Before Jesus Changed My Life
As a college baseball coach, I put all of my worth and value into wins and losses. Losing games would turn me into a person that was broken - anger and alcohol were the 2 easiest ways for me to deal with failure. I was selfish, and I didn't pour into my players with a servant's heart
How Jesus Changed My Life
In Spring of 2024, our team was on a heck of a losing streak and I was not coping with it well. In the middle of the slump, Veritas began a book study on James one morning and I mark that morning as the biggest moment of transformation for me. That Sunday's teaching on James 1:2-4 saved my life: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." I remember being in tears in Veritas listening to that message and feeling overwhelmingly grateful for a God that reminds us that if we have faith, we are "lacking in nothing." I decided to share this passage with our team that afternoon before our game, emphasizing that we are called to count our current struggles as joy! The response from our players transformed not only the way I coach, but the way I live as well.
My Life After Jesus Saved Me
After this conversation with my team about James 1:2-4, I had 5 or 6 players come up to me afterward and express their faith in Jesus and the fact that they had been praying for a coach who wasn't afraid to lead them spiritually as well. While my intentions in sharing this passage were simple, to boost the morale of a team that needed a message of hope, the response from these players opened my eyes to the responsibility I have to no longer be afraid of sharing my faith. As we begin a new season, this season of life always challenges me to remember that our purpose is much bigger than our wins and losses. I have really enjoyed the teachings of Ephesians on work, particularly 2:10 - "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Viewing my job as an opportunity to work for God's plan and glory, instead of my own win/loss record, has been really helpful for me in keeping things in perspective. Because I have faith in Jesus as my savior, none of the tangible results on the baseball field matter, and I am equipped with scripture to handle failure in a way that glorifies God instead of satisfying personal, momentary gratification.