WHATEVERColossians 3:23Week of Jan 4

When you hear the word “whatever,” what do you think about? Does it make you think of a popular movie scene or a conversation you recently had? In our culture, the word “whatever” indicates a lack of interest or an impolite attitude of not caring or believing what someone else has said. This term is commonly used in TV shows and movies but when we read Colossians 3:23, we see a different meaning to the word. The scripture says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Webster defines whatever as: anything and everything. That definition means there are no exceptions. Another way to read the scripture might be like this:

“Anything and everything, big or small, easy or hard, fun or not, work at it with all of your heart as working for the Lord, not for men.”

How does this apply to our lives? Everyday we have multiple “whatever” opportunities. Whether we are at work, home, school or practice, we will all have to choose how we will work and with what attitude we will work. When you’re at home and you need to complete your chores, do homework, or babysit siblings, how will you respond? When you’re at school and a teacher asks you to work on a project with a partner you don’t like, complete multiple assignments, or prepare for a big test, how will you respond? What about when the coach asks you to do conditioning, shag balls, or work on the part of the game that is most difficult for you? It is in all of these areas that we will have to choose how we will respond. In many of these times, it will feel easier to quit, be lazy, have a bad attitude, or disobey. We must rely on Jesus to give us the strength to respond according to Col. 3:23.

In those “whatever” moments, how will you respond?

Will your effort and attitude be constant in all circumstances?

In what areas is it hardest to work with all of your heart as working for the Lord?

Lord, throughout the week, help me to work with all of my heart as working for you. Show me areas of my life where I can improve in my effort and my attitude. Lord give me strength at home, school, and on the court to make every “whatever” moment count. Thank you Father for leading, guiding, and directing me. In Jesus’ name!

Amen

(Written by Emmy Sheppard)

Chemistry on the CourtMatthew 7:12

Week of Jan 11

You recently tried out for a club volleyball team and were placed on this specific team. How well do you know the players on your team?

How many have you played with before? How many do you know from school? How many are you meeting for the first time this season? Did you know your coach before this season?

Now let’s take a deeper look at team dynamics. Every great team needs chemistry. Chemistry happens when teammates trust and enjoy each other on the court. Teams with great chemistry work at it on and off the court.

What are some ways this team can build stronger relationships on and off the court?

One thing you will quickly discover is that you have no control over how your teammates or coach treat you. However, you have complete control over what kind of teammate you are going to be toward them.

Look through this list and see what kind of teammate you tend to be: Friendly Reliable Hardworking Encouraging Energetic Positive

Moody Negative Selfish Complaining Blaming Isolated

Now look through these words again and evaluate yourself. Which of the positive traits need more development in your life? Which of the negative traits need to be eliminated from your life? The success of your team this season will largely depend on what kind of teammate you choose to be.

Matthew 7:12 (The Message) “Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them...

Be the kind of teammate you expect others to be to you this season!

Close in prayer for the courage to make any needed changes with the help of the Holy Spirit.

What Do You Get Angry About?James 4:1

Week of Jan 18

We talked about team chemistry last week. Take a moment to discuss briefly how you feel like this team’s chemistry is doing right now using this quick scale:

Our team chemistry is closest to:a) Fire – we are red hot and sizzling as a teamb) Tap Water – we are okay, not really hot or coldc) Ice – We are not gelling as a team, and it’s frosty out on the court

One thing that can hurt team chemistry is what we are willing to fight about. Things like rotations, positions, who is “talking” to who, what you posted on social media etc. What are some things that cause fights and quarrels among you and your teammates?

James 4:1 (NIV84) What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?

I read a great story, actually a strange story about a leader who decided some things are worth fighting for. You can read the whole story in 1 Samuel 11, but here’s a quick summary.

The Ammonites (enemies of Israel) attacked Jabesh (a small town of Israelites). The men of Jabesh got scared and begged the Ammonites to make a peace treaty with them. The Ammonites said, “No problem. All we need to do is gouge out the right eye of all your men and we can all be friends.” Saul, a man of God, heard this report and got angry. He rallied all the people until they united “as one man” to defeat their enemies. Did you know not all anger is bad? There are times to stand up and fight for just causes. Our nation has joined others at the present time to fight against the evil forces of ISIS much in this same way.

