Backward Design

As a fairly new teacher in the late 1990's, I can recall the first time I heard the term "backward design" as it applied to instructional practice. Today it just makes sense, yet in 1998 when Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins published their book "Understanding by Design" the term seemed a little peculiar. Embracing the concept of backward design was fairly easy and applying the theory to practice, as I stated above, just made sense. There are three basic steps in the backward design process. Identify what the students need to learn, determine how you measure that they have learned what is being taught, and then design teaching strategies that will provide and promote the learning outcomes you seek. Why this was such a profound strategy in education I can't look back and tell you now because in all we do in education we start with the end in mind. Practical and applicable. 

Well, of course Flat Tire Ministries isn't an educational instruction platform, so as you most likely presumed, there is an inspirational connection getting ready to be shared, and if that is what you presumed then you are absolutely correct. Here we go. Reading in the Book of Romans I ran across this connector verse to today's message. "But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?" Romans 10:14. Sounds like to me that the Apostle Paul may very well have been the originator of the "backward design" concept. Think about it, the end goal is that those we love, live with, and meet along our life's journey develop a personal relationship with God the Father of all creation. End goal. To get there we have to know what it takes to get there, and to know what we need to know, someone has to teach us or at best share with us the offer of life eternal through salvation. Kinda sounds like the three steps included in the backward design process. 

What encourages me and also challenges me is the part of Paul's teaching that says, "... and how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them." Folks, that someone is us. If nothing else I'm talking to myself. If you and I don't go about the business of sharing God's offer of life eternal in Heaven then how do we suppose others are going to reach that same goal? Just as Paul said, they can't call on who they don't know, so if they don't know then it is up to us that do know to share that same message with those who don't know. Jesus, in what is commonly referred to as the Great Commission, charged all that believe to,  "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20.  Not only does God expect us to tell others, but His Son came to this earth to direct us to go out to all the world and let them know about the saving grace that saves us from sin and ensures us that death is not the end, but actually the beginning of our eternity with God. 

I challenge myself and I challenge each of you to share God's message of faith and hope with someone you know or someone you meet this week. Keep that backward design in mind. How will they know about Jesus and the gift of salvation He made available, unless someone tells them. And how will you or I be able to tell them if we don't trust, believe, and then go out and share that message. That isn't backwards design, that is God's design. He made you on purpose for a purpose and that purpose includes helping others to obtain that free gift of salvation that Jesus made available to each of us through His life, death on the cross, resurrection and return to His Kingdom seat in Heaven. That my friend is not backwards, that is forward thinking, eternal by design!

Coach Carter

You Reap What You Sow

 I have many fond memories of summers from my childhood. A funny story came to mind after a recent devotional that focused on Galatians 6:7 which basically says, don't be tricked into believing it isn't true, you will reap whatever you sow. (My emphasis on the "you will" part of the scripture). My childhood memory most definitely supports the declaration of the Apostle Paul, so here we go!

As a youth growing up in East Tennessee,  summers never failed to provide a plethora of fresh vegetables and fruits on the vine or in a tree. This story focuses on one of those fruits on a vine, watermelons. There's nothing like slicing a chilled watermelon on a hot summer evening! The juice makes it easy to understand how the fruit got it's name, and the sweet nature of the fruit makes it a welcomed part of any gathering on a late Saturday afternoon. On the particular day that this story transpired, a group of family and friends had gathered on our front porch to enjoy a slice of that delectable treat. If eating watermelon is a memorable joy, then spitting the seeds would have to rank right up there near the top as well. Launching a seed into the air was always a race or the beginnings of a fierce competition with a light hearted outcome for all in attendance. The issue on this particular evening was the fact that our mom had recently made the decision to cultivate a flower bed across the front porch ground. She had dad till the ground, she planted the flower seeds, and then she continued to weed and water the row of upcoming sprouts. What mom did not realize was that during the recent watermelon soiree, several of the launched watermelon seeds found themselves situated right there in her newly formed flower bed. 

As the "flowers" began to grow, mom was a little confused about the vines that were starting to expand rather than a series of bright colored summer annuals. We didn't have the internet to search out the blooms nor the ensuing vine, but eventually it became apparent to mom and the rest of our family that these were not the daffodils that she had earnestly planted, but instead watermelon vines that had basically choked out the flowers and now owned what had suddenly transitioned from a flower bed to a watermelon vine garden. Not what she had intended to grow, but by weeding, watering, and nurturing the sprouts as they erupted from the rich fertile soil she was in actuality sowing into the growth of a watermelon patch. I suppose Paul's warning is applicable here, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." Galatians 6:7 In life, the same is true, we have to be careful what we nurture in our relationships, and our own personal development because what we sow is exactly what we will reap. 

