Think like a rookie, play like a pro

Philippians 3:13-14 says, "I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  

The following devotional describes the passion, belief, humility, gratitude, and intensity that we must possess as we "reach forward" and "press toward the goal".  I asked my coaches if their players have the passion, belief, humility, gratitude, and intensity of a rookie?

What about you as it relates to your occupation, marriage, and walk with the Lord?

Rookie Rush

WisdomWalks Principle
Think like a rookie, play like a pro.

One of my favorite sports movies is The Rookie. It’s the story of Jimmy Morris, a pitcher who had his single-A minor league baseball career cut short by injuries and saw his dream of playing in the big leagues disappear. Years later as a high school baseball coach, his players challenged him to give the big leagues one more shot after they saw him throw with unhittable velocity. After they won their first District Championship, Jimmy gave it one last shot and became, at the age of 35, the “Oldest Rookie” to pitch in the majors.

His trip to the big leagues was marked by the Rookie Rush – the five things that all rookies feel and experience when they get their shot: Passion, Belief, Humility, Gratitude, and Intensity.

Rookies have Passion – they are fueled by their love of the game. I can still remember the excitement of putting on the uniform and hitting the field. Rookies live, eat, and breathe their sport. Their passion and purpose get them out of bed in the morning. That passion for your sport is meant to take a back seat to your love and passion for Christ (Mark 12:30).

Rookies have Belief – they believe in the impossible. They have an unquenchable optimism and expect great things to happen. They don’t have limits. “Jesus said, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’” (Luke 18:27) This optimistic, will-not-be-denied belief is what champions are made of. It’s a belief in God’s capability to overcome our challenges. Every single victory in scripture and in life is preceded by belief.

Rookies have Humility – they know they have a lot to learn from the veterans and they have to earn the respect of their teammates. They are willing to serve, pick up after practice, and go the extra mile to serve their coaches and teammates. Humility must be a verb; we show humility by how we act. (Philippians 2:3-4) Serving others is the best way to show it. When we model humility, God sees it. He loves it. And He rewards it.

Rookies have Gratitude – they recognize the opportunity they’ve been given and give thanks; they take nothing for granted. They have an “attitude of gratitude.” (Colossians 2:7) They give thanks for everything, even the little things. And yes, even for the challenges. Our attitude of gratitude must overflow. Thank the trainers, thank the referees and the coaches, and thank your teammates. Gratitude is contagious.

Rookies have Intensity – they are willing to do whatever-it-takes to make it. They go above-and-beyond. They work. They get to practice early. They stay late for additional work. All of the disciples knew intensity; they knew how to pursue the prize and how to combat the enemy – with diligence. They are hungry. (Philippians 3:13-14)

If we are continuously fueled by the “Rookie Rush” – the passion, belief, humility, gratitude, and intensity – we will become the best we can be. And we’ll make every body better along the way.

WisdomWalks SPORTS, Ellie Claire (Nashville, TN), pages 35-38.

tell, show, do, review

The basic training formula in the restaurant business is tell, show, do, review.  First you tell them how, then you show them, then you have them do it, and then you review it with them.This last review is usually having them train you as if you were the new employee.  If someone masters the concept enough to teach or train others, then you are confident they understand.
Trails are tough lessons to learn.  James 2:2-4 tells us to "Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
God tells us what to do when we face trials and lack peace (Be still and KNOW that I am God).  Jesus shows us how to respond (Love, trust, remain obedient).  And now He asks us to do it.  Do what you ask?  LET endurance have its perfect work.  That's right, stay right there in the trial and dwell in the presence of our Lord.  He won't let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, so don't try to escape every trial.
God wants to perfect and complete you, so you are able to train and teach others who may be going through the same thing.
Thank God for trials and set your eyes on the harvest of righteousness and peace to come.

Doers of the word...even when you don't feel like it.

James 1:22 says, "But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."  What does the word say?

• Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse - Romans 12:14
• Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you - Matthew 5:44
• Honor your father and mother - Matthew 19:19
• Love your Neighbor as yourself - Matthew 22:39
• Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others - Philippians 2:4
• Visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world - James 1:27
• And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men - Colossians 3:23
• Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God - 1 Peter 5:6
• Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind - Romans 12:2
• If MY people who are called by MY name will humble themselves, and pray and seek MY face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land - II Chronicles 7:14

I love the sub-heading in Romans that says behave like a Christian.  The Bible is full of loving commands that will help us grow in our relationship with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.  But don't misunderstand, God shares His heart with us so we will DO His will.

So, this football season be a doer of the word... bless, love, honor.  And, for all those Monday morning quarterbacks out there (including myself)... behave like a Christian, an R12 (read Romans 12), a Calvary man!

reflecting Christ's grace

It's great to get encouraging letters and emails from coaches who had recently played our teams and noticed a difference.  Keep praying for the ministry of athletics at CCA as we shed the light of Christ in a dark world of sports.

Here's an email that compliments the CCA varsity boys soccer team and staff...