Whoa! What just happened? How did we get from team chemistry to gouged out eyes and ISIS in a team devo? Great question. This story sparked a simple thought for today - What do you get angry about? What are you willing to fight for? What are you willing to settle for?

Relational tiffs, petty arguments, and selfish moments can cause this team to make a treaty with mediocrity. Why would you settle for that? Who on this team is going to fight for friendships and relationships to gel this season? Who is going to fight for unity on the court?

Will you choose to lay down dumb reasons to get angry and fight for relationships and team unity this season? Who is willing to step up?

Close in PrayerBid Qualifier Debrief

Week of Jan 24

Wow! What a weekend! I think this is the start of a new tradition the week after hosting the bid qualifier. Everyone gave so much energy and effort to set up, host teams, play a full tourney, and then box it all up again. Take this week’s devo time to debrief and pray for one another. It would be a great moment for the team chaplain and coaches to participate together through these questions and prayer time.

• What’s one of your favorite memories or moments from the weekend?• What’s one thing you want to work on to improve your game this week?• How can we pray for you?

◦ Have players and coaches break into groups of 2-3 people ◦ Have first person share a personal prayer need and then another

person pray for that need right then. ◦ Move to next person and repeat the process. Pray short, sentence

prayers (30 seconds or less)◦ Make sure each person in the group shares briefly and gets prayed for

 For teams struggling with team chemistry, you may want to plan a time to serve or go have fun together soon!

Don’t Be a ScatterbrainJames 1:22-25Week of Feb 1

You have been on a 3:23 Club Volleyball team for a couple of months now. That means you have had multiple practices and three or four devos. How much of the instruction from your coach do you remember? (let one or two answer). How have you used that instruction to get better on the court? How many of the team devos do you remember? Have you taken that information and used it in your daily life?

How will you as an individual player (or your team as a whole) get better if you just hear your coach’s instruction and correction but never apply it to your game? I’m pretty sure your game would grow stagnant and you might not play as much as you desire. The same goes for your spiritual life. James puts it like this:

James 1:22–25 (The Message) Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. ACT on what you hear! 23 Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, 24 walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. 25 But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.

Another way of saying this is that if you hear the teachings and put them into action, you will find great blessings. Great things will happen with your relationship with God!

Imagine how frustrated your coach would be if they gave you the same instruction over and over but you never put any of it into practice. Now imagine how excited both you and your coach are when you hear AND follow the instruction on the court and your game gets better! It is the same with your devos - We want you to hear these words and use them in your everyday life. We want you to grow closer to God! Remember - It’s Bigger Than Volleyball.

Are you making a conscious effort to listen to your coach’s instruction and make the needed changes? If yes, how you are doing this and how it’s working out for you? If not, what are some likely outcomes you can expect over the next few weeks?

Are you making the same effort to listen to the weekly devo and incorporating those ideas into your life? If you are working on this, share an example of how it’s helping you. If not, are you willing to start now?

Are you willing to spend time in God’s Word this week? If so, how many days this week are you willing to commit to? Be ready next week to share how that went.

Be a student of the Word and of the game of volleyball! Have a player close in prayer. (written by Tobi Daman)

Growing PainsRomans 5:3-5, Psalm 118:24

Week of February 7

Growing pains are a part of life. Many of you are currently feeling them or have felt the physical pains of growth. Our bodies grow rapidly as tweens/teens and the process often leaves us quite uncomfortable. During this time, we gain height, grow out of clothes, sleep more, and eat more. Thankfully, it won’t last forever. So, what about other types of growing pains?

As athletes, students, daughters, and friends, we experience growing pains at many different crossroads in life. In sports, you may be on a new team, play a new position, have a new coach, suffer a sports injury, or struggle to win games. In school, the material becomes more challenging and the workload increases. As daughters you feel the frustrations of family dynamics, intellectual, emotional and physical maturity, and a desire for more independence while at the same time wanting to be young and protected. In friendships, relationships change as friends make choices that send them down different paths, new friendships are made and some are lost. There are tons of growing pains in all of these scenarios. So how do we handle these things? Is there a right answer?

Romans 5:3–5 (NLT) 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Am we reading that correctly? Does that verse say rejoice (celebrate) when we run into problems and trials? Wow! That is tough to do but the result is endurance, strength of character, and hope in salvation. We will all face tough times in life, but we are not left without hope. These verses tell us how to handle the pains of life when they are upon us. In the last part of the scripture, we are comforted because we are reminded of God’s love for us and how when we receive Jesus as our Lord and savior that our hearts are filled with His love by the Holy Spirit. Be encouraged beautiful daughters of a King!

