For the first time in a few years, I had the opportunity to shepherd a group of seven of our USG members alongside our Director of Ministry, Adam Maronde, at the annual ADs 4 Christ convention, in Nashville, Tennessee. This annual gathering brings together Athletic Directors at all levels, Division I through NAIA, for a time of guest speakers, fellowship, prayer, connection, reflection, and a refilling of cups, after a busy year within intercollegiate athletics.
This event has been impactful for USG members since 2019, in them being able to build relationships with present leaders within intercollegiate athletics that love Jesus and leave encouraged by what the Lord is doing in intercollegiate athletics, as a whole.Â
A few highlights stick out to me in regards to how the Lord moved at the gathering. One of the guest speakers, Steven Bunn of College Golf Fellowship, emphasized the importance of abiding in Christ, as noted in John 15. He noted how older translations for this section would use the word "abode". With the translation of "abode" meaning a home or dwelling place, Steven emphasized the vitality and importance for us as apprentices of Jesus, to make our home in Christ Jesus daily.
Later in this talk, and after diving into a section of the book of Ezekiel, Steven touched on the greatest gifts that we receive from God outside of salvation in Him. He said that "suffering", "weakness" and "denied abundance" were the other great gifts that we receive from God. This resonated with me, as though these three items don't appear as gifts at first, they really are gifts from God. As we die to ourselves, and go through hardship, pain, and trials, we grow in depth, intimacy, and reliance on the Lord that we otherwise wouldn't have, if we didn't go through these things, revealing true faith.
As we "abode" in Him, He shows us that He is all that we need, and we get to experience our relationship with Him, in an honest, authentic, and real way, by dying to self and prioritizing His will over our own.
With the flight data breach, most of our group had flight delays and cancellations over the weekend. I was in a similar situation, as I was trying to head to Charlotte from Nashville. At lunch at the conference on Saturday, I reconnected with a former intercollegiate athletics colleague that I found out now lived in Charlotte.
After my flight cancellations, I kept trying to rebook new flights, but it had gotten to the point where I likely wasn't getting back to Charlotte for at least a few days.Â
As I was waiting on what was next, I found out that that intercollegiate athletics colleague and her husband had driven from Charlotte to Nashville, and they offered to take me back with them on their drive.
After saying yes, then no, then with my flights getting canceled a fourth time, I felt peace from the Lord to reach out to them, if their offer was still viable. It was, and I jumped into the car with them for an approximate seven-hour drive back home to Charlotte on Sunday morning.
I tangibly experienced the Lord as Jehovah Jireh, the God that provided that day, and He knew His plan on how to get me back to Charlotte. Even though I tried doing things with my own strength, He made a way. I was able to build a relationship with that couple and be encouraged by the hospitality and gratitude of the body of Christ within intercollegiate athletics.Â
In conclusion, I left Nashville encouraged by how the Lord is moving in the mission field of intercollegiate athletics, I was reminded of the importance of abiding in Christ, in how the Lord uses suffering for His glory, and when we surrender to Him and die to self, He provides all that we need in Him, and He makes our paths straight.
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