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Refined By Fire: How to allow GOD to refine you into who HE CREATED YOU TO BE

The other day, someone shared an interesting story with me about how forest rangers actually create fires on purpose.

They intentionally burn down old forests.

At first, that might sound destructive. But the purpose is to clear space — because the old growth has become inhabitable for many species of plants and animals.

Once the fire has done its job, new life begins. New trees, fresh vegetation, and new habitats spring up where the old ones once stood.

It reminded me of what happens in the weight room.

When we train hard, we feel the burn. Our muscles are literally breaking down.

But we know — that pain leads to new strength. The fire we feel is the path to becoming bigger, faster, and stronger.

As athletes and coaches, we face fires in our own lives, too.

You may go through the fire of getting injured.
You may lose your starting spot or struggle to meet performance goals.
You might feel burned by disappointment, pressure, or comparison.

As a coach, your fires may come from tough losses, difficult parents, or administration issues.
Or maybe you're losing players to off-the-field distractions or academic problems.

And beyond sports, the fires of life hit hard as well.

Maybe you've lost someone close to you.
Maybe you’ve lost a job, struggled in school, or feel uncertain about your direction.
Maybe you’re feeling the fire of not measuring up to your purpose or potential.

But here's the truth:

Every fire you walk through is refining you.

It’s burning off the old parts of you — the ones that no longer serve your growth.

On the other side of the fire is new life.

There is growth.
There is strength.
There is peace.
There is a higher, more complete version of who God made you to be.

So my encouragement to you is this:

Embrace the fire.
Walk through it with courage, tenacity, and a deep surrender to God.
Let Him do the refining work.

Because through the fire, you are becoming.

Athletes and coaches for Christ, I wish you well on your journey of enduring the fires in your life and experiencing the transformation of new life on the other side, and I send love, gratitude, peace, and blessings to you!

May GOD inspire YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Bible Verses:

• Malachi 3:2-3
• 1 Peter 1:6-7
• Isaiah 43:2
• Romans 5:3-5
• James 1:2-4

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Strength, Power, and Endurance: The cornerstones of conditioning your faith

Three qualities that strength and conditioning coaches seek to develop in their athletes are:

• Strength
• Power
• Endurance

Strength is a measure of how much force you can produce. More strength means you can more easily push through an opponent.

Power is a measure of how fast you can produce that force. More power means you are faster, can jump higher, and can more swiftly move an opponent.

Endurance is a measure of how long you can exert force. More endurance means you have more capacity to do work and can outlast an opponent.

Conditioning Your Faith

Obviously, these three qualities are vital to your performance on the playing field ...

But they are also vital in your walk of faith!

Colossians 1:11 says:

"Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience"

What I want to ask you is ...

How are your strength, power, and endurance in your faith?

How strong is your faith?

Are you able to take on challenges that might crush others around you?

How powerful is your faith?

When a challenge comes your way, how swift are you to lean on GOD so the two of you can move it?

How much endurance do you have in your faith?

When others around you are falling by the wayside, do you have the capacity to persevere to the other side?

Training for Your Faith

Of course, you develop physical strength, power, and endurance in the weight room.

Are you developing spiritual strength, power, and endurance in your spiritual weight room?

Are you spending time:

• In prayer
• In your Bible
• With other believers who can challenge and develop your strength, power, and endurance

Athletes and coaches for Christ, I wish you well on your journey of wielding strength, power, and endurance in your faith, and I send love, gratitude, peace, and blessings to you!

May GOD inspire YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Bible Verses:

• Colossians 1:11
• Hebrews 12:1
• Isaiah 40:31
• Philippians 4:13

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Put More Time on the Clock: How to receive GOD's gift of more "time"

I'm sure you're all aware of it by now, but today is daylight savings time.

If you haven't done so already, may this be another friendly reminder to simply change your clocks to the appropriate time.

I remember when I was growing up as a kid and I was in sports, this was one of my favorite days of the year.

It gave me an extra hour to train.

So I would spend that extra hour in the gym, getting after it.

It always felt like such an amazing gift to me, because I felt like this extra hour was giving me an extra opportunity to reach my highest potential as a basketball player.

Especially since tryouts were always coming up within the next couple of weeks.

Many times in our lives, it feels like we get a gift of extra time to reach our highest potential as well.

We see this many times in sports when we make the playoffs.

It gives us an extra opportunity to continue to play and go for the championship.

We see this in our jobs or in our schooling too.

Whether it’s getting a scholarship so we can continue our education...

Or getting a promotion in our jobs so we can have a larger platform to impact people around us.

But most importantly, this also happens in our spiritual walks of faith.

We know that God always gives us second chances.

And we know that God can give us all the time in the world.

