For I know the plans I have for you—this is the
Lord’s declaration—plans for your welfare, not
for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
– Jeremiah 29:11 (Holman Christian Standard)

Nick Saban has been called “The Most Underpaid, Highest-Paid Coach in the Country”. Over an 18-year career at Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama, Saban has compiled a record of 169-55-1. His Alabama Crimson Tide has won the BCS Championship three of the past four years and currently sits atop this year’s BCS rankings. When questioned about his success, Saban often refers to what he calls “The Process”. While most college football coaches are chasing Nick Saban, Nick Saban is chasing perfection. Saban says, “we decided to use the approach that we’re not going to focus on the outcome, we’re going to focus on the process. We’re going to play the best football we can play, we’re going to focus on each play like it has a history and life of its own. We don’t look at the scoreboard, we don’t look at any other external factor. Regardless of what happens on a play, we move on to the next play and have the same focus. When you do that, you can live with the results regardless of what the results are.” Nick Saban has a plan for his team, a plan that if followed, can bring great reward.

God wants the best for His children. He too has a plan, that if followed, can bring great reward for each of us. Jesus modeled God’s plan to perfection. Jesus demonstrated “The Process” every day of His life. While we can never be perfect, we should strive for that goal each and every day. We should focus on each day like it has a history and life of its own. We must do our best not to get caught up in the outside world. We must keep our eyes on the Master Coach and the plans He has for us. Our goal should be to look a little more like Jesus at the end of the day than we did at the beginning. It takes discipline, it takes courage and it often takes us in the opposite direction the world wants us to go. The rewards however, are above and beyond anything we could ever think or imagine.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me a plan for this life. Teach me not to settle for what the world has to offer. Give me Your strength as I strive to follow the model that Your Son Jesus lived out each day. Amen.