Coach Pop

Last week, after 29 years of coaching the San Antonio Spurs, Coach Popovich retired and assumed the new role of President of Basketball Operations for the Spurs. Coach Pop had suffered a stroke in November and hadn’t coached since. In a statement, he said, “While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as a head coach.”

Coach Pop is known and loved by so many people. Some years ago, I sent him a card and thanked him for how he responded to a certain situation. It wasn’t but a few weeks later that I received a nice card with his gratitude and thoughts on the situation. Coach Pop took the time to write me? Wow.

What I love the most about Pop is how much he poured into other people. So many NBA players had comments about Pop and the influence he had on their lives.

Dejounte Murray, a former Spur, said, “I love you, Pop, and I thank God for allowing basketball to bring us together. The best part, besides you being the greatest coach ever, is the way you care for everyone genuinely off the court. In my darkest days, you were always a shoulder to lean on and cry on, and I will never forget that. Shoutout to Coach Pop 4Life!"

DeMar DeRozan, a former Spur, said “My pops had passed when I was playing in San Antonio. We were stuck in Charlotte and I called the GM like “yo, bro, I’m about to fly home tonight, I’m about to try to get a plane outta here, I gotta get home. My pops just passed. I didn’t want anybody to know. I didn’t want it to be all in the media. Literally 90 seconds later, I hear a knock on the door. It’s Pop. Pop sat in a room with me and cried with me for about two hours. He was like, ‘I’m not leaving until you leave.’ And that just showed the person he was.”

I couldn’t help but notice Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili on each side of Coach Pop as he came to the podium at the press conference. It was obvious that Coach Pop had a huge impact on their lives. Coach Pop spoke about them, “Timmy and Manu, who have been here for all of my workouts at The Rock. They say it’s because they love me and want to be there in case I fall- I call it payback, cause they give the rehab people new ideas of things to do to me. You’re not fooling anybody, especially you, Timmy.”

So much love in this Spurs family! Such a hard time, but a beautiful time as Coach Pop retires from coaching. I shed some tears for sure. One takeaway for me? Pouring into other people has lasting effects. So many people’s lives are changed forever because of Coach Pop’s influence and love. He took the time to love, listen, and care.

Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Each day, we have the opportunity to love, listen, and care for people. What if we saw the lasting impact that could have on others?

“You do not need to be extraordinary. You need to be ordinary, inhabited by the extraordinary life of God. A word, a meal, or a cup of cold water has the capacity to bring the life of God to this world and delight His heart.” Diane Langberg, PhD

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Burden Bearing

We can become so overwhelmed by so many people’s problems. Why? Because people have problems. It doesn’t take too many conversations to see the enormous pain many people carry. At one time or another, we all will.

We all probably know someone with cancer or other physical issues. The physical burdens that many carry are more than we can imagine! Other people are going through hardship with their kids. Still others have emotional and mental health issues that are so overwhelming. Some just want to meet the right person and have a lasting relationship.

How do we help carry others’ burdens? How do we truly love people without feeling like the burden is on us? Galations 6:2 says, “Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  If God calls us to do this, how?

We can take on responsibility for people or situations that God has not given us to carry. We can feel obligated to do certain things because we feel we ‘should’ instead of what God is calling us to. What would it look like to carry others’ burdens well, without being overburdened ourselves?

Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus gives an invitation to each of us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus offers us His yoke when we're weary and weighed down, either by our burdens or others. Perhaps we’re carrying a weight God doesn’t want us to carry.

Just think…wouldn’t it be wonderful to walk through the day and lovingly carry people’s burdens with Jesus’ help? When I try to take on the burdens of one person after another, I can tune out, block out, or simply ignore those who are struggling. I can miss out on the blessing that God is giving me to lovingly care for them.

When I get that Jesus wants me to “yoke” with Him, my attitude changes. I have a sigh of relief. I’m not alone. I can care for others with Jesus’ help! In Matthew 11:28-30, a yoke was a farming tool, made of wood to connect the necks of two oxen. The Greek word is chrestos, meaning “well-fitted.” A poorly fitted wooden yoke around your neck would be a massive challenge. It would be a burden, heavy and hard to bear. A well-fitted yoke, however, would be a joy as you walked deeply connected to Jesus. Jesus would carry those burdens with you and guide you.

As we’re yoked with Jesus and experience His presence, we can practice the ministry of presence with others. Sometimes, the best thing we can do for others is just to be with them. We can listen. We can care for someone’s physical needs.  We can pray with them and pray for them.

As we yoke ourselves with Christ, we won’t grow weary in bearing the burdens of others.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

God Cares

Sometimes we need to celebrate the small wins in our lives! It was just over a month ago that I broke both elbows and a wrist in a freak accident. The long process of healing from an injury can be long and lonely. Few people know and understand the challenges until they've gone through something difficult. Recently, I celebrated with Ben some small achievements.