Hi Brother,
I just wrote to Coach Barnett and want to thank you for allowing our team to play at your fine facility and for being gracious hosts.
I thought the match was very competitive, with CCA doing more than just hanging in against a 4A school. Yesterday's match definitely could have gone either way.
I thought your kids handled themselves extremely well, especially in some sequence of the game where the aggression was intense (but clean). We've played another "Christian" school  in a tournament a few years ago, and as a Christian I was disappointed to hear the F-word coming from the kids' mouth -- and I don't blame the coach because he really can't control EVERYTHING.
As a reporter (with the Herald), I've had mixed experiences with Christian schools as well, but CCA has consistently done a great job of reflecting Christ's grace. And the experience yesterday was satisfying; I hope my boys represented themselves as, well, a team coached by a believer.
God bless you and hope we can do this an annual event!

Team Jesus!

At last week's New York Jets v. Miami Dolphins football game, I witnessed two very passionate groups who were both incredibly loyal to their team and both diametrically opposed to those with differing views, or as one Dolfan put it, "beware of those rude ones in the ugly green shirts from the dark side."  It didn't matter if they were your friends or not, if a group had a different color jersey you didn't like them, you treated them poorly, and felt an overall disdain for them.

While this seems fun at sporting events, it is unfortunately a poor practice of how Christians are supposed to treat their neighbors. We want our team to win yes, and it's alright to cheer for your team, but to taunt and belittle the opposing fans lacks spiritual maturity.  Be passionate, but remember those Jets fans or Patriot fans or Seminole fans may be on the same team as you... Team Jesus.

Jesus prayed for the believers to behave as one in John 17:22-23.  Jesus prays to God, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

The message Bible says "The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind - Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us.  Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.

What's that?  Jesus is praying to the Father that we need to show the world we're on the same team.  Regardless of our team, our school, or the church we go to, Christians are all on Team Jesus.  Again, this doesn't mean we can't cheer for our country or hometown team or favorite university, but it does there is a bigger team we belong to and we are to behave like it.

Childish ways vs. The Way of Love

I'm sorry, please forgive me... five words that can restore a friendship, save a relationship, and promote discipleship.  Jesus did not have to utter these words, but His Spirit within us cries out when we've acted in a childish way and leads us to repent, to say, "I'm sorry", and to work to reconcile the situation.  The question is, "do we respond when the Holy Spirit prompts us to apologize or do we continue to harbor that resentment?"

Let me confess to you today that I have been slow to respond and allowed myself to harbor some bitterness towards another school that has caused tension and created division.  The Bible says, "we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body" - 1 Cor. 12:13.  As Christians, we are all on the same team.  Sure we can compete against other schools in sports and maintain a friendly rivalry, but our hearts and minds and faith should be, "As One!"

The apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:5, "Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near."  No matter what school we represent, regardless of the color jersey we wear, those who are watching should   have trouble telling Christians apart because how we act towards one another.  Remember the song, "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they'll know we are Christians by our love."  Easy to sing, yet hard to live out.  But, that's why Christ died, so we could, through the power of His resurrection, live a life of love.

And, love doesn't mean we always act like perfect angels, but it does mean we put God first, we serve others before ourselves, we are patient and kind and forgiving, and we apologize when we act childish...why, because we are one in Him and that's what our heavenly Father wants us to do.

Dominick Pierre...committed to God's call

This week's blog was written by Anitra Parmele, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale Communications Team

As a fifth grader at Calvary Christian Academy (CCA), Dominick demonstrated his incredible athletic abilities on the football field, basketball court and the track. Anxious to do it all, Dominick was intrigued when JV Basketball Coach Tom Crenshaw suggested he try out for wrestling, although it meant his talents would be lost to the team halfway through the season. Dominick remembers, “Coach Tom thought I could excel as a wrestler so he encouraged me to attend one of the practices. I had fun and wrestling is a sport that helps you with football, so I stuck with it.”

By Dominick’s 8th grade year, Coach Tom’s insight was confirmed as Dominick barely missed out on districts because of an injury. Freshman year Dominick was one match away from going to states. By his sophomore year, Dominick was ready. “I was wrestling at 171 (pounds) and won the district tournament. A couple days before the regionals, I went to the ER with a strained chest muscle. I wasn’t sure what was going on. I really started digging into the Bible and praying. A group of pastors from Calvary laid hands on me and prayed for my healing. When I weighed in at regionals, I was still stiff- I tried to play it off but I didn’t know if I could wrestle. As soon as I shook my opponent’s hand for my first match, I stopped feeling any pain and I ended up making it to states. The guy who made it to the state finals had a similar problem with his knee. I was able to talk to him about God and to pray with him.”

Dominick has gone on to achieve success on and off the football field at Dartmouth, where he starts for the Big Green as a junior. “I’m not the most vocal person but athletics have forced me into a leadership role. I wouldn’t be where I am without the faculty and coaches at CCA shaping, molding and guiding me as an athlete, a Christian and a man. Having an impact at a secular school like Dartmouth is difficult but my athletic success gives me the opportunity to lead people to God. I am committed to pursuing what God wants me to do.”