May we not forget

from 2 Samuel 22:
^17(AB) "He sent from on high, he took me;
   he drew me out of many waters.
¹⁸He rescued me from my strong enemy,
   from those who hated me,
   for they were too mighty for me.
¹⁹They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
   but the LORD was my support.
^20(AC) He brought me out into a broad place;
   he rescued me, because^(AD) he delighted in me.
 ²¹"The LORD^(AE) dealt with me according to my righteousness;
   according to the^(AF) cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
^22(AG) For I have kept the ways of the LORD
   and have not wickedly departed from my God.
^23(AH) For all his rules were before me,
   and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
²⁴I was^(AI) blameless before him,
   and I kept myself from guilt.
^25(AJ) And the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
   according to my cleanness in his sight.
 ^26(AK) "With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
   with the^(AL) blameless man you show yourself blameless;
²⁷with the purified you deal purely,
   and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
^28(AM) You save a humble people,
   ^(AN) but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
^29(AO) For you are my lamp, O LORD,
   and my God lightens my darkness.
³⁰For by you I can run against a troop,
   and by my God I can leap over a wall.
³¹This God—^(AP) his way is perfect;
   the^(AQ) word of the LORD proves true;
   he is^(AR) a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

We must not forget where we came from and why we are where we are.  In victory or defeat.  It is oh so easy to get caught up in the "routine" of football season that we lose sight of why we are really here. 

We are having a rough first year.  There is no pretty way to put it.  We have not won a game and the boys are getting so discouraged.  Some are quitting, some are injured.  Some have to sit out as discipline.  I keep thinking to myself, how in the world do you keep 30 teenage boys motivated to fight - fight hard - every week to just be taken over by defeat?  Then the Lord reminds me in such subtle ways.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden, and that "persevere" has the word "severe" in it.  We are the example.  Those boys look to us.  Whether you like it or not, our coaches are no different that professional athletes in the spotlight. 

The crazy thing is, the school is having the largest gate receipts (amount of money they make at the ticket booth) they have had in years.  More people are coming out in support of what they are doing.  It is amazing.  So, the Lord does reward - He loves His children and desires to work and comfort through tough times!

I would love to hear from you.  Even if you are not a coach's wife, please contact me through my email missiongridiron@hotmail.com .  I think it is important to lift one another up and encourage each other.  I am hearing from people all over the country.  One thing is for sure, there will always a wife around to write too :)

This God - His way is perfect!  Amen!