Here we go Woodlawn

So it's been a bit of a rollarcoaster ride these last several months dealing with Woodlawn soccer. While I don't think of myself as an over the top planner and actually love to live day to day trusting in the Lord's plan, there is still a bit of planning that needs to take place in life....and it was not happening with soccer this year.

This will be my 3rd year coaching the Woodlawn soccer team and we've made great progress over the past two years so I thought we'd continue building on that progress this year. As it got deeper into the fall, I was far behind my planning that I had done in the previous year due to circumstances beyond my control...

A new principal at Woodlawn.
My teacher contact retired.
No one from the school was responding to my messages.

I think I let it go for a while seeing that I really couldn't do anything else about the situation. But then it got to January and if season was going to happen this year, it needed to start happening! I finally was in contact with the Athletic Director at the school and things seemed to be looking up. Alex and I were scheduling games with other schools and patiently waiting until we had the go ahead from Woodlawn to start the season. The principal though still had not hired an official coach for the team yet and that was a vital part to the season. This was still the case as of only a week ago and honestly I gave up. I just was tired. Tired of praying about it. Tired of worrying about it. I really didn't think "ministry" was supposed to be this hard. I didn't know if the doors were being shut by God or the enemy. I was sad, not that I would not be involved, but that the guys wouldn't have a season.

My wonderful husband told me to just be still in the Lord. To let Him handle things. So I waited a week. I waited but like I said, I also had given up so it's probably not that hard to wait when you've given up. I sent a message to the AD this past Friday because I needed confirmation that the season would not be happening so I could cancel the games we had scheduled. And to my surprise...they had hired a coach and we could start practicing! I'm so thankful that the Lord works even when we've given up.

So we had our first practice yesterday! It was so good to be out there, to see some of the guys from last year. It rejuvenated me. I always forget how much I love it until I get back out there. I have no idea what the season will look like. I have no idea how long I'll be able to be out there for. I'm praying that we won't hit any obstacles we can't overcome. I'm preparing myself for a different kind of season. My main goal is not to get caught up in logistics and perfect practices and winning, but to produce real fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, etc...and to have some fun!