God is PURPOSEFUL. I am CALLED. So I can BELIEVE.
There is something exciting about being young and realizing that so much of your story hasn’t even happened yet. There are people you haven’t met, places you haven’t been, talents you haven’t discovered, prayers you haven’t prayed, opportunities you can’t even imagine yet, and things God may call you to do that aren’t even on your radar right now.
That’s why I want to encourage girls to do something that can sometimes feel a little scary: Dream big. But don’t just dream by yourself. Dream with God.
God Is Purposeful
One of the most important truths we can teach our girls is that their lives are not random. God created them intentionally. He gave them their personalities, abilities, passions, strengths, and even the things they are still learning to develop.
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
God sees more than what we can see right now. A young athlete might see herself as a volleyball player, but God sees the entire person she is becoming. He sees the teammate she will encourage, the younger girl who will look up to her, the friendships she will build, the lessons she will learn through failure, the courage she will develop by doing hard things, and how all of those experiences can eventually be used for something bigger than she understands today.
God is purposeful—even when we can’t see the purpose yet.
I Am Called
Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
I love the word masterpiece because a masterpiece isn’t accidental. It is created intentionally—and so are you. God has placed gifts inside each of us, and part of growing up is discovering those gifts and learning how to use them well.
Your gifts might be athletic. You might be a great leader. Maybe you notice when someone feels left out. Maybe you are creative, make people laugh, or are incredibly determined. Maybe you love helping people. Maybe you have a heart for children, animals, medicine, teaching, business, ministry, art, science, sports—or something you haven’t even discovered yet.
Your job right now isn’t to have your entire life figured out. Your job is to keep growing, keep learning, keep listening to God, and keep using the gifts He has already placed in your hands.
What Does This Have to Do With Volleyball?
A lot, actually. Sports give us an incredible place to begin discovering who we are. Volleyball teaches you to work when something doesn’t come easily. It teaches you to respond to mistakes, communicate, encourage other people, and be part of something bigger than yourself. Sometimes that means sacrificing what you want for what the team needs.
Volleyball also gives you opportunities to discover gifts you may not have realized you had. Maybe volleyball teaches you that you’re a leader. Maybe it teaches you that you’re resilient. Maybe you discover that you love encouraging people, that you can handle pressure, or that you’re capable of doing something you once thought was impossible.
Those lessons don’t stay inside the gym. God can use volleyball to prepare you for things that have absolutely nothing to do with volleyball.
That is why this series is called More Than the Game. The game matters, but who you are becoming while you play it matters even more.
Dream With God
Dreaming with God is different from simply deciding exactly what you want your life to look like and asking God to make it happen. It’s not, “God, here’s my plan. Please make it work.” Instead, it’s “God, here’s my life. Show me what You can do with it.”
Ask Him: What gifts have You put inside me? Who can I help with them? What do You want me to learn right now? Where are You leading me? What could You do through my life if I completely trusted You?
Then pay attention. Pay attention to the things you’re naturally good at, the things you care deeply about, the people God puts in front of you, the opportunities you have to serve, and the dreams that keep coming back to your heart.
Believe in His Wonder-Working Power
Sometimes we are afraid our dreams are too big. But maybe we should spend less time worrying about the size of our dreams and more time remembering the size of our God.
C. S. Lewis famously wrote, “Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak.”
We can only imagine our future based on what we know today. God already sees the entire story. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able, through His mighty power working within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Think about that. You can dream something huge, and God is still infinitely bigger.
So pray big prayers. Dream big dreams. Take brave steps. Work hard with the gifts God has given you. And believe in His wonder-working power.
That doesn’t mean God promises to give us every dream exactly the way we imagine it. Sometimes His answer will be different. Sometimes a door will close. Sometimes the team you wanted won’t choose you. Sometimes your plans will change completely.
Believing isn’t believing that God will make your plans happen. Believing is trusting that His plans can be greater than the plans you have for yourself.
You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going. You just have to know Who you’re following.
Team Discussion: What Are Your Gifts?
Have each player think about this question: What is something God has given you that you could use to help someone else?
Encourage them not to limit their answers to volleyball. Maybe it’s encouraging people, making people laugh, listening, leadership, creativity, athletic ability, kindness, determination, patience, teaching, including people, or serving others.
Then ask them: How could you use that gift this week?
This is an important distinction for young athletes. God didn’t give them gifts simply so they could be impressive. He gave them gifts so they could make an impact.
This Week’s Challenge: Dream With God
Find a quiet place this week and ask, “God, what could my life look like if I wasn’t afraid to dream big with You?”
Then write. Don’t worry about whether your dreams sound realistic. Write down the things on your heart—the things you want to accomplish, people you want to help, places you want to go, things you want to learn, and ways you hope God might use you. Write down even the dreams that seem impossible.
Then pray: “God, these are my dreams, but my life belongs to You. Lead me. Surprise me. Help me recognize the gifts You’ve given me and give me the courage to use them. Do more through my life than I could ever ask or imagine.”
Keep that list. You might be amazed when you look at it again someday.
A Prayer for Athletes
God, thank You for creating each of us intentionally and giving each of us unique gifts. Help us recognize those gifts and have the courage to use them. Teach us to dream big without trying to control the story. When we’re afraid of failing, remind us that You are bigger than our fear. When a door closes, help us trust that You can lead us somewhere we never expected.
Use the things we’re learning through volleyball—the hard practices, victories, mistakes, friendships, disappointments, and challenges—to prepare us for whatever You have ahead. Help us work hard, encourage others, take brave steps, and trust You with our future. We give You our talents. We give You our dreams. We give You our plans. Show us what You can do with them. Amen.
Remember
You are only at the beginning of your story. There are people you haven’t met yet, places you haven’t been yet, gifts you haven’t discovered yet, prayers you haven’t prayed yet, and things God may call you to do that you can’t even imagine yet.
So don’t be afraid to dream.
God is PURPOSEFUL. You are CALLED. So you can BELIEVE.
Dream big with an infinitely bigger God—and believe in His power to use YOU and your gifts in big ways.
More Than the Game
More Than the Game is a Christian team devotional series created to help girls and female athletes grow not only as players, but as young women who know who God is, understand who He says they are, and learn how that truth changes the way they live.
WHO GOD IS → WHO GOD SAYS I AM → HOW I LIVE
God is PURPOSEFUL → I am CALLED → I can BELIEVE
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