The Playbook

Today we are thrilled to welcome our guest blogger, Barb Cash! She is a long-time friend and fellow homeschool mom, as well as a very gifted writer and speaker. Her husband, Tim, is a former professional baseball player and currently pastors The Oasis Church in Loganville, GA, and they have five terrific sports-addicted kids. 

 Please welcome Barb and read the words that she shares today. Don't forget to leave a comment for her and make her feel right at home here on the USAB blog!
Many thanks,
Amanda B.

Our oldest daughter, Rachel, babysits for a member of the Atlanta Falcons. One Friday night he and his wife were going out, so she went to care for their two sweet little ones. She had not been there long when she called, obvious excitement in her voice.

"Mama, you're never going to guess what I am staring at right now!"

I quickly racked my brain to try and come up with a reasonable explanation for her fervor, but I was left wondering. I guess I should digress at this point and let you know that Rachel is a rather unusual teenage girl. She is a sports junkie, and nothing makes her come alive like a good baseball, football, or basketball game! Given that knowledge, I figured it must be sports related, but the details escaped me! I told her I gave up.

"I am staring at the playbook for the game between the Falcons and the Eagles this Sunday. The real playbook. The key to everything that is going to take place on the field this week!"

When I got done laughing and inwardly rolling my eyes, I admonished her not to even open the cover! "Oh, I wouldn't," she replied, "but it sure is one of the prettiest things I have ever seen!" (I told you she was rather unusual.) After telling her I thought it would be okay to take a picture of the cover with her phone, I hung up and shook my head. What a nut!

Last night while lying in bed, though, I revisited our conversation (with a giggle, of course) and suddenly I was struck with a thought. How many people are facing the Playbook for the game of life, but never do more than stare at the cover? You with me? I am referring to the Bible, of course!

The Falcons playbook was designed specifically for the opponent they were going to be facing that particular Sunday. The Bible was given to us so we would be prepared to meet the opponent we will go up against every day from now to eternity—Satan!

Why then do we fail to open our Playbook and read what the One who has already been victorious shares with us are our best offensive tactics? Football players know that it is to their benefit to focus on their offense and rack up the points so as to not have to rely too heavily on their defense. A good defense is necessary, but if the offense is on their game, the defense is not exhausted to quite the same extent.

It's the same for us in life. The Lord has laid out in a very clear and concise way what our best offensive plan of attack is. He has also laid out a defensive plan, but if we employ the offensive tactics, the defensive ones are not as necessary. We are able to live a victorious life without always trying to dig ourselves out of a hole.

The reality that we face an opponent who is alive and well and seeking to annihilate us at any moment is a given. Why enter the battle each day without having read the Playbook and seeing what patterns the Coach thinks we should run that day then? It's all there—everything we'll need to play effectively.

- Barb Cash
www.BarbCash.com