Tonight, Barbara and I get to go see Coach Armstrong’s wife and daughters. They are in town for the fundraiser for his foundation. His daughters are all married now. They are women doing very well. Seeing them always reminds me of Coach. And when I think of him, I think of all the times that we sat and just talked. There are moments at the gym before and after people would arrive that we would just have conversations about life. No topic other than life. There were times that we talked about certain world events. Certain people in our lives. Critical conversations. Conversations that he was teaching me morals and values in. And I know I’ve said this before. Coach was so much more than a basketball coach. I miss those conversations. I miss those phone calls. I miss him.
Nobody will ever replace Coach Armstrong. That void will always be a void. No doubt about it. But I have been blessed that other men have stepped in to different roles in my life. Some men I have known for several years. Others for only a couple of years. Veterans and civilians alike. And I know that God was preparing me and them for my life without Coach Armstrong. Each bringing different aspects to the table. Mentors. Advisors. Accountability partners. Brothers in Christ. And I am very thankful for each of them. That is so very important. Having this type of relationship with others, is so very important to all of us. People who can actually help you keep your life on track. Even help you change your life. The Bible tells us how important this is. And the Bible warns us just what bad company can do to us.
So today, ask yourself who your mentors are. Ask yourself who your influencers are. Ask yourself who holds you accountable because they love you. Ask yourself who celebrates your victories. Your successes. Take a look who you have surrounded yourself with. Your inner circle. I’m not telling you to abandon anybody that you love. I’m just telling you that we need people of Christian character in our lives for very important reasons. We must remember just how important Christian associations are. Relationships with people who believe in Jesus. Who strive to serve Jesus. Because they can influence you in so many different ways. Work. Hobbies. Homes. And more. And I think a good piece of advice is…Pray over this! Pray over your circle. Pray over who influences you. Pray over who you should let influence you. God will show you. If your relationships are built on material items or social ideals, they will end as soon as those items and ideals go away. That I promise you. Place God first in your heart. Place God first in your relationships. And watch how God changes your life and those around you. He will do so because he loves you.
