I remember as a child, my school bus would arrive at an early time. Once I saw the bus coming, I would walk to the end of our lane and get on it. I didn’t have to wave my arms or plead for the driver to stop. I didn’t have to beg the driver, make payment, or qualify to get on that bus. I just walked up three steps, went to the back, and sat down. I never worried about the ability of the bus to transport me, nor was I concerned about finding a seat. I didn’t think about the bus being mechanically safe or the driver being certified. All I had to do was get on. If the bus driver asked me to sit down or stop throwing things, I did. He knew what was best for me, was concerned about my safety, and was determined to help me reach my destination.
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Sports Drinks

Athletes today have an overwhelming amount of choices in what to drink while they work out. Sports drinks come in multiple brands, colors, and flavors. Water isn’t just water, now it has vitamins, minerals, and other benefits. Hardly anyone drinks plain water because sports drinks are advertised as a way to get an edge on the competition before, during, and after a workout or game.
Water was important to the people of the Old Testament. It was a daily struggle to go to the well and get enough water to cook, clean, drink, and bathe. A refreshing underground spring was a valuable resource. Many had to settle for a “cistern,” which was a hole dug in a rock to catch rainwater.
Pick It Up

Ever since I was a little kid, I always wondered what it takes to be an Olympian. What type of characteristics does it take? What kind of person do you have to be? Now that I am one, I’m very humbled because it’s not like I feel like I’m so great or that I’ve done anything that special to deserve to get to the Olympics. I feel like the thing I’ve done best is I’ve just gotten back up from all of the lickings I’ve taken, both physically and spiritually. I’m a pretty black-and-white person. I’ll try to live the best I can, then I’ll mess up and fall, and I’ll get all down and upset with myself.
Family Tradition

For many families, FCA is more than a summer activity or a school-year ministry; it’s a vehicle of spiritual transformation that draws each member closer to the Lord through sports. As the ministry ages, more and more stories are surfacing regarding how FCA has become a way of life for many families, even impacting multiple generations.
Respect

How can we show proper respect for our teammates, coaches, opponents, and even the officials? Why should we even care about that? Peter understood the value of showing proper honor and respect to people and he wrote about it in this Scripture. Take a moment to read it again, this time out loud.
Don’t Say Moses!

During times of trial, a standing joke with my family and myself has been, “Please don’t mention Moses. It seems as if this man had an incredibly long and tiring road with ungrateful people and fair-weather fans (sound familiar?). As if this was not enough, Moses and his clan finally reached the edge of the Promised Land and wandered for forty years, not being allowed to enter. Is this the most encouraging devotional you have ever read?
Cosmic or Cosmetic?

Aside from my father, the most influential man in my life has been my coach. He was always very clear about the fact that, regardless of the issues that accompany academics, athletics, and disciplinary measures, he cared about me and valued me as a person. One of his many memorable sayings was, “When you fistfight or curse, you have run out of ideas.” Later I had the unparalleled honor of teaching with him for a short while, and he went on to found the FCA chapter for which I have now been Huddle Coach for twenty-one years. At the time of the Huddle’s birth, Jesus had just changed my life, and that’s when the coach asked me to co-sponsor. One year later he took another job, leaving the Huddle to me.
Heart for Teammates - Chapel

Chapel – Heart for Teammates
1 – To have the Heart of a Champion one must have:
• A heart for competition
• A heart for training
• A heart for teammates
2 – Today we will talk about having a heart for teammates.
3 – John 15:12-13 (read the text)
• Jesus’ command was for these men to love each other. They did it.
• Jesus defined the greatest kind of love – to give one’s life for his friends.
o He did that literally. He died for them and for us.
Fire In the Islands
Wildfires aren’t typically associated with Hawaii, but that may be about to change—just don’t expect to see actual flames consuming the palm trees and pineapples. This fire is spiritual, and it’s one that is being used by God to spread His Word across the islands, specifically through FCA and the student-athletes at the University of Hawaii.
Keys to Success - Chapel

Success in Football
• Name the two most important things in order to succeed in football as a player or team. (Impossible to answer, use as icebreaker with team….
• What are do you as a team want to succeed in this year? I will use this time for captains to cover major goals –
o (7 shutouts, no region losses, region champions, state playoffs etc.. Should be specific for your team..)
• As team I remind them of the quote “if you don’t know where you are going you will likely end up somewhere else – (John Maxwell)
Vince Lombardi – The only place success comes before hard work is in the dictionary
Adversity - Chapel

Chapel – Adversity
1 – The events of these last days are those which try men’s souls.
• Disappointment
• Failure
• Loss
• Illness
• Injury
2 – How we deal with adversity is a strong indicator of our character.
• Will we bounce back or will we wilt?
• Will we encourage or will we criticize?
• Will we accept responsibility or will we shift blame?
Vision - Chapel

1 – Your coaching staff and your senior leaders have a vision for your team. To be champions is a vision worth believing in and pursuing.
2 – Habakkuk 2:2-3 (read the text)
Our Expectation

