So, please go with me for a few minutes on a journey to explore why valuing the differences is so important and might make a difference in how we treat one another. Let's consider 6 questions on this topic: 1. How big of a deal is it to value the differences? 2. Why is it so hard to value the differences? 3. Are differences good or bad? 4. Is it even scriptural to value the differences? 5. If it is, what are the advantages of valuing the differences? 6. And finally, are there any boundaries to valuing the differences? To start, let’s look at God’s word to set the foundation for us. These scripture verses are the most important part of this devotional. Romans 12:3 – 8 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 14:1 – 3, 7 – 10, 16 – 19 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Questions 1 – How big of a deal is the notion of needing to value the differences? Let me ask, in general and in complete honesty, do you have more similarities or dissimilarities with the rest of humankind? How about with other U.S. citizens? Those you go to school with? Those you worship with? Those you hang out with, aka, your friends? How about members of your own family? Be honest – have you ever found anyone that was exactly like you – not in looks, but in beliefs, preferences, opinions, points of view, everyday choices? If you have, which I think would be rare, out of the population on the planet how many of your fellow 7 billion inhabitants are exactly like you? So, the point is that this is a pretty big, relevant deal. The rest of the world is different from you and you from them. It’s something we all live with every day. Question 2 - Do you find it hard to be accepting and even valuing things and individuals that are different? I think most of us do. Why is that? I can think of at least 2 reasons; there are probably many more, but number one for me is I like to be right. There’s a sense of pride in being right. I am right – that feels good; it builds our self-esteem to be right. No one wakes up in the morning thinking I wonder how many times today can I be wrong – wouldn’t that be the best day ever – to break a record on not being right. No, that’s not how most of us think. We like being right. The second reason it’s hard to value the differences is that it’s so very comfortable to be around and deal with people or things that are similar or familiar. If you’ve ever changed dorm rooms or apartments or even if you’ve just bought a new chair to sit in at home, there’s that period of change and difference that’s just not comfortable. Same = comfortable. Different = uncomfortable. Question 3 - Are differences good or bad? Or are they just different? I can tell you for sure, some differences are downright outstanding. For those of you that have a boyfriend or girlfriend, do you remember the first time you laid eyes on that special someone? Did you value the things that were the same about you or the things that were different? I can remember to this day the first time I saw my now wife Connie. It was in the parking lot of the church we attended – church, by the way, is a great place to meet your mate for those of you still looking. She had a glow about her that made her stand out from all the others – beautiful hair, sparkling green eyes, and an infectious smile. I can assure you I had none of those things. But also, over time, Connie and I discovered differences we didn’t value as much. I discovered early on that Connie is really social – me, not so much, although I think she’s taught me how to be better at that. It was not uncommon for me to come home from work only to discover that we were having or are already had guests for dinner. Now, after a full day at work that was not the first thing on my list of fun things to do – entertain dinner guests. When we go on vacation, particularly when we were able to travel internationally, I being a planful person, have been known to fill every waking moment with some meaningful (to me) event. This does not energize Connie. But perhaps she would say she’s seen some things she might have missed otherwise – but more likely she would say – I wish we had relaxed more. Which one of us is right? Or are we just different on those things? Question 4 – Is it even scriptural for Christ followers to value differences in others? The scripture we looked at in Romans I believe clearly supports the notion of valuing the differences. Paul gives a very clear illustration about our own bodies – we have one body, but an incredible number of different parts – very different – our eyes are nothing at all like our ears. Our feet, other than having five appendages, are nothing like our hands and you can go on and on. And then he talks about the different gifts – prophesy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leading, and mercy – all very different, all extremely valuable. And then in Romans 14, Paul talks about the differences of opinion on trivial matters (although at the time it wasn’t so trivial in some peoples’ minds) about the kinds of food to eat. In verse 17, it says “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking (how trivial), but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” But it’s not just those few scriptures in Romans that convinces me – although that would be enough. As I look at the totality of Christianity, it is all about being "different". I mean really different! The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 is filled with Jesus’s teaching about how things are different for His followers: 5:11 Blessed are you when people insult you. 5:39 If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other. 