Power of Positive Energy

I recently signed up to receive an e-newsletter from Jon Gordon, author of The Energy Bus. This is a book I have been looking for in our local bookstores, but they have been sold out...I think that is a sign of a good book! I guess I will have to order it online.

His e-newsletter today was something everyone needs to read...especially if you are involved in sports at any level. Here is an excerpt:

The Secret to Winning
This past Friday, Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Jack Del Rio shocked the sports world by announcing that they were releasing Byron Leftwich, their starting quarterback, and replacing him with David Garrard. Coach Del Rio stated that he not only thought Garrard was the better quarterback but that he also brought more “positive energy” to the position and team. He said, “positive energy is something we covet.”

Del Rio, like all great leaders and coaches knows an important secret. If you want to win, ironically, you don’t focus on winning. You focus on the positive energy and attitude and development of your people and team.

John Wooden, the legendary UCLA Basketball Coach, never focused on winning. He focused on developing his players. He focused on improving their fundamentals, skills, character and team work. He focused on people instead of outcomes and as a result he won….a lot.

...Whether its football, basketball, work or life, winning doesn’t happen by focusing on the points on the scoreboard. It happens when we focus on the people, skills, positive energy and teamwork that generate the points.

You can check out the entire article at http://www.jongordon.com/newsletter-090307-SecretToWinning.html.

"It's like any other job."

I had a good conversation this morning with Brad Meester, the center for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is an active member of our church and a great guy.

This morning's conversation centered around a "Special Edition" of our church sports e-newsletter I am working on for next week. With the Jaguars on their way back to training camp, I wanted to know from him, and a few other players, what it is like being a Christian in the world of professional sports and how can we, as fans, pray for them as the season starts up.

I asked Brad if it was difficult being a Christian in the NFL. He said, "Yes and no. It's like any other job. It definitely has hard moments like anywhere else."

One thing that has helped Brad out is getting involved in small groups. When he came to the Jaguars in 2000 he got plugged in with the team chapel services on Saturday nights and small group Bible studies with teammates Mark Brunnell and Tony Boselli.

In 2001 he started going to Christ's Church and got plugged in with our small groups ministry. He and his wife, Jamie, have been involved in a small group ever since. He told me these small groups have helped him open up about his faith.

I will share more in the e-sports page next week (to sign up to receive it each week go to http://www.sports.ccontheweb.info/). I do want to let you know how you can be praying for Brad as he starts training camp on Friday.

He mentioned to things.

1. The health and safety of all the players...that it will be an injury free season.


2. For ways to reach out to the players who are not Christians and that God will use him during the season. They have a lot of new players. That means more opportunities to build relationships and influence people for Christ.

I'll let you know in the e-sports page what he thinks about he Jaguars upcoming season.