Expectations are everywhere. In sports, every person has expectations, most of which go unmet. There are so many expectations and so much disappointment when they are not met.
Dr. Joe Stowell spoke recently about expectations. He shared three areas in which we deal with unmet expectations: people around us, our place in life, and the future. We tend to create expectations each day that set us up for potential problems.
Doing a Great Work

Coach Jones’s team lost a couple of games that had seemed like sure wins, and the wolves were howling for a change. Coach Jones had allowed his disappointment to turn to discouragement, and he was feeling pretty low. Right about that time a friend came to him and quoted Samuel Johnson: “Great works are not accomplished by strength, but by perseverance.” His friend added, “You are doing a great work and it’s a lot bigger than football.
Law

It seems the psalmist’s heart, informed by God’s truth, was the source of his wise speech and security in life. Many coaches rest their security in their players’ abilities, which serves them well until injuries occur. Other coaches find security in knowledge of their sport or the experience of their coaching staff. Others appear fully confident, but are then found to be inferior in competition. In each case, their confidence easily turns to anxiety because of the nature of their source.
Our heart can be a limitless source of peace and confidence if we maintain our relationship with Christ through careful study of the Bible. Reading the Scriptures regularly deposits the law of God in our hearts and will keep our steps from slipping.
It’s Not about Me

John reminds us to focus on God, and not think highly of ourselves. I once spoke at an event for a large number of kids. Before me, another speaker fumbled through his words in a monotone voice. As I listened, my sinful side said, “Dude, those kids are going to love you compared to this guy.” I couldn’t believe what I was thinking. My pride rose up and I hadn’t even stepped on stage. I was soon reminded, it’s not about me. The host introduced me as a youth pastor—which I’m not; and in the closing prayer, thanked God for me—using the wrong name. I drove home laughing. Those kids had no idea who I was or where I worked.
Courage

When does sport demand courage? Is it when we face superior competition? Is courage a factor in overcoming fatigue? What role does courage play in overcoming adversity? Today’s Scripture links strength and courage in a powerful combination.
Joshua had just taken leadership of his people after Moses had died. As he assumed this most intimidating role, God told him twice to be strong and courageous, adding the second time to be very courageous. Courage would obviously be a most important quality for Joshua’s leadership.
What situations in today’s competitions may require us to be strong and very courageous? Some situations could be as scary to us now, as replacing Moses would have been to Joshua.
Leading the Charge
One of LaDainian Tomlinson’s favorite verses is Luke 12:48: “...Much will be required of everyone who has been given much...” The passage, which is a direct quote from Jesus to His disciples, is one LT’s mother instilled in him when he was young and that now serves as one of his core life principles. It sits there, in the back of his mind, waiting to be recalled at any moment that he might need to explain just why he is so generous with his time and resources.
Purpose in Defeat

As Christian athletes we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that God is always on our team’s side. We think, Why would God not want us to have victory on the playing field? Are we not more righteous than our opponents? (For some reason I always saw the other team as the bad guys). Even more, Why would He not want us to experience victory?
Habakkuk cried out to God for answers to questions like these. He could not understand why God would allow such evil and horrible injustice to take place in his land. God gave him an answer he couldn’t believe. God told him the Chaldeans were going to invade his land. God had purposed that the Chaldeans—a nation more evil than his own—were going to be His instrument of justice among the people of Judah.
Heart of a Coach: Dabo Swinney
As the second-year head football coach at Clemson University, Dabo Swinney is hoping to lead the Tigers to their first ACC Championship in 19 years. After accepting Christ through FCA in high school, the Alabama native (with one of the most memorable names in college football) is focused not only on making a positive impact on the school’s record books, but also on the lives of his players and staff.
Hard Work

Discussion:
- How important is your work ethic to your performance as a competitor?
- Who is to you an example of a strong work ethic? How is it seen in his/her approach to sport?
- Let’s read a couple of simple Proverbs that speak of work ethic. Proverbs 10:4, 12:24, 14:23, 22:29.
- Which one of these best illustrates your thoughts about hard work?
- Why would this be such an important factor for success in competition?
- How do we lead others to build a stronger work ethic for their sport?
Summary:
Worship is a Lifestyle

When we think of worshiping God, what comes to mind? Praying? Going to church? Singing? Worship includes these things, but encompasses much more.
When I started in professional tennis, I aimlessly played for my own pleasure. Gradually, I realized we are to worship the Lord in everything we do. So how can we worship through sports? Much of the answer lies in our attitude and motivation.
With All His Heart
In just his fourth full season in the Major Leagues, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has already become a household name. After winning the 2011 NL Cy Young Award, the then 23-year-old joined the ranks of all-time Dodger greats Sandy Koufax, Fernando Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser, and he recently became just the fifth pitcher in franchise history to strike out more than 200 batters in three consecutive seasons.
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