The Clutch Player

One day someone asked me how is it that you are always so happy, have so much energy and you never seem to get down?

I didn't have to ponder this question very long. With a smile, I thought about my answer. My secret is this: I've learned that in life there is very little that we have control over. There are things in life that make me truly happy, but depending on God and His journey to provide for my needs is the greatest happiness of all.  When a need arises in my life, I always trust that God will supply what I need according to His riches. I have learned over the past few years that I don't need half as much as I think I do. And in every circumstance and mountain I've had to climb, He has never let me down. Sometimes the results don't happen as fast as we would like or in the order that we would like....but I truly believe if we put our faith in Him, in the end He always comes through. He is the "Clutch Player." When the game of life is on the line...I want Him taking the last shot.

When you think about the game of life, it can be quite complicating because we tend to make it that way. We all have dreams that we feel like we are never going to reach. We all lose our direction at some point and have to get refocused on our true purpose that we have been called to do here on Earth. There will be times when our faith is shaken, but we have to keep pressing on towards our goal. Mountains and obstacles will always be there to face us, but we must remember it's all about this journey that God has blessed us with here on Earth. We are all here for a specific reason and purpose. We all get bent, but with God being our "Clutch Player" we do not break.

So keep climbing those mountains and keep pressing on towards your goals. Focus on living your life for Him and it's amazing how much happier your life becomes. Let your faith continue to grow and develop through your journey. And remember when the clock starts to run out at the end of you life......There is no other person that I want taking my last shot than the best "Clutch Player" I know.....The Good Lord. When you don't want to handle life's problems or have the ball in your hands in a tough situtation, put the ball in His Court and He will always provide!  Who is your "Clutch Player?"

Make Time for the MVP's in your life....

 In sports, most of the time our ultimate goal is to train as hard as we can to earn an MVP award. The Most Valuable Player of a team, a league or in a tournament is what we pour our hearts into to obtain this ranking. Do we put that same effort towards our family and friends who care and support us? Most of the time, these are the people that we forget about while we are so busy making a living that we forget about life.  During our lifetime there will be many people in your life that come and go and leave  a mark in some way that touches your life. So many times we forget to thank our parents, our grandparents, our coaches, our friends, our teachers or just a person who believes in us. We tend to neglect those people that mold, love and support our dreams and goals that we wish to use to benefit this world. These are the people that we usually, without knowing, get put on the back burner.

As I get older, I have come to realize that we have what I call "Most Valuable People" in our lives. These are the true MVP's that will have the biggest impact in our lives. When we lose that big game, when we fail in our first job or when life actually happens to us, these people are the ones that we know we can call, trust and lean on in times of need. Are you spending time with your MVP's? Do you call just to say hello and see how they are doing? Do you take time to visit them and make memories that last a lifetime? There will be times when you don't see eye to eye with your MVP's, but they are the ones that tell you what you need to hear. They are your voice when you don't know what to say and they are always there to lend an ear to listen.

Our greatest MVP in this life is the good Lord. He is our #1 fan and is always there to listen. We all get consumed so much in our jobs that we work our whole life away. I've heard so many people as they get older ask themselves "Where did my life go?" God has called us as Christians to do something special and extraordinary in this world and He wants us to take Him with us wherever we go. So take some time out of your busy schedule to put down your cell phone, turn off your computer and turn off the tv to spend time with those MVP's in your life. Live each day as if it were last. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe. Live, laugh and love.

One of my favorite songs is Kenny Chesney's "Don't Blink." It says this:

"When your hourglass runs out of sand, you can't flip over and start again. Take every breathe God gives you for what it's worth." 

I encourage all of you to start putting the first things first.  Find out the secret to life is following God and listening to Him and the journey He has planned for you. He places those MVP's in your life for a reason. So cherish the friendships both new and old, appreciate those people who were in your life for a brief time that taught you important lessons and enjoy your family because they are the ones who love and adore you more than anything. "100 years goes faster than you think.....So Don't Blink."

Jump Ball

At the beginning of every basketball game there is a jump ball situation. This situation consists of 2 people striving to tip the ball to their team in order to gain momentum for the remainder of the game. It is a challenge to see who can jump the highest or tip the ball in just the right place to get it to a teammate to get the game started on a good note. Being a guard, I never had the privilege of being in that circle, but have often thought so much of how this relates to life.

Just as a jump ball begins a basketball game, each day is a new beginning of the rest of our lives. When we wake up, we are faced with being in that similar circle that contains challenges and obstacles that we will encounter every day. We want to knock the ball to our team which can consist of co-workers, friends and God. He wants to be part of our team throughout the day to help us "Win" the day. He is our best player and the most ultimate team player.

