Many of us prepare to watch the games, prepare our fantasy drafts, not realizing when it’s time to leave the sidelines and get in the game. Life however is not a spectator sport. The grandstands are temporary seats until you are ready to get into the game. Sheer passion drives us out of our seats and onto the field. Watching from the sidelines is not enough, we want to be picking grass and dirt out of our teeth. Many of us allow fear to keep us off the field. We would rather play Monday morning quarterback, complaining about the way our life ends up. I challenge each of you to dust off your cleats and get into the game. Whether it is your career that needs some new strategic plays designed. Perhaps you feel compelled to volunteer at your church or a local nonprofit. Whatever it may be it is time to put your pads on and get on the field. When you design your next play and watch enough film of your opponent you can win. Maybe you have been out of practice for a while after being laid off. Or you have suffered a season ending injury. There is always a new season for an envisioned comeback. Even some of the most veteran players can make incredible recoveries when they set their minds and passion towards their goal. Sometimes, I feel like one who is on the sidelines, who has missed life itself. ~Nelson Mandela Click To Tweet Numerous people remain in the […]

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This article was originally published and distributed on Medium.  Recently I started a 40 Day devotional with a group of online friends. Little did I know that by the end of the first week this would need writing. On day 3 entitled a Tale of Two Fathers the author paints a picture of fatherhood. Fatherhood is a loose term as many of us envision a father different from what we had. There are some where the father was absent or distant. Some where their loving hearts reflects the heart of Christ. Whichever father you did or did not have, neither can match the love of your heavenly Father. Men tend to get consumed with work, hobbies or the hopes of never growing up that their children never know them. Careers come before family, success matters more than anything. Meanwhile small hearts break wanting just to be noticed by their fathers. I spent most of my own childhood going unnoticed. Click To Tweet It seems in today’s world the only way these children get the attention they seek is through pain. Attempts to obtain a father’s approval seem to be in vain, the only time they are noticed is when they are in trouble. Many boys that want to become men turn to their friends as their fathers are absent. These friends are not friends really as they soon will find out when they abandon them too. Instead of focusing on the dreams of tomorrows, their dreams get squashed. Where their fathers should stand encouraging them […]

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It is not often that a topic keeps showing up no matter how often I ignore it. Lately however I have been hounded by the story of the prodigal. Anyone that knows a little bit about scripture has surely heard the parable. Unknowingly I had heard it but never fully understood it until recently. Growing up I was like many kids my age, a bit rebellious and all kinds of a know it all. After spending years having religion shoved down my throat, I began to stray. I got involved with what some would say (my mother especially ) were the rif raff or troublemakers. More than once I was called a prodigal or heard comments like “the prodigal son returns” after a late night or rowdy weekend. I thought it as an annoying term that my mom liked to throw around, never realizing we all are prodigals. We get so wrapped up in worldly things we begin to separate ourselves from our Father. Just as in the Bible we get so busy chasing our dreams, our jobs, our lives, we run from our Father. He patiently waits for our return, praying, hoping, longing for us to run back to Him. We feel we have gone so far astray that we no longer deserve His love, therefore we can never return. All the while if we just turn around he is waiting for us with arms wide open. Don’t buy the lie “it’s as good as it gets” Click To Tweet Wherever you are, no […]

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