Film When you think about a sport, there is a specific athlete that comes to mind every time. So, if I say "basketball," who do you think of? Probably Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, or Steph Curry (in no particular order of course). What if I say Swimming? Phelps. Hockey? Wayne Gretzxy, Sydney Crosby. Football, Baseball, Soccer, etc. As humans, we have a tendency to relate things to other people. If you think of ice cream, some where in your stream of thought you will end up at a family member, or friend that loves ice cream; or a memory with one of them. That is how we are wired, we are interpersonal beings. That is how God has created us. PracticeAs athletes, we want to strive to be the best we can be. We should be bettering ourselves daily through training, eating, and broadening our skill sets. We should be working to change the way our team, our opponents, and our sport as a whole plays. A great example of this is Michael Vick. We all know he made some poor decisions, but before that, while he was in his prime; people hated to play him. Teams had to change the way they played defense when they were playing against him. Teams in the same division as Vick had to draft players to redesign their defense to be able to stop him. The Falcons built an offense around him. Kids wanted to be like him. And now you see mobile and running QBs like Cam Newton, Russel Wilson, and Dak Prescott, coming into the league and making huge careers. But before Vick, the only other QB that had THAT type of speed and QB talent was Randall Cunningham. But Cunningham didn't have near as much of an impact on the current generation of players in the NFL like Vick did. I would argue strongly that Vick changed the way the game of football is played. As athletes, we want to have that type of impact on our team, on our opponents, and on our league. That takes work though. That job is NOT easy. It takes dedication. It takes hard work-lots of it. And it takes will. gameI think one of the scariest thoughts out there is knowing that, if we are doing our job of being out spoken disciples of Christ, some one out there relates the word "Christian" to a human. To one of us. That responsibility is unfit for a mere mortal. But, we are called to be disciples of Jesus. To be a disciple is to try to be like Jesus and follow his teachings. You see, you can't help the connection that people will make when they think of "Christian" and you pop in their head. But you CAN make that connection positive or negative. You can be the reason why some one is drawn to Christianity, or repelled from it. But where do we start? Where do we begin with that responsibility? No where else than Jesus himself! In John 13:34-35 Jesus told his disciples: ”34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” It is by our love for people and others that makes us as disciples stand out. Not just any love, but to Love like Jesus Loves. A sacrificial, kind, patient, faithful, gentle, truthful, relentless Love. So while we stand firm in our beliefs, we do so with grace. As we try to fathom the mindset of unbelievers and they way the they think, we do so with patience. We will not be perfect though, but our God is. Do not be to caught up in trying to be perfect cause you never will be. But with our UNperfect love, we can point to God's perfect love. As much hard work as it takes to be a game changer in your sport-it takes more work than that to be a life changer. Careers will fade, money will be spent, but the souls of the people around you will live forever. Get caught up in the miraculous Love of our Savior that his love will pour out of us into everyone we come in contact with. Now, let's go out into this world and change the way people talk, act and think when they are around us. Not in a negative way, buy in a way that honors Christ and points to the cross. In a way that shows people what REAL love is. The one and only real love. Cool down Tearing through the veil of darkness
Breaking every chain, You set us free Fighting for the furthest heart You gave Your life (You carry us, carry us You cover us, cover us) Your love is relentless Your love is relentless Your love is relentless Your love is relentless Relentless-Hillsong United https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3O_pAOiGuo
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Kyle Henley Archives
December 2016
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