The focus of this chapter is when we are truly living in the Kingdom of God, we have no need to worry. In fact, the result of kingdom living is confidence and joy.....ok, coach, which one sounds best to you?

1.  Jim does a great job of distinguishing between caution, worry, and fear. How do they differ in your mind?
2. His definition of worry: "a disproportionate level of concern based on an inappropriate measure of fear" has great correlation for our seasons. Think for a minute, how you approach a game. Do you worry? Does it depend if your opponent is a lot better than your team? Or if your team is considered better? Does talent have anything to do with this worry? Fear? If we have prepared our teams well, should we still worry? Is that "crossing the line from being responsible to being anxious"?
3. Read Matthew 6:19-24. Jesus tells us not to worry about food and clothing. Yes these are primary needs. If we are not supposed to worry about these, do you think we are supposed to worry about winning and losing? About signing the top recruit?
4. Jim writes, "Trust keeps my attention on God's abundant resources. That is why worry cannot exist in the kingdom of God. Worry happens when I am on the throne of my life, when I live in the kingdom of me." (Page 178) When I think about the times I worry, this sentence is always true. When the times I trust, it is true too. Try an experiment and trust your next game to God and His plan. I believe this is a simple key to truly experiencing joy in our profession.
5. Solution to worry: Matthew 6:33. Meditate on that verse. It is the key to the Kingdom. Does it really say FIRST?
6. How would you answer Jim's questions -- Who are you? Where are you? Do you have the vision to live in the reality of the answer, "I am a child of God, one in whom Christ dwells, and I am living in the unshakable kingdom of God". Do you grasp how that would affect your coaching?

7 The spiritual exercise this week is prayer. Philippians 4: 6-7, "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication..." That scripture is pretty specific about the connection between prayer and worry. I love how Jim distinguishes that direct effort needs to happen too, but how to pray when it can't. We can't just pray for our teams to be great and not practice! How were these exercises for you? Natural? Require effort?

"As long as we live in fellowship with our good and beautiful God in His mighty kingdom, we have nothing to fear, not even fear itself, for nothing in life or death can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). When we know this to be true, we can let go of worry and begin living with confidence and joy." (Page 182)

For me, living that concept brought me from fear that I may get fired if my teams don't win to the joy of experiencing my team. To get to that place requires vision, intention, and means. That is what Jim's apprentice series is all about. As a coach, if I could help you grasp this importance, it would be bigger than giving you the last second inbounds play that would guarantee a win. My prayer is that this is starting to come together for you and that your season is one where you experience the strength and power of Jesus Christ.

Oh, and Merry Christmas! The Peace of Christ to you!

Keep the Faith

Jane