God's Coaching #145

God's Coaching #145

Any athlete who wants to play goalie in lacrosse may need to get his or her head examined. Wearing little padding and facing shots exceeding 100 miles per hour, lacrosse goalies have a difficult chore. Still, a good goalie makes the difference between winning and losing. That fact was proven during the 2003 NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse championships. Virginia Cavaliers goalie Tillman Johnson got on a roll and led his team to the title.

The Cavaliers entered the postseason ranked No. 2 in the nation. After battling through the early rounds, Virginia met top-ranked Johns Hopkins in the finals at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The Blue Jays had beaten Virginia 8–7 during the regular season, but Tillman made sure the outcome was different this time.

The Cavs got on the board early as their first two shots found the back of the net. They built a 5–0 edge in the second quarter thanks to three goals by A. J. Shannon, but Johns Hopkins narrowed things to 5–3. Virginia still held a 6–4 margin at halftime. Tillman stepped up in the second half. With his team ahead 8–5, he made three monster saves early in the fourth. His 13 saves in the game helped the Cavaliers earn a 9–7 victory.

What’s the Score?

Many people think lacrosse goalies don’t have a prayer trying to stop bouncing, speedy, well-placed shots. But Tillman Johnson showed it’s possible. With a career-high 18 stops in the semifinals and 13 saves in the finals, Tillman helped Virginia win the national title and earned himself first-team All-American status.

Many of us wouldn’t have a prayer trying to guard a lacrosse goal, but we can all pray to God. We can share our problems with him, ask for his comfort, or just tell him about our day. God cares about all our needs. The Bible tells us to pray all the time about all kinds of things (Ephesians 6:18). Because the Holy Spirit is in our lives, our prayers have power. But God doesn’t want us to pray only for ourselves. He wants us to pray for other people, too.

On the Ball

How often do you pray? What do you pray about? Remember to constantly communicate with God.

Coach’s Comment

At all times, pray by the power of the Spirit. Pray all kinds of prayers. Be watchful, so that you can pray. Always keep on praying for all of God’s people. Ephesians 6:18 (nirv)