Tag Archives: competition

Sep 17 2014
Leave a comment
Uncategorized

don’t give the game away

SNL_1613_09_Super_Showcase

I coach a softball team and it’s probably my favorite fall activity outside of deer hunting and wassail. But both are probably more of a winter activity because of the rut (for deer hunting, and that’s usually when you see more action) and wassail is typically a Christmas drink, but I can make it WHENEVER I WANT! You’re not the boss of me.

I digress.

I love my team. I love watching my girls develop. I love watching them have fun with their friends. But I don’t love watching them lose. It literally breaks my heart every time.

We had a game tonight and at one point we were only down 4 runs (in a VERY high scoring game). We were up to bat and before the girls grabbed their helmets for a big inning, I said, “you have 2 options here: you can either compete and fight to get back into this game, or you can lay down and give it away.”

I know, I know…coach of the year material right here.

They did fight. They didn’t quit. And that made me a proud coach.

By this point you’re probably thinking, “But Kayla, this isn’t a coaching blog!” And you’re right, it’s not. To which I say, thank you for paying attention the last 38 weeks!

Here’s where it connects for me: in the season of singleness I have 2 choices – I can either press into Jesus and find my identity, worth, and value in Him, or I can settle.

Now please don’t hear me saying that being married is “settling.” I’m not saying that at all. But I AM saying that chasing after anything that is not Christ is settling. Allowing some temporal, earthly pursuit to come between you and Jesus is settling.

I wrote a few weeks ago about being competitive and how it’s sometimes not the best idea, but tonight I’m loving the idea of competitive nature. I’m thankful for an athletic mentality that tells me, “Hey, it’s time to make a decision and go after it. Either you’re in or you’re out. What’s it gonna be?”

And I like having the drive and (sometimes) the discipline to see it through.

I’m going to compete for Jesus. I’m going to scratch and claw my way into joy, into fullness, into Christ.

And I’m not going to quit until I get there.

If you want to see Maya & Kristen crack up in this hilarious sketch, click here!

Also, if you enjoy what you’ve read above, would you mind sharing it with others? After all, sharing is caring 🙂 

Tagged , , ,
Aug 13 2014
1 Comment
Contentment

when being a competitor doesn’t make sense

IMG_0316-0.GIF

I love competition. I love the thrill of having a specific time frame to complete a specific task. Whether it’s needing 3 more runs in the last inning or getting my teammate to guess the word and pass the round-thingy before the Catch Phrase! buzzer goes off, I want to be the one fighting for the win. Being a competitor is simply engrained in who I am.

However, I’m a little tired of competing right now. I’m tired of continually battling in my own strength. I’m tired of thinking that singleness is just another hurdle to jump over.

As an athlete, I can do things to make myself better: shoot more baskets, take more reps in the batting cage, run a little farther for a little longer.

But when it comes to contentment and joy, I can’t do anything. I cannot earn my starting spot in the line-up. This is one game I can’t win. I can’t muscle my way into God’s grace, mainly because He’s already extended it to me. He’s already invited me freely into Himself.

I’m reminded of the people of Israel fleeing Egypt in the book of Exodus. They get to the Red Sea and basically throw an intense mean mug Moses’ way. “Dude, you know Pharaoh is getting closer and we have this impassable body of water in front of us, right?! Did you realize you were taking us this way? I told you we should have stopped for directions 1000 paces ago!”
And Moses busts out some timeless truth,

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. (14:14)

Yet, I act just like Israel. “Hey, God, you know I’m still single over here? You realize this isn’t the plan I had thought of, don’t you? You do know what you’re doing, right?”

Dear Kayla,
The Lord will fight for you. You just need to be still and trust in Him. Rely on Jesus, not yourself. Stop competing for something that’s already been won. Rest in Him.

In the fight for joy, contentment, peace, etc., being a competitor doesn’t make a lot of sense. Letting Jesus be Jesus makes sense.

*to see Amy’s monologue featuring some sweet K. Wiig dance moves, click here!

Tagged , , ,