Every morning when we wake up, picture yourself in that circle. Think about tipping the ball to your team to get the day started off right. "Get Up" for God. In high school, one of my favorite cheers was at the beginning of the game...."Jump Ball- Get It Get It." So get that jump ball and go start your day out right each day with a positive attitude, a contagious smile and a mindset to make a difference.


"Be strong. therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7

Recruitment...

Well, it's that time of year again.....July recruiting. Everyone hits the road for the next month trying to recruit the best possible players to enhance their programs. We all are trying to find those players that best fit "the system" in which we teach and the that share those qualities that are expected to be had in order to be part of the team. Each staff has a checklist of the qualifications that are required to join their team. Commitment, attitude and integrity and 3 important ingredients that add to the recipe of success in any program. Sometimes it's not always about the "best" players, but it's finding the "right" players that fit your needs. It's important not only to recruit talented players, but also to recruit good people that are unselfish and care about the team more than they do themselves. If you think about this idea of recruiting, it relates to almost all of us at some point in our lives. Recruiting is and will always be an important part of our journey in life....

We are all recruiters in some way. We recruit our friends, we are recruited to where we work, we recruit a significant other. Life is difficult enough as it is, but it is so crucial to recruit positive people in your life that are true, real and supportive. Being around positive people enhances your attitude and your daily outlook on life. It's hard to be around negativity and arrogance. It spreads and can be detrimental to your human psyche and your team. Are you recruiting good people in your life? Do you have people you can trust that will be there to support you no matter the circumstances. Do you have people that not only care about your status, but care about you as a person?

God is the "Chief Recruiter." He is constantly recruiting us daily to be part of His team and follow Him. He is always the same, and fortunately, for us we are all on his list. We don't have to worry about not making his top list. He offers all of us a scholarship to an eternal life in heaven with Him when we leave this world. To me that is an awesome Letter of Intent. All we have to do is sign up with Him and he keeps his commitment to us.

So this month, I encourage you to examine your life and the people that are in it.
Are you recruiting positive, beneficial people in your life that bring out the best in you? Don't ignore God's recruiting call to you. He is constantly calling us to join His team or wanting us to help mentor someone to join his team. So be a "Team Player" and help God recruit his players. He wants all of us to be successful on His playing floor.  Let's come together and form an awesome team on fire for God.

Happy Recruiting to everyone!!

Get stung by the "Humble Bee"

At some point in our lives, we have all been humbled by some situation that has happened to us. We all think that noting bad will ever to happen to us, yet when it does we tend to be angry with God and ask "why me."

Philippians 2:3-11 says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

I believe that humility is one of the most important commandments that we learn in this life. How can we be submissive, gentle and patient without humility? How can we do the Lord's will if we are full of pride? We are all human and made in God's eyes. We all have different talents and abilities that make us unique. We are all hardworking people trying to make ends meet and give ourselves and our families the best life possible. So the next time you get quick to judge someone....remember we all fall short and we are really not all that different. We all laugh, love, hope, try, hurt, need, fear and cry. In a society that encourages competition and individuality it can be hard to learn to be humble. Below are a few ideas to help you get stung by the "humble bee":

1. Evaluate Yourself - With a bad choice yesterday, your whole life could be different today and in the future. But today could be the day your good choice changes you life. But know that God can take our bad choices and work them for the greater good for us if we have faith and believe in Him.

2. Appreciate the talents of other people - Challenge yourself to appreciate people for who they are. In the workplace, sports fields or out in the community everyone is different. Relish your chance to experience different people. Learn to separate your opinions from your fears.

3. Acknowledge your limitations -  Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Part of being humble is knowing that you will make mistakes.

4. Don't ever stop learning - Too often we think that we know everything and have life figured out. We are never too old to contemplate and get lost in humility. The more we learn, the more we remain coachable and teachable. Find humble people that you aspire to be like.

5. Help others - The most important part of being humble is respecting others and helping those in need that are less fortunate. Treat people as equals and always acknowledge the "Golden Rule." I always have believed that when you help someone that can never repay you, you have learned humility.

So I encourage all of you to look at yourself....Are you practicing humility? Are too prideful that you forget to treat others the way you would want to be treated? Be approachable and look for ways to pay it forward with a kind and gentle spirit. May you get " Stung" by the "Humble Bee" this week.

Happy 4th of July!! Remember to pray for those who fight for the freedoms that we get to appreciate daily. If that doesn't humble you I don't know what will.....