Football and Discipleship

Nephew playing flag football

I love the sport football! I look forward to  afternoons napping and watching whatever game the local channels are carrying. I have not always loved football. I tolerated it when I was younger, because I had three older brothers and they outvoted me in regards to what we would be watching. 🙂 I developed this passion after college when I first joined my brothers “Pick’em” league (always a sweet season when I can hold the winner’s trophy!). A couple years later, I decided to join a friend’s fantasy league. Both of these leagues were created to help keep us close even when distance separated us. 

There are three reasons why I love football. 1) Having three older brothers (and being one of six kids), I learned that competition (when healthy) can be a lot of fun. 2) I enjoy chatting with my siblings and friends about what is going on with our teams. 3) I love watching the football teams work together. 

Each team succeeds or fails together. Each team has multiple players and coaches that must work together. When they work well together it is a beautiful thing! They have to have the same vision and goal. They have to be dedicated to hard work and continued growth. They have to be willing to challenge each other to move forward.

While I obviously won’t ever be able to play on a football team, I did start thinking.  What team am I a part of currently? This brought to mind Discipleship Groups (DGroups). I was introduced to DGroups at the beginning of this year. I had no idea what I was getting into! 🙂 

DGroup is a group of women (there are also men’s groups) who desire to go deeper. Each week we study Scripture together, memorize and recite Scripture, confess the sin in our lives, and walk shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. We succeed and fail together. We each have different roles and we have to learn to work together. We have the same vision and goals and we are dedicated to the work and continued growth of our group and each individual. We challenge each other to move towards the Lord.

Hebrews 10:23-26 has come to life in a different way for me because of this group!. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” I’m so thankful for the opportunity to “stir up” others and be challenged as well!

These groups are all over the nation. If you’d like more information, feel free to reach out to me, or click on any of the above links.