🚀 The Book in 3 Sentences

1. Use your sport as a tool to get and spread more of God, not more earthly satisfaction.

2. Your main identity is being a child and representative of the Lord, an athlete being secondary.

3. Because we’re of God, we should act rightly.

🎨 Impressions

Throughout reading the book, I was filled with much conviction. I discovered that I was putting my sport over God. I was worshipping my sport instead of the Lord. I was seeking my own glory and ways instead of allowing the Spirit to lead me throughout all my activities. I now keep in mind that God is blessing me in my sport to glorify Him.

If you’re set on forcing things to go your way, don’t make any time for God, and only want your name to be glorified, then this book is not for you.

How I Discovered It

I wanted to find a motivational book that could help me with my athletic journey. I ended up discovering so much more.

Who Should Read It?

Every Christian athlete needs to read this book. If you have trouble finding your purpose within your sport and deal with things like identity and idolatry, then this book is for you.

☘️ How the Book Changed Me

[💡 How my life/behavior/thoughts/ideas have changed as a result of reading the book.]

• I now know how my sport is supposed to be used not to highlight myself but to highlight the glory and wonders of God. It steered me into the mindset of how to serve my team and be an example.

📒 Summary + Notes

Chapter 1: On Glory and God

• When people are putting you on a high pedestal, redirect the glory onto God. This not only glorifies Him but prevents you from becoming prideful. (Acts 14:11-15)

• When giving God the glory, do it with your WHOLE heart. Make sure your heart is connected with what you’re saying.

• God's glory comes through the process and the losses. God doesn't just want what you do in competition, He wants everything, including your heart.

• We bring glory to him when we do and think about what's pleasing to him and draw attention to who He is.

• Your primary satisfaction and identity is in God. Being an athlete is second.

• Competitive excellence/being the winner isn't the primary category God is concerned with when it comes to his glory (it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive to be the best). It's the heart.

Chapter 2: On Motivation

• The true meaning of Philippians 4:13 is to be content in every situation regardless of when you succeed or fail. This contentment can only be achieved through Christ.

• Helen Maroulis repeatedly told herself, “Christ is in me, I am enough.” By doing this she would drown out the negative thoughts and remind herself that with or without the victory she is enough.

• The outcome of competition doesn’t change our primary identity of being a loved and accepted child of God.

• The best time to focus on God (your focal point) is during the pauses. Train your mind to focus on God instead of competition.

Chapter 3: On Pressure

• Be peaceful instead of being overwhelmed by pressure by filling your mind with the word. (Philippians 4:6-8)

• Submit your anxieties to God.

Chapter 4: On Winning

• Joy is maximized with others. Make sure you're respectful when celebrating.

• Earthly wins will never fill you.

Chapter 5: On Losing

• "Faithless is he who says farewell when the road darkens.”

• When things go wrong, it's okay to feel frustrated, but do not sin. (Ephesians 4:26). Instead of lashing out or succumbing to shame, think, ”How would Jesus think and act?”

• Be set apart. Don’t act the same way as worldly people do when they lose. (Deuteronomy 4:5-6)

• Don’t allow your loss to minimize your glorification towards God.

• God’s kingdom will continue to advance, even when you lose. Don’t dwell on a loss and seek God.

• Let your losses strengthen you and learn from them. Trust that God will do something good even through the loss. (James 1:2-4, Isaiah 55:8)

Chapter 6: On Injuries

• Be honest with God about your emotions(Psalm 6).

• God can allow injuries to happen to strengthen your faith, grow you, or show you something. He may have allowed this to happen so that you may reach someone. (EX: Acts 16:22-34). Ask yourself, “Who might God want me to reach where I am right now.”

• "Peaks are nice, but you don't see many farms on top. You'll see them in valleys, so that they may grow there."

• God is more concerned with your spiritual goals than athletics.

• You're not entitled to know what your injuries are for. He could be moving you or moving someone else indirectly. Know that your pain has a purpose.

Chapter 7: On Practice*

• Your continual mindset should be, “What will serve the other person?”, not, “What will serve me?” Don't neglect the desire to improve, but that emotion must be secondary.

• Practice is an opportunity to serve others by respecting coaches, practicing humility by working hard, and deepening relationships with your teammates. (Hebrews 6:10)

• Engage in Practice with effort, as if doing it for the Lord, not people. We play for an audience of one and because of that, we should work hard and heartily(this can also look like doing more, setting yourself apart). It’ll reflect back to the God you serve. (Colossians 3:17, 23)

• Practice isn't about gaining glory but giving glory.

****When first reading this chapter, what strongly resonated with me more than anything throughout the whole book was the fact that I perform for an audience of one: Christ. When I kept this in mind, there were no more worries or stress. God is satisfied when I give Him my best and worship Him during the process.

Chapter 8: On Teammates

• “How you treat people reveals what you believe about God.”

GREAT TEAMMATES:

1. Have Ambition: to become the best they can be.

2. Have Humility: they’re always learning from other teammates.

3. Have Responsibility: for their actions and learn from them.

4. The desire to see others succeed: they don’t capitalize off of the misfortune of others. They let their teammates know that they have their back.

5. Celebrate their teammate’s success

• Don’t think you deserve something that somebody else has. It’s a prideful mindset.

• Die to yourself and love those who you don't like by encouraging, praying for, and forgiving them. This is walking in obedience & love.

• God can have you in a seemingly low place to be the light to your teammates. Even though it's not what you had in mind, it's all in the end for God's glory.

Chapter 9: On Riding the Bench

• Glorify God even when things don’t seem to be going your way.

• Chase jot while deep in disappointment. Keep a great attitude by remaining thankful. (Philippians 4:12-14, 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

• Have a vision beyond your sport. Your purpose could be encouraging your teammates. Take advantage of being on the bench by encouraging others. Seek to serve them. Your main identity is being an Ambassador, not an Athlete.

• Trust that God is going to use where you’re at for His glory, whether you agree with it or not.

• Instead of sulking around, identify the weak areas and work on them. (Proverbs 10:17)

Chapter 10: On Gray Areas

• Play with a high level of integrity. If you feel like what you’re doing is shady or if you feel convicted, stop doing it. (Romans 12:2)

• Doing the right thing doesn't always mean you'll win.

Chapter 11: On Coaches

• Your coach may be a jerk, but we shouldn’t lash out or talk behind their backs. We’re to display the love of Christ, especially if they’re undeserving. (Philippians 2:14-15)

• Honor your coach even when they aren’t around. Pray for them.

Chapter 12: On Mission

• God has placed you exactly where you are for a reason. He gave you this gift of athleticism for a reason: to bring people towards Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:18)

• Be prepared when someone asks you a question relating to you being different. (1 Peter 3:15)

• The ultimate goal for being a light on your team is not for your teammates to look up at you but through you and glorify God. (Matthew 5:16)

• You won't change the culture of your team with the, "you need to stop that" strategy. The best way to change the culture is to start a new one. God is the one who will move their hearts, you're the one to provide that space. (EX: Bible study, prayer mirror, team prayer before games)

Chapter 13: On Platform

• Remember, you have an influence on younger athletes.

• If you have a uniform, you have a platform. Leverage your platform to show who God is.

Chapter 14: On Retirement

• When your sport ends, you have to find something else to do. A new ministry to pour into.

• Don’t become lazy. use your previous discipline into a new passion and serve Christ. (1 Timothy 4:8)