A few years ago I coached my daughters softball team. What a treat that was to be able to work with these young girls. As I got to know each of them my heart grew fond of them. We had girls that had never played before, but there was one girl, our pitcher, she could throw a fast ball better than most boys. This girl knew every pitch there was, but there was a problem. No one wanted to be catcher after seeing her pitch. They were all fearful except one. She stepped out of the circle and said,"I will do it Ms. Robin!" This little thing amazed me, even more so than the pitcher. She had her glove and she was ready. This young girl caught every ball that came her way. These 90 mile an hour fast balls didn't scare her at all. She came to every practice, and every game ready for more. I noticed that after each game she had a bruised hand, but that didn't stop her. She had such a great time playing softball. She kept her glove up and she kept it ready at all times. There were times that ball hit her glove so hard you could hear it, and she would almost fall back catching it, but she didn't let it go. I admire that young girl, she taught me something I didn't know I would need until later. She taught me that whatever life throws at you, be ready, don't be afraid, and hold your glove up so you don't take the hit. Isn't that just like life, throwing stuff at us, we are fearful of what that bruise is going to do? Sometimes those pitches leave bruises, sometimes they leave a scar. When others hurt us we often don't know what to do. Sometimes we become angry, but we must remember its not that person, its satan attacking through them.When they throw that fast pitch to us, we don't have to throw it back, that is a lesson I am still learning. When we are getting hit hard from those we love we must remember not to take that attack personally, not to let each hurt wound us, but to reach back with love and prayer. Whats the glove, whats our protection from those hits? Jesus Christ. When those hits come, we don't run, we don't have to fear, we fight those battles with God's word, with His love and we hold that glove up while we are on our knees. Jesus is there to take those hits for us, but we must let them go and let Him handle them in His way. Sometimes I feel like I am dodging fast pitches, but I don't need to dodge them, I just need to be prepared with God's word and His love for whatever is to come and know that He is there to guide me and to see me through each catch. I need to stand firm in my beliefs and not change them for another, but live in such a way that others see Christ through me. That was my goal when I began coaching. I wanted to shine a light into the lives of these young girls. We had prayer before every practice and every game. Others stood and watched us, we didn't win many games, but we were winners in how we played the game. Here I wanted to make an impact on the lives of these girls and it was the total opposite, they impacted my life forever. We never know just what God has in store for us, but its best for us to keep our eyes open and keep them on the ball, being ready for whatever is coming our way! Psalm 61:3-4 "For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings." Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint." Whenever those fast balls are coming you don't have to be fearful, for our God will give you the strength you need to stand firm~
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
do you have your glove up?
A few years ago I coached my daughters softball team. What a treat that was to be able to work with these young girls. As I got to know each of them my heart grew fond of them. We had girls that had never played before, but there was one girl, our pitcher, she could throw a fast ball better than most boys. This girl knew every pitch there was, but there was a problem. No one wanted to be catcher after seeing her pitch. They were all fearful except one. She stepped out of the circle and said,"I will do it Ms. Robin!" This little thing amazed me, even more so than the pitcher. She had her glove and she was ready. This young girl caught every ball that came her way. These 90 mile an hour fast balls didn't scare her at all. She came to every practice, and every game ready for more. I noticed that after each game she had a bruised hand, but that didn't stop her. She had such a great time playing softball. She kept her glove up and she kept it ready at all times. There were times that ball hit her glove so hard you could hear it, and she would almost fall back catching it, but she didn't let it go. I admire that young girl, she taught me something I didn't know I would need until later. She taught me that whatever life throws at you, be ready, don't be afraid, and hold your glove up so you don't take the hit. Isn't that just like life, throwing stuff at us, we are fearful of what that bruise is going to do? Sometimes those pitches leave bruises, sometimes they leave a scar. When others hurt us we often don't know what to do. Sometimes we become angry, but we must remember its not that person, its satan attacking through them.When they throw that fast pitch to us, we don't have to throw it back, that is a lesson I am still learning. When we are getting hit hard from those we love we must remember not to take that attack personally, not to let each hurt wound us, but to reach back with love and prayer. Whats the glove, whats our protection from those hits? Jesus Christ. When those hits come, we don't run, we don't have to fear, we fight those battles with God's word, with His love and we hold that glove up while we are on our knees. Jesus is there to take those hits for us, but we must let them go and let Him handle them in His way. Sometimes I feel like I am dodging fast pitches, but I don't need to dodge them, I just need to be prepared with God's word and His love for whatever is to come and know that He is there to guide me and to see me through each catch. I need to stand firm in my beliefs and not change them for another, but live in such a way that others see Christ through me. That was my goal when I began coaching. I wanted to shine a light into the lives of these young girls. We had prayer before every practice and every game. Others stood and watched us, we didn't win many games, but we were winners in how we played the game. Here I wanted to make an impact on the lives of these girls and it was the total opposite, they impacted my life forever. We never know just what God has in store for us, but its best for us to keep our eyes open and keep them on the ball, being ready for whatever is coming our way! Psalm 61:3-4 "For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings." Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not be faint." Whenever those fast balls are coming you don't have to be fearful, for our God will give you the strength you need to stand firm~
