Just Hanging

Dono & Dud at Easter

With Easter behind us and our 4th annual golf tournament just around the corner (april, 29) the family and I are in the midst of getting away for a few days. With a 18 month old boy running around there is never a dull moment and the time I get hanging with the family is always refreshing

A round or two of golf always helps and after being out of commission for over a month with a badly sprained ankle, doing anything competitive is good for my spirit :) I have had to slow down over the last month or so with my ankle and the extra time has been good to get a few projects done and spend some more time with the family. I believe I am still a few weeks away from getting back into any real running or playing. Please pray that there is nothing serious with my ankle and that I would be able to return with no permanent issues.

When I return we are preparing for our big golf tournament push...I am blessed with all the support for this years tourney. We have created a new golf committee and they have stepped up beyond my expectations and I can't wait to see the results for this years fundraiser. If you golf or would like to come experience the dinner & auction don't forget to sign up before the deadline of April, 25. We have tons of raffle and auction items that all benefit what we do in the sports ministry. We would love to have you be apart of what were doing. We hope to see you there.

One Person & Sport at a time

I wanted to share a letter I recently wrote to my Indoor Soccer Team that I captain'd this past season. I think it gives the insight into why Shepherd Sports exists. Our ministry needs leaders who desire the things of God and not their own personal agenda's. It is this principle that drives what we do at Shepherd Sports...in an effort to change the world one person and one sport at a time.

(The best part of my job)

Goal Members,(team name)
I know it is cliché to say...but I wouldn’t judge our season on the number of wins and losses...oh yeah, we can’t forget all the ties. Although we suffered through some trying times this season, I had a blast hanging with some old friend and making some new ones. Just as in life, we don’t always get the WIN...but what God asks us to do, is trust in Him and keep our faith that He is in control. I pray if you don’t have a home church already, you would consider giving Shepherd a try...we are about Jesus and what He did for each one of us on the cross. Jesus doesn’t care what church you go to, or what your job title is or how much money you make...He cares about the relationship you and Him hold together.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” HEBREW 11:6

If you every have any questions about God/Jesus/Church or anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I also hope you will all consider joining us again for our Indoor Soccer League...Summer League starts in July. Thanks again for a great season, I hope everyone enjoyed themselves...you all made it very easy to be the captain.

In Love,
Pastor Josh

Playing Catch up...

There is no doubt I have been slacking on my blog posts. I do enjoy sharing about what’s happening here at Shepherd Sports and occasionally sharing about my life. However, the business of the season has kept me from writing as much…so ill attempt to make up for lost time :)

Our biggest hurdle has been the addition of our online registrations and although this new resource is a huge blessing, there are a lot of trials and work that goes into running these new programs. We are blessed with a great IT department and we have all been working hard to make this process as easy as we can for anyone looking to sign up online. Tonight we are getting ready to launch our Fall Boot Camp Class, which always proves to be a huge turnout. We are wrapping up our Winter Basketball League as well as winding down our other adult winter sports. We are also in the middle of our 2010 golf tournament and although its still over a month away, we have tons of work to do in order to run a successful tournament. If you love to golf, you don’t want to miss this day. Save the Date: April 29.

On a personal note, I am currently down and out with a bad sprain of my ankle. It’s not broken but I was hobbled with crutches and now a good limp follows me everywhere I go. For those that know me, understand what agony this is for me, as I love to be active and involved in as many sports as possible. However, I remain in good spirits, as I know God has a plan for this time in my life. I ask for your prayers that my ankle would recover in a miraculous way and there would be no permanent damage.

As the whole church gets ready for EASTER I hope we all are seeking out people to invite to church. This time of year is a great opportunity to invite those around you to attend church service, as most people are more open about going to church at Easter time. It’s time to get out of our comfort zone and time to help those around us see and understand who JESUS really is...may all those around you recognize these things in you.

In Love, Josh

It's been tough sitting out our coed-softball league this Winter. I miss my friends and the fellowship of this league. I can't wait for summer leauge.

Life Imitates Sports

I was going through some old emails as i have been preparing for our upcoming golf fundraiser in April and i came across this email... Thought it was worth sharing... enjoy, Josh

Why God Created Golf

I want to talk to the people that don’t play golf and help you understand why God created Golf and why you should encourage people to play Golf

God wanted men to understand His kingdom (he knew it would be hard for them) so he created Golf

Another chance = Mulligan

Ask for Forgiveness = Yell 4

Golf teaches outreach = invite 3 other guys

Teaches faith and to expect miracles = hit a club that you know that you can’t reach the green with

Prayer = please let me make this putt

Teaches us to have quiet time = when others are hitting 400 times a round

Teaches to sacrifice to God = hit a ball in the water, woods, or I don’t know were it went

We get to see all that God has created = never hit the ball in the fairway

It is easier to get to heaven if you follow the straight and narrow = fairway and stay out of the sand traps

Heaven = just get on the green you have done the minimum/// closer to the pin the better your works

Teach us to help each other with brotherly advice = don’t hit the ball there again

Sand trap = a taste of hell

Thanking God = your ball is on the green

Talk to God = How did that happen

To be of service = Get other guys club or tend the flag

Teaches us grace = great shoot or your ball is over their behind the tree

Parable =God tells Jesus to create a game to teach about the Kingdom so He will not have to keep explaining the parables to the disciples

Grace = the farthest away or weakest shot, hits next //your friends will quote the scripture for you (it’s still your turn)

Golf update...

