I would first like to say it has been an unbelievable privilege to be the Clovis West Football Chaplain. Just being able to hang out with these young men and talk about how God has a special plan for them is amazing.
Unfortunately, the last couple of games haven't really gone in our favor...Hey, the object of the game is to win. The JV lost a nail biter to Crespi 14-7 and the varsity lost 42-28.
Before the JV game, the team and I gathered by the end zone and prayed. You know I think I'm getting spoiled or maybe taking it for granted but the fact that an entire football team of sophomores and juniors got together in the end zone at Veteran's Memorial Stadium and PRAYED is incredible!!! We prayed for God to be glorified and we prayed we would play with character. We prayed for a clean game.
God wasn't surprised...
Later, I got to be in on the Varsity team as they prayed. It was led by one of the students. I felt honored that they would let me be a part of their prayer time, because I was the only adult in the room. The reverence that I observed in that locker room was incredible.
After the JV game was over, and before the varsity game had started, one of the players on the JV team approached me and I don't think I will ever forget what he said.
He said, "Mr. Mac, I just want to let you know that your praying with me and the team means a lot to me, thanks."
I was speechless.
It's just that simple, just pray.
I had another bible study today in Coach Parsons room. I told the Coach that I was only bringing dessert and waters, no pizza this time. I wanted to see who would show up to hear from God. Last night, I found out that not everybody knew about the Bible study, so I didn't know how many would show up. But in the end, 16 came and we hung out for a bit and then I told them about the power of the Holy Spirit.
One thing being on this journey has helped me do is strengthen my Romans 1:16...Where as before was wasn't ashamed of the gospel of Christ, but I was reluctant to share it.
Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Bus, Practice, Pizza
The second game of the year for the Jv and Varsity would be played at Del Oro High School, located in Loomis, California. For those that don't know where that is...it is 30 miles above Sacramento. I had already planned to take the day off and drive up so I could help out with the water and jungle juice.
Coach Campbell called me on Tuesday and asked if I would like to ride up on the bus with the team...(pause for effect)...I said ok. On the ride up there, I was able to "hang out" with some of the players on the team.
Once we got there, we unloaded, they got there uniforms on, did warm-ups, and then we got to pray. It is becoming routine, just like God wanted.
The game score didn't turn out in our favor for either the JV or the Varsity, but I'm sure God was excited and pleased by the way our young men handled themselves. They were constantly picking each other up, saying encouraging words and never quitting.
In short, they played with integrity...
I also have been hanging out at practice on Wednesday nights. I have been going to practice, talking with the guys. I ask them about their lives, how school is going, how they are holding up physically, stuff like that.
Last night at practice, Coach Parsons announced that I would be having a bible study tomorrow in his room at lunch. I listened as he said four different times that coming to the bible study was completely voluntary.
He even had the team repeat it back to him.
This morning, I was once again starting to doubt if anybody was going to show up. I mean, these are Seniors, they can do what they want...
25 guys showed up...most of them Seniors.
This journey God has me on is so incredibly huge that at times I'm speechless. I feel honored God would want to use me this way.
During the Bible Study, I started with the war cry and what they really were saying and tied it into Jesus dying for our sins. I think I will do another entry on breaking down the war cry.
We ended in prayer, and then every single player in the room took turns shaking my hand and thanking me for coming.
incredible.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my way higher than your ways and my thoughts then your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
Coach Campbell called me on Tuesday and asked if I would like to ride up on the bus with the team...(pause for effect)...I said ok. On the ride up there, I was able to "hang out" with some of the players on the team.
Once we got there, we unloaded, they got there uniforms on, did warm-ups, and then we got to pray. It is becoming routine, just like God wanted.
The game score didn't turn out in our favor for either the JV or the Varsity, but I'm sure God was excited and pleased by the way our young men handled themselves. They were constantly picking each other up, saying encouraging words and never quitting.
In short, they played with integrity...
I also have been hanging out at practice on Wednesday nights. I have been going to practice, talking with the guys. I ask them about their lives, how school is going, how they are holding up physically, stuff like that.
Last night at practice, Coach Parsons announced that I would be having a bible study tomorrow in his room at lunch. I listened as he said four different times that coming to the bible study was completely voluntary.
He even had the team repeat it back to him.
This morning, I was once again starting to doubt if anybody was going to show up. I mean, these are Seniors, they can do what they want...
25 guys showed up...most of them Seniors.
This journey God has me on is so incredibly huge that at times I'm speechless. I feel honored God would want to use me this way.
During the Bible Study, I started with the war cry and what they really were saying and tied it into Jesus dying for our sins. I think I will do another entry on breaking down the war cry.
We ended in prayer, and then every single player in the room took turns shaking my hand and thanking me for coming.
incredible.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my way higher than your ways and my thoughts then your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Just Show Up...
Last Wednesday, August 31st, the Freshmen had there first official game. It was an away game against Merced High School. Game time was set for 6:00pm. I wanted to be there, I needed to be there. Trevor is on the Freshmen team and I am the Team Chaplain.
Got a little late start and then on the way to Merced I found out that I had the wrong location for the game. When I called Merced High a couple of weeks earlier, they said all football games were played at Golden Valley High School...
Not true...
The Freshmen still play at Merced High School, which if you've never been there before, is hard to get to and hard to get around. I showed up at 5:20, just 40 minutes before game time.
I had the jungle juice and water for the team, so I hurried and set all of that up. After I had everything good to go, I realized that the most of the freshmen team were coming over and saying hi to me.
The realization came...these young men had accepted me...I had rapport...
God had given me leverage in these young men's lives.
It was getting closer to game time when Coach Hall came over to me and said that right after they went over defense he would send them over to me...God has also given me rapport with the coaches...
Then, with 5:00 until game time, all of the young men on the Freshmen team and I were huddled together on the 10 yard line, in front of God and everybody there...and we knelt down and prayed...I seriously had goosebumps...
To think that God could use me to get to these boys and coaches it leaves me speechless.
but wait...there's more to this story...
The next day, the JV and Varsity would play at Golden Valley High School against Merced and yes, I was there...
and once again, with 5:00 until game time, all of the young men on the JV and I were huddled together on the 10 yard line, in front of God and everybody there...and we knelt down and prayed...
Jude 1 - 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire;
Got a little late start and then on the way to Merced I found out that I had the wrong location for the game. When I called Merced High a couple of weeks earlier, they said all football games were played at Golden Valley High School...
Not true...
The Freshmen still play at Merced High School, which if you've never been there before, is hard to get to and hard to get around. I showed up at 5:20, just 40 minutes before game time.
I had the jungle juice and water for the team, so I hurried and set all of that up. After I had everything good to go, I realized that the most of the freshmen team were coming over and saying hi to me.
The realization came...these young men had accepted me...I had rapport...
God had given me leverage in these young men's lives.
It was getting closer to game time when Coach Hall came over to me and said that right after they went over defense he would send them over to me...God has also given me rapport with the coaches...
Then, with 5:00 until game time, all of the young men on the Freshmen team and I were huddled together on the 10 yard line, in front of God and everybody there...and we knelt down and prayed...I seriously had goosebumps...
To think that God could use me to get to these boys and coaches it leaves me speechless.
but wait...there's more to this story...
The next day, the JV and Varsity would play at Golden Valley High School against Merced and yes, I was there...
and once again, with 5:00 until game time, all of the young men on the JV and I were huddled together on the 10 yard line, in front of God and everybody there...and we knelt down and prayed...
Jude 1 - 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire;
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