No featured resources found
Ministry
Sport
Book of the Bible
FCA Bible Topic