5:40 If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 5:44 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. And then, if that were not enough, there’s Romans 5:6 – 8: You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ – who was and is perfect – died for me, the ungodly. Most religions teach that heaven is earned, but we know differently – it’s a gift. Questions 5 – Are there any advantages to valuing the differences? I’ve already talked about a few, but here’s a few more, whether at school, work, home, worship, community service, wherever: 1. It shows respect to others – we are all made in God’s image, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or social standing 2. It helps us think less highly of ourselves than we should. It’s so tempting at school or work where there is membership in select groups or teams or a formal structure with titles for individuals to think more highly of themselves than they should. It is extremely important for individuals with “titles”, “positions” and “memberships” to value the differences. 3. There is a pretty good chance we will learn something – we may discover things we had not thought about; we may learn more about ourselves and why we believe what we believe. 4. It contributes to harmony. Is it more fun and is it easier to be with someone that will at least listen or is it more fun and easier to be with someone who has all the answers? 5. There’s a good chance you will discover and produce a better outcome. Question 6 – Are there any boundaries to valuing the differences? I think there clearly are. Again, God’s Word is the light to our path. I believe the 10 Commandments (not the 10 Suggestions) are a good place to start. I think Jesus also gave us His boundaries in all of His teachings which He summed up nicely by saying in Matthew 22:37 – 40: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” So did Jesus’ clarification of the 2 greatest commandments make the boundaries bigger or smaller – that might make for another good devotional. But regardless of how big you believe the boundaries are, I believe there is enormous room to value what is different. In summary, let's review our 6 questions about valuing the differences: Does it matter – yes Is it hard – yes Are differences good or bad – they are in most cases just different Is it scriptural – yes Are there advantages – yes Are there boundaries – yes I pose a challenge to you and myself to look for every opportunity to value the differences . They won’t be hard to find – they are all around you. If we will, I believe we will bring pleasure and glory to God. I encourage you to pray this prayer with me: To you Oh God be all honor and glory this day. You have fearfully and wonderfully made us – there is no one exactly like me. Yet we are the same in our need for redemption. All of us have sinned. All of us have fallen short of Your glory and we all deserve the same eternal fate, but You, oh God, did not give up on us. So, in the midst of our incredible differences, you have provided the same way to glory through your one and only Son. So we give thanks for that today. As we are united in our Spirits with that one main thing that makes us the same, help us also each day to be aware and alert and sensitive to our differences. Help us respect and respond to those in a way that would be pleasing to you. I give myself to your service this day. With a grateful heart I lift up this prayer in Jesus name – Amen.

I interviewed my former Georgia Tech teammate and Olympic medalist, Chaunte Lowe, to help with today's nugget. Nugget #8: Keep Your Core Tight Chaunte shares her perspective on the core and how this principle of keeping her core tight has been foundational in her faith and family-life Beyond Athletics. I pray that you are inspired and even challenged by these devos. I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback, so please shoot me an email at any time. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ~ John 15:5 Sports The core – “the central, innermost, or most essential part of anything.”*. A solid core is one of the more appealing features of an athletic physique. A flat stomach and tight abs are byproducts of all the hard work athletes put into their craft. A strong core is not merely cosmetic, it’s a vital part of an athlete’s performance.* The core encompasses your abs, sides/obliques, and back. It’s always present during any workout. From running to drills, squats and lunges, the athlete must be mindful to “Keep Your Core Tight.” That means focusing on keeping the back and abs strong and involved during every part of the workout. Developing the core is a separate process. There is some development that happens naturally throughout the course of practice, however, adequately strengthening the core requires intentionality. Athletes experience the benefits of a strong core during the peak of their athletic performance. It’s the point in workouts where the body aches from head to toe. The soreness is insane, and you feel physically incapable of lifting your legs another step. It’s the final quarter, last 50 meters, when competition is intense, and the athlete has little left to give. Some athletes don’t understand the value of a strong core; they write it off as cosmetic or something extra they have to do. They take it for granted. A strong core is critical especially when times get hard. Without a strong core, an athlete doesn’t have all it takes to finish the competition, strong. That strength has to already be there; the athlete’s core has to be present and prepared