Darkness Was Upon Us

Ok, so I think I have about exhausted the weather sayings and this one will conclude them. But I needed to mention something about the darkness that we have experienced.

Many of us, and still others, are experiencing darkness without power due to Hurricane Irene. The kind of darkness that you cannot see your hand in front of your face. Without the local neighborhood lights, the sky glitters with all the stars and it's just dark in some places of Hanover county. Same is true for darkness that occurs in the South Pole for several months of the year. While it's ok early on, it then gets discouraging and depressing for those living in it daily. Darkness can bring about disorientation and isolation.

Recently I have been going through the book of Mark with the assistance of Timothy Keller's book King's Cross. Mark gives us a picture of darkness that occurs at the point of Christ's death (Mark 15:33-34). The Bible speaks volumes about light and darkness (Isaiah 13, Amos 8). Often darkness will occur in our lives when we place our trust and dependency on ourselves and the world around us. When we begin to orbit around everything else - career, relationships, family, money - as the source of our hope, the result will be spiritual darkness. In the Bible we see the picture of the sun as compared to God. The sun is the source of visual truth because we see by it and it is also our source of biological life because without it nothing could live. God is the source of all truth and life.

As you seek direction and guidance in this world, orbit your life around the love that Christ has for you. Avoid the traps of disorientation and isolationism. The darkness of our lives was dealt with on the cross and the curtain was torn. It was a profound event in the history of our world. So profound that the Roman Centurion was the first to recognize and publicly proclaim that this "man" was the Messiah and the divine one. May we come to trust and proclaim the same.

And the Wind Blew....

This has been an interesting week for those of us on the east coast and particularly in the Richmond, VA area. We have had an earthquake and now Irene, the hurricane that knocked out power for 2 million people in Va.

Having grown up near the beach, I can remember several hurricanes that rolled into the coast and we would ride them out proudly. No way was my father leaving his domain and therefore the rest of us were staying put also. And that mentality has been instilled in me. But this week I learned something: either I am getting older and realizing the potential disaster I never saw my dad worry about or Irene was more than we could handle. I think it's a combination of both.

Through it all this week, I am thankful for:

• safety and protection
• power being back on, but also thankful for power being off and putting away the "electronic-al" burdens of our culture.
• the beautiful weather that follows the storm (same for us in our spiritual lives)

This week was a reminder of God's mighty power and creation that no man can control. And even in the midst of the storms and quakes, He loves us deeply and has a plan for each of us. Check out Romans 8:35-39 and reflect on that truth. Brad Hoffmann, our new Pastor at Cool Spring did a great job expounding on this Sunday as we gathered with no electricity.

The Ground Shook

Just experienced my first earthquake - 5.8 on the scale right here in central Virginia. It was an awkward forty seconds of concern. Growing up on the coast I was used to hurricanes and decisions that come with them. Being trained in emergency preparedness, I think I am ready for a tornado. But an earthquake...really?

The Rec Center held its ground and all using the facility remained safe!

The only thing that I didn't hear during this event were the trumpets blowing..............

Excited

Back from a week that was half "stay-cation" and half "va-cation." But none the less, it was time where I didn't have to make daily decisions, process leagues, and oversee facility issues. There were times within the week that I did day-dream about what potential opportunities are ahead for us at Cool Spring, particularly through recreation, and the arrival of Brad Hoffman as my new partner in ministry and Pastor of Cool Spring Church.

I am excited to be part of a team. The great thing about sports is there is always a new beginning for each season. And I am excited about the new season of Cool Spring. I am excited about the passions that my colleagues have for learning and moving forward with ministry dreams. I am excited about the families who are attending and becoming part of our Cool Spring family. I am excited about the leadership skills and passion for people that Brad Hoffman brings to Cool Spring. I am excited about developing a new missions partner for recreation and expanding our sports leagues to other areas. I am excited about the recreation team meeting to seek God's vision and working that out together over the next six to eight months. I am excited about the new classes through Jazzercise for senior adults. I am excited about the new fall Upward Soccer league with the purpose of targeting a new community with another church. I am excited.

Like any start of the season; players, coaches, and fans typically are excited about the potential. And while I have named just a few things I am excited about in recreation and Cool Spring, I have no idea how all will turn out. But I do know this, God has a direction and heart for his people. He often brings about possibilities for us that we can either sit on or give it a go. As a follower of Christ, I have decided to give it a go. Go out there and test the waters of the new exciting possibilities. Asking God to show me where and how He is working so that we can continue to be a part of something exciting - following Him and being a part of His working in our community and world.

The unknown can be exciting from God's perspective. What are you excited about?

4 Pillars of Accomplishment

Both Spiritual Fitness and Lifestyle Fitness take discipline. Getting off the couch, taking walks, lifting weights, spending time in prayer, and exercising our spiritual minds by reading the scriptures just doesn't happen. We have to put theme into practice in order to see growth.

Don Nova, Spiritual Fitness Coach and Instructor, has trained many athletes and high level fitness guru's. Not only does he spend time with them to develop their bodies for competition, but he also spends time with them to develop their minds for spiritual battles. He list these four pillars to accomplishments:

• Desire - there's a burning passion
  
• Information - understanding proper instruction and teaching
  
• Repetition - consistency creates habit and produces results
  
• Accountability - support

Jesus knew the importance of each of these pillars. Prior to any ministry to others, he cared for himself in all areas. He had a desire to please the Father, he understood his purpose and communicated his message, he got up early daily, and followed the will of the Father.

Mark 1:35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, Jesus went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Typically the way in which we start our day, is the way in which we end it. Adjusting our priorities and charting the course for the day early will determine some of the decisions we make throughout the day. For example; when I make a good decision for a healthy breakfast, I am more likely to make a good decision for the next meal. When I spend time praying or reading, I am more likely to be reminded of the passages throughout the day and be more sensitive to God's leading in my life.

