How Life Often Imitates Sports

Anyone who plays sports will tell you that we crave the thrill of competition and the desire to push ourselves to be the best that we can be. Then our bones start to ache, and our desire to workout becomes more of a necessity rather than something we enjoy. Human nature pushes us to be the best, but as we get older, we realize that we are not the athletes we used to be - our dreams of becoming an Olympic Gold Medalist or a World Champion fade away.

Our adult sports program gives every athlete the chance to become a Champion again. Whether you watched your high school or college team from the sidelines, or you play a different sport everyday, a good sports league gives us all a chance to compete for the crown once again.

I know that my best days are behind me. However, the opportunity to compete and play with people who desire to push and test themselves is a challenge we want to continue to experience. Going through a season with your teammates is like going through the rollercoaster of life – we share the good times and we share the difficult times. These are the same turns we face in life.

Life often imitates sports, which is why I believe sports, in our country and throughout the world, are so popular. Sports bring people together. We get a chance to test ourselves, our talents, and our skills, against another team. As an athlete, you know that all the individuals on a team have to work together to be successful. We rely on each other to make defensive plays in the field, and we encourage each other to make the clutch hit or nail the winning free throw.

Just as in life and sports, we will have trying times as we grow in our faith. We will have exciting mountain top experiences, and we will encounter times when it seems like the whole world is against us, but God has called us to lean on one another as the church.

Through Shepherd Sports, we hope to encourage and nurture relationships - not just the ones that connect individuals together on a championship team - but one that brings every individual to the cross. To go through life knowing you have God in your corner is an exciting and amazing thing, and one where the ultimate crown is still attainable.

I’ll take my crown in Heaven over a gold medal or championship ring any day.

Jesus said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Luke 18:22