Psalm 118:24 (NLT) 24 This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Have you faced any growing pains this year? If so, how did you get through them?

What are your greatest growth pains right now? How can you apply these truths from the Bible to your life in a hard situation

right now?

Lord- thank you for your word. Guide us this week as we face the growing pains of life. Teach us how to rejoice when we encounter tough situations, trials, and problems. Lord may we develop endurance, strength of character and hope of salvation. Thank you for loving us! In Jesus name, Amen!

(written by Emmy Sheppard)

Are You Trapped?Breaking Free from the Performance Trap

This week we will tackle a topic that could change some kids’ lives. This will involve a short introduction to this topic that is more than we can unpack fully, but hopefully start a conversation that can lead to some real healing for kids. You can distribute this quiz a couple of ways:

Email this quiz to kids and have them complete it and bring to devo time. Make copies of the quiz and hand it out at practice. Be sure they have something to

write with.

Scale: 1-Always2-Very Often3-Often4-Sometimes5-Seldom6-Very Seldom7-Never

1. ____ Because of the fear I won’t do well, I often avoid joining in certain activities.2. ____ When I sense I might fail in an important area, I become real nervous and

anxious.3. ____ I get really stressed.4. ____ I feel anxious for no reason.5. ____ I am a perfectionist. 6. ____ I have to defend my mistakes.7. ____ There are certain areas where I have to succeed.8. ____ I get depressed when I fail.9. ____ I get mad at people who do things that make me look stupid or like I don’t know what

I’m doing.10.____ I am critical of myself

57-70 – Congrats! You are virtually free from the fear of failure. 47-56 – Good! You have a very small fear of failure. Only certain situations make you feel this way.37-46 – You have moderate to strong fear of failure. It’s likely a good number of your decisions are designed to minimize your chance of failing. 27-36 – You have a high fear of failure. Your emotional lows are likely tied to the feeling that you have already failed in some way.0-26 – You have an overwhelming fear of failure. You may deal at times with depression and failures often fill your memories.1

1 McGee, Robert. The Search for Significance, Student Edition. We highly recommend this book for teens.

Are You Trapped?Breaking Free from the Performance Trap

Week of February 15

How many of you are perfectionists? (Have kids give examples like grades, athletics etc.)

What would you do if you were not afraid in…Volleyball? Friendships? Other?

You may not have thought about it this way, but the devil (yes, he is real) wants nothing more to make your life miserable. One way he tries to do this is get you to think bad thoughts about yourself. Things like how you don’t like how you look, comparing yourself to others in sports or grades, or making you feel like a loser in everything you do. The devil is a liar. Some of the common symptoms of people caught in the “performance trap” are:

Perfectionism Afraid to take risks Anger or resentment Anxiety and Fear

The best way to overcome these lies is to know what God says about you. For people who have a relationship with Jesus, check out these amazing truths about you and God:

1. Jesus made you right with God by giving his life for you.2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

2. Because Jesus made you right with God, you don’t have to try to earn His favor. Colossians 1:21–22 (The Message) 21 …At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. 22 But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence.

3. You’re actions have nothing to do with God’s love for you.Romans 8:38–39 (NLT) 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life (grades, performance etc.), neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer: Pray for two groups of kids. First, pray for kids that want to be set free from things like fear, anger, perfectionism etc. Secondly, see if any kids would like to accept Christ today and begin this new life with Jesus. Ask these kids to see you after practice so you can congratulate and help them.

FearlessWeek of February 22

Isaiah 41:10

The Hebrew language is a system of symbols which are read from right to left, and the five symbols used above make up the word FEARLESS (or without fear) in Hebrew. When each of these same five symbols from above are used alone, they also mean a different word. In fact, the 2nd symbol and the 5th symbol from the right, (outlined in red) when read by themselves mean “nail” and “cross.” Isn’t that amazing? The two words we associate with when we think of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, are the same two words used within the make-up of the word FEARLESS!

