Consistency (1 Corinthians 1:4)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “consistency.” As we continue to pick up the pace in our workouts and the intensity you must remain consistent in your work ethic and drive. This morning’s Fun Friday was great and each of you is starting to feel the burn… in a good way. I thought of this word in preparation of hearing Francis Chan in chapel today. This guy is consistent in his love for God and the Kingdom. I saw Francis for the first time some years ago when I was in high school – and he was the same guy back then as he is today. Amazing. The Apostle Paul was consistent in his ministry in many ways. One of those was the way he prayed. As he did in many of his letters, he wrote the following to the church in Corinth:

"I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus."

~1 Cor. 1:4

I love reading the beginnings of these letters more and more as the years pass. Paul loved his peeps so much and longed to see them. He prayed for them and was consistent in his thoughts and devotion. My question for you today is: Are you consistent in your prayers for others? Francis challenged us to be bold in our prayer lives. My prayer for you today is that God would make your prayer life radical, courageous, and consistent. Have a blessed day.

Praying for you,

mo

Crown (Philippians 4:1)

Good morning ladies,

The word of day is “crown.” What a fitting word, given our goals and aspirations as student-athletes. Paul was very proud to have so many peeps with whom to share the Gospel. Although he was miles away, he always had such a love and joy for his friends. He writes:

"Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!"

~Philippians 4:1

Now this is the kind of friend that I want. Paul did a ton of ministry and saw each person in the body of Christ as special. He knew that the road to life with JC was tough and so he reminded his peeps to stand firm! My question for you today is: Who are the friends in your life that are pushing you to be a better follower of Christ? This season we will compete for the victor’s crown… but we must also remember our ultimate goal – life in Christ. My prayer for you today is that God would surround you with the right individuals to help you achieve that.

Praying for you,

mo

Amazed (Habbakuk 1:5)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “amazed.” On my way to the pool this morning I had a million different things going through my head. I was concerned with this, that, and the other thing. But then I just sat back and smiled to myself and realized how awesome God is. You know when you get that feeling that God has you wrapped in his love… that’s the feeling. A long time ago one of God’s prophets had a similar prayer of concern… well, he was actually concerned for his life and the lives of the Israelites, but you know :) Here was God’s resonse:

“Look at the nations and watch — and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”

Habakkuk 1:5

Whoa! Now that is the God that I want be watching over me. That is the God I want to serve. My question for you today is: When is the last time you sat back and just rested in God’s amazing love? This year God has stuff in store for you that you wouldn’t believe even if you were told. My prayer for you today is that God would shock you with his amazement this year… be ready.

Praying for you,

mo

Aspire (2 Corinthians 13:5-10)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “aspire.” Great job yesterday as you continue to increase strength, yardage, and effort. This year is going to be long and strenuous, but we know you can excel and triumph. The Apostle Paul spent his whole life in pursuit of his aspirations. He knew where he was going and what God wanted him to do. He was always up against the big dogs and under a ton of scrutiny. The thing is, Paul put the blinders on and kept his head in the game.

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”

~2 Corinthians 13:5

You all have choices each day and life is going to continue to get tougher as you move through this season. My question for you today is: Are you willing to aspire for the difficult achievements? This season, how far are you willing to push yourself to hit some crazy goals? I know that in your faith, God wants us to aspire to attain a life with him. It’s a whole lot, I know… but you can do it. Give it your all; God is ready.

Praying for you,

mo

Goals (Philippians 3:14)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “goals.” Now that we are getting closer to our first swim meet, I am sure that have thought about what you might want to accomplish for the season. Today’s word has special meaning to me, as it is my life verse. Back in high school I was young in my faith and struggling with issues of anger and poor sportsmanship during my athletics. I turned to my youth pastor. Kevin always had a good word, and at that point challenged me to think of what God might want for my swim season. We prayed together for God to speak. After countless passages and tons of thinking, we came up with this:

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

~Phil. 3:14

Talk about a revelation! I realized that no matter what my goals were in sports or life in general, that this was the ultimate goal in front of me. Paul pretty much sums it up and says that we need to keep our eye on the prize. My question for you today is: What are you doing daily to press on toward a life in Christ? This year is going to be off the hook! You are all doing great already and we are just at the beginning. My prayer for you today is that you get wrapped up in JC… and as you set your swim and academic goals… never take your eyes off him.