to carry her through the toughest moments. Beyond Athletics Individuals have a core. Near our center, we have innate talents and abilities; we have pivotal relationships; we have core values and beliefs – the principals that we live by. We should never compromise our core, but it's also important to recognize that those elements don't define us even though they're at our core. Values and priorities change, people in our lives come in and go, and abilities can fade at any time. Athletes know that full well – illness or injury can instantly derail a career started from raw talent. All of these elements are important, but they're not the core itself. So, what is the core of a person? The heart and soul. We must maintain the connection to our Source to keep our core tight. If this sounds cliché, that fine because it's the truth. No matter how many directions you spin or paths you venture down, you will always find yourself staring at the same conclusion. You need a genuine relationship with God to survive: In Him we live and move and have our being. (Act 17:28) "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (~ Jesus, Joh 6:35) "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (~Jesus, Joh 14:6) I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (~ Jesus, Joh 15:5) There is no getting away from it. Keeping our core tight means remaining in Christ. We've been given the Holy Spirit with whom we've been sealed for the day of redemption. (Eph 1:14, Eph 4:20, 1 Cor 3:16, Ro 8:11). He is always with us – living inside of us, so it serves us well not to ignore Him. It can be tempting to dismiss our core – write it off as cosmetic or something extra to do. But our strength in life comes from our core. We should make a habit of engaging it; prioritize it; measure every decision against it. Engaging the core protects us from injury and putting unnecessary strain on the rest of our bodies. If you keep your core healthy and looking good, it will sustain you even in difficult times. Invest in and develop it; do not compromise or neglect it. Keep Your Core Tight *Dictionary.com What is AT your core? How do you intentionally engage the elements at your core into everyday life? How do you develop your true core? What can you do to remain in Christ ­and engage the Holy Spirit in your daily decision making and actions? Did you enjoy this devo? Email me and let me know your thoughts. You can read the Beyond Athletics section of the blog post for this nugget to see how it applies to other areas of life beyond athletics. We're Still Going Pro...Just Not in Our Sport About the Writer Thank you for reading. I pray that this piece will bless you and your life with Jesus Christ. My passion is to see lives transform. I pray that the Holy Spirit would use me as a vessel to do just that. You can learn more about me on my website: cshanta.com and My role as the FCA director at Georgia Tech: https://my.fca.org/shanta_crichlow Go Jackets!

 The past few months have offered us one opportunity after another to test the validity and strengthen our faith. I pray that you have been learning and choosing to grow. I pray that you have been digging deep into your understanding of God – who He is and how He chooses to operate. I pray that you have been searching your heart and leaning into the question, "Why do I follow God?" Our student-athletes have been. It's a revealing and faith-deepening question. The questions we ask ourselves about God and our relationship with Him, inspire us to hold on. The answers to such questions become especially important during emotional and environmental volatility. They help us implement today's nugget. Nugget #7: Those Days You Don't Feel Like it...Do it. This nugget is about consistency in the face of reality. Athletes know what is required to succeed in their sport, and they know that they must do those things consistently. In reality, they won't always want to, but they choose to do them anyway. We can follow that example in our spiritual lives. Let's see what this means for our Christian faith beyond athletics. I pray that you are inspired and even challenged by these devos. I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback, so please shoot me an email at any time. Those Days You Don't Feel Like it...Do it “But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” ~Matthew 24:13 Sports The athlete experience is filled with ups and downs. Some days the athlete is on top of the world – he feels good; his body feels good; he’s ready to show up; his attitude is in check, and he intends to leave it on the track. Then there are other days when his body is sore, his legs feel heavy, and far from his mind are the objectives he’s about to accomplish in practice. The athlete has a few choices on those days when he doesn’t quite feel “up to the task.” He could make up an excuse for his coach, agent, and manager and opt to skip practice. He could convince himself that he’s talented enough and doesn’t need to practice so long as he executes in the game. Or, he could remind himself why he’s there and what he intends to achieve. He can choose to make the most of his workout in spite of how he feels. I’ve had my fair share of practice days on which I didn’t feel like being there. I didn’t want to exert the energy and push my body to the point of discomfort. To be honest, there were more days that I dreaded practice than days I looked forward to it. I valued my practice time; I knew how important it was. Yet, I still had to battle mind games, the phantom aches and pains, and thoughts of running away never to put myself through such physical anguish again. I stayed. I didn’t run away from practice on those days; I ran through it. And, I have to admit, it felt so good to get through a workout that I was initially opposed to. Not only did I move closer to my goals rather than stepping backward, I literally felt enhanced on a personal level. Beyond Athletics It’s not easy to execute in life Beyond Athletics on days we don’t feel like it. There are many opportunities to do things we won’t necessarily want to do when living life with God. We see an example of this when Jesus admonished His disciples for sleeping when He asking them to stay up and pray. