GOOOOOAAL!!!

WHAT an emotional week it's been with soccer. It's been busy and I am mentally exhausted, yet spiritually renewed at the same time.

We started off on Monday playing Ramsay High School, a team that should have been close to our playing level. At halftime it was 2-0. By the middle of the second half though, they had "mercy-ruled" us (10-0) - the game ends when they do that if you haven't scored a goal yet. I will admit I sat there on the bench in the second half feeling hopeless, asking the question to Hogan, to God, to myself..."How do I do this? How do I coach a team like this? What am I doing?"

I'm pretty sure I've asked these questions before and had this feeling before but I think I had my expectations up for this game and when they didn't happen, I fell hard. I KNOW I'm there for other reasons besides soccer - soccer is just the means. I KNOW I'm providing something for these kids to do. I KNOW I'm teaching them life lessons and being a role model for them. I KNOW God is doing so much that I don't even know he's doing. But in the thick of coaching in that game, it's incredibly hard to see and believe that. At that moment, I see it that if soccer doesn't keep going at this school, I lose these kids, and it has to be hard for these kids to keep going when you are getting killed every game.

With the blessing of encouragement from others though (Hogan and Christy), I got out of this funk. On my way to work Tuesday I actually found myself repenting in the car on the way to work. I remembered that I had prayed for God to build this team. To put the boys he wanted on this team. It was HIS team. And in the midst of losing, I doubted him because I was wanting more - more depth, better players, etc. But thankfully, he showed me this again and I repented and our God is faithful and forgave me and with no makeup left on my eyes, I went into work for the day :)

Now Tuesday night we had another game. The only thing different going into this game was my expectations - I knew we would get mercy-ruled by Pinson Valley. And we did but I was in a completely different spirit that night. I encouraged the guys and had them make individual goals for themselves during the game and they did a lot of great things! They didn't give up (which is the only thing I asked of them) and I was so proud of them. I realized too after this game how important my own attitude is when I'm coaching. I HAVE to encourage them. I HAVE to speak life to them. I think that's how we keep this going. Whether we win or lose, I have to keep them encouraged.

And finally on Thursday we had our 3rd and last game of the week. We played Parkway Christian who we had just played a week ago and gotten beat 7-0. I gave them a little incentive before the game thanks to advice from my mom - food if they score and food if they win. And......we scored first!! The boys fought hard and while we ended up losing, we only lost 2-1 and it was a very exciting game for them. So we got our first goal of the season and they get pizza at practice on Tuesday.

I'm a firm believer in "it's gonna be worth it." Whatever you are doing for the Lord, it's gonna be worth it. You may see results here on earth, you may not. But you were called to do what the Lord has you doing and he is faithful and he will not forsake us. And whatever you are doing for the Lord does matter. It may be small in your eyes or it may be big. But it's gonna be worth it.