3 Ways to Stay Focused on What Matters / Guest Post by Marc-Andre Bourdon

Here are 3 ways to stay focused on what matters most throughout the grind of a hockey season.

One of the first things that I learned while pursuing a relationship with Jesus was that I am a child of God and not just merely a hockey player/coach/scout. Contrary to what the world teaches us, our circumstances, social status, line of work, and material things do not define who we are. Growing up, my identity was tied up to being a hockey player and nothing else. The Bible teaches me that I am a child of God, loved by my Heavenly Father (Psalms 82:6). Whether I win, lose, succeed, or fail does not change the love Jesus has for me. That truth is super important when competing for Christ, as we all know that being an athlete comes with ups and downs related to individual and/or team performances. Thankfully, God is steady; He never changes. His unwavering love for you will always be present in your life.

Just like any relationship, the more you put into your relationship with the Lord, the more you get out of it. Some of my closest friends are people I talk to frequently. I make time to reach out to them and share what is going on in my life, and vice versa. ‘’Draw near to me and I will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Jesus promises to draw near to us and to accompany us through life if we are willing to surrender ourselves for His glory. He desires intimacy with us; He wants to accompany us on our athletic journeys just as He does in other spheres of our lives. I often pray before making important decisions about hockey. I like to pray for clarity and for guidance, but I always pray that the results of my decisions and actions would be representative of God and would help further His Kingdom. Making time to cultivate a genuine relationship with Jesus is key for competitors for Christ.

There are so many great promises in the Bible, and we sometimes feel like they are not for us, but they are. God desires intimacy with each one of us. It’s one thing to understand your identity in Christ and to find comfort in knowing that ‘’God is there for me when I need Him’’, but there is more. God wants us to experience His fullness and to live in His joy EVERY DAY.  Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Trust that Jesus is enough! Trust that Jesus will work things out even when the odds are not in your favor! God is bigger than odds and circumstances. We can be hopeful no matter what we see/experience because His promises go beyond our understanding. Joy is a choice. Faith is a choice. Hope is a choice. Love is a choice. I believe God’s plan is bigger than what we can see and comprehend, and that brings me joy in all situations.

I hope this encourages you today as you strive to be a competitor for Christ. We all love our respective sport, but our love for Jesus is bigger than sports itself. Winning the day for Jesus is more important than winning our next event!

Marc-Andre Bourdon is a former professional hockey player – splitting his time between the Adirondack Phantoms (AHL) and Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) between 2009 and 2014. He was an assistant coach at Liberty University from 2015 to 2017. From 2017 to 2022, he worked for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) as an assistant coach, head scout, and general manager. Marc is now an amateur scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning.