Jesus + Nothing = Everything

     Where are you in your walk of faith? If you feel that you are walking closely to your Maker great you are equipped to face the obstacles that life presents along the way, if He is distant and you aren't even sure if you are walking in the same direction that you are intended to walk then hopefully you can find your road map and get on the right path today.
     Before his conversion of faith Saul (eventually to be known as Paul), author of the majority of the New Testament in the Bible and a courageous disciple of Christ, was definitely on the wrong road as he traveled to Damascus to further persecute and imprison more Christians for their faith. For those that may not be familiar with Paul's experience here's the cliff notes. As Saul traveled on his way to Damascus an intensely, bright light physically blinded Saul, and the voice of God spoke to him asking him "Why are you persecuting me?". Losing his sight was an eye-opening experience literally. Fasting, praying, and seeking God's intent for his life, the former enemy of Christ, now turned his life over in service to God, regained his sight, and changed his name from Saul to Paul. The rest is recorded history. As today's title suggests, sometimes you have to lose everything before you realize you have all you could ever need.
      I heard the Reverend Billy Graham proclaim the title of today's Flat Tire Ministry Thought for the Week one day on the radio and it really struck a chord with me. You see I don't believe you have to lose your eyesight, experience a tragedy, or hit the bottom of the barrel before you can experience the life changing love of our Creator, hopefully your decision to follow God in faith came through a much smoother transition, yet for many people much like Paul a life altering experience has either made you or you are broken as you read this message. For those that it has made the difference and changed your life forever, praise be to God, for those that it has broken this message is for you.
     What does it mean to say Jesus plus nothing equals everything? How can the answer be so simple in the face of what appears to be total destruction of everything a person possesses? Lost financial stability, broken relationships, major health issues, and even death create a wreck of catastrophic proportions as we unexpectedly travel through life. To the point that many people feel they have nothing left, nothing to grasp onto to keep from drowning in their despair. The end of the rope for some may be a tiny strand that appears to be dwindling rapidly away. If you are in that place this is where Jesus + nothing = everything must become your state of mind, body, soul, and spirit.
     You see once you have reached the bottom, when you feel that you are as low as you can possibly go with no hope in sight, that is exactly where faith and trust are found. Faith that God has a plan for your life, and trust that as long as you have a breath in your lungs that plan will be fulfilled. You can't expect that in every situation  God is going to miraculously heal your vision as He did in the life of Paul, but instead you have to believe that God's plan is so much bigger than you or I can see and if we understand that then we can also believe that whatever God's plan is then just as Jesus conceded on the cross "not my will but thy will be done." Luke 22:42. 
     I'll conclude with this thought. Paul was provided a miracle three days after he lost his sight on the road to Damascus. Needless to say that event shaped his life and was the basis of his commitment to serving God. Throughout the rest of his life Paul experienced hardships beyond what each of us would deem bearable. Paul was imprisoned and tortured more than once for his faith and his unwavering commitment to spread the message of hope found in faith. Paul suffered an affliction to his body that persisted throughout his life to the point that he broke down and asked God to take away the pain not once, but three times. Paul's resolve in this situation is stated by the explanation God provided him in II Corinthians 12:9-10, "He answered me, “I am all you need. I give you My loving-favor. My power works best in weak people.” I am happy to be weak and have troubles so I can have Christ’s power in me.  I receive joy when I am weak. I receive joy when people talk against me and make it hard for me and try to hurt me and make trouble for me. I receive joy when all these things come to me because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." When you have nothing left, when you feel like you are down and out for the final count, or whatever your situation in life is that has you feeling like you are all alone, let me assure you, you are not alone. Just as today's title professes, Jesus + absolutely nothing left = all you need to go forward. Trust and obey, be strong and courageous, and live in faith to the one that will see you through. 
     My prayer each time I write this blog post is that one person's life will be impacted by what God has allowed me to write this day. In your own prayers please join me that someone will find hope in their circumstances or situation today through the words that have been written in faith. 
Thank you, Coach Carter