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation,” Jesus said. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38) Even Jesus’ agreement to go to the cross on our behalf was not made lightly. "My Father,” He prayed, “if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." ( see Matthew 26:38-39 ) From loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44) to doing everything without grumbling or arguing (Philippians 2:14); from praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) (or praying all) to abiding in Him (John 15:4), the faith journey is an invitation to live a cut above the rest in spirit. And to be completely honest, we’re not always goanna wanna do it. The greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). There’s a degree of intention and purpose that we exert when we choose to love God well. It’s a daily practice getting to know God, hear His voice, and appreciate Him for who He is. Sometimes we won’t be compelled to pursue God because we literally just don’t feel like it. There are times when I’m less motivated to make the effort to spend a moment with God because there’s nothing, in particular, to draw me in – I’m not seeking something specific from Him; I’m not in the middle of a life-altering decision for which I need His guidance; I don’t need Him to show up so that life as I know it doesn’t fall apart, or I’m not in need of some divine revelation. Sometimes, life feels the same as it always has, so the draw to be in the presence of God is not there. Sometimes I just don’t feel God’s presence when I do try to have a quiet time. It feels as though God is silent. That’s not very exciting so why show up if I don’t feel like it? Our journey to living this life with Christ doesn’t just happen because we once prayed a string of life-transforming words. There are responsibilities beyond attending worship service and engaged quiet times that require our daily attention. There will be days that you won’t feel like doing those either. There will be days you don’t feel like “being Christian”. You might not feel like bringing faith and spirituality into a particular area of your life. You might not want to muster up the energy to step outside of your norm and have faith in certain circumstances. You might not feel like inviting God into some decisions and conversations or committing to Him particular plans. The reasons for not wanting to infuse faith into daily life could vary. Maybe you don’t think God would approve of the activity in which you’re engaged. Perhaps there’s fear of perception from others and consequential rejection. Maybe your emotions are just so strong that you want to go with what feels natural and easy at the moment. Often times, we simply don’t realize that our faith and walk with Christ tranced and permeate every aspect and day of our lives. What does any of this matter? Why is it important that we execute on those days we don’t feel like it? It all comes down to consistency and perseverance. When we consistently show up in those moments, especially when we don’t feel like it, barriers begin to come down. We break through the internal walls of resistance and build up perseverance. When we choose not to execute because we don’t feel like, we pause the consistency needed for momentum, growth, and progress. At times we must implement the outside-in portion of nugget #2 “Attitude Check” to prevent erosion from happening – take the right action even before we feel like it and wait for the positive emotions to catch up. Perseverance is an essential virtue for remaining in the faith. It’s necessary for implementing changes long and often enough to see a transformation. Living life with Christ won’t always be comfortable, and our minds and bodies naturally resist discomfort. It’s our responsibility to embrace that discomfort so that we grow into the person God wants us to be. Let’s not grow weary in well-doing (Galatians 6:9). He who endures to the end will be saved. "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ". (2 Peter 1:5-8) On Those Days You Don’t Feel Like It…Do It! What are some things that you need to do consistently to develop your relationship with God? What strategy do you use to inspire yourself to tackle those undesirable tasks that must get done? Describe your experience (thoughts and emotions) immediately after taking action that you know what right but didn’t particularly want to do. Did you enjoy this devo? Email me and let me know your thoughts. You can read the blog version of this nugget to see how it applies to other areas of life beyond athletics. We're Still Going Pro...Just Not in Our Sport About the Writer Thank you for reading. I pray that this piece will bless you and your life with Jesus Christ. My passion is to see lives transform. I pray that the Holy Spirit would use me as a vessel to do just that. You can learn more about me on my website: cshanta.com and My role as the FCA director at Georgia Tech: https://my.fca.org/shanta_crichlow Go Jackets!

