This weekend we're half-way through the 2012 Upward Basketball season. God is doing great things in the lives of children and families through this ministry. Pray for God's grace and endurance on all our Upward coaches,referees and leaders.
Pray also for the spiritual impact of the weekly practice devotions. Here's a sample devotional taken from the Coach's playbook:
Verse: Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord your God is with you... He will take great delight in you." (NIV)
-- Review this verse several times with your players.
-- This week's mystery word is "DELIGHT."
-- Ask, "What are some ways that your family celebrates special occasions? How do you celebrate birthdays? Do you celebrate when someone accomplishes something terrific?"
What sort of things do we celebrate as a basketball team? (winning a game; scoring points, make a good pass or rebound...")
What kind of things causes God to celebrate? Is He pleased when you get an "A" on your report card? Is He happy when you win a contest? Does He rejoice when we win our basketball game?
While those things are all very nice at the moment, God celebrates most when we do things taht have a long term impact and put others first. What if you told the truth, even when it's easier to lie? What if you showed forgiveness to a friend? Those are the things that make God celebrate! God is pleased when you make right choices-- even when it's something very small.
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