Stand up! Stand firm!

As a born and bred Southerner, living in the "Bible-belt", I am still in shock at what happened at my son's baseball game over the weekend.

After the game ended, the other team asked our team if they would gather with them on the mound to say a prayer.

-A prayer of thanks for good sportsmanship shown by both teams.

-A prayer of safety for both teams traveling almost an hour to reach their homes.

Let me note that this was NOT a school sponsored game, but a tournament held for select baseball teams; teams that pay $ to participate in these games.
No mix of church and state (school).


Storming to the prayer-huddle came a disgruntled mother.
One of the mothers on my son's team.

"You know we don't believe in that praying crap!" she yelled.
Everyone gasped.

Disbelief.
Shock.
Embarrassment.

"But mom," her son pleaded, "they were just praying to thank us for being good sports and for our safety in driving home."

"I don't care!" she shrieked.

Later, the head coach told my husband (assistant coach) that the angry mother emailed him saying, "That had better NEVER happen again!"

But the coach also received 3 other emails...

All positive.

All wanting to start implementing this style of faithbuilding into our team of 11-12 year old boys.

These emails, along with conversations from other team mates' parents have now spurred the head coach on to making a decision.
11 out of 12 team mates want to start praying at future games.
The coach has a choice: Should he pray for the 11 who want to pray?
Or not for the 1 who doesn't?

Didn't our forefathers travel to this land seeking religious freedom?
Wasn't our country founded on Christian morals and beliefs?

As Christians, we must stand firm.

And we must pray for those who won't.


"Men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." ~Matthew 10:22