My head coach asked me to give a blessing before our WPIAL Championship game. I wanted to add a short thought for them as well. Because what a cool opportunity to be asked to pray for a group of girls at a public school. I won’t be able to share all of this. But this is the full version of what I want to say:
“What is your deepest fear?”
This is a quote from one of my favorite sports movies, Coach Carter. The Coach asks his player this question throughout the whole movie. So I want to ask you the same question. Right now on the day of a huge game, what is your deepest fear?
I think there’s a great chance for your fear to be losing today. This is what we’ve been working for all season, and losing seems like the worst thing that could happen. But I want to tell you something, the fear of losing is too small of a thing to play for. You were meant for so much more. Your deepest fear should be that you walk off that field today with regrets that you didn’t play with joy and with heart, leaving everything on the field. Because that’s how the game should be played, and that is when it is truly beautiful. That is playing in freedom. Play in the freedom that you are not afraid to lose, you are playing to win, and walk off at the end knowing you left it all on the field.
I have found this freedom in Christ. That in Him there is nothing to fear. I’ve experienced what it is to live free and to play free. So that’s my prayer for you today. That you would play free.
In the movie, the player finally gives an answer to Coach Carter. This poem is his answer:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson
Father, you love these girls more than they will ever know. Thank you for giving them these awesome talents, thank you for the gift of an awesome season that we didn’t deserve, thank you for all that you have been doing this season. Lord I pray that as we go on the field these girls would play in freedom. They would play without fear and that we would give you the glory. Lord would you keep us and North Catholic safe from injury and protect us as we travel. Thank you for the most beautiful day to play a game that we love. And bless this food to our bodies and give us energy for the day ahead. In you precious name Jesus, Amen.
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Shortened version that I shared:
Coach asked me to say a blessing for our meal. I wanted to share a short thought before I pray. As I was thinking about our game today, I think that there’s a great chance for us to be afraid of losing. This is a big game and it’s everything we have been working for. But I want to tell you, that playing afraid to lose, is too small a thing to play for. What You should actually fear is not playing with joy, with heart and leaving it all on the field. Because that is when the game is truly beautiful. So, play today like that. Play not afraid to lose, play in that freedom. I’ve found this freedom in Christ. In Him I’ve experienced what it is to play free and live free. So that is my prayer for us today. That we would play in freedom.
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