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.

Dodge, duck, dive, dip & dodge

Yes, you read correctly...its time for some DODGEBALL. Nothing says Christmas like throwing some balls as fast as you can with the intent to hit someone and have it be legal. The balls are red after all.

We start next week and have 5 different divisions you can get involved in. On Friday, December 11 we are going to bring the top two teams back from each division to compete for their respected Championship. The prize for the winners...the sweetest dodgeball shirts of all time.

For more info check our site: www.ShepherdSports.org

The NEW Sport Wing

This weekend Shepherd Sports launches it's new Sports Wing. This has been a project in the works for almost two years and the staff and I are super excited about the launch this weekend. This new space at the west end of the Family Life Center will become the new entrance to everything we do in the gym. This new space will also become the new Sports Information area during and after church services. Shepherd Sports will now have a place where anyone can come during church hours to sign up for a program on our two new touch screen monitors or check out upcoming events on the flat screen. Come check us out and scoop up some free goodies...hope to see you there.

Champs again...

Back Row: Me, Dudley, K.C., Steve,

Front Row: Dave, Todd, Tan

Team N.W.O. has gone five seasons and two years without a Championship. To say we were due is an understatement. Although we have had some tough losses and some not so memorial seasons, all the guys that have come and gone have been a blessing to play with.

Dudley and Tan have been with the team from the beginning and we are definitely proud of this most recent Championship. On previous teams we were able to get by on being bigger and more skilled but our league has grown and with it the level of competition has gotten really good. I am proud of the league and the direction its heading and am also proud of this group of guys for pulling together so we can call our self's CHAMPS again.

Shepherd Sports next season starts in January...Including our first ever Women's division. Check it out: www.ShepherdSports.org

What can tall do for you...

The Tree & the Tree Hugger

I have spent most my life being a head taller then most of those around me...on more then one occasion i have been called a tree...both in a funny way and also in not so funny ways. As you can see by this years halloween costume i believe it is better to poke some fun at your self once in a while. To often we try to hide who are as Christians because we think those around us expect us to act in a certain way. I believe we need to let God shine through us in all we do...in all settings... in all walks of life. In no way am i perfect at this, although i strive to never hide who God has called me to be, and God has definitely called me to be tall and there is no hiding that.

What has God called you to be?