Progression Over Perfection

     A good friend of mine and fellow volleyball coach, Doug Swint, has an encouraging phrase that not only carries a great deal of truth to it, but also is a great motivational tool in his coaching. During just about every practice, especially when he notices a player getting down on themselves you'll hear Coach Swint proclaim "Progression over Perfection!" accompanied by a quick reminder that the only way to get better is to keep working at what you are struggling. That may sound like simple advice, yet so many of us are paralyzed by the idea of failure or "looking bad" that we allow our imperfections to limit our true potential. The desire to be perfect is not only detrimental to your progress in athletics, but it is also an underlying factor in decreased productivity at work, career, school, and in life. Perfection is not achievable, nor should it be, yet our drive to be better, do better, and to work towards the best "me" I can be is all about progression which I believe should be our goal in life.
     Making progress in life is a driving force we should all embrace and use as our measuring stick each day. We must make ourselves vulnerable to the idea that "failure" is not a negative word, it is a measurement made by man to label an effort that was unsuccessful. Failures are just part of the progression towards success. Thomas Edison's famous quote, "I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure.",  rings true with the mantra of progression over perfection. What if Edison had attempted to create the light bulb a dozen times or maybe even 50 times and then decided that it just wouldn't work and gave up? Life would have been a little darker for a while longer until someone with a little more drive came along to accomplish the feat. Edison realized that making mistakes and falling short of his goal were all necessary steps in working towards and eventually reaching his goal. He saw it as inevitable that if only he persevered through the missteps in his quest he would eventually reach his goal. We must apply that same perseverance to our lives to accomplish our mission in life which  should be to grow (progress) and better the world in which we live.
     Two of favorite advocates in the understanding of the whole progression over perfection mentality are Dr. Carol Dweck and Dr. Angela Duckworth. Dweck's work on the advantages of  a growth mindset over a fixed mindset laid the foundation for Duckworth to advocate for a person to develop more "grit" or resiliency to work through the adversity of failure to ultimately reach a goal. The idea of a growth mindset is that you have to look at what some would label a failure, and to understand that these are mere lessons to learn that help us grow and progress. The key is we have to be willing to learn from our mistakes. Those with a fixed mindset will not push themselves for fear of failure or fear of looking like they aren't successful. This type of thinking hampers progress and deadens the drive to attempt things outside of our comfort zone. Keep in mind the score on the scoreboard isn't the only factor that determines success.
      As a coach (and if you are reading this you are a coach to someone your children, coworkers, students, athletes, friends, family, or even if it is to yourself) you must embrace the concept that as long as you are progressing you are moving the needle in the right direction. Coaches that are facing a losing season must set realistic goals that are both measurable and attainable to determine if your season was a success. Looking only at the scoreboard is man's measuring stick, but what really matters in life is what did you do in your life that makes an impact on as many people as possible. Progression. Think about how you encourage others and how you push forward in the face of adversity. Don't get bogged down by the fear of looking bad or falling flat on your face. Go out on a limb and make yourself more vulnerable to taking chances. The impact you make on this world isn't measured on a daily basis, instead our legacy on the world we live is measured by the continuous work we do while we are here on this earth to make our world a better place. When faced with a challenge that appears too hard to overcome keep in mind that you may never overcome that obstacle, yet one thing is for certain. If you give up, if you quit, it is certain that you will not be successful, but if you dig in, if you draw upon every bit of grit, perseverance, and resiliency you have inside your soul then you have a chance to make a difference in the world you live. Whatever it is in life that you are destined to do, remember it's all about progression not perfection! Go out and make a difference today! Coach Carter

"What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger"

     Now I am definitely not a philosopher, but I am apt to grab on to a good philosophical adage when I hear one. Friedrich Nietzsche is quoted as having said "What doesn't kill a person only makes that person stronger." I'd like to admit to you that I was reading one of Nietzsche's books, but that wouldn't hardly be true. In actuality a song by the band Need to Breathe and Lauren Diagle, "Hard Love", that I listen to just about every morning hinges on that very line of encouragement.

“Hold on tight a little longer
What don’t kill ya, makes ya stronger
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
You can’t change without a fallout
It’s gon’ hurt, but don’t you slow down
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love”- 

  The whole premise of Nietzsche's proclamation and the lyrics of this song is that the adversities and even the afflictions of life that we persevere through will eventually make us a stronger person, a better prepared person, equipped with the grit and resiliency to enter future storms of life with an "overcomer" mindset. 

     I'll admit that is an easier one to say than it is to do. It's a "tough row to hoe" by yourself, and knowing someone is there to catch you when you fall or empower us when we are weak is not only comforting, but also essential. No man is an island.