To live fearlessly, or to live without fear, is not to be mistaken with living carelessly or irresponsibly. It is an understanding that fear is a human emotion that the enemy loves to prey on. It is not of God. We do not have to fear, because He is always with us, and we ALWAYS have a choice - the choice not to live according to the fear we feel. We can choose to be fearless in our relationship with Jesus, we can choose to be fearless on the volleyball court, and we can choose to be fearless of judgment when we stand up for a classmate who is being bullied. Isaiah 41:10“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

So, if I asked you what fears you have what would you say? I’m not talking about fear of spiders/centipedes, fear of heights, or fear of snakes…although all valid…I’m talking about more in-depth fears…fears we don’t normally talk about with our friends or family. For example (ask the girls to raise their hands, if they ever felt any of these fears):

Fear of Rejection Fear of People’s Opinions Fear of Failure Fear of Disapproval (from parents, teachers, friends, etc.) Fear of our Body Image

You may identify with one of these, or many of these, as a lot of these fears do overlap…and you are not alone! Many of us experience these fears at one time or another; we are human after all. The enemy wants you to believe that you don’t have a choice in feeling this way. Remember, you always have a choice, and that choice is to live without that fear. God created such unique perfection in each and every one of us, and “you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear…” (Romans 8:15). Therefore, when you choose to be fearless during difficult times, you are trusting God, and letting the enemy know he is not going to control you.

2 Timothy 1:7“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

Are there any fears you are facing tonight that we can lift up for release in prayer? Close in prayer accordingly.

Written by Hollie Carrasco (Source: “Secrets in the Hebrew Letters” by Pastor Joseph Prince)

Body LanguageWeek of February 29

Eph 4:29

This week we tackle a subject you probably haven’t heard much about – body language. First, let’s look at how body language can be positive or negative in athletics. 2

"Body language doesn't talk; it screams."We all have a mind-body relationship. Yes, our thoughts dictate how we feel, but the opposite is also true. Our body language can dictate our thoughts and our feelings. Simply put, mental toughness requires good body language.

"We can act our way into right thinking easier than we can think our way into right acting."Our personality often dictates our body language. Some people show little emotion; they are even-keeled, and others cannot really tell how they are actually feeling (note: I wish this were me). On the opposite end, some athletes are incredibly energetic and visibly show their emotions. A display of positive emotion after a successful play can intimidate an opponent, but body language often becomes more important when we are not performing well.

"Fake it until you make it." We've all been there—it is downright painful when we don't play well. The last thing we want to do is pretend that we're not frustrated. But we must address our body language. When you are not doing well in a game, try to show the same body language you have when you are playing well.

• Keep your head up• Encourage others• Clap, cheer or congratulate teammates• Hustle• Keep eye contact

"Act the part and you will become the part." — William JamesConfident athletes have a presence, and their body language shows it. When we get nervous or lack confidence, we should instantly focus on our body language. Again, the mind-body relationship exists, and positive body language will essentially tell our mind that we are confident.

"Great players make others around them great."No one can read our thoughts; they can only see our body language. We can be a good teammate and leader through our body language. It is easy to deal with others and be a good teammate when we are competing well. Yet mental toughness demands that we are a good teammate and a relentless competitor even when we are struggling.

So how does body language apply spiritually?In Nehemiah 2, Nehemiah’s (cup bearer to the king) body language was so noticeable that the king asked him what was wrong. That conversation led to a significant moment in the life of not only Nehemiah, but an entire people group. Lives were changed because a king noticed the “body language” of someone close to him. 2 This section is by Rob Bell on mental toughness. http://www.stack.com/a/mental-toughness-body-language

The next time you notice negative or concerning body language in a teammate or friend, don’t hesitate to kindly check on them. Ask questions like:

How are you doing? Is everything okay? Can I pray for you?

Be an encourager! Walk with people through hard times on the court and in everyday life.

Ephesians 4:29 (NLT) “…Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

Take 1 minute to brainstorm all the ways you can encourage a teammate on the court. (Ex: shake it off, you’ve got this etc…)

Challenge kids this week to be aware of their own body language and to reach out to those who may need encouragement.

“Who do you say I am?”Week of March 14

Matt 16:15

Over the next three weeks, we will look at the person of Jesus. We live in a part of the country called the Bible Belt. People joke around about how we have a church on every corner (wish that was true about gyms too). Many people in our area have heard about Jesus and the Bible. Although we live in the Bible Belt with lots of churches, that doesn’t mean everyone believes in Jesus. Just because a person attends church doesn’t make them a Christian either. Christians are people who believe in Jesus and choose to follow him.

