A Biblical Approach to Parenting Your AthleteSample

## Did You Say Surgery? (The Death of a Dream)

READY:

> “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” –Romans 8:28

SET: God turns setbacks into setups.

You should expect your athlete child to get injured. It’s going to happen. We had four athlete children and dealt with injuries including front teeth knocked out, multiple concussions, a broken foot, a dislocated finger and thumb, two shoulder surgeries, two knee surgeries, a broken nose…you get the picture. How you handle your child's injuries will set the tone for how your child handles their injuries. Sports injuries sometimes cause dashed dreams, and dealing with broken dreams is a big deal. Helping your child navigate broken dreams should be a parent’s priority.

My daughter tore her ACL the day she found out she had made the varsity basketball team as a high school freshman. Her 9th-grade year was going to be the most difficult of her life. We had no manual for parenting a 15-year-old athlete through a year of no sports, knee surgery, and rehab, which included mental, physical, and spiritual challenges.

After surgery, I committed to being her rehab coach—taking her to multiple physical therapy sessions. Once released from PT, we would go to a gym after school, and I coached her through painful exercises learned from her physical therapist. During that time, we developed a strong bond. We saw each other at our worst; she was distressed, and I pushed her through it, but I also saw my daughter at her best: determined, strong, and persevering. The qualities she developed during that year are the qualities she demonstrates to this day while serving on the mission field in North Africa. God took a terrible situation and used it to prepare her for even more challenging circumstances she would encounter later.

That injury kept her from becoming the basketball player she dreamed of, but it contributed to her resilience which has benefited her today in her Kingdom work. My daughter’s basketball dreams were replaced with a bigger dream to serve God on the mission field. Redirected dreams are hard on teenagers and equally hard on their parents—but hard is not always bad.

Would you pray now and ask God to help you help your athlete child turn his or her setbacks into setups?

WORKOUT: Bible Discussion

Joshua 1:9

Isaiah 41:10

Jeremiah 29:11

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

GO

1\. What stands out about the character of God in these verses? How does God’s character bring you comfort/peace? (Be specific, using a current situation in your life.)

2\. What is the main truth being expressed in Romans 8:28? How does that truth help you parent your child through a setback like a sports injury?

3\. What is one main takeaway you might apply to your own life from the Scriptures provided?

OVERTIME: Practice Session

1\. Have a conversation with your child about dashed dreams. Share something from your own life when you had to recover from the death of one of your dreams.

Did You Say Surgery? Testimonial