I want to give an encouraging word to someone who finds themselves in an uncomfortable position. Chances are, you have been there before but you have forgotten. Don’t fret… Check your historical data.. History is about to repeat itself. Let me go this way. I want to revisit my daughter Alicia’s freshman year. She was on the basketball team and she had found herself in a familiar place but had chosen to handle things the same way that she has always done so. Over the years as she has gone to new teams, the transition has never been smooth. She has had to do new things, play with new players. Listen to new coaches basically tell her that she is not either ready, or as good as their players that they have had, in their own subtle way. Her typical response has been to take a back seat to everyone else and carry her emotions on her sleeve. I have seen her new team mates over the years act as if they were the superior players because of her quiet and sometimes docile disposition. I’ve actually heard some of the remarks made by other players when they thought she wasn’t listening.. In the past I would see them kind of call her out to make themselves look good on the court. They’d line up on her and attempt to make themselves look good. She would allow this stuff to happen for a short period and then ultimately, I would remind her of who she is, then folks had to learn to respect who she was and what she was capable of doing. She has had coaches tell her how broken her game was or how far she was behind. She had coaches who wouldn’t trust her as a guard but wanted her to play as a post player, which is not what she will play in college. They loved that she was strong and knew how to score from down there. Forget what was best for her personally as a player. One Coach told her not to dribble, one coach told players not to pass her the ball in critical situations, one coach told her not to shoot the ball, and one told her that she couldn’t play with the big girls on a national scene. After I helped deprogram all of that garbage out of her head, I reminded her of where she comes from. She not only showed up, but she showed out. I’ve had one of the local coaches who did this to her come with a lame apology and a bunch of excuses for how he handled her, years later. I told him that he simply helped make her better. His assistant coach had a daughter on my daughter’s team now and initially he was uncomfortable around us. We never forgot but again realized that it was a role that they played in making her better. I didn’t like it back then but I knew that in the end God would work it out. I have taught her that she is not just a seed of two athletes but a royal seed of God. I told her that she is not an annual (a seed that cannot stand the harsh winter months), but a perennial (One who is not only tough enough but able to be moved from place to place and still a flourish). I told her to not get caught up in the rainy seasons of her life because it helps the soil around her. I told her not to get caught up in the feelings of her being dumped on.. Every plant needs fertilizer. I reminded her of all the coaches who has attempted to place their favorites before her and in the spotlight.. Their efforts were futile and because she was willing to do the dirty work and not seek the limelight, she has time and time again stood out. I reminded her that her accomplishments are more than hype. Bottom line, I reminded her that in our family, we have all gone through stuff. Some of the things were unpleasant, they hurt, they left scars and they served as reminders of how God has brought us through. Bottom line, things have always worked out in our favor. She played ball this summer, during the division 1 schools evaluation period. She didn’t play as well as she could when she first went out. We thought that coaches were going to not be interested. Other players seemed to do better in the first two tournaments. She went to play in Washington DC to finish the summer off and she played extremely well. She got to play the point and she rose above whatever came upon her. Many went out to play in September to allow the colleges to get one last look at them. We chose to have her just work on getting better and stronger. Some thought that it was a bad idea. Well currently she is being contacted regularly by quite a few D1 schools. Not simple letters but emails and weekly phone calls. We understand that the process is still a long one but there is evidence that God has his hands on her. We were amazed at the schools who are interested in her that saw her in those the tournaments that we felt she didn’t do what she was capable of doing. To hear them tell her that they are not simply inquiring about her but are very interested in her as a student athlete is so cool. It is working out. My message is for the one who finds themselves in a tough spot. You may feel uncomfortable, alone, beat up on, tired, or inadequate… Don’t worry.. Check the historical data.. Has God not always worked it out in your favor? It may not feel good right now but it will work out for your good. I am quick to remind my family of tests and triumphs. How we don’t have to take a back seat to folks but work hard and know that God always has the final say.. He has created you the cream of the crop. Though they may attempt to classify you as regular milk, when it all settles, you will rise to the top. Can’t keep a good man/woman down…..
To the one reading this… Know that IT WILL WORK OUT… Your family situation will work out.. Your financial situation WILL WORK OUT.. Your situation in school or on the job WILL WORK OUT…. Your health situation WILL WORK OUT.. Your career goals WILL WORK OUT.. Your Salvation WILL WORK OUT..
I was given a familiar scripture to share with you today.. Why? Because the message was a simple one.. You have been here before.. ACT LIKE IT.. Historical data shows that it always works out in your favor.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose
To the one reading this… Know that IT WILL WORK OUT… Your family situation will work out.. Your financial situation WILL WORK OUT.. Your situation in school or on the job WILL WORK OUT…. Your health situation WILL WORK OUT.. Your career goals WILL WORK OUT.. Your Salvation WILL WORK OUT..
I was given a familiar scripture to share with you today.. Why? Because the message was a simple one.. You have been here before.. ACT LIKE IT.. Historical data shows that it always works out in your favor.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose