This is a guest post from FRCS Head Volleyball Coach Amanda Deich.
A few weeks ago, the pastor at my church posed a question to his congregation: “When was the last time we prayed for God to place us in HIS mission and purpose- to fulfill HIS need rather than ask him to fulfill ours? Do we pray ‘we’ prayers, or do we pray ‘me’ prayers?”
Conviction crash-landed on my spirit. I thought back to all of the conversations I’d had with the Lord the past week. They were 95% “me”-focused rather than focused on Him, or even anyone else outside of my immediate family and community. My prayers had almost all started with, “Lord, I need help with…” “Lord, can you please?” and “Father, when should I….”
In that church pew, I repented for my sin of trying to get God to be on board for MY needs and mission and purpose, and I realigned my spirit and my plan to His.
The next day, I sat at the computer, poised to make plans for our FRCS volleyball team this summer and the new camp we’re launching called “FAViR”: Faith and Volleyball [Igniting] Revival.
As an evangelist, spreading the good news about who we are in Christ lights a fire in me that nothing else can compare to. Teaching children and teens about the purity and power they walk with consumes a lot of who I am. When they say they need Jesus, say “yes” to the Holy Spirit moving into their hearts, and begin to talk with their Father God on a daily basis, I can feel Heaven rejoicing. I spend my days rejoicing, too.
But so often, this world can suck me into the lie that this work is laboring for God’s approval rather than co-laboring with Him to fulfill His plan. And when I feel like I’m working alone for God instead of with God, I get stuck in a swirl of what I need to do and when. Soon, my prayers reflect this focus on self rather than a focus on the overall mission at hand.
As I sat in front of the computer with a renewed heart and mind, I thought, “This is a struggle for my players, too, and for the students in my classroom. They can get so caught up in their own struggles and desire to do well that they begin to operate under their own mission and purpose rather than what God wants and needs for the entire team or class.”
I began to talk with God, feeling His presence more and more in the conversation:
What if we could do it differently on our team? What if my girls could decide to be sisters in Christ rooting for each other and subbing in for one another as they struggled? What if they actively warred for each other on the court, not just in the game but in the Spirit? What if they could see the enemy as the competition instead of the girl across the net? What if the real victories on the court came because they were able to see what was playing in the spiritual, what lies they were partnering with, and stomp on the serpent’s head in their authority in Christ as they play the game I’ve always loved?
What would happen if we didn’t limit it to a volleyball camp, game, season, or even this team?
So I asked God what He was up to. He smiled and said, “Get ready. We’re going to bring people to the kingdom. They’ll come hungry for volleyball, but they’ll leave satiated in the Spirit. Don’t put a limit on what I can do.”
So friends, I am incredibly excited to open up the registration for these upcoming FAViR summer camps and workshops with you. I hope you prayerfully consider sending your daughter (and even your sons!) to the camps. Not only will they learn the skills necessary to become adept at the sport, but Jesus will be the cornerstone of everything they do. We will give the Holy Spirit the permission to radically do what it needs to do for the Kingdom and welcome His presence to change lives. I would love it if you would partner with us in this vision, and I thank you in advance for your trust in raising up your future warriors!
Like all disciples, feel free to tell the good news about what’s happening in FRCS volleyball to everyone you know and invite them into the space as well.
Humbled and grateful,
Amanda Deich
Head Coach of FRCS Volleyball
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