As most people know we run a big Golf Tournament every Spring as a Fundraiser for Shepherd Sports. This day is always a blessing and a time that God has always shined upon all that we do here within the ministry. This one event has allowed us to offer scholarships throughout the year for all our programs and has helped us grow in ways we wouldn't have otherwise been able to. This Golf Tournament is essential to our growth and all we do in the ministry.

Although the day in itself is a huge blessing the months leading up to the day can be rigorous and stressing. There is so much that goes into running a golf tournament and then you add the fundraising aspect and it turns into a full time job for the 4 months leading up to the tournament. I am currently in the midst of the storm...however, I am blessed to announce that we have formed a GOLF COMMITTEE and what a blessing these men and women are going to be. I am excited to watch this group of people network and find news ways to maximize our fundraising efforts.

I had a chance last week to actually swing a few with a some of our Golf Members. As you can see from the video, i need help...so here is what i'm asking: If your a golfer send me some tips on my swing, but more important then my swing, I am asking for people to step up and join our new Golf Committee. Please email me with either as both my swing and our fundraiser could use you. Bonus points if you can name the course and the hole we're on.

sports@shepherdsports.org

Team First...

The Worlds Greatest Sports Staff...this was taken at our weekly team meeting today. This weekly time is always a time of refreshment and growth for me, as the staff and I are always seeking ways to better lead people towards Christ. I am blessed to have these three in my life and it doesn't hurt that they constantly make me look good and keep me laughing.

Fun & Competitive...

Although I am a Basketball guy at heart and I love our Basketball Leagues, it is our growing coed leagues that have become some of my favorite times of the year…as I often look forward to playing in my soccer and softball games each week. Our leaders and captains have done such a good job at making our coed leagues both fun for everyone and competitive at the same time.

I’ve played in a lot of different leagues and this combination of playing for fun with a competitive atmosphere is not easy to achieve. The atmosphere that we strive for at Shepherd is one of Love no matter how good you are at sports. Our desire is that everyone feels loved while getting to compete in the sport they love or they are learning the sport for the first time. I pray our leagues would always welcome every kind of athlete, as sports are so much more then the win’s and loses.

The Deadlines for both our Coed Soccer and Softball leagues are fast approaching…if you haven’t had a chance to sign up, you need to do so before Monday, January 18.

Our newest member...

Matt, Charles, Josh & Emily

The staff posing for this year's Christmas card at our new Sports Wing

Christmas is now behind us and we are getting excited about the New Year. I am excited to announce that starting in January we have a new part time staffer that will be joining us. His name is Alfonzo Nunez and he will be our new Basketball Coordinator. If you have been around any of our open gym's or any of our hoop leagues you might recognize Alfonzo as he is big time gym rat and man that loves God. We are excited to have Alfonzo on board as he is going to oversee a lot of our adult basketball leagues as well developing our new referee ministry. Please pray with me for Alfonzo and his wife as they transition into this new position.

Love...it's that easy

This was sent to me and I thought it was worth the read. Some times kids can really put things into perspective. I pray we can all LOVE the way God intended. Touching words from the mouth of babes. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined See what you think: 'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca- age 8 'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4 'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5 'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6 'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4 'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 7 'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss' Emily - age 8 'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!) 'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,' Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet) 'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7 'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6 'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8 'My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6 'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5 'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7 'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4 'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4 'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image) Karen - age 7 'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.' Mark - age 6 'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8 And the final one The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry' When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need.!

Moving Mountains

Often times God leads us to places we would of never thought. As I spent time this morning praying for my staff, it got me to thinking of all the different places we come from. My wife and I moved here four years ago from San Diego and we both thought we would never leave Americas finest city. Charles our Youth Sports Director comes from everywhere as it seems he has some family in every state east of the Mississippi. Matt our Adult Sports Director comes from Washington and originally moved out here to pursue acting and has now found himself in full time ministry. Emily our Health & Fitness Coordinator comes from Minnesota the land of the Vikings. We love her anyways.

My vision this morning is that God can move mountains...just as He did with our sports staff here at Shepherd. Four years ago there was no such thing as a Sports Ministry at this church and now we sit with four full time employees who four years ago either lived in another part of the world or had a totally different career path. God worked and moved in each of us to prepare us for this time and this ministry.

God has plans for each of us. The question is, are we heading those plans and submitting to the ONE who is capable of moving mountains. Don't get so settled in that we stop looking for God to move in our lives...don't get so complacent that we think we have life and God figured out...don't stop pursuing God, His word and His plan for your life. He's waiting to move you.