If you fumble, you can surely recover

College student arrested on suspicion of drugs

A local college student was arrested Thursday on suspicion of multiple drug charges, including possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of College.

The 19 year old was arrested Thursday afternoon, according to police reports. He’s also suspected of possessing ecstasy and not having a drug tax stamp.

He was advised of criminal trespass from all property of the local college, according to the report. He made his first appearance Friday before the Judge. 

Corey Robinson, assistant football coach, said he knew his family and told the judge he was a good kid who “just did something very stupid.”

The Judge refused to reduce his $11,500 bond since he had completed the school year, had no ties to the community, was not employed and was facing serious charges.

This article is an example of a smart, charming, talented young man who allowed a great opportunity to be taken away from him because of bad choices.  And when he was in jail, the same so-called friends were no where to be found.

I believe we must say," I give myself away, so you can use me Lord". (William McDowell)  As much as we think we can do it on our own, we cannot. If we fumble in God we can recover.

You can recover and win from within-


 

Difference Makers

Love my brothers.  It was a blessing for young boys (Eric and Corey) to have had solid older brothers that modeled how to do things the right way when growing up without a father in the home. Too many older brothers are taking this responsibility lightly and leading their younger brothers down the wrong road.  We lived in one of the worst housing projects in Los Angeles (Watts), Jordan Downs.  Let's stop making excuses and blaming everybody else.


You can be a difference maker,

God is the fan that never leaves

I can remember as a little boy attending football games at Seaborg Field in Los Angeles (Watts).  I was in the bleachers watching my brother, Todd, play.  I learned early on about fans. Some went to hang out and some to cheer the team on.  However, the ones that were there to cheer, only cheered when the team did something good.  There were also fans that thought they were better play-callers than the coach.  And if their team was losing, they would depart before the game ended.

Ten years later in Palatka, Florida I found myself at Memorial Stadium.  This time I would be on the field as a  player.  Amazingly, not much had changed.  Some fans were there to hang out and some to cheer on the team.  And yes, there were still fans that thought they were better play-callers than the coach.

In 1999, I embarked upon a coaching career in the sport that was instrumental in my life. This coaching career gave me access to fans and stadiums all cross the country.  Interestingly enough, the fans had not changed.  Some were there to hang out, some to cheer their team on, and still others who thought they were better play-callers than the coach.  I must not forget the fans who left before the game concluded.

I believe football is much like our walk with God because football takes a lot of sacrifice - sacrificing your body, time, and selfish wants.  When a football player's "dawg" (guy friend) is out at the club at "College Night", they are home in their dorm room or apartment because of team rules.  When their "shawty" (girlfriend) wants to "kick it" (date) he has to study his playbook, go to a meeting, a practice, or a weight room lifting session. When a player has to be up at 4:30 a.m. for off-season workouts and it is below freezing temperatures outside, his roommate is still sleeping. Individuals must sacrifice their own desires for the good of the team.

Many times players have to choose between football, their "dawg" or their "shawty". There is real pressure.  I have seen young men walk away from the game or allow their opportunity to be taken away from them because of poor choices.  It may have been simply because of them not wanting to let go of that one freedom, friend or environment.  I have seen players allow so called friends, drugs and alcohol steal their dreams.  I can remember many days, saying to my players "If it were easy, we would have hundreds of people out here."  There are many things that can be a distraction and blind us from seeing the big picture and reaching the ultimate goal in our lives and eternal life.

I believe fans are a lot like friends and family.  As I alluded to earlier in this post, the are some fans that go to the game to hang out, some to cheer, some to call plays and some who will leave before it is over.  That is why you cannot allow the fans (friends) to affect your "play call"! You will have friends that are in your life just to "hang out".  I call these friends "information gatherers".  They are only your friend to find out your business. Then there are the friends that are in your life to "cheer".  I refer to these as the "fair-weatherers".  They are only your friend when circumstances are pleasant and profitable to them.  And then there are the friends who are "play-callers".  I refer to these as the "know-it-alls".  They are friends who believe that he/she has an accurate comprehension of a topic and/or situation in your life, when in reality, his/her comprehension is inaccurate and limited.  What do most of these fans (friends) have in common?  They will undoubtedly leave before the game is over.

