Basketball Ups and Downs

The junior high basketball team I coach had games on Thursday and Saturday. Thursday we had a game against Wilton and although we won, we did not play very well. We jumped out to an early lead and then coasted the rest of the game instead of playing hard. So in our game at Max on Saturday I challenged the guys to play hard for all 24 minutes (four 6 minute quarters). They responded, played hard the whole game and won, even though we were missing two guys.

I should clarify that I'm referring to our 8th grade team. We also have a seventh grade team that have not been as successful in games this season. Actually, we only have two seventh graders and three six graders that make up this team. So it's a young and inexperienced team and in order to play games I usually have to sub in a couple of the less experienced eight graders. Unlike some of the older kids, these kids are still working on getting the basics and I feel like I have not spent enough time during practice helping them with the fundamentals but have instead thrown them into the same routine with the kids who have more experience. In our remaining month please pray that I would have wisdom for leading the younger kids.

Yesterday my wife and I drove down to Bismarck to see our high school girls' team play their first-round regional game. They finished second in our district and only lost twice all season. However, they struggled at times both offensively and defensively against Grant County and ended up losing the game by two. This was certainly an unexpected result as everyone thought this team had a decent chance of making out of the region and playing in the state tournament.

Okay, enough about basketball. This Sunday I began working with the senior highers during Sunday School. The curriculum we use is from Great Commission Publications and this semester is taking the high schoolers through Romans. I am very excited about working with the two guys in the class and especially in going through one of the richest books in the Bible. Please pray for my wisdom in communicating God's truth to these teens and that God would open their hearts to receive it and live it out. Also pray for my wife as she leads the 4-5th grade class and especially as she has the opportunity to teach an unchurched girl named Paige.

By God's Grace, Jeff