Speak Life

Every practice our team breaks out using the following chant:

We are …. Warriors

We fight …. to the end

We never …. give up

For the Glory … of God

Six … as One

State…. Champs

Why is it so important for our success to recite this mantra? For us, we believe in the power of the spoken word. We acknowledge that for us to achieve our goals we must confess them. If we want them to have true power they need to align with God and further His kingdom.

Breaking down our mantra, it begins with a statement of who we claim to be. "We are Warriors." It is a reminder to our players that we are a team which has a history as well as a future. We are proud of our heritage and those who have carried the torch before us on the field of play.

Every time we take the field we want to meet the standard set by those who came before us. It is a reminder that we stand on the shoulders of those who laid the groundwork. A reminder of the high bar and the discipline it takes to meet these high expectations.

We fight to the end. We want everyone to know (especially each other) that we will do whatever it takes to win within the rules of the game. Football is a physical game and we will be the most aggressive on the field of play. We will be violent and we will not underestimate our opponent. He will get our best on every play and when the play, or game, is over we will extend a hand up so as to honor his commitment to the same standard.

We will never back down regardless of the situation, the odds or the score. We never give up. We have the fortitude of character to recognize there will be setbacks along our path but they will not be used as excuses or a crutch. We will possess a determination that will put aside the pain of the moment and any setbacks to push through and have no regrets in our efforts should we not reach our goals.

Today's failures will become integral to tomorrow's success. We call every setback "Good" because we know that they will make us stronger, build our chemistry and push us to become better men, teammates and ultimately state champions.

In all that we do, we shall never forget that our sole purpose in life is to bring Glory to God. We will be known as Christian warriors on and off the field of play. We will use the sport as an opportunity to sow the gospel. We will pray openly, offer humble words in both victory and defeat and do it all For the Glory of God.

Unity is our strength. We know that our success is predicated upon our ability to humble ourselves and play as a team and not as individuals. Six as one reminds us that when we are on the field of play it is our responsibility to do our job, to work as part of the team and to set aside personal adoration.

Finally, we remind ourselves of the ultimate team goal. It is not to be undefeated because we take pride in competing against the best. It is not to make the playoffs or be the district champs because those are only stepping stones which others can share in as well. We want to be State Champs becaue there is only one.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue Proverbs 18:21

God tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. If you want your life to be better then you must speak it into existence. The idea is that when people speak God's word, they are speaking with authority and it has the power to create, heal, and bring about change.

Whether it was God speaking life into the earth or Jesus speaking to perform miracles the power is in the audible words. Likewise, we give Satan the power when we speak negatively. Negative speech can affect a person's own state of mind and emotions, leading to negative thoughts and actions.

As Toby Mac wrote, "Hope will fall like rain, When you speak life with the words you say"; so, "speak life." Our teams will always speak, and when we do I pray that it will be to speak the words that will honor God and draw us nearer to Him. May our words and play testify to our character and bring Glory to God.