 

I want to say to you, regardless of who is at the game or who is not, believe in yourself, seek God and have a plan. Call the play that God has birthed inside of you and run it.  "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:14). God is the fan (friend) who will always be there.  "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?'" (Hebrew 13: 5-6.)

I'm rootin' for you -

"Practice"?!

Former NBA Super Star Allen Iverson was asked about practice at a news conference several years back.  He appeared to be appalled that a reporter would ask him about "Practice".  His opinion was that "Practice" isn't important.  He believed "game day" is what mattered.  Today he is no longer in the NBA and playing over seas in Turkey.  I believe he would tell you today that "Practice" is vital.

 

As a coach and former football player one of my biggest beliefs is you should "Practice" how you desire to play on "game day". No one part is greater than the other. It was a challenge some days to get my players to want to "Practice", even more difficult when it was 100 degrees outside or 25 degrees out. 

As a coach, if I told you there were not days I did not want to be at "Practice" then I would not be being truthful with you.  However, I knew the vitality of "Practice" and there were some guys that understood that "Practice" is where they improved their skills and possessed the self-discipline to apply and commit daily to "Practice" in order to improve to perform well on "game day".  Once they bought into this philosophy, they loved to "Practice" because they understood how important practice was to their success.  Just as I believe "Practice" is important in football, it is critical to the success of an individual or group regardless of the sport or activity i.e. Art, Band, Ballet, Cheer leading, Dance, Golf, Skateboarding, Surfing, Soccer, Volleyball etc. if they want to experience success and sustain it.

I believe our walk with God is more important than any relationship, sport or activity we can partake in.  By unconditionally putting God first, I will guarantee that you will have success in life, relationships, sports and/or activities by winning from within.  This is why you must "Practice" daily so that you will have success throughout the week to sustain your walk with God, not just be a "game day" (Church) Christian.  Do you want to get better?  "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.  This is the confidence we have in approaching God:  that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us-- whatever we ask--we know that we have what we ask of him." (I John 5:13-15 NIV).

"Practice" is reading your playbook (Bible) daily and praying to seek God's direction.  This takes self-discipline.  It is not easy.  You have to set a daily "Practice" time to hang with God one-on-one and stick to it.  If you have to call an audible (change the play) and move "Practice" time to another time that day, then do what you have to do that day to win.  By doing this you will say "Never Would Have Made It" (Marvin Sapp) because with every "Practice" you will become "better, stronger, and wiser".  In other words, it will be harder for the devil to tackle (football term) you.  And trust me, the devil is going to try to tackle you. That is why "Practice" is so important.  "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (I Cor. 10:12-13 NIV)  The good news is, if you are tackled you do not have to stay down.  You can get back up.

By practicing daily, you are getting in position to shine on "game day".  Just as a football player has to be in the right position to be successful, I believe Christians have to be in the right position to experience spiritual success for God to bless them and use them.

It Takes Sacrifice to Win-

Who Do You Play For?

Make no mistake about it, you are on a team!

You may not have a clue what I am writing about or may be asking yourself how do I get to know God and have a relationship with him?  It is as simple as saying the sinner's prayer.  It must come from your heart. If you have been searching all over for "things" to fill a void. If you are willing to ask Jesus Christ to fill that void, say the prayer below and Jesus will meet you right where you are.

"Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I will have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless.

 

I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Jesus from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me for my sins and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.

I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."

Amen.

If you said the sinner's prayer, congratulations!  Welcome to the greatest team of all time.  Now it is important that you read your playbook (Bible) daily and seeks God's direction, revelation, and guidance for your life from Jesus Christ himself, not man's.  Find you a spirit-filled church so that you can be nurtured by a solid man of God through God's word, not the rules of people.

Jesus Loves You-

4th and Goal - Go For It!

Believe it or not there are people who will speak negatively into your life.  They can be as close as a family member.  Do not allow them to break your inner spirit, affect where you are going or discourage you from achieving success.  You can accomplish anything you put your mind to.  It doesn't matter how you look or where you are from - the projects, the suburbs, or the country.  Put God first, let Jesus call the play and go for it!

I believe in you -

It's Game Time!

There is GREATNESS in you!  I believe today is the day you will begin to Win from Within! Get your Playbook (Bible) out. If you don't have a Playbook it is critical that you find one. That is the first step in learning how YOU(th) Can Win From Within and have fun doing so!

 I look forward to posting regularly to inspire and encourage you in your daily walk.