Because when we truly give our life to Christ, we know that all time goes away.

And we know that we will continue to endure for all of eternity.

So my encouragement for you today is this:

Whenever God gives you these gifts of extra time — whether it's in school, in sports, in life, in coaching — take advantage of it.

And when it comes to your faith, take advantage of it as well.

Experience that peace that transcends all understanding.

Give your hearts, your minds, and your lives to Christ.

And experience the unconditional love and beauty for all of eternity.

Athletes and coaches for Christ, I wish you well on your journey of having extra time to reach your highest potential, and I send love, gratitude, peace, and blessings to you!

May GOD inspire YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Bible Verse:

• Ecclesiastes 3:1
• Psalms 90:12
• Galatians 6:9
• 2 Corinthians 6:2

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How Do You Handle Fear? How to transcend FEAR through the LOVE of CHRIST

This upcoming Friday is Halloween.

And during this time of year, the topic of fear gets thrown around a lot.

But let’s be honest…

If you see a little kid dressed up like a goblin, you’re not going to be afraid.

You’re going to smile.

Maybe even laugh.

Because you know it’s just for show.
It’s only a costume.

The same is true in life.

There are so many things we fear.

As athletes, we fear:

• Losing our starting spot

• Getting injured

• Watching our teammate get a D1 offer while we get nothing

As coaches, we fear:

• Conflict with parents

• Losing a key player to grades or off-the-field issues

• The emotional rollercoaster of the season … or even losing our job

And then there’s life itself.

We fear:

• Losing loved ones

• Broken relationships

• Falling short of our dreams

• Not being good enough

Sometimes we even fear death—both metaphorical and literal.

The fear of “dying” to old identities or limiting beliefs.
The fear of uncertainty about what happens next.

But here’s the truth…

When we grow in our faith—
When we become mature in Christ—

We begin to see through the costume.

Just like the little goblin on Halloween night,
We realize fear is only a show.
It’s a façade.
It’s not real.

Because in Christ, fear is:

• Swallowed up

• Transformed

• Turned into love, courage, passion, and purpose

So the next time fear shows up in your life ...

Smile!

Recognize it for what it is—a costume.

And allow Christ within you to transcend that fear.

Let Him transform it into:

• Love

• Passion

• Courage

• The unwavering heart you know is already inside you

Athletes and coaches for Christ, I wish you well on your journey of transcending all fear through the love of Christ, and I send love, gratitude, peace, and blessings to you!

May GOD inspire YOU every step of your way,
Kyle

Bible Verses:

• Joshua 1:8-9
• Isaiah 41:10
• 1 John 4:18
• Psalms 23:4

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Be Open, Adaptable, and Free: How saying “yes” can help you discover more of who GOD has called you to be

This upcoming week is a rare one in the sports world.

All four major professional sports are happening at the same time.

• NBA and NHL are just beginning

• NFL is already a few weeks in

• MLB is coming to a close

As a fan, you’re not locked into just one sport.

You have the freedom to choose what you want to watch.

But in life…

It doesn’t always feel that way.

In today’s world, it seems like society is trying to fit us all into a box.

We're told we need to:

• Pick one thing

• Zero in on it

• And pursue it with everything we have

But from my perspective?

That often traps us.

It doesn’t make us free or adaptable.

In sports, we hear it all the time:

Focus on just one sport.

Then within that sport, focus on just one position:

• Only be a pitcher

• Only be a defensive back

• Only shoot corner threes

And for coaches?

It’s the same message:

• Stick to your position group—offense or defense

• Specialize in one area—O-line, running backs, etc.

• Only run one system—Read and React, Spread, etc.

And in life ...

We’re told the same thing:

• Choose one career path

• Pick one major or field of study

• Devote your life to that one thing

But again, from my experience...

That doesn’t free us.

That only isolates us.

It doesn’t help us adapt to life’s ever-changing situations.

What has helped me?

Being open.

Being willing to immerse myself in a variety of experiences.

As an athlete, I tried to learn many positions.

I learned different footwork and different skills.

And it helped me thrive in more situations.

If someone shut down one of my strengths, I still had another way to make an impact.

As a coach, I studied different systems.

So if my main strategy got shut down?

I could spot weaknesses in the other team.

I could adapt and still help my team find a way to score.

In life, I’ve done the same.

Instead of sticking to just one path, I’ve tried to stay open to different areas of study.

That’s helped me discover the interconnectedness of different perspectives.

It’s helped me say yes to:

• Volunteer opportunities I never expected

• Extracurriculars I wouldn’t have considered

• Cultures and customs I once knew nothing about

Openness has freed me

It’s helped me learn more about who I am.

And more about who GOD has called me to be.

So my encouragement to you is this:

Don’t isolate yourself in a box.