As you reflect on your spiritual fitness and your lifestyle fitness, start with God's desire and ask Him to create in your life desire, information, repetition, and accountability.

Essence of Coaching

Recently I spoke with our Flag Football and Cheer coaches about this year's theme of valuing relationships. Below is an outline of our conversations and points I shared and reviewed using the tool Think Orange (whatis orange.org)

This season we want to challenge you and encourage you to Value Relationships:

• League Directors
• Other Coaches / Ref’s
• Assistant Coaches
• Players
• Players Family

Valuing Relationships in a biblical model we find in the life of Christ.

Scripture says, “Love the Lord your God………,”

Love your neighbor as yourself

“Loving People Trumps Everything” - Caz McCaslin, 2011, founder of Upward Sports

As you Value these relationships, and particularly your players, I want to put out some keys:

1. Imagine the End

Love the Lord our God, the Lord is One.

Moses establishes a framework for everything in this statement - GOD

It is it the centrality of Israel’s faith as a nation

As you coach, do it from the perspective that everything is connected to God.

• it’s a core piece of Upward Sports
• from the way you speak to the kids, greet the families, interact with others on the field, teach life virtues, teach football skills and football disciplines…It’s All About God -
• Moses draws this point out to us after using this passage over and over….Moses is saying, “it really doesn’t matter what our kids know if they really don’t know what really matters.” You can make them the best athlete or team on the field this season, but if we fail short to teach them the “connectivity of God” and how He has created them, then we have failed to teach them what really matters.
• As a coach, remind yourself frequently that God is God, it doesn’t cause you stress more (over kids tempers, playing abilities, etc) ; it cause you to trust more (trust that God has given you the opportunity to invest and value relationships)
• Ask yourself this question - if you can imagine the end, then “Who do I really Want them to Become.”

2. Fight for the Heart

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength

Moses is fighting for something that is more important than lifestyle, life practices, (athletic gains). He is fighting for the heart.

• Caz MaCaslin, founder of Upward Sports, has said it this way, “we are competing for souls of every child.” There are l lot of other leagues in our community, but one of the ways we are unique is a desire to see changed lives through recreation.

As a coach, and as a parent, one of the most powerful things you can do is to learn to communicate in a style that values relationships!

It’s not about a set of rules for your team. It’s about knowing each team member and understanding the best way to communicate your reasons for why it is you’re asking them to grow in his or her faith and his or her skill that you have demonstrated.

Coaching is not creating robots for response. Yes, I wish all my players just did as I told. But, it doesn’t work that way. Coaching is about you learning how to communicate effectively to get the best response out of each player.

You fight for the heart of your player best when you are building a relationship that is trustworthy!

God will always fight for the hearts of people He loves. That’s why Moses says give him your heart and soul, because you can trust Him forever.

3. Make it Personal

These commandments that I give to you today are to be upon your hearts

Love is connected to the principle of legacy.

Think back to the coach you most remember….Why? (did he/she express love, care, etc) That coach has a legacy.

As a coach - Moses is saying to the Israelites, before you can ask “who my children are becoming, I have to examine who am I becoming?”

Problem we face sometimes as coaches and parents is that we don’t know exactly what it is we want our kids to “catch.”

Think to yourself now, what is it that you want to transfer to your team from a spiritual perspective?

• Often it’s vague - we know it has to do with the Bible and God, but beyond that it gets fuzzy

Coaches have influence on the players and the families they are working with. You will either have negative or positive influence.

What you do will impact the people you are investing in:

• How you pursue God in your own life
• How you love
• How you treat players, other coaches, ref’s, parents
• How you respond to authority and guidelines
• How you communicate values and perspectives of life

4. Create a Rhythm

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates

You may be thinking that Moses was a great coach - because this is what you want your kids to do with your big fat playbooks I’m sure…..

You hear it all the time, particularly in basketball or pitching in baseball, “we got to get in the rhythm.”

We can be distracted from a lot of things in our lives - (Parable of the Sower talks about the thorns and rough grounds)

Media, materials, hyper kids, nagging parents, etc

Rhythm requires 2 components - intentionality and constancy

The time you will be spending with your team and families needs to be intentional and constant.

Make an effort to make an impression or communicate what is core and important. Second, this effort needs to happen repeatedly and establish a pattern of communication with them. (greet them, ask questions of interest, emails each week, etc.

5. Widen the Circle

Hear O Israel…..

Moses is going back to remind us that he was speaking to all of Israel.

Yes, it’s written for guidelines to parents, but it for all the family.

Think this way when you arrive each night for practice and game-day -

Some form of a family unit is present

80% of families in the US are struggling with being single parents, not interested in God, and need an influential man or women in the life of their child. The family unit is not as neatly defined as we sometimes think.

The culture that you will encounter this season will not only be parents listening, but it will be “crowds of relatives” - siblings, cousins, grandparents, etc.

You, the coach, are a LEADER - recognize the importance of supporting the family.

Coaches need to be intentional about being spiritual leaders and mentors of those playing on their teams.

Country Style Donuts

Today Kelly and I found one of Richmond's establishments near the airport. After being here for three years, we traveled over to Williamsburg Road to check out Country Style Donuts. It was a blast from our childhood with the old baby blue swivel counter chairs and the fragrance of warm fresh donuts (38 varieties). Simple descriptions labeled each donut shelf and thick porcelain coffee mugs laid across the counter. As if the morning donut is not good enough, they are open twenty- four hours. Finally, after all the local stories, I too have a story to share about Country Style Donuts. Check them out for yourself.