A Football Lesson
May 20, 2009 — jeremylewis
After taking some time to think about my experience at the CBF of LA meeting several weekends ago in Lake Providence, LA, I continue to be impressed by the overwhelming welcoming presence by both the community and by the people attending the meeting. I have be upfront and let you know that I am a little biased about my feelings toward the people of Lake Providence. Each time I go back there, I am reminded of how rich that community is. It is full of both natural beauty and of people who are remarkably kind and hospitable.

On this trip, I had the pleasure of serving alongside a football coaching team made up primarily of local coaches and coaches from Arkansas Baptist College, who helped to organize this community building event. It was an experience of joy for me to be able to interact and get to know the coaches and players from Lake Providence Senior High School and Briarfield Academy. I was reminded of many of the formative experiences I had during my football career and the opportunities that football provided for me to challenge myself and my worldview while enjoying some intense competition. It is my hope that those students who came to the clinic strengthened relationships or established new relationships that will be meaningful for them in the time ahead.

For me, it is so appropriate that a football clinic was held to kick off the CBF LA meeting since much of what happened during that clinic is part of what we hope happens in the life of the Fellowship and Together for Hope. We hope that we can have an opportunity to get together to share our experiences of life with each other. We hope that through the sweat and challenges of life, that we will learn to lean on each other and on God to guide us. We hope that we will be challenged to learn and to grow but at that same time encouraged by our neighbors and by God’s assurance to walk alongside us. Of course, at our meetings, the drills look differently and we may not have to get as sweaty. However, I have so much left to learn from the way that sports or team events help us to build a community that can be encouraged and challenged by the ongoing revelation of God in our time. Thank you to the CBF LA family and staff as well as the community of Lake Providence, LA for providing me with the lesson.