(Dedicated to my sister Elizabeth and the legacy she leaves behind. Her love of Jesus Christ impacted everyone she met.) “I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13 Kay Yow, legendary women’s basketball coach at North Carolina State, left a legacy! When we add up the victories and accomplishments of her coaching career, it is indeed impressive.
David had just said, “I guarded everything that belonged to this man (Nabal) in the wilderness for nothing. He was not missing anything, yet he paid me back evil for good. May God punish me, and even more if I let any of his men survive until morning.” – 1 Samuel 25:21-22 What causes you to be angry?
As coaches, we know that physical growth demands physical exercise. We must also understand that spiritual growth as a follower of Christ requires spiritual exercise. Here are four daily exercises to help us build spiritual muscle.
“When Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward Him, He asked Philip, ‘Where will we buy bread so these people can eat?’ He asked this to test him, for He Himself knew what He was going to do.” – John 6:5-6 Being tested is a by-product of participating in sports. If we coach, we will be tested. Our opponent may look unbeatable on tape, a rash of injuries may not allow us to field our best team, or we could be questioning our own ability to lead.
“When a king’s face lights up, there is life; his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.” – Proverbs 16:15 Legendary coach Vince Lombardi once said, “the strength of the group is the strength of the leader.” By the very nature of being called “Coach”, we find ourselves in a position of leadership. Leaders must be able to make tough decisions and be prepared to sacrifice popularity for results. Doing the right thing is not always the easy thing.