https://www.middlegafca.org The latest news, stories, and information from the Local Area FCA ministry. https://www.middlegafca.org/god-has-a-bigger-better-plan-for-us-all-lessons-learned-during-quarantine <h3> Lessons Learned During Quarantine </h3> <div> <img src="https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/9c5348c4/dms3rep/multi/Mary+Wilson+Avant-Stratford+and+UGA.jpg"/> </div> <div data-rss-type="text"> Springtime-a time to get outside and enjoy cooler weather, a time to celebrate March Madness and the <div> Masters, and a time to celebrate that our Savior left the tomb to give us hope in eternal life. Spring </div> <div> sports have begun by the beginning of March, and all the athletes and coaches involved in this sports </div> <div> season are moving ahead at full speed with 2-3 contests a week in each sport. But this year, COVID-19 </div> <div> has rocked our world with a crazy turn of events. The remainder of the sports’ seasons have been </div> <div> cancelled, schools have been conducting virtual learning experiences, and churches have gone to online </div> <div> services. We have spent more time at home than we have ever done before! We have learned what </div> <div> “social distancing” is, and we have been washing our hands twenty times more than normal each day. </div> <div> This virus has had a tremendous impact on all areas of life all over the world. Being on staff for the </div> <div> Fellowship of Christian Athletes has become a “virtual” role rather than a physical role. We are staying in </div> <div> contact with athletes and coaches, and we wanted to find out how our coaches and athletes are dealing </div> <div> with this “new season of life” both mentally and spiritually. </div> <div> <br/> </div> <div> Many of our coaches and athletes felt disappointed when they first heard that some of their season </div> <div> would be postponed, then devastation when they realized the rest of their school year and spring </div> <div> season was ended. Mary Wilson Avant, a senior softball player from Macon who competes for UGA, had </div> <div> a really emotional response when she thought she would not be able to step on the field again. </div> <div> Thankfully, the NCAA granted seniors one more year of eligibility in their spring sport, so she will return </div> <div> to UGA for graduate school and compete on the softball team for one more season. Abby Mitchell, a </div> <div> senior golf player at Howard High School, was heartbroken to hear the news that her spring season and </div> <div> the remainder of her school year had been cancelled. She wishes she had one more day to tell all her </div> <div> classmates and teammates goodbye. Coach Clae Mathis, the head baseball coach at Mary Persons High </div> <div> School, knew before the season this year he had a special group of players, and he really hurt for his </div> <div> senior class that would be unable to finish what he feels like would have been one of their best seasons. </div> <div> Coach Joaquin Sample, head football and track coach at Central High School, also felt disappointed for </div> <div> his seniors who are missing out on prom, senior trips, senior sports season, and possibly even </div> <div> graduation. He is also concerned for the class of ‘21 since this is an important evaluation year for them </div> <div> to prove themselves scholarship worthy to colleges. </div> <div> <br/> </div> <div> Through the quarantine, one thing is certain-our coaches and athletes who would normally be away </div> <div> from home most of the time have been enjoying time at home with their families. Adam Gillhouse, </div> <div> football and wrestling coach at Jones County High School, said it has been a struggle at first because he </div> <div> and wife Megan have three kids five years of age and under, so teaching at home and trying to have a </div> <div> “schedule” is difficult. They realize it is now more about being “flexible” rather than “organized.” The </div> <div> coaches have also found ways to stay in touch with their athletes and their parents and their students. </div> <div> From using Zoom calls to texts and Twitter, to a virtual classroom experience-they are trying to find </div> <div> ways to connect, encourage, and motivate. And the students have as well. Devin Bateman, a sophomore </div> <div> football player at Lamar County High School, has been sending workout videos to his teammates. Abby </div> <div> Mitchell started a senior spotlight for Instagram and has made some videos for her church as well as </div> <div> FCA. Coach Sample’s theme for this year is, “You can’t always control events, but you can control your </div> <div> response to those events”, so he has been letting his players know how to “find the right responses to </div> <div> what is going on, making sure they are adding value to their households, and using this time for self improvement spiritually, academically, and physically”. </div> <div> <br/> </div> <div> Overall, this experience has allowed many people to grow in their faith. Mary Elaine Mitchell, a student </div> <div> athlete who was competing in golf and soccer for Stratford Academy this spring, feels like she is “diving </div> <div> deeper into the Word on a daily basis and focusing on praying for individuals and their needs as well as  </div> <div> the needs of our nation.” Coach Mathis discussed how he had been focusing on “identity” this season, </div> <div> and he had told his team that they must “find their identity in Christ, not in things that can be taken </div> <div> from us.” Oh, how true this rings for us over the past month! Who would have ever thought we would </div> <div> be “social distancing” ourselves from our families, friends, and things we love to do? Chandler Wood, </div> <div> senior FCA huddle leader at Rutland and student athlete feels like this experience has made him see </div> <div> how important it is “that each and every chance I get to witness to others is crucial, and I should never </div> <div> take it for granted.” Cassie Sutton, a senior student-athlete at First Presbyterian Day School who </div> <div> competes on the track team, feels like this situation “exposed where I put my foundation in life.” She </div> <div> tried to find comfort in reading, running, or music, but she realizes that true fulfillment only comes from </div> <div> relying on God for comfort. Titus Moore, a sophomore from Macon who is competing in track at </div> <div> Samford University, was very frustrated when knew his spring season had been cancelled and he had </div> <div> been working hard to make this his best season yet. He now feels this has allowed his trust in God to </div> <div> increase, and He knows that <b> “God has a bigger and better plan for us all.” </b> </div> <div> We believe this virus and the quarantine have definitely shown us that we are not in control. They have </div> <div> also shown us that we serve a God who is in control! Coach Sample talked about how his pastors at </div> <div> Harvest Church expressed that “events like this can push you closer to God and your faith, or they can </div> <div> take you farther away from Him.” Our hope is that your faith in Christ is strengthened at this time, and if </div> <div> you do not know Him, our prayer is that you will find out who He is and realize He loves you very much! </div> <div> Clae Mathis said it best when he said, “this season was taken from all of us in a matter of days, but our </div> <div> relationship with Jesus is forever.” </div> <div> <br/> </div> <div> “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” </div> <div> John 16:33 </div> <div> <br/> </div> <div> Follow Us on Social Media! </div> <div> @midgafca </div> </div> Mon, 22 Jun 2020 16:50:17 GMT https://www.middlegafca.org/god-has-a-bigger-better-plan-for-us-all-lessons-learned-during-quarantine