Coaching IS....

Before I get into the final lesson God is teaching me I must give and update form the last entry.  As I said I had two wonderful opportunities.  I was leaning more toward one and since then, I got the position that I was leaning towards.   As I look back over the entire process I see that God really was in control and that I ended up right where He wanted me.  He put me in a place where Coaching can be a ministry, which is lesson 4 He has thought me.

Coaching IS my ministry.

 This lesson goes with the previous lesson of doing more and more for God doesn't make me more "spiritual".  When I was learning that lesson, I was really seeking the ministry path God had for me.  I knew He had called me into the ministry but for some reason had no idea what that looked like anymore.  I tried different avenues but no matter where I turned, not seemed to be where He wanted me.  So when i learned the lesson that doing more isn't better, I stepped back and said, "OK God, then I will just not seek ministry opportunities anymore until you show me what my ministry is.  

At this time I was really starting to look for coaching opportunities.  Since i was pretty much back a square one on the coaching scene, I decided to revamp my coaching philosophy and also come up with a mission statement for my coaching.  This was something new that I had learned from reading the book InsideOut Coaching.  I would recommend this book to all coaches, as it will truly change the way you coach and the way you look at coaching.  I had never really written a mission statement before so I did a little research to find out how to do one.  The definition is : reason for existing. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making.  It's like a goal for what the company wants to do for the world.  It basically came down to why you do the thing you are writing the mission statement for.  I took lots of time and really thought about why I coached.  

In this process God made it extremely clear that my ministry had been right there all along.  I always knew that ministry should be something that you love doing and something that you couldn't see you not doing.  Problem was, I never thought of coaching that way.  It took all these other things going on in my life for me to finally realize that Coaching is my ministry.  So my coaching mission statement is : I will use my coaching to bring glory to God, and to help young ladies become the women that God intended them to be and to help bring others to His saving love.  I will allow others to see God in my coaching and use the influence I have to bring others closer to Him.  I will instill the value in my players to always bring Glory to God in all they do and to use their God given talents and abilities to impact the live of others for His glory.  

Now that I realize that coaching is my ministry and true calling, I see it in a whole new light and with a renewed mind.  Its amazing how good I feel about going into my next position, realizing this.  Thankfully, I will be coaching for a Christian organization so I will be able to really make it a ministry.  I am extremely excited and have a whole new fire for coaching again.  If you are seeking your ministry and need help finding it, ask yourself this one question as I did.  What's the one thing that I do that allows me to have an impact on others that I would do for free?  When you find the answer to that, you've found your ministry.

Control -- Third lesson

I love playing video games and have since I was a kid.  Nintendo first came out and we thought we'd hit the big time and retired our Atari.  I still love all those buttons.  I guess I have a thing for buttons.  Even the TV remote just feels nice in my hand.  I've often wondered why but one day I realized its about control.  Video games are fun because you get to control something that in real life you don't have control over.  One of my all time favorite Nintendo Games was Top Gun.  I loved flying that fighter jet on one mission after another and then the thrill of landing it on the carrier and seeing the words MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.  If only life were that easy. 

The next lesson I have learned through all of this (and am still leaning even as I write this) is :

God is in control and no matter how much I think I am or wish I was, I AM NOT!

I am not sure why that is so hard for us as humans to understand, remember and get right.  Going into to basketball "off-season", I thought everything was great.  I was planning my recruiting, planning my summer, planning my work schedule.  Only problem was the "MY".  God had a different plan and HE wanted me to know it right off.  He knew things needed to be better in my personal relationship with Him and he knew there were better places for me to show His love and glory.  He took me out of the college where I was so He could put where He wanted and needed me.   

So I jumped in full force.  Did all I could to find my next coaching "gig" and the place to do His work.  Then is came.  the "perfect" fit.  A christian high school with a growing program that has had a tarnished reputation to be rebuilt and needed someone to do that.  They had a great future ahead of them and I just knew I was to be a part of it.  The initial interview was awesome (had she had her choice I think she would have offered me the job on the spot).  Then the second interview with the board came.  It was sorta strange.  Not a lot was said or really talked about.  I did my best to present myself the same way as before.  The tension (dealing with parents) was though but I came away thinking it went well.  I just knew I had it.  I was even getting my plays ready and planning the first meetings.  But then.....the email came.  I smiled when I saw it pop in my inbox because I just knew what it said.  I clicked, I read , my heart sank.  "we have decided to go with another candidate."  I couldn't believe it!!  That was MY job!  No one could have been more qualified or prepared for it than me.  It took a few days to get over but I soon realized again God was in control.  There was a reason He didn't want me there and there was reason He needed me somewhere else.  

So even today I wait!  I have 2 great opportunities that are even better than I have could imagined.  Either would be wonderful.  I wait for the decision of others to decide my future.  I wait for God to show His wisdom of where He wants me.  I wait for God to have grace and mercy on this wondering soul to find a place.  I wait, because God has the controller and only He can land the jet!

Lesson 2: More "Spiritual"

The next lesson God thought me I think came about because of my reaction to the first one because these were pretty much happening at the same time.  As I began seeing the need of other around me, I figured that God was showing me this because he wanted me to do something about it.  I guess I have always tried to "fix" things and that really kicked in here. 

I instantly began trying to start new ministries, get into in current ones and try to fill my life with more and more and trying to find more ways to "minister" to others.  I even went so far has to decide that our small church needed a full on cancer ministry.  I contacted a place to helps churches get started, got all the information and asked our pastor to meet to discuss it.  At the time he was pretty busy and and asked if we could postpone it a bit.  This angered me very much.  Here I was trying to do what God "told" me to do and this pastor was ruining it.  Later he sent me information on another cancer ministry in the area started by a former member.  "Fine,"  I thought, "but mine is gonna be bigger and better than this.  Mine has more meaning." 

Over the course of several weeks things kept us busy and we were unable to meet.  I soon realized that the drive was no longer there to do this ministry.  I was now onto bigger and better things.  Whatever that was.  Then God whacked me on the head with a stop sign.  I was sitting in church, only half way listening to the sermon.  When something was said that caught my attention.  I don't remember exactly what it was but I knew God was saying it to me.  I almost had a full on breakdown right there but luckily was able to contain it.  I felt God literally screaming at me "STOP THIS!"  I of course responded with ," What do you mean I am doing what you told me to do."  I think God chuckled at that.  Yes He has a sense of humor.

That's when He hugged me up and in His loving way said, "Heather, you are not following me.  You are following emotions.  I never told you to do any of this.  I showed you these people around you yes but I only need you to empathize with them, support them, encourage them, show them my love.  I don't need to do all this other stuff.  All I need is for you to be there.  Slow down and listen to ME NOT your emotions." 

I melted.  I blocked everything out and just melted and rested int he arms of my Abba!  Oh what a feeling.  AS church was closing I have no idea what was going on but then I heard the Pastor say that He was going to be starting a new series in the next few weeks about encouragement.  I chuckled.