Win Or Lose, We Are Still Us!

The last 12 months as a coaching family has been challenging to say the least.  We have experienced turmoil from where we left and walked into a place that accepts us with arms wide open.  The offense one town hated, the other loves.  The characteristics one place hated about us, this place loves.  And I'm sure as we go along what the other place liked about us this place won't.  In the midst of walking through the comments from both sides, I decided that neither side was right about who we are.  Regardless of what both sides had to say, we are still who we have always been.  Maybe a little more tired and worn but roughly the same.  I started seeking my identity in who God says we are rather than the fans.  Last year, I began telling my husband "Win Or Lose, We Are Still Us" before each game and after each game but the truth was who we were was being influenced more and more by the scoreboard and then eventually by the school board. We began believing we were not good enough and didn't measure up but then we hit a turning point and we aren't looking back.  This poem flowed out of my heart this evening. 

Win or Lose, We Are Still Us!

by Kim Stone

It doesn’t matter what the scoreboard reads

Validation like that isn’t one of our needs

 

It doesn’t matter what the fans think

Love us or hate us, minds can change in a blink

Jobs may be lost or obtained by the wins and the losses

But who we are isn’t wrapped around in those tosses

We may be thrown around from one place to another

But who we are as people is what takes us even further

So sit in the stands and love the play calls

Or choose to blame us if the team falls

I can assure you who we are isn’t measured by a scoreboard

Who we are isn’t even decided by a superintendent or a school board

We coach and we serve for an audience of One and that is it

The One that knows us and shows us a love that will never quit

Our audience of One expects more from us than winning a game

He expects us to lead others to Him and proclaim His name

Sometimes it takes a loss for Him to get the teams attention

Sometimes it’s a win where credit to Him gets more than a mention

 

It isn’t up to us as the coaches to decide how God will use the game

It’s up to us to prepare the team in every way in His name

So love us or hate us, the choice is yours to make

We hope you choose to honor God for your own sake

But win or lose we are still us - remains for certain

Our anchor of hope that reaches beyond the curtain

(Hebrews 6:19)

For James said that one who doubts is like a wave tossed by the sea

Living by others opinions will drown you and not set you free

(James 1:6)

So we choose to live by His word rather than the words of our fans

Because we are living out our life according to His plans

“Win or Lose, We Are still us!” will remain our anchor until we are done

As we continue to coach and to serve for our audience of One!