Tiny Blessings

Life is full of tiny blessings. Yeah, I know, what a cliché intro to a blog. But hear me out…. Life is FULL of tiny blessings. Now let me explain:

When I first started building a relationship with God two years ago, I had a hard time figuring out how to glorify him throughout my daily life. It was an even bigger challenge figuring out how to glorify Him through softball. I wasn’t able to distinguish the difference between playing for God and trying to let God play for me. That might not make a lot of sense to some, but for me it was a real struggle.

Being a Christian Athlete is hard. We hurt, we get tired, we want to complain. It’s hard to play God’s way and not your way. But being a Christian Athlete means you set aside the fact that you just struck out with runners in scoring position for the third time in one game. Now that might be a little detailed… but coming from experience… trust me, it’s hard. And that’s where my personal struggle came in.

This year I came to a serious realization. Whether you play a sport, have a career or go to school full-time, you were given a blessing. The blessing to stand on a field in a uniform that so many others wish they could. To work behind a desk and have a positive influence on one of your coworkers. To get extra help from your professor during office hours and thank them. Sounds easy right? Yet, people have a hard time seeing these moments as “blessings.” Let me put this into perspective:

I play softball at the University of Kentucky. I sign autographs for little girls after every game, their parents come up and ask for pictures and they act as if they've just talked to a celebrity. Who? Me? While this is happening, all I can think about it getting my dinner and going to bed. We just lost an extra inning game, I went 0-3 and I’m exhausted. The autograph line is sooo long. But wait. How could I be looking past this tiny blessing? I was given the unbelievable opportunity to make a 10-year-old girl’s day, maybe even week! She doesn’t care that I struck out looking or grounded out to the pitcher. I now have this unique opportunity to take my platform as a University of Kentucky Athlete and use it to show God Love one moment at a time, starting with this young fan.

Each game, inning and moment I spend with my teammates and friends is a small reminder of the amazing blessings we are given. So what if you have to wake up at 7am to play a double header in 40º weather. Try to change your perspective a little and see it as an opportunity. Whether you’re on the playing field or on the bench still waiting for a chance. Behind a desk, working nine to five or taking night classes trying to get a degree. You were given the opportunity to make a positive impact on someone. Each day is a new set of tiny blessings, and as cliché as that statement sounds, IT’S THE TRUTH! Once you start looking at every opportunity as a blessing, and each day as a new opportunity, your whole perspective is reformed.

I’m not saying it’s easy, I’m saying it’s worth it. So next time things seems to get out of your control, or end up the complete opposite of what you intended, see it as a blessing. A tiny blessing. You only get so many opportunities to make a positive impact on someone, and I recommend taking advantage of them sooner than later. You won’t regret it.