Who’s On Your Team?

Sharing Lives—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ

We love you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

1 Thessalonians 2:18

During the mid 1990’s our son Nathan had the privilege of playing collegiate baseball for Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. The strong baseball program, the Christian environment on campus and the great year round weather were strong influences on his decision to leave and head south for the experience. During his first recruiting trip there the coach emphasized an attitude that resonated strongly with us as parents. The stated philosophy that each level of the game (little league, high school, college, professional) has a responsibility to those who have gone before and those who come after to play with integrity, sportsmanship and with a constant awareness of personal improvement. We saw this first hand as we made the trip down for the alumni game and saw the past graduates of the program taking time with the current players to instruct and encourage. Professional players signed autographs and sat in the dugout right beside their collegiate counterparts and good naturedly challenged them to “give one up for the old guys” and then went on the field and demonstrated why they were the elite in the sport. Nathan shared with us the other end of the mentoring process as well. He talked about how every so often the team would be required to take time to help out in the little league and high school programs and individual players would be assigned to do clinics for the little guys and gals and encourage them. He also shared about how the coach would take the team bus down to the Los Angeles homeless shelters and bring the children who were residing there to the ballpark for home games and let them sit in the dugout with the college players. Great ways to not only love on some children who didn’t have a lot to look forward too, but also a wonderful way of growing young men into responsible, caring citizens of the Kingdom, It is always amazing how in the mentoring process the blessings are reciprocal. As we pour our lives into others we in turn are filled. What brings meaning into our lives is no longer focused on what we have and do, but rather on whose we are and how we pass it on. As is often said humorously” there are no U-Hauls behind the hearse” for possessions, I would also add there are no U-Hauls for time and talents either. Let leave it all on the field as we “pay it forward” for the kingdom. Thanks for stepping on the “field” to lead your life group.

YOU ARE APPRECIATED

Steve Bishop----Head cheerleader of a great team!!!