Breaking Out Of A Slump Series

Breaking Out Of A Slump

I Am Jesus – part 22

HEY – are there any sports fan out there? OKAY – on a count of three just shout out your favorite sport…. NOW – my favorite sport to watch is the NFL. AND – let me tell you, I can’t wait for the season to kick off again. This year Anthony & I are hoping to get Direct TV’s ‘NFL Sunday Ticket’ so that we can watch our favorite teams each week…

NOW – growing up as a kid, baseball was game. I played little league until I was about 13. AND - I was a big time Baltimore Oriole fan (who by the way won more games then any other team in the 1970’s). I collected baseball cards (for fun not for investments)… I went to games, I got there early and I hung around late to get the autograph of players like; Brooke Robinson, Frank Robinson and Jim Palmer. I even got to sit in the owners box seats a few times because my aunt worked for the owners mother in-law…

BUT - I have not followed them for years… And to be honest part of the reason is that they have basically been in a 20 year slump. However this year I started following them again, and they are having a pretty good year, so far… (It’s been a lot of fun…) BUT – I am always a little worried that they will slide into a mid-season slump… (if you are a Cub fan you know, what I am talking about).

NO - slumps are never fun for players or for teams. And when you are in a slump you will try anything to bust out of it. This week I did I a search on the internet for sports slumps. And I found Dr Gary Calhoun’s website called onlinecoach.com. AND ON – that site he had a page called ‘overcoming slumps’

• Are you going through a slump?

• Has your performance dropped off for no apparent reason?

• Do you know that you could be doing better?

If your answer to any of these is Yes, you should keep reading. All athletes whether amateur or professional will experience slumps in performance. If you are locked into a performance slump Dr. Gary can help. Slumps are often caused by a variety of factors including, but not limited to the following:

#1; Not being able to let go of past mistakes

#2; Losing focus is another major reason for performance slumps.

Several weeks ago I began reading Isaiah during my quiet times. Isaiah is a great book, it is sometimes called the little bible because it has 66 chapter. The first 39 chapters deal more with God judging His people for their rebellion and the last 27 have more to do with God restoring His people back to Him… I decided to start my reading at Isaiah 40 because at this particular time I felt that I needed to be lifted up more than I needed to be beaten up (now sometimes I do need to be beaten up, but I knew that this was not the time…)

AND MAN – the last several weeks in Isaiah have been so awesome! I MEAN – Isaiah paints such incredible pictures of God’s; love, power, grace, kingdom and of His son… CHECKOUT – some of the stuff he wrote… AND HEY – listen up because what I am about to read may be just the words that God wants to speak into your life this morning…

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.” - Isaiah 1:18

those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint – Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:18,19

If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. – Isaiah 48:18

He was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! – Isaiah 53:4

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. – Isaiah 55:1,2