Just two weeks ago, I was able to lift a fork in my left hand to my mouth and eat with my left hand. Since the accident, I picked up food with my fork in my left hand, did a quick transfer to the right hand, and then ate with my right hand. (I couldn’t get my left hand to my mouth.) Big win! Also, just a few days ago, I was able to get a scrunchie in my hair to make a ponytail. I was so happy! 

Sometimes, I don’t think we think God cares about the details of our lives. Often, people are not that curious about the details of our lives, so why would God be? I’m so thankful that God is always present and ready to celebrate, come alongside, encourage, support, cry with, and care for us….no matter what we’re going through.

Check out Luke 12:7, which says, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not: you are of more value than many sparrows.”  

Psalm 139:1-4 says, “You have searched me, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you understand my thoughts from afar. You scrutinize my path and all my ways. You know everything before a word escapes my lips.”

Psalm 37:23-25 says, “The LORD directs the steps of the godly; he delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fail, for the LROD holds them by the hand.”

I’m so thankful that God doesn’t just care about the “big deals” in our lives, but everyday moments, every detail, every care, every concern, every fear, every painful moment. He loves each of us so much! He is our Heavenly Father, and his love knows no bounds. He is in control of all things, even the tiny, insignificant details of our lives. He cares about my small victories! He cares about yours.

We have a God who knows what we need even before we ask Him. God knew (and even cared) that I wanted to put my hair back in a scrunchie and couldn’t. It’s such a small thing, but He cares!

God invites you to share the details of your life with Him. Others may not know what you're going through, but God does. No issue, worry, or concern is too small to involve Him.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Life After Easter

What goes on the day after Easter? A. Your dog finds the leftover Easter Eggs behind a bush and partakes. B. You spend time cleaning up all the cascarones spread through your house. C. You eat the remaining jellybeans that are your favorite color and leave the rest for others. D. You consider all that took place on Easter and allow the resurrection to change you. 

How can Jesus’ resurrection change us? Today is not a day to “get back to normal”. Easter is a new beginning! Jesus’ death on the cross, the empty grave, and the resurrected Jesus give us hope. Jesus' resurrection gave the disciples hope! Take a look at John 20:19-20:

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”

It was the first day of the week, and the disciples locked themselves away from people. Could we possibly have known the pain in their hearts? How would they pick up the pieces and go on after their beloved Jesus was gone? Life seemed to stop. Even what Jesus had taught them seemed like a distant memory.

We see in the text of John 20:19-20 that the doors were locked. This gives the idea that they were not only shut but also secured and locked against unwelcome visitors. All at once, Jesus came and stood in their midst.  We don’t know how Jesus got into the room, but I doubt it was in a normal way. 

Just to be honest, any of us, if we were sitting in that room, would have flipped out. This strange experience would suggest that resurrected bodies were not subject to the same limitations as our present bodies. Just think…. Jesus could have gone anywhere. He could have done anything. But He sought out His people and He brought a word of peace to them. The words ‘Peace to you’ are an assurance that there is no cause to fear, and that all is well, for they were alarmed by his manifestation. (Trench, Enduring Word)

The resurrected Jesus gives peace. Something happened in that room that night. The disciples saw the risen Lord. In time, the disciples became more and more confident of what they believed. Acts 4:13 says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

When Jesus came back to life, they came alive. They would not stop sharing about Jesus and what He had done. The resurrection changed the disciples. It can change us, too.  Could it be true that others recognize that we, too, have been with Jesus?

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Jesus' Surrender

Imagine knowing you had a week to live. How would you spend it? Jesus knew he had a week to live. He knew he was going to be betrayed by Judas. He even knew where He was going to be betrayed. How did Jesus live in these agonizing moments? Check out Luke 22:39-46.

“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’ He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt, and prayed. ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup form me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ‘Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them, ‘Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.’”

One thing I notice that is significant in the passage is that Jesus knelt and prayed. The common form of Jewish people praying back then was standing with your eyes lifted to heaven and your arms outstretched. So, when Jesus knelt, he was pleading with God intensely. The various gospels tell us that He not only prayed once to the Father, but three times. (Matthew 26:39, 42) Jesus' mindset just before his crucifixion was a total submission to the will of the Father. He didn’t want the “cup,” which was Jesus’ suffering. He was expressing to God a natural human desire to avoid the pain and suffering that would come with being crucified. Remember, Jesus is fully God but also fully human. He felt the struggle. He knew what was awaiting Him.

Oh, that we would have that kind of persevering prayer. We see that He was in such deep sorrow that his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. That was a sign of extreme anguish. As much as He wanted out of the suffering, He wanted the Father’s will. He prays, “If it is possible.” Jesus would have preferred another way but was committed to the Father’s will. If you ever questioned that Jesus was fully man, this verse shows us clearly!

