Her players rise up and bless her; her team also, and they praise her, saying: "Many coaches have done nobly, but you excel them all" (Proverbs 31:28-29).
When I finish my coaching career, I hope that there are dozens of former students whom I can call my friends. I want to be invited to their graduations, their weddings and their baby showers. And I pray that some will be called into full-time sports ministry too.
Building lasting relationships is what I long for, and coaching has allowed me to pour myself out for my players and their families. And if I succeed in enriching their lives with the love of Jesus, then I will have lived a full and happy life.
This past summer, I had the pleasure of doing an overseas mission trip with three former athletes of mine. We did a basketball outreach in Africa. I hope this was just the first of many such trips. We had so much fun, and their youthful energy gave me strength and joy that I never expected. They blessed me!
Proverbs 31:30-31: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but the coach who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Look at her players and her teams, and praise her according to the way she has coached.
I hope you will join me in this search for coaching excellence by striving to be a Proverbs 31 coach.There will be growing pains, but I truly believe Gods' model of an excellent wife and mother can teach us a great deal about being an excellent coach.
Prayer
Lord, give us a heart for excellence in all that we do. Make us the coaches you dreamed we could be. Let our work speak loudly of You.