So, what do you know about Jesus? (Have girls share things they know about him.)

Matthew 16:13–15 (The Message) When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” 15 He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”

What do you friends your age think about Jesus? (Let them answer.)

In a nutshell, Christians believe God created the heavens and the earth. He also created humans in his own image. From the beginning of time, God designed it for us to have a relationship with him. The problem occurred when Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s instructions (Genesis 3). Sin created a gap between us and God, because God is holy. However, God is also a love. He made a way for us to receive forgiveness in him.

So who is Jesus? God’s permanent plan to restore us to right relationship with him involved sending Jesus, his own son, to die for us (Easter). The cool thing about Jesus is that he did not stay dead long…three days later he rose from the grave proving to all the world that he is God.

John 3:16 (The Message) “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. John 14:6 (NLT) Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Romans 10:9–10 (NLT) If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

The New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all tell the life story of Jesus. The best way for you to know more about Jesus is to read about him in the Bible. The life of Jesus is exciting and life changing! We want to help you get to know him and

decide for yourself if he is real. Who do you say Jesus is? Have you confessed and repented (turned from) your sin and put your trust in Jesus? If you are a Christian, awesome! Keep growing and help your friends get to know him too. If not, would you like to know more about a relationship with Jesus? Let your chaplain know today.

Prayer

What Does It Mean to be a Christian?Week of March 21

Matt 16:24

We talked last week about how Christianity is common around this area. Lots of people say they are Christians and attend church. Club volleyball requires you to miss lots of Sundays. It’s a good thing that attending church and following Jesus are not the same thing! More about that later.

So what does it mean to be a Christian? To keep it really simple, it means:1. You believe Jesus lived, died, and rose from the dead for your sins.2. You accept his gift of grace by putting your faith and trust in Jesus.3. You commit to follow Him as the “new normal” in your life.

So how do we get to know Jesus and follow Him? Great question. The Bible is God’s Word. It’s the story of how God created us, why He loves us, and to what extent He pursues a relationship with us. That’s why we need to read the Bible. Don’t believe everything you hear about God (including from 3:23) without first looking into the Bible yourself. 3:23 has provided you with a really nice Bible so you can discover for yourself who God is and what this Christianity thing is all about. He loves you deeply and has a great plan for your life. It’s so much more than trying to be “good.” In Acts 11:26, the Bible says, “It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.” Those Christians not only believed in Him, but they followed Jesus. The easy part is to believe in Jesus. The harder part, and the real question today is this:

If you believe in Him, do you follow Him? Do you walk in the ways of God? How do you know what His ways are? Would your friends know you love Jesus by the way you act at school and away

from your coaches and parents? For those of you who have a relationship with Christ, take a moment to share a

couple of ways you get to know God better and how you walk with Him.

Here a few quick verses to help you see in the Bible what it means to be a Christian.

Matthew 16:24 (NLT) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.

Colossians 2:6 (NLT) And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NLT) Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.

So, what is God saying to you today? Are you ready to follow Him?

Prayer: Provide opportunities for those who have never accepted Christ to do so tonight. For those who already believe in Jesus, encourage them to take steps to

improve how they are walking with Him daily. Helping kids get started on a simple Bible reading plan, how to talk to God, and the One 2 One app (free) are great tools to help them grow.

Have You Been Water Baptized?Week of March 28

Rom 6:1-4

This past Sunday was a familiar holiday known as Easter. Easter is a religious holiday celebrated in various ways much like Christmas. For you, it may have involved new clothes, Easter Egg hunts, family photos and a nice meal together. All of that can be lots of fun, but the real meaning of Easter is all about Jesus. That’s what we mean when we say it’s bigger than volleyball. Without Jesus, life is fairly meaningless. Volleyball is a game (a fun game), but there is nothing more fulfilling than experiencing the life changing power of Jesus.

What makes Christianity unique is one historical fact. Jesus claimed that He was the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Throughout history, lots of people have claimed to be God. What makes Jesus unique is that He proved it by saying he would rise from the dead three days after his death (Mark 8:31). Guess what happened? Jesus died and three days later he rose from the grave and appeared to hundreds of people. That would be freaky! (For those that want to study this out, there is a ton of historical proof for the reliability of the Bible and the death and resurrection of Jesus.)

