Digging beyond STEWARDSHIP

Hitting some BIG drives to support our Scholarship Fund

Over the past few weeks, I have been reflecting on the idea and word "Stewardship". I prepared a devotional last week for our monthly staff meeting, and thought I would share it with you. I am grateful for all I have, and strive to do what God's called me to do with everything He’s given me. Am I perfect in this? NO WAY, but don't miss the point – we need to strive for a higher level of integrity and responsibility, not only in the choices we make for ourselves but how we use the resources and gifts that God has given us. Hope you enjoy :)

When you think of stewardship, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Many of us will think first of money or tithing, and many references in God’s word to being a good steward or exercising faithful stewardship is related to financial giving. However, finances are not the only area where God expects us to be good stewards. Stewardship is directly connected to what we know about who God is, what he’s given us, and how that knowledge shapes our lives.

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1

We belong to God, and everything in this world also belongs to him. Only He can claim ownership over all, but that does not surrender our responsibility for taking care of those gifts while we have use of them.

Our treasures, talents, and the opportunities we have in this life are all God-given gifts, and how we use those gifts determine not only if we make good decisions in this life, but whether or not we honor God with our faithfulness in those decisions.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Think about the blessings in your life for a moment. Maybe you have your ‘dream’ job or you have a family and are raising children. Maybe you are in a financial position to never worry about paying your bills and providing for your family. What do you do with these blessings? Are you grateful or do you complain? Do you recognize that the Lord has given you these gifts, or do you praise yourself for all your ‘hard work’? Do you keep these fruits to yourself or do you make it a priority to bless others with what you have?

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

There is an excellence that is expected of us as followers of Christ – in everything we do, down to the very being of who we are. This isn’t something we can pretend to accomplish or claim to be – there is a genuineness in our hearts that comes with living in His grace. With that grace comes great responsibility and high expectations, but ultimately, it becomes a joyfulness that is reflected through our stewardship.

Reflection of time

So often throughout the day, something cool will happen in a particular situation, or an amazing conversation takes place, or maybe God just shows up to just get my attention. These experiences get me thinking that I should share with others, what God is doing in my life, and how He can be present in theirs. In today’s world of social media, it’s possible to do just that but I find myself still – being inconsistent in posting on my blog, without sharing with you how God is moving in my life.

I imagine this is normal for most people who do not make a living by writing or spending their days on the various media outlets we have access to. We all have something special to share, but all too often we share our thoughts and prayers only as a passing comment on Facebook or we squeeze our reflections into less than 140 characters on Twitter. While social media keeps us in touch with the world around us, I am afraid it also degrades the depth and true meaning of what’s happening within each of our lives and what it might mean to others. We share, but then just move on.

We might be the ones posting or maybe the ones reading these posts, but I don’t think any of us really contemplates the experience or the wisdom God wants us to take from the time He gives us each day. For every comment or any Tweet that gets posted, are we truly reflecting on our lives in the Lord, or do we just want to be heard? As we share, are we learning from the experiences that God offers to us each day? Are we ever really quiet enough to hear God’s words and guidance for our lives?

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:20

I am no social expert or social media enthusiast… I am just someone who is scared for the youth, my children, and this next generation. We have become more impulsive and hasty in our words and communication. Think for a moment, when was the last time you picked up the phone and had an actual conversation with someone instead of just texting? More importantly, when was the last time you sat still for a moment and had an actual conversation with God? He commands us:

Be still, and know that I am God… Psalm 46:10

We are putting God aside and rushing through every aspect of our lives. We put our responsibilities on hold to post a comment. We take time away from our prayer life to tweet. How far have we gone from what God desires for our lives? Put down the iPad. Turn off the cell phone, and log off Facebook for a minute so you can listen to what God has to say.

Journaling Life

Early in my Christian walk, I was encouraged to begin journaling… something I had never even attempted before. The picture above is what I believe to be, one of my first ever attempts at a journal/prayer request. I came across my journal the other day and found this entry from March 2006. I have to confess, this is the only page in the entire journal I wrote on.. Ok, so I wasn’t super successful at my first attempt in journaling...

For the last four years, I have become diligent with my journaling and I have to say this was not an easy task - to sit down and put my feelings and prayer requests on paper. I was anxious about the time I would have to put towards my writing, and what would I really get from it anyway? And what if someone got ahold of what I was writing? I just didn’t see any value in putting my thoughts on paper… probably a guy thing. I know now, that this journaling effort was really an opportunity for me to let God work in my life - and an opportunity for me to seek Him in faith.

