My husband and I have always been very passionate about sports even as kids. I was a three-sport athlete in high school and played some in college. Skyler played football in high school and went on to also play in a semiprofessional league. We understood the value that sports could bring to the lives of the players, so we have always agreed to encourage our children to play them.
Organized sports offer structure and teach kids about discipline, hard work, being both a leader and a team player. To be a good athlete you have to be dedicated, mentally and physically tough, you have to have perseverance. And if you want to be a really good athlete, you also have to be willing to put a lot of time and money into your trade. Anyone with a child in recreational sports or travel sports knows exactly what I’m talking about.
When you can see the commitment and passion in your child’s face, when you can see that their heart is in it, that they are not only loving what they do, but they are willing to put in the work to continue to develop, it’s really hard as a parent to not feed that passion and growth. You want to nurture it. You want to see your child succeed!
But what happens when you realize you’ve allowed this passion to take Christ’s place in your child’s heart? When you are missing church on Sundays because of practice or a tournament? When your kid is spending more time studying a play book than their bible? What happens when sports collide with our Savior?
The pastor at our church is an incredible man. He explains things in the most eye-opening and relatable ways that creates a level of conviction you couldn’t shake if you tried. I’ve heard him say (I’m paraphrasing here), “Church should make you feel at least a little bit uncomfortable. If you leave church and don’t feel a little uncomfortable, then you may not be hearing the message.” Another of his sermons he made mention of parents who invest so much in their children’s education and their futures. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing, but he did it to draw a parallel.
Parents spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for their child to get a degree that will last a lifetime, but they can’t take it with them when life has ended. They will spend countless dollars and hours for their kids to play a sport so they can get a scholarship or a trophy. So why don’t parents invest in their children’s eternal souls the way they do their earthly futures?
After hearing this, I first had to pick my jaw up off the floor. Wow. What an incredible comparison. I felt so targeted on that particular day that I don’t think I made eye contact with anyone while leaving. Do I believe the pastor was intentionally targeting me specifically? Absolutely not. Do I believe God used this sermon to specifically target my heart? Absolutely!
After that day, I knew I needed to redistribute my investments in my children. But how? What did that look like?
At that time, my oldest daughter was about thirteen and was in her third or fourth year of travel softball. She was at a place where you could see the work she was putting in was really starting to pay off. Her development and natural ability was really starting to become apparent. So what was I supposed to do? Tell her she couldn’t play anymore because sports were interfering with church? That didn’t feel right, but I wasn’t sure what else to do.
So, as per the norm, when I have no idea what to do, I turn to God. And I prayed on it. And prayed on it some more.
Then, that summer, we were playing in a tournament in Tennessee. The first game was against a local southern team (we are from PA so anything south of PA is considered “southern” to me). What stood out to me about this tournament that was different from tournaments we’ve played in, in the north was before the game, both teams met in the pitcher’s circle, locked arms, and said a prayer together. It was beautiful and remarkable to see.
And that’s when I had my answer.
Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
We could allow her to continue doing what she loves, by teaching her how to do it all for God’s glory.
This realization came to me about three years ago. Since then, I have watched my daughter lead some of her teammates in prayer before her basketball games. She has prayed with other teams she plays against in volleyball.
Before a game regardless of the sport, her prayer is,
Lord,
Please clear my head of all distractions and my heart of all burdens I may bear, so that I will perform my best knowing you’ll always be there. Please lift me up before the moment so through your eyes, I may see and have a clearer understanding as the game unfolds before me. With great courage, I will meet this challenge as you will have me to, but keep me humble and remind me that my strength came from knowing You. Then, when all eyes are upon me at the end of this game, I will turn their eyes to you oh Lord, and to the glory of your name.
Amen.
All three of my kids that play baseball or softball each have their own ritual before they get up to bat. My oldest, Amaya, will draw a cross in the dirt with the end of her bat. She says she does this as her way of praying to God for help.
Her little sister, Paislee, will draw a ‘J” in the dirt. Paislee is in her first year of travel softball and is the tinies player on the team. Her coaches keep saying, “when she gets a little more muscle she’ll be able to hit harder.” and “When she gets a little stronger, she’ll be able to throw further.” Paislee decided that she draws a “J” in the dirt to remind her that Jesus is her strength.
My son, Deklan, just started his first year of minors for baseball. This is his first year not being able to use a tee and is expected to hit off of a live pitcher. In the beginning of the season he was terrified, to say the least. He would step out of the batters box long before the pitch was thrown or he would duck to the ground as he swung in defense. It was at this time that we had a conversation about God’s purpose for him.
I read to him one of my favorite bible verses for young athletes—2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” I explained to him that this means fear does not come from God, but from Satan. Satan makes us fearful so that we do not fulfill God’s purpose for us and bring him glory. I told him “God has not given you a spirit of fear. Don’t let Satan win.” Dekan now draws a “G” in the dirt before his at bats to remind him that God has not given him a spirit of fear.
These are all very simple ways to incorporate God into things my children do all the time. We’ve also started listening to worship music on our way to their events, and when we’re able we even listen to the sermons on Facebook on the way to or from the tournament if we know we have to miss it.
Aside from what I mentioned above, there are so many other ways for athletes to glorify God while they play. In fact, I have an entire section in my shop specifically for Christian athletic gear and apparel. What better way to have your athlete show up for God, than to show up with God? You can peruse my favorite selections at the link below!