Praying for you,

mo

Context (Matthew 12:1-14)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “context,” inspired by Pastor Khristi Adams’ message in chapel on Wednesday. Each of you will have a bunch of religion classes during your years at APU. You will no doubt talk about context in these courses. JC was the master of context. He always knew where he was and the environment of each setting. It’s pretty amazing that no matter where the Savior ministered, he always had the right thing to say or do. I mean, think of all the smart peeps like the Pharisees and Sadducees that constantly tried to stump him. Take for instance the following passage:

“One Sabbath, Jesus was strolling with his disciples through a field of ripe grain. Hungry, the disciples were pulling off the heads of grain and munching on them. Some Pharisees reported them to Jesus: "Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath rules!" Jesus said, "Really? Didn't you ever read what David and his companions did when they were hungry…”

~Matthew 12:1-3

JC went on to let all the haters know exactly why his actions were correct. Here is the thing – he knew that peeps were always going to be looking at him. He could not go anywhere without having to defend himself against those who did not like what he was about. Here is my question: Do you know the different contexts that you are in each day? As a Christian you are always subject to peeps looking to see how you live and act. My prayer for you today is that you understand God’s great calling on your life to witness to others, in any context.

Praying for you,

mo

Selfless (John 15:13)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “selfless.” I was chattin’ it up with one of my buddies yesterday and he was saying some good stuff about friendship and teamwork. He mentioned that he believed one of the biggest detriments to a team was selfish acts and not looking out for others. He made a great point that if team members, whether in sports, business, or life took an approach of selflessness then we would start seeing some great stuff happen. JC said it best:

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

~John 15:13

Wow. I think the Savior knew a thing or two about this statement. This season you have so much to think about – responsibilities are of no shortage in each of your lives right now. As a team we have the opportunity to be even stronger than if we were on our own. My question is: What will it take for you to become the kind of friend in the above passage? God has given us life, friendship, and team. I pray that each of you asks the Lord to make you a better friend each day, both on our team and in your daily relationships.

Praying for you,

mo

Defend (Galatians 2:1-21)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “defend.” This word can be used a ton of different ways, but I would like to capitalize on the way Paul uses it here in Galatians. Paul had been doing ministry for like 14 years. Yet he still found himself defending both himself and the faith. He was laborious and meticulous in this dealing with the Gospel and his excitement for Christ’s love for others. He was definitely always on the lookout for ways to express his love for JC and the opportunity for others to follow the Word.

“And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.”

~Galatians 2:2

Being a student-athlete at APU gives you a great platform to proclaim your faith. Other peeps will be looking at you and the way you act and live. At times it could seem unfair; I mean aren’t you just a student like everyone else? Yes and no. As an athlete representing our school it is your duty and privilege to wear the Cougar uniform with pride, as a witness for JC. My prayer for you this morning is that you defend the Gospel, first with your actions and then with your voice. This season is underway and I am excited to see how God will use you to manifest his Word this year.

Praying for you,

mo

Might (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

Might (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “might.” As you can see, this is inspired by Coach Tim’s scripture for us the other day. He reminded us that in each situation and circumstance we should give God our all. In this passage, Solomon reminds the peeps that God enabled them with certain abilities and each should use those as God intended. In talking to many of you I can tell that it’s time for papers, homework, and projects to creep in. I remember thinking that college was the best thing in the world because all the proffs gave us a syllabus – I would never fall behind again in my work. Ummm, yeah.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

~Ecc. 9:10

This life is short and God has given you so much. What you will do with this gift is your choice. My question today is: What does God have in store for me that I could use my energies to accomplish? I pray that whatever you do this season and school year, you do it with all your might.

Praying for you,

mo

Word (Psalm 119:105)

Good morning ladies,

Ironically, the word of the day is “word.” I was thinking this weekend at the intensity of God’s word in my life, as I pray it is in yours. I thought it was aptly appropriate to start this week right. So many times I have let my thoughts and words slip and been careless. God’s word is always intentional and perfect. How I long for my life to align with God’s. As I pondered our season, I realized that we have a long way to go. We are in the beginning… and that is good. We have the opportunity to live by God’s light and let his word direct our thoughts, actions, and direction. The Psalmist here says:

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

~Psalm 119:105

This verse has been a prayer of mine since high school. The cool part about our relationship with God is that no matter how we act or who we are at any given moment, the word of God never changes. I can always look back and get back on track with what God would have for me in my life and relationship with him. So I guess the question today is: Are you allowing God’s word to be a light in your life? My prayer today is that God would manifest goodness in each of your lives and guide your every thought and action. We are so blessed to be in community with one another. Make this week great.

