Entering the basketball locker room can be intimidating. Sometimes I stand outside the door for a moment and pray before I go in. Because I have been asked to give a team chapel on game days (basically a short devotional) I have gone in the locker room countless times. They will often have their iPhone hooked to the sound system and playing some rap song that they love, but that I have never heard before. They will be talking about hair extensions or other “girl talk” types of conversation. One time I got to watch one of the girls open a “care package” her mom had sent her. These are special times. I have been able to meet with a few of them “one on one” over the last few months. These young women have become very dear to me, like spiritual “daughters”. It helps me to pray for them and to craft my chapels to meet the needs in their lives. It is about basketball and winning games, but it’s more importantly about pointing them to Jesus Christ. They have many questions and I help them to find the answers in Jesus and His Word. Jesus is drawing them into a relationship with Himself.
One of my favorite chapels was when God led me in to share the following about Jesus:
Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Thank you for your strategic partnership with us. I feel like you are standing there beside me as I share the truth of Jesus Christ with these young college students.
