Three weeks ago, the name Shaka Smart was not one most people would have recognized (outside of VCU nation, of course). However, Coach Smart—the head coach of NCAA men’s Final Four team Virginia Commonwealth University—is now a household name after their great run through the tournament. After the season, it’s a safe bet that Coach Smart will even be offered a number of coaching positions at larger schools. It’s just part of the situation for a once little-known coach who is now one of the hottest names in the sport today.

I don’t usually watch the show “The Biggest Loser,” but when I get a chance to see it, I always love it. There’s always something to learn about our human nature through that show, and I usually come away from it inspired in some way.

Last night, I caught part of the show and was struck by a particular comment from trainer Jillian Michaels. One of the participants had been giving her particular trouble through his poor attitude, and she commented on how it was affecting not only him, but also his entire team. I might botch the quote, but Michaels said something like, “The problem with teams is that the actions of individuals don’t just affect individuals, they affect the other people on their teams.”

I will go on record and say I am not a big Terrell Owens fan. However, what he did in the Super Bowl was quite impressive and worthy of acknowledgement. Though he was hurt and his doctors discouraged him from playing, he knew he had to step up and play to help his team. He did a great job, and I am sure he played through a lot of pain. But he knew he was needed and did what he knew was the right thing for his team.

Words, like toothpaste, come out easily but can’t be put back in once they’ve come out. University of Oklahoma baseball coach Larry Cochell learned this firsthand. He was forced to resign from his coaching position for making insensitive remarks. “I am deeply sorry for any pain or embarrassment I have caused any individual or the university,” Cochell said. The individual on the receiving end of Coach Cochell’s words forgave him for the incident and did not want him to resign. “We all say things that we don’t mean,” this person said. “He made a mistake.”

I love to visit and speak at our area Huddles. Recently, after speaking at a school in Geneva, Ill., I lingered to visit with the Huddle Coaches before I left. That day, I’d spoken about making a difference by doing a radical act of kindness for a person in their building. As with all of us who share messages in front of crowds, I never know what impact my words will have on the lives of those who are listening, but being faithful to deliver the truth of God’s promises is what matters most.

Have you ever found yourself “between a rock and a hard place,” “at the end of your rope,” “out on a limb,” with “your back against the wall,” or in “hot water?” These are just a few ways people describe life’s challenges. In football terminology, life can cause a “sudden change.” Changing our circumstances cannot always be avoided.Still, we can control how we respond to them. Life is 5 percent what happens to us and 95 percent how we respond.

All teams have one thing in common: They pursue goals. Some might pursue a state or national championship; others strive to win a single game. Athletes compete and complete their set goals through hard work and relentless pursuit.

The Apostle Paul understood this concept. He wrote the Letter to the Philippians while stuck in a dark, smelly, dingy prison handcuffed to a guard. Many in his situation would have given up. While under arrest, Paul kept thenfaith and pursued his heavenly goals. The longing for Christ and the desire to spend eternity with Him gave Paul hope each day to strive ahead. Paul’s pursuit was not an easy task. He suffered many setbacks, but it never stopped him from pressing on toward the prize awaiting him.