Praying for you,

mo

Freedom (1 Corinthians 9:27)

Hey ladies,

The weekend has come and it is time for “freedom.” Awesome job this morning on yet another Fun Friday. A couple of you were having too much fun with inner tubes and lack of coordination concerning the stretch cords. Ahhh, how you make your coaches laugh :) Sooo, with no more practices till Monday, this weekend you are free to do whatever you want. And, being in Cali is the best place in the world to live and do a million things. As Christians, fun and freedom come with responsibility. Each of you are student-athletes and representatives of APU. More importantly, you are representatives of Christ Jesus.

“For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.”

~1 Cor. 9:19

Paul was a pretty knowledgeable and straight-laced guy. He knew both the Jewish law and the new law by which he now lived in Christ. He was constantly on the lookout for opportunities to share his faith with others. And if that meant being a certain way to represent JC, then that is what he did. This did not mean that he was a sell-out in the bad sense of the word. Instead, Paul was so aware of his witness for JC that he was able to adapt in any situation to show others why they should choose to follow Christ. Today’s question is: When others see you are they more drawn to JC for what they see? I pray that as you enjoy the freedom God has given you through Jesus, you are a representation for his name. Have a great weekend.

Praying for you,

mo

Navigate (John 14:1-31)

Hey ladies,

The word of the day is “navigate.” By this time you are prolly getting settled in and know what your weeks are going to look like. Your obligations are becoming clear and you know what parts of the school year you are and are not excited about. As you put everything in your calendar and get ready for a great year and season, my encouragement is that you take special care of that schedule. Do you know what you have to get done? Can you prioritize your week and still leave time for play and relaxation. If you do not look ahead now, chances of burning out increase.

Planning is important. Jesus laid out a plan for the future, as he has promised to prepare a place for each of us who call him Lord (v.1-4). That is rad! Jesus knew that his followers dealt with stress and anxiety and all the other stuff that came with daily life. Yet he told them to not be troubled and believe in him. That is a pretty bold statement to make. But I guess JC was a pretty bold dude.

What is it that you can do to not only add God to your schedule, but to let the Spirit permeate your daily activities? Are you navigating well these first couple of weeks in the year? Navigating well this season will take constant tweaking of your priorities and time. I pray that God gives you peace this year, as promised in the Word (v.27).

Praying for you,

mo

Promise (Deuteronomy 1)

Hey ladies,

The word of the day is “promise.” This is such a cool word if you are a Christian because of the implications it holds. When God first brought his peeps out of Egypt and was ready to give them a new land, the scripture reads:

See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them."

(Deuteronomy 1:8)

God knew what he had promised and wanted Moses and the Israelites to move forward. The problem was the God’s people were not ready to trust. And for that decision they ended up wandering the wilderness for the next forty years. Now, the point is that we don’t need to be worried that God is going to do the same to us. The important lesson is to understand that God has given you a promise, and God will always be faithful to that promise. The question is: what does that promise mean in your life and relationship with God?

As we spoke about today, each of you are champions in God’s eyes. You have been given the victory by trusting. This season will give you the chance to trust God with your athletics, academics, and all the other stuff on your plate. Will you trust God’s promise? Show the promise of a champion… and you will not be disappointed.

Praying for you,

mo

Prepare (Psalm 23)

Hey ladies,

The word of the day is “prepare.” Because it is the beginning of the season and you have all been gone for some time, you may feel a little out of whack. I know that whenever I would take off just a couple of weeks each summer I would come back to the pool and feel like it had been like a year since I was in the water. You are also in transition for this year and are about a week or so into your schooling. What are the things that you need to get in line to make sure you prepare and are on track for a good experience. One of the briefs given yesterday was on making sure you had the correct amount of units and other criteria to be eligible for the season. Sometimes stuff is going to seem a little overwhelming. Being a student-athlete has lot of responsibility tied to it.

In this famous Psalm of David it is loaded with lots of good information and reassurance from God. One of those reassurances was the David knew that his God was always there for him. David has a lot of peeps after him in his life from when he was young to the day he died. But one thing he knew was that God knew how to take care of him. God loves us so much that even he prepares life for us, including opportunity and comfort. God gives what we need when we need it, as David experienced in this Psalm (v.5). God is also preparing you constantly for the good works you have in store even this year. Are you allowing God to prepare you for this year? God wants to provide for you. Look to God in times of stress and you will find comfort. This is a long season, but it is going to be awesome!

