Getting Knocked Down

Hello again everyone. Sorry for not updating this more often it is definitely something that I plan on changing right now. As many of you know I recently graduated from college and decided to move to the wonderful city of Nashville, Tennessee to pursue my dream of working in professional sports. I am currently a Sales Associate for the Nashville Predators of the NHL. It has been an amazing opportunity but has also presented me with a lot of change that I was truly never accustom to. Not only was I moving out of state but I was not just a simple drive from home. I was going to a completely new place that I had visited twice in my life and knew very little about. I knew a few people down here but not more than a handful. Let's just say my life changed drastically two months ago when I moved down here.

I noticed when I got down here I really had an opportunity for myself with my career but also my spiritual growth. I grasped the job opportunity immediately but kinda put my relationship with God on the back burner and did not work at it the way I wanted to. Well that is all changing today. And that is why I am back here on my blog. I hope to keep at the blog and give an insight that I see with God once a week. So keep following.

Well let's get to the real reason your here and let's talk about that big guy upstairs. So working with the Nashville Predators I get some cool opportunities and one of those is getting to work with the community. Since I am one of the few people in the office that knows how to skate I usually am always a volunteer for any of our hockey programs. This past week I got to work with our G.O.A.L program which stands for Get out and Learn. This program is a way to create awareness for hockey down here in the South where football is lived and breathed. (Kinda weird coming from Detroit). So this past week we had our first of a 4 week program. We welcomed to the ice 80 kids from 4-6 who had never skated before with the challenge of teaching them how to skate by the end of the month. I wish you all could of see these kids hit the ice because you couldn't help but laugh. One after another each kid stepped on the ice and their skates went in the air and they landed on their back. Twenty minutes later and with some help from me and the other coaches pushing them like they were a hockey puck we got every kid on the ice. For the next hour all the coach's worked to teach these kids the basic's of skating. I was selected as the one to help the kids who were really having a rough time. So during this time I worked with one kid trying to just get him to be able to stand on the ice. Finally after what seemed like an eternity he stood in the same spot for over 30 seconds without failing. I slowly worked with him to get him moving and the kid looks up at me and goes "This is easy!" Now remind you if he keeps moving at the pace he is going he will move 5 feet in the next hour. I can't wait to see what these kids accomplish in 4 weeks.

That kid and all the participants determination spoke to me and made me think about my life. It made me come back to my spiritual life and the stumbles I have had. With all the change down here I had forgot about some of the fundamentals and tried to move to fast. I did not think about just getting up but instead when I got knocked down I would stay down and say it was to hard. I would continually tell myself I will start tomorrow, instead of standing up right there and pushing forward. I know God was right there along with friends and family encouraging me to get up just like I encouraged the kids to get up and push on but I pushed them to the side. I thought I knew best and why start today I have already screwed that day up. I just needed to start with small steps not trying to make that huge jump. I needed to start getting into my devotionals more regularly and putting time aside for Him. I challenge you all to do that to. I know personally sometimes work and my wants to go out and do stuff will hinder my time with him but why can't I find 20 or 3o minutes to get in the Word. Today I really got up and decided to not waste anytime. I had plenty of time for his Word and had such a great day. Don't let school, work, or friends get in your way to have some time with your Best Friend, Your Father.

This whole program has been more of a build up for me than any of those kids. They have taught me a bigger lesson then I can ever teach them. I might be able to help them learn how to skate but they are the ones that are getting me back on track with God. They are the ones that showed me there is no better day to start then today. They showed me when it gets tough and you just can't stand up to keep trying. If you try hard enough nothing will keep you down especially with God on your side.

I ask you today what is keeping you down? What is not allowing you to get your time with God? Who have you chosen as your "coach" in your life to encourage you to keep pushing and to get up? Sometimes it is not as much of everyone else helping you up but your own determination that will get it done. Only you can decide how you live your life so make the choice TODAY to stand up and get back to the basics. From there you will be able to grow and be the coach for someone else!

Bible Verse:

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”