The world may define us by how many wins we have at the end of the season (or at the end of the day!), our bank account, social status or appearance. Listen to what St. Francis of Assisi said about this: “Blessed is the man who thinks no better or worse of himself when he …
We all have regrets. We all have weaknesses. Before meeting and following Christ, Paul was a persecutor of Christians. Later in his life, he developed a “thorn in his flesh” that nagged him constantly until he left this world. He never revealed the exact pain or illness he had. Evil past, physical weakness… God still …
Author C.S. Lewis once said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it can’t be is moderately important.” “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
I recently heard a story about a woman who was an alcoholic. She turned to God to give her strength and began to attend church faithfully. One morning while leaving church she heard one woman say to another, “how much longer will she be hanging around here?” The alcoholic later died having never attended church …
Even though it’s been years since I’ve coached, I often still have a few anxious thoughts when I hear coaches talk about starting a new season of competition. I was given a quote by a friend right before opening day many years ago: “When you have done all you can do to prepare, await the …
When we become self-centered and ungrateful, we are like “a turtle on a fence post.” We’re on top but we have no idea how we arrived. In 1 Corinthians 4:7, Paul had three important questions for people on top: 1. For who makes you different than anyone else? 2. What do you have that you …
Sometimes life comes at us like a stampede. Words and explanations fail us. During those times all we can do is hold on. Yes, hold on. Hebrews 10::23 says it best, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” Even during life’s most tumultuous challenges, we have a …
My friend Harold Morris used to say, “You are who you’re with.” That is true. Hang with negative people, you become negative. Spend time with positive, “sharp” people, you become more productive. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”(Proverbs 27:17)
In his coaching days at UCLA, John Wooden would instruct his players to “be quick, but don’t hurry.” When I think of this, I’m always reminded of what James said a couple of thousand years ago: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). Coach Wooden’s advice …
A wise and very honest man once said, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.” How convicting it is for me when I think about how Christ has forgiven ALL my sins, yet I delay or “forget” to forgive those who I think have wronged me. The I must …