So here’s the point. If there is a God, and if that God is Jesus, he died for your sins and rose again to offer you the free gift of salvation. Some of you have responded to Christ and are ready to get serious about following Him. One of those next steps is water baptism. Why water baptism? Jesus was baptized, and he tells us to follow him in water baptism (Matt 28:19). Baptism is a public declaration (telling all your friends) and a symbolic picture of your new life in Jesus.

Romans 6:1–4 (NLT) 1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Like we talked about last week, if you are a follower of Jesus, you are a new person. Water baptism is a beautiful portrait of what happened when you became a Christian.

Your old life was buried with Christ You are raised to new life in Christ

Water baptism is a public moment where you declare to God, yourself, and those present, that you are a Christian and will follow him. If you are ready to accept Jesus today, let your team chaplain or parents know. If you have accepted Christ, but have not been water baptized since that commitment to Jesus, consider taking that step soon. You can do that at your local church where you attend regularly, or consider joining us for 3:23 baptisms in May. We are working out that date now.

Close out the devo with one or two players talking about when they accepted Christ and got water baptized.

Is There One Thing?Week of April 4Mark 10:17-22

It’s hard to believe, but we are in the last four weeks of the 2016 volleyball season. By now, you have likely made some great memories, won games, experienced some painful losses, and had to work through frustration and disappointment along the way.

What are some of your favorite moments of the season so far?

Over the past few weeks, we have talked a lot about what it means to follow Jesus. Today, we look at an interesting story about a man who wanted to follow Jesus, but was afraid.

Mark 10:17–22 (NLT) 17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Here are a few quick thoughts from this story. First, Jesus loved this man, and he also really loves you (v. 21). Second, this man was a good man. He worked hard to obey God’s commandments. By now, hopefully you know none of us are “good enough” to earn our way to heaven; it’s a free gift from God through Jesus Christ. So do we all have to sell our stuff, become poor, and move to Africa? No, and that’s not the point here either, but what’s interesting is that Jesus knows each of us so well that he knows exactly what holds us back from following him. What was the one thing that kept this man from following after God 100%? (His money and his stuff). I’ve often wondered if this man went home sad, but later decided to sell his stuff and follow Jesus. So what does this rich man in the Bible have to do with you? More than you may realize...

Is there one thing (or things) in your life that keeps you from going all in for God? Have there been times you walked away from a team devo this season knowing

you are not ready to follow hard after God?

I know for me (Mickey), I was afraid that following God would be boring. I also worried about what my friends would think. At the same time, God’s love was so powerful that I was drawn to him every time I heard someone talk about him.

Let me challenge you these last four weeks to go all in with your effort and attitude on the court. But more importantly, give some serious thought to what keeps you from going all in with Jesus.

Play Together – Pray TogetherWeek of April 11

James 5:16

Today we explore something really simple and powerful. Have you ever had a friend pray for you? I don’t mean a friend that said they “would” pray for you. I’m talking about a friend who stopped right there and prayed out loud for you on the spot.

How did it make you feel? Have you ever been the one who prayed for a friend like this? (Tell us about it)

You know how to play together. Now, what would happen if you learned how to pray together? Let’s first take a quick look at what prayer is. Prayer is simply talking to God. One day you will likely take a speech class and learn the parts of communication. Here’s a sneak peek. There is a person talking (the sender), what they are saying (the message) and who they are talking to (the receiver). In prayer, we are simply talking to God. We may be telling Him how much we love Him, asking for help for something that’s bothering us, or asking Him to touch a friend in need.

So why should we talk to God? Why do you talk to your friends? As Christians, we get to talk to God because he created us to have a relationship with Him. He hears us and helps us in so many ways. We talk to God because nothing is impossible with Him. He gives us wisdom, shows us how to live, helps us make decisions, acts on our behalf, and gives us peace. Prayer is a powerful tool.

James 5:16b (NLT) …The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

So back to praying for friends. What would happen if you started praying for your friends? Are you willing to try? When you see a friend struggling, stop and pray with them. When you see a teammate struggling in practice or in a game, run over, say a quick prayer and keep playing.

Proverbs 15:29 (NLT) The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.

Practice praying for each other now. Pair up, ask what you can pray for, and pray for each other! Start playing with this at home, school, practice, and in tourneys with your

friends.