Looking back over the last four years of journaling – about 2 to 3 times a week – I have learned that this is a process that takes effort, but I have also found that there is a real and spiritual side of journaling that is very rewarding. That part comes from being able to see how God has answered prayers in my life. I am not the type to look back or dwell in the past, however I am able to take time now and again, and see what God is doing or has done in my life because of my journaling. I found so many instances of Him working in my life that I would have never realized, had it not been for my journal. Looking at this journal entry from 2006, I count 9 answered prayers - several of which I had forgotten about.

GOD IS GOOD.

I share this for many reasons. The first is, being that it’s a new year, we are often excited to start something new… like a new journal. Starting something new can seem challenging and it might not happen the first time or you might start, and not be consistent about it, but I want to encourage you - when it comes to your walk with God, don’t give up. If He’s calling you to do something, keep plugging away. I believe I needed to write my prayer requests and thoughts down on paper… it might not be the same thing for you. However, whatever your “new thing” is, I know God is calling all of us to draw closer to Him. What step are you going to take in that direction?

The second reason I write, is to share how amazing God is at answering our prayer requests. Start writing them down – live by faith – and watch God work wonders. Finally, my encouragement to you is also a reminder to me. I have not been consistent in blogging recently and with this new year, my desire is to be more open and proactive in posting on my blog this year. I am looking forward to growing alongside each of you, and praising God for another year in doing His work.

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered… “I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:22, 24

My 100th post...

Better late, then never… so I’ve heard. :) It’s been a while since I last posted, but instead of giving you my list of excuses, I will “fill you in” on what’s been happening in and around my life and at Shepherd Sports.

First off, my wife and I recently had our second child, a beautiful baby girl named Kyra. Along with an abundance of joy, I have been blessed with a long to-do list and my nights involve minimal sleep, but she is worth every waking minute and our family is adjusting well. In all things, I praise God, and thank you all for your well wishes!

My staff and I are excited to share that we have had a wonderful summer filled with new relationships, new champions and most importantly, new believers who have accepted Christ into their lives. We have been blessed to see a record number of youth participating in our leagues and camps, and our Second Annual Family Fun Day was another big success, with over 500 people in attendance! Also beginning in October, we are offering 2 new health and fitness classes in an effort to find more opportunities to reach out to our community. These are just a few highlights of this season so far!

This is also the time of year I begin planning next year’s calendar, and I am excited for the new adventures that we will experience together in 2012! As I prepare for next season, I humbly ask for your prayers – for me, as I seek God and His direction for our ministry, and that we might continue to grow in faith and bless our community. Please also pray for our staff, their families, and for all our leaders who serve faithfully for God’s Kingdom through our Shepherd Sports Ministry.

Here’s to hoping my next post won’t take another summer to update!

God, Basketball Camp, Social Media and More...

Jrue signing autographs for the kids

This past week, we wrapped up our second annual Jrue Holiday Basketball Camp. By far, the highlight of our camp was the All Star Game we had for the kids. Having Jrue at camp each year is such a great blessing for the campers and my staff. He truly cares for the kids, and you can see the joy he gets from giving of himself to each and every child. Jrue took pictures with every camper – all 150 of them – then signed each picture, ensuring every child had quality time with him and a keepsake they will cherish forever.

If you have ever been in my office, you have seen the picture with me and Jordan... yes, Michael Jordan. I worked his basketball camp when I was in college, and that keepsake has kept my memory of that special moment alive to this day. This is the same gift that Jrue has given to all of our campers this week. I pray they will cherish it.

There is no way this blog can recreate the joy of our experience at camp or the excitement of the All Star Game, but I’ll tell you that we are considering selling tickets for admission to next year’s game... it was that good! Below are two videos from one of the most thrilling moments of that day – the same play actually, from two different angles – an “Eastbay off the backboard” dunk courtesy of Nick Young of the Washington Wizards and USC. Besides the degree of difficulty that makes this an amazing dunk, the number of hits for the first video on YouTube is almost as amazing – over 100,000 hits in only 5 days!

The number of hits on YouTube is incredible, and the blessing of this time with Jrue Holiday will be a wonderful memory – especially for the kids. However, the greatest part of camp was the spirit and attitude all the campers, coaches and players represented while they were on the court. We had NBA, International players, and Division I college athletes serving during the camp, and each one gave of themselves to the benefit of the children and the outreach that Shepherd Sports is trying to accomplish.

What God is doing within our midst and through this ministry is amazing. The relationships that were made through these servants hearts, the fellowship the children had with each other, the worship experience we all shared on the court, and the memories that all the participants will take with them – this is God. He has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit and He forms our human spirit so that we may give.

At Shepherd Sports, we continue to put all we do at His feet and watch the spectacular workings of God’s glory in all He does. Enjoy the videos.

…the land was radiant with his glory… Ezekiel 43:2

This video had over 100 thousand hits in 5 days

An HD video of the same dunk