Is my Destiny playing Basketball?

[Deathstar 80]

I know that this is a lot to read, but please read it. I do need help. (maybe not as much as others who have problems, but I do need help. Of course, though, I'm not making you read it and I thank you for entering into this topic to look at it.)

One day as I was talking to a friend, they talked about basketball. It reminded me of all the good times I had playing basketball. Since I live in Kentucky, it's pretty cold right now with the strange weather lately. Despite that, I still go outside with my jacket on, and shoot basketball when I have free time because I enjoy playing basketball.

Just a few days ago, I got a book called "Touchdown Alexander". This book is about how Shawn Alexander (a christian NFL Player) liked football, and made it a goal to be one of the best in football. He said that even back then, he loved to play football.

I also listened to many preachings on TBN, saying that if I felt like doing something (accomplishing a goal), that I should work on it daily. I'd love to become a NBA Christian, but I'm a sophmore in high school. I didn't play in middle school, or as a freshman in high school. I didn't even play this year! Despite this, I remember the preaching on TBN saying that no matter how hard your goal might be, if god truly wills you to accomplish that goal, you can accomplish that goal.

Now I'm not too shure, though, despite all of this. When I talked to my brother that the odds of me getting this book (which I bought in Florida on a trip) and listening to all of these preachings were slim. When he heard this, he said that I shouldn't think of the odds. After this, he told me a story of a person who randomly opened the bible and read it. Whatever scripture he read, he thought it was a message from god. One day, he read that your body was the temple of god. Then, he opened the bible to the old testament and read that the temple was full of smoke. So he smoked a lot, not knowing that smoking was wrong.

He also reminded me whether I was doing this for god, or for myself. When I thought of this, I remembered when I started to like basketball again (a few months ago, around January) that I remembered my sixth grade buddy ball team. We were the dominant team, and I was one of the key players. That made me feel good inside, but I'm not shure if this dedication to play basketball from nowhere was made by god (to give god the glory) or me (to give myself "glory", the type of "glory" I received when I played buddy basketball).

Please help me. If god does will me to become an NBA Christian, or even a College Basketball Christian, I should start to practice NOW before it's too late.

Edited April 9, 2007 by Deathstar 80

[rtwo]

Well, you're young yet. Play basketball, or practice, if you enjoy doing it. Get good at it, if you do decide to, not because it may be your calling, but because you're doing it for His glory.

1 Corinthians 10:31: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. "

If you want to know what God's will is for your life, don't listen to us, or to TBN, or to your pastor. Listen to God. Study His Word. Pray constantly. See where He is leading your life. The point is, no matter what you do, if you're doing it for His glory, then when the time is right, He will make a path for you.

Listen, I'm 29, and still seeking to know exactly what God's will is for my life. Congratulations on already starting to look. Keep looking. Keep listening. God will reveal His will in His own time. In the meantime, always ask yourself, in whatever you do, "am I glorifying Christ?"

Hope this helps.

[TheoMike]

The human spirit is indomitable and can accomplish just about any goal. But your goals have to realistic. My advice: keep your feet on the ground, work on your academics and keep sports where it belongs: a tertiary pursuit at best, somewhere way behind God and school . There is nothing wrong with sports and a lot of young people get to college on basketball scholarships and the like, but my young friend, not to discourage you, athletes come pretty cheap nowadays. I played minor league hockey in Canada growing up; had a blast, and likely could have pursued that, but I looked around and saw that the real opportunities to serve the Lord laid elsewhere. Anyway, you're young. Just remember: knowledge is the key to success and wisdom comes from above.

Edited April 9, 2007 by TheoMike

[Iryssa]

None of us can tell you whether this is God's calling for your life. What I CAN tell you is this: everything those two guys above me said is really good advice. *grin*

Also, If you really want to know, then get involved in basketball, and see how it goes. Don't walk into it saying "this is what's going to happen no matter what," but saying, "God, if this is Your will, then I pray you will open the right doors for this to happen. If it's not your will, then close them, and I will accept that too." Be in continual prayer about where God wants you to go, and you WILL see His direction in it.

[Deathstar 80]

First of all, thanks for all of the replies. I think I understand what I should do now. I'll continue to practice playing basketball, and if I don't like it as much as I thought I did, or if I don't even make the high school team, that's still okay. It's god's will. I know no matter what, I will always find happiness in god's will, even if it goes against mine. Thanks again for the replies. (I might not even play for the high school. Our high school has coaches that yell at the players, and I hate playing for those kind of coaches. They always discourage me.)

[Marnie]

(I might not even play for the high school. Our high school has coaches that yell at the players, and I hate playing for those kind of coaches. They always discourage me.)

Don't all coaches yell?? They call it "motivational speaking!"

[Deathstar 80]

I don't call yelling any type of motivational speaking. I call supportive talk motivational speaking.

An example is when I made a mistake for this one coach that kept yelling at me, he always kept reminding me that I was "killing the team", and that always put me down. When I made a mistake and my own dad was the coach, he would just say "That's in the past. You're doing good in this basketball game. Keep it up." As a matter of fact, when I look at how I played for those two coaches, I notice that I was much better for my dad (who comforted me) than the coach that yelled at me. My dad's supportive talking also helped me feel good about myself, and made me want to work harder.

I guess that's how god created me.

[Iryssa]

My dad coached hockey for years, usually for my brother's team...and I have to say, I agree. Yelling too much like that tends to have one of two effects, depending on the person: If they're like Deathstar here (and a lot of people are), it will actually discourage them. If not, then eventually they'll become numb to it and stop listening entirely. Unfortunately, not enough coaches seem to realize that...and they wonder why they aren't getting through to their team anymore.

[Deathstar 80]

Thanks Irrysa. You know, I might even grow up to become a coach. (not a hired coach, but probably just a buddy basketball coach, a "volunteer coach", like my dad was) I then instead of yelling at my players, I would comfort them, and hopefully I would be a good example to them. (Hopefully)

One sport that I like a lot is soccer. The reason I think I like it is because the coaches I had in my high school this year only yelled when we argued with our teammates, which I completely agree they should. Arguing with ourselves would tear our team to pieces. We wouldn't win a game. Other than that, my coaches don't yell and don't like to yell. I thank god for that.