• Be open
• Be adaptable
• Let GOD lead you into all the experiences He has for you

In sports, that might mean:

• Practicing footwork from other positions

• Learning how others play the game

• Becoming more well-rounded

As a coach, that might mean:

• Studying other positions

• Learning different systems

• Being ready to adapt when your plan isn’t working

In life, that might mean:

• Saying yes to trying something new

• Exploring a different activity or art form

• Immersing yourself in a new culture

• Opening your heart to a new perspective

Through that openness, I’ve become:

• More well-rounded

• More dynamic

• More adaptable

I’ve found new passions GOD placed on my heart.

I’ve walked through new doors GOD opened for me.

Doors I never knew existed.

And I believe the same will happen for you.

As you say yes to new experiences:

• GOD will open doors you never expected

• GOD will place new desires on your heart

• GOD will help you discover more of who you are

And through that whole process…

You’ll experience more of GOD’s divinity.

Athletes and coaches for Christ, I wish you well on your journey of being open to all the gifts and experiences GOD has for you, and I send love, gratitude, peace, and blessings to you!

May GOD inspire YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Bible Verses:

• Proverbs 3:5-6
• Romans 12:2
• 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

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Embracing Struggles: How to experience peace and joy, even in suffering

Do you embrace being in the midst of struggles?

Or do you try to grit your way through them and see them as a means to an end for something better on the other side?

The other day, I saw some people running which reminded me of some experiences I had as an athlete which relate to this topic.

Football Conditioning

I remember back when I played football, we'd end practice with conditioning where we'd do a ton of sprints to get us in better shape.

We'd be out there working hard, drenched in sweat, grimaces on our faces, and grinding and gritting our way through conditioning.

And if you'd have asked the majority of my teammates if we enjoyed conditioning, we'd say ...

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!"

And most of us simply saw conditioning as a necessary means to get us in better shape for our games.

Cross Country Conditioning

Meanwhile, when we were in the middle of our conditioning, the cross country runners would be finishing up their runs.

They looked so relaxed, conglomerated in groups, chatting with each other while jogging, and looked like they were having a great time.

Rather than grinding their way through their running, they were actually even laughing. They looked like they were having a wonderful time.

And if you were to ask them if they enjoyed their running, they'd probably say ...

"ABSOLUTELY!!! We feel freedom when we run!"

Running Through Life

Most of us seem to take on the stance of the football players in our lives:

• Running as fast as we can from one thing to another
• Gritting and grinding our way through the struggles in life, seeing them as necessary for something better on the other side
• Not actually enjoying the struggles we are going through

However, I'd like to encourage you to take the posture of the cross country runner:

• Rather than being so fixated on the destination, enjoy the beauty of the scenery of the process every step of the way
• Rather than being so intense, gritting and grinding through situations, be open, relaxed, and light-hearted
• Rather than viewing struggles as a necessary means to an end, see if you can make peace with them and realize how beautiful they actually are

Often times, you may find that by taking this open, relaxed, light-hearted posture ...

You may actually enjoy and embrace struggles and experience that peace in all situations.

Athletes and coaches for Christ, I wish you well on your journey of experiencing joy and embracing struggles, and I send love, gratitude, peace, and blessings to you!

May GOD inspire YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Bible Verses:

• Romans 5:3-5
• James 1:2-4
• Philippians 4:7
• Jeremiah 29:11
• Romans 8:28

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Be Invincible: How to live with freedom, boldness, and reckless abandon

Think back to a time where you felt invincible:

• You knew nothing could hurt you
• You were free to be bold
• You were free to be assertive
• You were free to live with reckless abandon

That probably felt pretty good didn't it???

I remember when I played football, I felt invincible when I put on the pads.

I knew nothing could hurt me, so I felt free to:

• Play boldly
• Play assertively
• Play with reckless abandon

In Ephesians, Paul talks about putting on the full armor of GOD to protect yourself from the devil.

When I see most people read this passage, it seems like they focus on putting on a whole bunch of armor to brace themselves from external attacks.

But I read this from a different perspective.

I read this from the lens of putting on the pads.

When you put on the armor of GOD, you are invincible.

Nothing can hurt you, so you are free:

• To be bold
• To be assertive
• To live with reckless abandon

As you embody Christ in all you do.

What are you doing to put on your armor?

Are you:

• In prayer/meditation
• Reading your Bible
• Spending fellowship with others

How are you living boldly and embodying Christ in all you do?

Athletes and coaches for Christ, I wish you well on your journey of putting on the armor of GOD and being invincible, bold, assertive, and living with reckless abandon, and I send love, gratitude, peace, and blessings to you!

May GOD inspire YOU every step of your way,

Kyle

Bible Verses:

• Ephesians 6:10-18