Praying for you,

mo

Pause (Psalm 46)

Hey ladies,

Great workout this morning. The word of the day is inspired by the memorial events of this past weekend. Ten years ago the World Trade Center was hit by a terrorist attack. That event shook the confidence and security of this great country, if only for a moment. In his speech yesterday, the President used this very Psalm to remind the nation that God is not silent during the tragic events that we face in our lives. It is our honor to pause and remember those who lost their lives on that day, September 11, 2001. We also pause to remember the heroes who have given their lives since that day until this in the line of duty, as well as those who continue to protect us, both in our country and around the world.

My question today is: when and where has God been help to you during the hard times in your life? Is there a time in when you needed help, and God was there (v.1)? We focus today on the understanding that God chooses to be here for us… always. Sometimes I feel as if life gets tough and that I am alone in my struggles. However, because of the men and women that surround me, in Christ’s love, with their counsel and wisdom I am able to make it through. It is not always pretty, but I seem to make it. My encouragement today is to allow God to be your fortress (v.7) in both the good times and bad. As we all did yesterday, take a moment, and pause to remember those who have inspired you. Pause to remember that the God of Jacob is our fortress (v.11).

Praying for you today,

coach mo

Discernment (Judges 7:1-25)

Hey Lady Cougars,

Welcome to your first weekend of the college year. As mentioned yesterday, the second quality that Jann Cobb, my youth pastor’s wife, told me to pray for daily is “discernment.” This is a tricky one. If you you pray for discernment and God gives it to you, then you may not always like the options presented… For instance, when Gideon was going to war, he was such a good leader that he attracted a ton of dudes who were willing to fight along side him. The problem was that this was not necessarily in God’s plan. For God to get the glory of triumph, the army was going to have to shrink (7:2). How would you like to be that kind of leader… awesome!

God wants quality in our lives, not quantity (7:6). You have the choice to do a ton of good stuff set before you, but sometimes doing the good stuff gets in the way of the great things God has in store. My question for you today is: What good things in your life do you need to examine to possibly make way for the great things that God has for you? I know, that is a tough one. I constantly struggle with that. I always want to do more ministry, more fun stuff, more family time, more friends time, and yes… even more homework – sometimes. ☺

Discernment in all that you do will give you the opportunity follow God’s leading, and prepare you for victory in your endeavors (7:15). As the old knight at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade said, “Your must choose, but choose wisely…” Have a great weekend, ladies. The first week is over and you are well on your way to the great stuff God has in store for you this year!

Wisdom

Hey ladies,

After hearing President Jonny Wallace speak yesterday at our first chapel, I thought “wisdom” would be an appropriate word of the day. He touched on the importance of applying the knowledge we gain through life. For each of you ladies, college is a great place to learn and grow. But as student-athletes, you also have a ton of responsibilities and crazy schedules. It is a privilege to represent your school through sports, and I am so excited for what God has in store for you. This year is going to fly and it is pertinent that you keep God’s vision in front of you.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

~Proverbs 3-5-6

When I was a senior in high school, my youth pastor’s wife gave me a bit of advice that I still apply today. She told me that each day when I wake up I should pray for two things: 1) Wisdom, and 2) Discernment. Wow! I am telling you… that changed my life. She explained that if I prayed for those qualities, God would give them to me. From that day to this, I still pray for both each morning. Here’s the crazy part though… it was, and is, up to me to use both when God gives them to me. Do you pray for these qualities? I pray that God gives you both and each of you use your influence to be an example to others. Have a blessed day, yo!!!

Coach mo

Beginnings (Joshua 1:10-18)

Hey ladies,

Great first day. Just to reiterate the thought from this morning. Today marked the beginning of a new swim season. For you froshies, this marks the beginning of a new season of life - college. Grab hold of the upper-class peeps and glean some perspective on what lies ahead.

For each of the Lady Cougars, one and all, whatever your year in school, take this year and make it something special. Remember, like Joshua endured years in the wilderness to experience a new beginning to a new season of life... each of you have the opportunity to make this a great year. God fulfills promises and answers prayers. I continue to see him do big things all around me. Ask God boldly to move in your life... and God will do so.

We are praying for you and know that you will all do well. Get some rest... see you all very bright and early manana.

Coach MO