      When I share with someone that I have learned to embrace adversity as a critical component of growth, many times the person I am talking to looks at me like I have three heads and says, "How is that possible? How can you be so positive in the middle of some type of hardship or difficulty?" Well I have learned the secret that Paul shared with the church in Corinth, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." II Corinthians 12:9-10. In another instance Paul proclaims to the church in Philippi, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." 
Philippians 4:11-13. It isn't easy, and I don't want to make it sound like all you have to do is think with a positive attitude and it will all be okay, but I am saying it is possible, and yes you can overcome and persevere!
     You may ask, "When will I ever get relief from this traumatic chapter of my life?" The answer to that question is that unfortunately/fortunately you may or you may not ever get the physical relief you would like to receive, but when you accept the conditions you are in, whether they be physical, financial, or emotional as a tool that God has given you to use to benefit His purpose for your life, your perspective will change. Where once you felt persecuted, know you will feel empowered to share, to help someone else that isn't as strong as you. A child, an elderly person, a student, a friend, that is struggling, or even a loved one that has fallen into the same trap that once held you captive may be the very reason you endured and overcame that adversity in your own life. 
     The valleys you traveled through to reach the mountain you are standing on right now are the very lessons you have learned from and know they have equipped you so that you can help someone else survive their own valley. The adversity and afflictions of life mold our trust and faith to create in us an encouraging truth that God has a plan and whatever our role in that plan is we must trust that it is for a greater purpose than just for our own personal existence.
     I may fall, I may suffer, I may deal with adversity remaining days of my life, but I am confident that God is a great big God, and His plans are beyond my scope of understanding, so I place my trust and faith in Him. That has made all the difference in my life and it can do the same for you! Persevere!! 
Coach Carter

The Leaf in My Hood

     We live in a deeply wooded area and with that being said it would be an understatement to add we have plenty of leaves to contend with around this time of year. Right now it isn't too bad, but over the next month or so rakes, leaf blowers, and piles upon piles of leaves will be common sites in our neighborhood. What I'd like to share with you today isn't about all of the leaves that will carpet the ground where we live, but instead it's all about one single leaf that created a relentless pain for me.
     One recent Saturday morning I had made my way out to my truck, pulled out and was headed out of our neighborhood. That's when I noticed a leaf that had found itself lodged in a vent slot near the windshield of my truck. As I accelerated down the road I expected the leaf would blow off so I did just that. I pushed the pedal a little harder than normal anticipating that the leaf would soon fly over the cab, but it didn't. No big deal right? Well maybe not for you, but with my Attention Deficient Disorder tendencies I couldn't hardly pay attention to the road because I was so intent on seeing this stowaway leaf fly away. My next thought was to turn the windshield wipers on to see if their arms could possibly reach the leaf and move it just slightly enough for the air to grab it up and send it flying. No luck. This leaf wasn't going anywhere, looking at this leaf's stem it didn't even appear to be that deeply lodged in the vent slot. I decided it was time to add some aerodynamics and tactical elements to the attack on my nemesis. By this time the leaf was now vibrating against my windshield and the rapid tapping of this dried up leaf against the glass was about to drive me crazy, so I started slightly swerving to the right and left to dislodge this nuisance off of my vehicle. Still no luck! I had exhausted my full arsenal and to no avail! What was I to do? Well the climax of this story is really rather anti-climatic. I pulled over to the side of the road, placed the truck in park, opened my door, exited the truck, and plucked the leaf out of the tiny vent slot on my truck's hood. Wow, that took all of what like about 30 seconds?? With this distraction now removed I was able to resume my journey and place my full attention on the road where it needed to be all along.
       I share this episode not necessarily as a lesson on how to effectively remove a leaf from your hood, but because in our lives we often have small issues or concerns that usurp our focus, when all we have to do is stop and take care of the little problem before it becomes a major problem. You know if I had not pulled over and removed that leaf the distraction it had created could have easily resulted in an accident for me. We let those little things in our lives that cause us to lose focus to do the same thing. Many times we know exactly what it is in our lives that is creating interference with our goals, yet we do everything we can to avoid taking care of the issue at hand.
      Watching television, video games, social media, or electronic devices as a whole are one type of distraction that keeps us from staying focused on where we really should be concentrating. But it doesn't have to be electronics, anything that keeps you from accomplishing your goals for the day, or serves as a distraction on your journey in life qualifies as a leaf stuck in your hood. We can swerve back and forth on the road, we can turn on our life's windshield wipers going back and forth about what we should actually be doing, but at the end of the day we have to make an intentional effort to remove whatever it is that is causing us to be distracted from what is really important. We all have a purpose in life and God wants us to have our focus set on His plan for our life. Hebrews 12:1-2  tells us, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." If you have something that you need to be doing get the distractions out of the way and make the move to get it done.
     This week I encourage you to stop and reflect on what it is that might be distracting you from being focused on your day's mission. Is there something out there that just needs to be removed so that you can place your full attention on what is really important? If so don't spin your wheels trying to think of ways to contend with the distraction, instead stop, make a plan to remove whatever it is, and then do what needs to be done. Sound easy? Well I can guarantee you the 30 seconds I invested to remove that leaf from my windshield were so much more effective than the 10 minutes I wasted doing everything else I did that only distracted me and hindered my morning drive!

