Be Prepared
Well, The Bassmaster and FLW Tour seasons are finally over. I’ve only been home for a few weeks and I’m already starting to get a little stir-crazy. Guess I’ll have to expend some of my extra energy in a deer stand somewhere (It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it). But aside from all of the fun stuff I’ll get to do this winter I’ll also spend a lot of time preparing for next season, because habitual preparation will help position me for success in the future.
Preparation for next year’s tour involves many different things. First, there’s physical preparation. I’m going through a very rigorous workout schedule with Meske Sports & Physical Therapy. There is a lot of pain during this rebuilding process, but if I want to compete at the highest levels I have to put in the sweat now.
I’ll also spend lots of time practicing my casting. That may seem pretty basic, but I cannot stress enough the importance of having a firm foundation that is grounded in the most fundamental elements of the game.
The season will start in late February at the Bassmaster’s Classic, but there will still be plenty of preparation to do. At each event I have 3 official practice days in order to prepare myself for the tournament. During these practice days I spend my time scouting the water and trying to figure out specific lures and patterns that will be productive. I actually believe that the practice days are far more important than the competition days, because preparation will position me to succeed.
These same principles also apply to other areas of my life such as my relationship with Christ. More than anything else in life I desire to be used by God for His purposes. But, how can I expect to make a difference in the lives of the people around me if I am not prepared spiritually?
In John 15:5 Jesus said: “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” In this verse Jesus calls making a difference “bearing fruit” and He says that apart from Him I can do NOTHING. So the key to making a difference is to stay connected to Him! Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).
But how do I stay connected to Him? How do I draw near? The most important aspect of any relationship is communication, and it’s no different with our connection to Christ. We talk to Him through prayer, and He talks to us through the Scriptures by the power of the Holy Spirit. So, it’s that simple. Pray, read your Bible, and stay in fellowship with others who are loyal to Jesus Christ. I can assure you that habitual preparation will position you for success.