After he rose from prayer, he went to the disciples and lo and behold found them asleep! At Jesus' moment of deep pain, his disciples were asleep! I love that the disciples were with Jesus as they saw Jesus model the importance of prayer and surrendering one’s will to God. But they failed to stay awake and watch with Jesus. Luke speaks to the sorrow they had. The grief that they felt at the sight of their Master’s distress overwhelmed them to the point of sleep. Jesus woke them and encouraged them to pray so they wouldn’t fall into temptation. In Jesus’ sorrowful moment, He was thinking of them and their good instead of how sad it felt that they failed to support Him.

This week is Holy Week, when we consider what it must have been like for Jesus to walk to the cross on our behalf. Can we follow in Jesus’ steps? “Father…I want your will, not mine.” When we do, we can be sure that our God hears us.

“Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we don’t have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us draw near then with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Got Questions?

I think our questions can keep us from God. I don’t have any statistical proof on this. Yet, when people share their reasons for keeping God at a distance, I sense they’ve had a bad experience that turned them away from God. Sometimes, it’s what they experienced in a church or with other Christians. Others can’t reconcile how bad things can happen to good people. Still, others aren’t even sure that God exists. Others just live with doubts, too paralyzed to seek answers to their questions.

I’ve had my share of questions for God, too. I had questions about being single for so long. I longed for kids, but God said, “No.”  Why? I’ve questioned God about how Christians could be so mean and abusive. I’ve even asked God more recently how could He allow one bad thing after another.

Despite my questions, I truly believe we should take note of our questions and seek God for answers. I often think we want God to explain Himself to us like He is a human being. We want to see Him on our level. The reality is that He is not on our level. He is God. Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I’m so glad that God is God, and we are not! His ways are perfect, and that means He never makes mistakes.

So why would a loving God allow bad things to happen? I honestly have asked Him the same thing. You and I may never know the answer to that question. The Book of Job deals with this issue. Job was a righteous man (Job 1:1), yet he suffered in so many ways that it was hard to fathom! God allowed Satan to do everything he wanted to except kill him. Job’s response is found in Job 13:15: “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” Job 1:21: “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away, may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job didn’t get all that was happening nor understand why God had allowed these things. But Job did know that God was good, and he would continue to trust in him. God uses the bad things in our lives for the ultimate good.

Why do Christians act as they do? Christians certainly aren’t perfect and sin like everyone else. But God calls Christians to be different. Sadly, I think many have distanced themselves from God because of how Christians have treated them. The behavior of some who call themselves Christians can be quite awful. There will always be Christians not acting like Christians. But God doesn’t want His children to conform to other Christians. He calls us to conform to the image of Christ. (Romans 8:29) He is patient as we grow in our relationship with Him. He longs for us to be patient with others and forgive each other as we grow in Christ.

Got questions? Well, why not pursue answers to your questions?

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers- most of which are never even seen- don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, not to be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way He works fuss over these things, but you know about God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” Matthew 6:30-33 The Message

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Gift of Thirst

When you have multiple broken bones, it doesn’t take long to learn that you’re somewhat limited. Your mind says one thing, and the body says another:  Oh, I have time to bake some sourdough bread. Nope, I can’t do that. Maybe I could go to the barn and catch a quick ride on Daisy. No, that’s not an option. Well, it’s spring cleaning time, and I could do a massive reorg. Highly unlikely without help. I think I’ll blow dry my hair for going out tonight. Nope, can’t do that.  The things I long to do, I can’t.

Where does my striving come from? Why is it so hard to rest and be still? In my forced rest, the Lord is reminding me of his steadfast love. Consider this beautiful portion of Psalm 63:1-3:

“O God, you are my God: earnestly I seek you.
My soul thirsts for you.
My flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So, I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
Beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
My lips will praise you.
So, I will bless you as long as I live.
In your name I will lift up my hands.”

David is in a desolate, hot place as he writes this Psalm. He is probably fleeing from Saul. I think most of us couldn’t possibly comprehend his situation, but suffice it to say, it was incredibly tough. But notice this. It’s when David was in this difficult position, it drove him to a deep yearning for God. He longed for His presence and provision.

Perhaps God allows our thirst to draw us to Him. When we’re in a difficult position and can’t turn to the things we THINK should satisfy, God shows us what truly does satisfy.

This has me thinking about the gift of thirst. David had that longing. He compared his strong desire to seek God to thirsting for water in a desert. Why was David so motivated to pursue God? It's because the loving-kindness of God was better than life itself.

The Lord has stopped me in my tracks. I want the gift of thirst. I pray that through this difficult season, God will renew and intensify my thirst for Him. I want my ultimate satisfaction in nothing else but Him. May we seek God with the same intense thirst David had.

Take a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BhTAJ49MQ0

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.