If You Don't Use It, You May Just Lose It!

     In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) a businessman brings three of his servants in before he goes on a long journey, and gives each of the three a quantity of talents or gold equal to their skill level. I guess his goal was to allow the servants to see what they could do with their master's gold to turn a profit while he was away. As the story goes the one that was given five talents doubled his master's investment, and the servant which was given two talents did the same creating an 100% return on what he had been entrusted. Alas, the servant who was given only one talent took the talent and buried it so that he wouldn't lose what he had been given by his master. Upon return from his journey the master gathered the three servants to see how well his investment had played out. To the servants that doubled their master's investment he rewarded them by promoting them within his business and giving them more authority. To the servant that thought he was doing the master a favor by not taking a chance on losing what he had been given watch over, the master scolded him and told him how he had not taken advantage of what had been given to him, so even what he had was to be taken away from him and he was cast out of the master's business. What a lesson for us to apply to our lives each day. In our Flat Tire Ministry Thought for the Week, we'll be exploring the moral of this parable which I have titled, "If you don't use it, you may just lose it!"
     In the parable talents represented a form of monetary value, but every time I read this story I can't help but think about human talents. Athletic prowess, public speaking, mechanical or electrical expertise, encouraging others, coaching, and leadership are just a few that come to mind when I think of talents. Some of us have been gifted with multiple talents just as the servants in the story, while others may feel like they are limited in the "talent" pool or that they have no real talents at all. First let me tell you, everyone has a talent, you may have never tapped into it or you may not have realized that it is a talent, but let me assure you, you have a talent. The problem is many of us are reluctant to use what we have been given. Why?
     Two or three reasons come to mind. First, we don't want to take a chance on getting embarrassed or looking bad in front of others if we aren't successful in our endeavors. Fear of failure cripples our efforts to use the talents we have been entrusted to use. A second reason deals with lack of motivation. Any athlete that has excelled at their sport has had to work at it way beyond what is expected of them by a coach or team. The athlete that excels at her sport has invested an extensive amount of time practicing and studying their craft to get to where she is. Men and women athletes that reach the "gold" level of competition understand that just because they have been given a talent doesn't mean they will rise to the top level of their sport. They, just like the servants in the parable, have taken what they have been given and invested time and effort to make it the best it can possibly be. The third and last reason we don't utilize our talents has to do with apathy. I'm tired, let someone else do it, or I just don't have time in my schedule are all excuses that handicap our drive to use the talents we have been given. I am a coach, I have coached organized wrestling or volleyball for over thirty years. I am not going to say I am a great coach, but I do believe God gave me the talents necessary to be a good coach. But coaching takes a great deal of time and commitment. It means you put others in front of your wants in most situations. You have to prepare way beyond the time on the practice field and when game time comes you have to be willing to accept the outcome win or lose as ultimately yours to own. I firmly believe that each of us are coaches in our own walk of life. At work, at school, in your home, or on the team you coach, you have talents to share with others it's your responsibility to do just that.
     Whatever the reason is that you are holding back on squeezing the most out of the talents you have been blessed with, I want to encourage you today to re-position yourself in terms of your talents. You may be multi-talented or you may just have one talent that you haven't even chinked off the tip of the iceberg on, but the key is that you go out and use what God has given you to benefit others today! Your life isn't about you, if you are holding back because of fear or failure, or maybe you lack the  motivation to get busy, or just because you don't think it will really matter if you do or don't get involved, you can start making a difference today. You have been given the talents that you have so that you can make a difference so why would you sit around and bury that talent? It's sad, but it is so true, "if you don't use it, you may just lose it".
     Let me encourage you to reflect today on the talents that you have. Don't sit there and say I don't have any talents, that isn't realistic and it isn't true. Anything you do well is a talent. Cooking, arts, speaking, coaching, running, helping, sharing, teaching, caring, or leading you have a talent. Find ways to use that talent to help others. If you cook amazing chili share it with someone less fortunate than yourself. If you are an above average learner, take your knowledge and spread it to others. If you can lead, lead by example, lead with integrity, and make a difference in the world you live. Whatever you can do, do it with everything you've got, take full advantage of your talent and watch it flourish in the lives of those you come in contact each day! Go for it and have an amazing week!
Coach Carter