top of page

Practical Thoughts

#1 Sometimes win, sometimes lose

In the 2018 tournament, every NZ team had won and lost at least once. Some games we clearly should have won, others we deserved to lose. We are all affected when realities do not match our expectations. But how deeply we are affected depends on how we process what had happened. A temporary setback may cause a passing distress, but a permanent loss can crush and shadow us for years. Are you troubled by disappointments? What do you think should our focus be more than our unmet expectations? Let's think about some people who carefully examined the focus of their lives and snapped back into perspectives again.

#2 Key points from Dan Smith’s talk

In the opening ceremony, Australian Olympian Dan Smith shared how drugs and alcohol sent his life spiraling out of control after he became a top swimmer in his younger years. Faith in God brought him back. He now turns to God for security and satisfaction. Dan said that people can often let us down but God keeps his promise. This revelation led him not to turn back to drugs and restore his relationships with family. He added that God’s love is perfect, free and accessible. In closing, he gave three tips for everyone: 1) Hard work, 2) Unity and 3) Encouragement. What was your key takeaway from his talk?

#3 Why do we have sports chaplains?

For some, the term 'chaplain' conjures up a religious person or moral police. On the contrary, chaplains are approachable, friendly and trained volunteers who can provide a listening ear, practical help, pastoral care, stress management support, encouragement and prayer. They serve all persons without discrimination regardless of religion, beliefs and lifestyle. Chaplains consider well-being of the total person rather than focusing on sporting performance. Their main area of expertise is pastoral and spiritual. They simply want to show the love of God in a practical way so please feel free to talk to them anytime!

#4 All of the world's problems in two sentences

Kim shared at camp why he does what he does with SoccerPlusNZ. He said that all problems in the world can be summed up in two sentences: 1) We don't get on with our Creator and 2) We don't get on with each other. What do you think Kim meant by this? What could you do to discover more? How can these problems be solved?

"When I look back over the last ten years, I can see how God has changed my heart. When I started my career, all I wanted to do was to play football. Now I know there is more to life and I want to show other people how great it is to be a Christian." - Rory Fallon

bottom of page