Mission 4 Monday A Game of Hope

(edited at 5:18...go visit my friend Jen she is having a cool giveway this week...not yet though read my post first!
Join Peggy and visit other Mission 4 Monday posts....but before you go join me on a Mission of HOPE


In football, rarely do you give your opponents a chance.
Hit first. Get off the line first. Score first. So it goes. On the girdiron, more often than not, things are about leaving the other guys behind while you finish first.

As parents when our kids are the players or cheerleaders we are proud of them and thier accomplishments. We devote many hours to their care. We arrange our schedules to coincide with their schedules. We do "without" so they can "have". And typically we give them more than they really need. Don't we?

And as parents we are like the players we don't give the opponents a chance; we yell and root for "our team".

But last year one group of parents and one amazing football team coached by one amazing coach did do that. They yelled and they cheered for the team

They gave the other team a chance...and they showed and shared God's love in an amazing way. Below is just one of the stories about Faith Christian and Gainesville State School.

The U.S. Army and Dave Campbell's Texas Football honored Faith Christian High School as the Private School Army Strong/Texas Football team of the year Tuesday night at an honors ceremony at their new campus in Grapevine. Faith found national recognition in 2008 after it shared fans, food and prayer with Gainesville State school at a regular season game. Gainesville, a state school made up primarily of troubled youth, has no fans, no cheerleaders and, more often than not, no wins. It lost that night against Faith, too -- but at least someone gave them a chance.
The Army Strong Team of the Year Award is presented to one team annually in each division of high school football throughout the state of Texas. The award recognizes the teams that best displayed their commitment to the same values as a U.S. Army soldier throughout the season -- teamwork, dedication, discipline, leadership, and loyalty.
"While Faith Christian's season on the field should be honored," said Executive Director Adam Hochfelder, "what drew us and the U.S. Army to this amazing group of student athletes was their amazing show of sportsmanship, community activism and character in sharing their fans with Gainesville State School in a regular season game this past season."
"These players possess a mental, emotional and physical strength similar to Army Soldiers," said attending local recruiter Sgt Ron Balais. Balais went on to say that Faith Christian's example of community leadership works perfectly with the Army Strong model and seven key Army Values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.
"These values spell out leadership," Said Sgt Balais, "and that is what this program and Faith Christian's example is all about."
"Leadership is what we want to teach here," Said head coach and athletic director Kris Hogan. "Our young men and women are pushed to go out and serve the community and take Faith Christian's message to the world. We are honored to receive this award."

A photo of the game....




This was a game of Hope for our boys at Gainesville State School.

Come back this week as I share more about Gainesville State School and Faith Christian. And the Hope that the boys from Gainesville received.

My verse this week as assigned here...
James 5:16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective