Do You Believe in Miracles
I do. We are standing in the Middle of One. Some call me crazy, but the proof is in the pudding!
After two miscarriages, my wife and I were told we there was a very good chance that we could not have children. We have four. After almost dying from an attack of the enemy, my daughter was told that she had the worst case of asthma they had ever seen by doctors at the Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. They showed us X-rays of her small damaged lungs and said she would never play sports and would have to live an impaired life. That is until God stepped in and two weeks later the same doctor is looking at another X-Ray saying I don’t understand. This can’t be the same little girl. I could tell you stories of miracles I have seen and experienced that would blow your mind. So yeah, I BELIEVE!
Our whole season has been God writing a powerful story of hope, adversity, and our King honoring young men’s steadfast faith through dark valleys, Joseph Pits, and against God size odds. You would have to close your eyes not to be able to see that God ONCE AGAIN has chosen to show Himself powerfully.
Why us, why now? I honestly don’t know the answer to that question. Other than I have seen the hearts of these young men and my coaches staff. I know God looks at the heart and rewards those who is seek Him diligently. We have felt the prayers of so many carrying us time and time again. We have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit helping us overcome injuries and so much more.
Would God truly care about a Basketball Team or a Game? Ask Drew Stutts, Kris Korver, Danny Miles, Steve Shepherd, Greg Tonagel, Terry Waldrip, Bill Dreikosen, Jim Kessler, Ryan Cottingham, Doug Tolin, Craig Doty, and I could go on and on all day of Godly NAIA Coaches, who have experienced first hand God’s Favor showing up miraculously in their teams.
It has been 12 years since we have been blessed with the opportunity to reach the top of the mountain and play in a NAIA Championship Game. As a coach I have been blessed to coach in three Championship games winning two and losing one. I also lost in a high school championship game, but won a NCCAA Championship my senior season as a player beating three top 25 ranked NAIA teams, back when there were over 500 NAIA teams and only one team came out of your district. That was only one year after Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman played in that District.
Were my teams that reached the tournament 17 of the last 18 years failures for not reaching the Championship Game? What about my 2011-12 team, who won 26 games, but just missed getting an invitation to the Dance? Were they let down by God?
The Simple answer, NO!
The Hebrew boys said it best when facing the fiery furnace. Even if our God doesn’t choose to save us, we will praise Him!
Our enemy is not the team in the other jersey. Our enemy is Satan. By seeking God boldly, daringly, with all our heart, we can overcome fear, anxiety, injuries, and every other attack of the enemy. He does not want you or us to declare the truth. He does not want us to praise our King on the Mountain Top or in the Valley. He thrives on bringing doubt, confusion, and division. Our Father gives us countless promises and decrees that we have access to in order to overcome each every attack. This is what every Child of God has access to when fighting the enemy. We are just asked to ask and to seek our Father with all their heart.
Victory is promised, just not always in the manner the world wants to define it. Making the NAIA Tournament was a miracle for a couple of my teams. Reaching the finals was for others. Winning one game was a miracle for my first team, a group of 7th grade girls.
I don’t know if we will win tonight’s game against an amazing College of Idaho team, but I do know we are in the middle of a miracle and that we will praise our King unapologetically, boldly, and with all we have inside us no matter what!