This post is part two of the three-part series, "The Rocks That Shaped Me".
FAITH
Believe it or not, the gym wasn’t the most frequently visited place in my family. Basketball played a huge role in our family, but none more than our faith. My paternal grandmother is a pastor and she made sure all of her children, grandchildren, etc. attended church, Sunday school and bible study. It’s sad to say, but at a young age, I didn’t recognize the value in attending church. All I knew was I had to get up at 8:30am on Sunday to be ready for Sunday School at 9:45. The regular church service started at 11:00 and ended around 1:00. Sometimes, there was an evening service at 3:00. In addition to just attending church, my Mom made me join the children’s choir. As people close to me know, I love to sing. I walk around the house singing all the time, so Mom said, you’re joining the choir. I was not a happy camper. So, add Friday night choir rehearsals to the list. Regardless of how I felt, I knew I didn’t have a choice in the matter. Disgruntled at times, I pressed forward and did what I had to do. But as I got older, I really started to look forward to going to church. I’m not sure if it was due to the friendships I made there and/or the things I learned from the messages. As an adult, I now appreciate my parents for asking me what I learned at church that day. They made sure I became knowledgeable about Jesus Christ and helped lay the foundation upon which I’ve built my life.
During the summer of 2000, my college roommate and I decided we were going to get tattoos. On the way to the tattoo parlor, I decided I wanted “The Praying Hands” with a basketball spinning on the fingertips. I knew I wanted a scripture underneath and it was an easy choice. Ever since I can remember, my Mom would remind me that “no weapon formed against me shall prosper” Isaiah 54:17. The tattoo is a daily reminder that no matter what transpires in my life, good or bad, my faith is a constant source of comfort.
Before every game I’ve ever played in or coached, I find a quiet space to tell God thank you for allowing this game to be such a huge part of my life. To some it’s just a game, but to me, it’s my passion. There are small things in our lives every day that we do and don’t realize how much our faith plays a part in them. I don’t eat anything without saying my blessing first. If I scroll on social media and read a post about a tragedy, someone in need, etc., I stop what I’m doing and pray for them. When something good happens or I escape hurt, harm or danger, I immediately say, “Thank You Jesus!” These are just normal, everyday occurrences and yet, I never forget to pray for others and give thanks for the many blessings that God has bestowed upon us. There is no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have accomplished anything without my faith.
Over the years, I’ve really learned not to take things for granted. As quickly as blessings are given out, they can be taken away. As a basketball player, I always had faith in my shooting because of the many hours I put into working on my shot. Recently, I was asked, “how do I become more confident shooting in games?” There is no magic potion to confidence. The confidence comes from the hours of successful practice. Like every shooter, I’ve had extremely hot and cold stretches. I learned the difference between a streaky and a consistent shooter is faith. Faith in believing the next one is going in. Faith in knowing you’ve worked hard at this, so you can easily get back on track. I tell kids, “It only takes one spark to light a match.” I can miss three shots in a row, hit the fourth one, and truly believe I’m hot again. The same goes for life. If a string of bad things occur, I truly believe God will help turn things around. I view it as a setback that will be overshadowed by the comeback. Just as David used a rock to defeat Goliath, I use faith as my “rock” to help overcome any obstacle. As written in Psalm 62:2, “He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”
Best swishes,
Coach D
Part three of the series, "Family" will be posted on Tuesday. Stay tuned!
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