Failure is always a risk for those who try. Our Athletes experience it every time they step into the arena. Yet they keep coming back. Missing the mark is inevitable as we aim to live according to God's Word. What matters is that we always return to Him. "Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again..." (Proverbs 27:16a) Sports If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” 1 “We fall down and get back up.” 2 “Don’t grow weary in well doing, for at the proper time you will reap a benefit if you do not give up.” 3 Keep fighting... keep pushing…keep perusing … “We goan fight, till we can’t fight no mo’!” 4 Athletes understand this concept fully. Whether in the pursuit of greatness or the effort to learn a new skill, every athlete must endure seasons of trial and error. The first time an athlete picks up a racket or straps on her sneakers, she welcomes opportunities to make mistakes, learn from them, and make mistakes again. She first learns the game — the rules, fundamentals, techniques, and so on. Then she attempts to demonstrate what she’s learned. She won’t get that swing just right the first time. As a novice athlete, she may not have the perfect form for several tries. She’ll swing and miss many times, yet she makes the choice to keep coming back. It took me a while to learn the concepts of my track and field events. I certainly did not grasp the triple-jump right away (even though my body seemed to catch the gist of it inherently). It took a long time of listening, learning from others, trying, and failing to get an inkling of what I was doing. It also took me even longer to finally learned how to sprint the 400-meter dash (You’d think running comes naturally). “Failure” is embedded in the life of the athlete. They accept it and even embrace it because they understand that is how they move toward success. Athletes must be willing to miss the shot, form, or mark. They must risk missing again and again as they make one attempt after another. Athletes can’t get tired of messing up (e.g., doing the wrong thing) because messing up is always a risk when they’re willing to play the game. (Enter Michael Jordan quote here.) Beyond Athletics If you’ve been a Christian for more than a couple of days, you get this concept. The Christian journey is a series of trails and errors. We may learn something new from the Word of God. Excited or not, we might be inspired to put that Word into practice. We make a decision to be a better (fill in the blank) and then miss the mark on the first attempt. We don’t execute it just right. We don’t respond the way that we want to ­– we worry instead of trusting, blow up again when we meant to stay calm, we oversleep and miss that “quiet time” or church altogether, we engage that habit we so desire to kick, or give in to temptation once again. We might be striving to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect ( Matthew 5:48 ), and it feels tragic when we just can’t quite get it. None of us are alone when it comes to failure in life beyond athletics. Just as in sports, failure comes with the territory even as we practice our faith. Yes, all do sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). If that were not the case, there would be no need for Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. The Apostle Paul shares with us his own struggle to “get it right” in Romans 7:14-25 . I think we can relate. Paul starts with, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do” and end with, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” What does this mean for us? It means we don’t have to strive for it. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13) It also means we don’t have to hide in shame when we mess up, because there’s no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1) . God loves us through our mistakes, and despite them. We just have to be willing to stay on the journey with the Lord and try again. “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes” ( Proverbs 27:16 ). Do not get tired of failing. And, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” ( Galatians 6:9 ). I know that times may be challenging right now. But they’ve been hard before, and challenges will come again. Our difficulties do not discredit God but prove His Word, once again, to be true (ex. John 16:33 ). It matters that we stay connected to Christ; abide in Him as He abides in us ( John 15:4-5 ). Even in failure, make it a point to keep coming back to Him, because apart from Christ, our efforts are futile; we’ll never get it right. Keep praying, asking, loving, giving, aiming to do the good that you know you are supposed to do. And when you mess up, try doing it again. Don’t Get Tired of Doing the Wrong Thing. 1. Anonymous 2. Kirk Franklin 3. Galatians 6:9 4. Derrick Moore Pre Game Speec h ( https://dmospeaks.com/ )What are some areas in life that you’ve been trying to “get right?” Let’s take a moment to bring those matters to God one at a time. For each, let's tell God what you believe He would like you to do. (Sit a moment and allow Him to show you and give you peace).  Then, pray for His grace to be the person that He desires for you to be. Finally, be on the lookout each day for Him to show up and for you to be transformed by His goodness in Jesus’ name.Did you enjoy this devo? Email me and let me know your thoughts. You can read the blog post in full to see how this nugget applies to other areas of life beyond athletics...