My mom had the best of intentions as she watered and weeded what she believed was a bed of daffodils, yet what was sowed and nurtured was nowhere what she anticipated would be the outcome. Do we inadvertently do the same thing as we move in and out of our jobs, in our relationships, and ultimately in the very core of who we are to become? Life provides us with a multitude of opportunities to "sow" into the lives of others whether it is our children, our neighbors, or even into the lives of those we encounter on a daily basis. As my mom sowed the seeds and then nurtured them with weeding and watering we too should be sowing into the lives of others by planting seeds of God's goodness and offer of life eternal. We should be watering our relationships with mercy and grace coupled with a good example and sincere counsel. We are called to be there to assist others as they too weed out their own lives. The very next verse from Galatians 6 provides a caution about what we plant in the lives of others. "Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." Galatians 6:8. What we do each day is essential to our planting, nurturing, and harvesting. Our actions, our intentions, and our words are all part of the seeds we sow. In other words if we inadvertently plant watermelon seeds, don't expect daffodils to grow. Sow seeds that will produce what we need and what this world desperately needs. In Chapter 5 of the same letters to the Galatians, Paul provides a pretty good list of what we should be striving to sow into the lives of those we have the opportunity to sow. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23. Planting the seeds in the lives of others is of the utmost importance, yet if we do not plant and nurture seeds like those listed above then how can we expect to sow the same into the lives of others. "You will reap what you sow". 

Sowing seeds can be intentional or can happen much like the watermelon seed story my mother encountered. Regardless, we need to understand the concept of sowing and reaping in all we do. "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23. I can't emphasize it and reemphasize it often enough, you are a leader, regardless of whether you want the responsibility that comes with it or not, you lead someone every day of your life. You decide what seeds you will sow into the lives of those you lead, sow seeds that will provide a harvest that will benefit the world in which we live!

Coach Carter

 

Work Hard

 As the 2025-2026 school year was nearing completion, I was honored to be asked to speak at one of our middle school's spring athletic banquets. Having coached wrestling and volleyball for over 30 years, I am always excited to share takeaways that I have acquired over the years with student-athletes, families, and even other coaches. I would like to think my coaching developed over the years and my personal growth paid dividends to the athletes I have had the privilege to coach. Funny thing, over the years I have come to the realization that participating in athletics aligns itself so well with living a life well lived. The mental and physical aspects of training, practicing, and learning alone are habits that are transferable to pretty much anything we do ranging from learning our multiplication facts all the way up to the demands of life as a man or woman in this old world of ours. A recent conversation I had with a friend and colleague of mine brought some advice I shared at the banquet back to mind. Keeping in mind pretty much everything we do in life is relatable to the experiences encountered through organized athletic sports, I'd like to share my notes and thoughts from that speech for our time together today. 

Work hard. There's a quote out there that gained notority when basketball superstar Kevin Durant recited it over and over as a driving force in his own life. "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." There are folks all over the place that are beyond talented, but never utilized their talent to the level they could have if only they would have been willing to work harder than the next guy or gal. Give me ten athletes that will put in the time to learn and grow over one superstar that slacks off because they have more talent than anyone else on the court or on the mat. In life, we advance when we work hard at whatever is in front of us, you can get a job because of your talent. You will keep a job and advance in that job because you work hard! Do things that others aren't doing. Get up earlier than everyone else and spend time practicing while others are sleeping. What do you do after practice? Everyone goes home, showers, eats, and goes to bed. If you want to get ahead of others, do something beyond what is required or expected. I call that being committed. Being committed builds character, character builds hope, and hope doesn't fail. (Romans 5:3-5) 

Be accountable. The often stated phrase is true. There is no "I" in the word team. Don't blame your teammates, don't blame your coach, don't blame the other team, the weather, the conditions, or the day of the week, and especially don't blame the referee. When you point a finger at someone or something there are generally four other fingers pointing back at YOU. In life there are daily opportunities to shift the blame on someone else for our own position in life. Be accountable for the things you can control and don't look for ways to excuse yourself from the very place you find yourself at this moment in your life. If you don't like where you are, then change it. Get up, get out, and get going. No excuses, none accepted on the playing field and none expressed in life. Own your life and realize that God may have placed you exactly where you are so that you may fulfill the very purpose your life was created to serve. "So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." Romans 14:12.

Be gritty. I love these three words, grit, resilience, and perseverance. Like water quenches my thirst, these three words provide me with fire in my body, mind, and soul. When talent, hard work, and the team have exhausted themselves, the ability to stay the course, never give up, and never quit will see you through. It is easy to give up, it is a challenge to stay the course, be the one that stays the course and leads the way for others to follow. The accomplishments of mankind rest on the shoulders of those that persevered through trials, hardships, and challenges that opened the door for less determined athletes to give up due to the difficulty of the challenge they faced. Never give up! "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9.

