Sports vs. Church
My prayer journal entry from March 14, 2021
Are sports taking you away from church service? As much as I don’t like it, they do in our family. When I wrote this prayer in 2021, it was one of many things that I was struggling with…
Here are a few thoughts as I reflect on what I wrote 3 years ago on March 14th, 2021…
I wish soccer games didn’t take place on Sundays, but they do. I know everyone will have an opinion on this and since writing this prayer, my perspective has shifted some…
Even though we are not of this world, we are still living in it. Soccer games being scheduled on Sundays is out of my control. [Side note: I love the new travel league my kids are in compared to the old one (at the time of this writing). Instead of regular Sunday games, we will be gone to a soccer tournament one weekend every month or two, allowing us the opportunity to go to and serve in church all the other Sundays. It’s way better for sure!]
Sure, I could deny my kids from going to Sunday games, but I don’t necessarily think that is sending the right message either. The mission field is out there beyond the church walls, so there will be weekends where we travel for soccer. I try to teach my kids that even though we may not be in the church building on a given Sunday, it’s important to still be the church and put God first in ALL that we do. We need to ensure that we are being the best representation of Jesus when we step foot on that field, in our places of work, etc.
We are the church. The church isn’t a building that we go to. With that said though, there is something incredible about gathering with God’s people to worship Jesus, so we attend as much as we can. I often hear… “You can always watch online.” Though I appreciate the ability to watch service online, it shouldn’t serve as a replacement for actually going. Online services should be treated as a way to stay engaged remotely when one is sick or away on a trip. It’s also a great way to learn from more than one teacher and I personally enjoy watching Bible teachers from all over the country…
This moment, for example, had me crying in my car as I was sitting in the parking lot at a tournament waiting for my son’s soccer game to start last weekend…
I hope my boys will one day love my journal. I hope they will hear my voice when they read it after I am gone. I have made journaling (and blogging for that matter) a pressure-free thing that I do. I don’t force myself to sit down and write every day. Sometimes I go a week or two without writing at all. I like to write when I feel pulled in or when there are prayers He answered (or didn’t answer for a specific reason) and I want to be sure I remember. I write when inspired. I’m also excited to see how my writing evolves over time. I pray it all honors and glorifies Him.
My journal This is my journal that I purchased from Vessel Goods. Seth makes some really cool leather pieces. Here is his podcast episode if you would like to learn more…
My family is now in Baby Steps 4, 5, and 6! These are baby steps you do simultaneously. Baby Step 4: Invest 15% of your income into retirement. Baby Step 5: Save for children’s college. Baby Step 6: Pay off your home early. We hope to accomplish Baby Step 6 very soon!
Jesus has been so faithful. We continue to tithe regularly and honor the Lord with the first of our fruits and we continue to see His blessing through honoring Him in this way. I blogged about this a while back…
Test Me On This: Tithing
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In 2020 when life started to get rough, when my wife and I started to feel the pinch financially, and when Covid really put a strain on our business, we decided that we were really going to lean in on our faith in Jesus. In doing so, we decided that we would make tithing a priority.
Today, May 12th, 2024 is Mother’s Day! I pray God blesses all of you amazing mothers that sacrifice so much, day in and day out, to serve those around you (particularly your families)! I’m so grateful for you! I’m praying you have a blessed day and week ahead!
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