Believe. Lastly, but definitely most importantly, Believe in something bigger than yourself.When life gets you down, when you are beaten, and you've lost, it isn't over because "God don't make mistakes!" God made you on purpose for a distinct and unique purpose that only you can accomplish and that purpose may very well flow right through that loss or setback you experienced. "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." I Corinthians 16:13. 

As I stated when we started today's message, athletics and the journey of life mirror each other well. I always coached the athletes I worked with to apply everything they did in our practices to the life skills in their tool belts for living their lives to the fullest. I love my life, but life is tough. What wakes me up each day and fuels my inner energy tank are the qualities listed above. I want to work hard and I do. I don't want to look for someone or something to blame when things don't work out the way I envisioned them working out. If I get knocked down 100 times, I want to be that one guy who gets back up 101 times! And finally, if I didn't have God on my side I wouldn't have anything! Man or the things of this world cannot fill the void that is created for those who do not believe! This season may be over, but what are you doing to prepare for the next season you will face! 

Coach Carter

Resolve to Succeed

 

I'd like to start out today's message of hope with the content of a letter written by Abraham Lincoln to a friend, Isham Reavis back in 1855 years before Mr. Lincoln's presidency and his battle to hold a fractured nation together during the Civil War. Apparently, Mr. Reavis was considering becoming a lawyer much like the pathway our future president of the United States had taken. The protege must have been questioning his choice to become an attorney and here is what Abe's advice sounded like: 

"If you are resolutely determined to make a lawyer of yourself, the thing is more than half done already. It is but a small matter whether you read with any body or not. I did not read with any one. Get the books, and read and study them till, you understand them in their principle features; and that is the main thing. It is of no consequence to be in a large town while you are reading. I read at New-Salem, which never had three hundred people living in it. The books, and your capacity, for understanding them, are just the same in all places ... 

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed, is more important  than any other one thing. Very truly, 

Abe Lincoln"

Two lines are what really grabbed me and pulled me into Honest Abe's advice. The first was Abraham's recognition that if Isham had resolved to be a lawyer then more than half of the work was already done. Then to close out his mentoring session, Mr. Lincoln adds, "Your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." Today's title offers a challenge to us all, resolve to succeed, shall we proceed?

Lincoln's advice to the law student is laced with him sharing that it doesn't matter if you read with others, or if he were studying in a larger town as opposed to a smaller community. He even goes on to say that the content of the books won't really change regardless of where you read them. The main thing according to the future statesman was to read, study, and read some more until he understood and knew all of what he had been reading. Applying this to today's work ethic and mindset, we don't necessarily need to find the latest and greatest tool on the market to support our efforts, regardless of what that may be, but at the end of the day, our resolve to finish what we start and to never give up in the face of adversity will have a more robust impact on our success than almost any other tool we incorporate. In other words, if you don't think you can do something, you are probably right. I'm reminded of the words of Henry Ford, "Whether you say you can or you say you can't you are most usually correct." You must have that dogged determination that just won't allow you to give in or throw in the towel!

You have to be willing to adopt a "mind over matter" mentality in my opinion. If you don't mind, it don't matter! There will be obstacles in reaching your goals, you will face mountains and valleys during your life's journey that should be a given, but how prepared you are to face life's challenges is where you or I are the difference maker. If we accept that challenges will exist, but we also hold firm to the belief that overcoming obstacles is just part of the journey, the obstacle itself is diminished. That my friend is our resolve. We accept life's challenge, but only because we believe that we have a destination to reach and we will do what we need to do to overcome challenges because that is what needs to be done. Our resolve is the gas in our tank when we are traveling towards our purpose in life. 

Competitive athletes will tell you that 80% of the outcome in their endeavors is mental. A weightlifter can't look at the bar with multiple plates on each side and say "I don't think I can lift this weight". Well I guess he or she can, but it is almost certain that if that is what is going on inside their head then they most certainly will not be able to lift the weight. That is no different for us in life's challenges. If we see the weight of the world as too much for us to bear, then almost certainly we will give in to the challenge that stands in front of us. In James 1:2-4 we are told to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Persevere, be resolved, see it through, you have a manifest destiny with God's purpose for your life. 

I have met so many people in my life that on paper should not have made it to where they are today. Over comers, over achievers, and the most unlikely to succeed that have truly exceeded anyone's expectations. Each one of those individuals have developed the resolve to be successful in their endeavors. Abraham Lincoln resolved to see this great nation persevere and that is exactly what happened. Even in the darkest days of the Civil War when it appeared that the divide was going to be too great to hold our nation together, our president held firm to his belief that the United States would remain one country. Whatever it is that you are facing today, it is up to you to decide will I overcome or will I succumb? Either way you will most definitely follow the path you choose. I choose to step up and resolve to succeed! 

Coach Carter