Monday, November 30, 2009

No Pain, No Gain

I have been having some tightness in my shoulders lately and my chiropractor, Dr. Daryl, suggested that I begin lifting weights again. You see, I do this in my basement and ever since we had the flood in the basement, I have not gotten back to my weight workouts.

It had been a couple months and I just knew that when I began, I would be very sore...so I just put it off. Well, this weekend I finally got back at it. And guess what? I am sore. But it's a good kind of sore. I know it is all for good.

We also decorated our house on Saturday for Christmas. The thought of this on Friday had my wife and I groaning. Don't get me wrong, we love Christmas. It's just that this task seems to be more overwhelming each year. But, we did it.

Not only did we get it done, we actually had a little fun doing it (I love working alongside Connie...it's one of my favorite things to do). Then she and I got to go out to dinner and have a nice evening together enjoying our newly decorated house.

Many times, in order to move forward, we will need to experience pain or at least do some things that we are not excited about. I heard it said once that pain is mandatory but suffering is optional. It's all attitude.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Workaholics Anonymous

Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on all the incredible blessings God has given us. One of those incredible blessings is our families.

Many of us, especially the men, have a tendency to want to work too much, all under the guise of "providing" for our families. If we were real with ourselves, we would know that there is another reason for this drive. Success, achievement, praise or something else. Whatever it might be, one thing is almost certain. Our families would rather have us home more.

Check out this video which will drive this point home: click here to watch.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving


Happy Thanksgiving!

Pains Purpose II

On Monday night I had a deep tissue massage. It had been quite a few years since I had this done. I had always remembered it to be a very relaxing, enjoyable experience. Monday's was anything but enjoyable. In fact, it was quite painful.

The therapist said the I am a massage therapist's dream because there is so much work to be done on me. She didn't even leave my shoulders and neck area for the hour-long session. It seems like there were about 50 marbles in that region of my body that she tried to work out, hence the pain.

On my drive home I did feel a bit more relaxed in my shoulders. Then yesterday morning brought with it more pain. It had felt like I had lost a back-alley fight. I am still sore even this morning.

In spite of this pain, I am going back again on Monday because I know I need to get this worked out to help me with some issues I am having in my arms. So, this is a time when I can truly be thankful for the pain, because I know it will lead to good.

In relation to life I suppose there are a few parallels:
1. If we have pain in our life, it will lead to good if we love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)
2. To get where we need to go, we oftentimes will need to fight through unpleasantness and persevere (Hebrews 10:36)
3. Like I posted about yesterday, our pain could be God preparing us to minister to others who will go through similar pain (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Pain's Purpose


On Sunday, our pastor delivered a message about how God can, and often, uses our pain from our past to help others who are going through some tough times in their lives. During his sermon he said, "There is a purpose behind your pain. Your greatest contribution or ministry will probably not come from your strengths. It will come from your struggles."

As I reflected on my life, I had to agree with him. One of the toughest periods of my life was when I was VP of Sales for a company in town. I had a boss who was an absolute tyrant. He would rant, rave and cuss at me and others. He would throw things. He even once ripped the thermostat off the wall when he was hot. It was an extremely unhealthy environment. I was stressed beyond the max and it impacted every area of my life, and maybe most of all my family.

However, looking back on this I am so thankful that God placed my boss in my life. While it was brutal, it led to me writing the book Bleedership, Biblical First-Aid for Leaders in which I contrast my boss' leadership style with that of the great leaders in the Bible. As a result of that, the trajectory of my life has been changed drastically. I know that through my tough times there are some people who have been helped.

If you are going through a period of difficulty, know that God is preparing you for ministry, to impact others. God never wastes a hurt!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Monday, November 23, 2009

Bad Things Happen

Tate Forcier loses a fumble in the end-zone early in the game resulting in a Buckeye touchdown

On Saturday, my son and I took the 45 minute trip north to Ann Arbor to watch The Game, Ohio State vs. Michigan in what most say is the greatest rivalry in all of sports.

Being Buckeyes, Robbie and I were thrilled with the 21-10 Ohio State victory, their sixth in a row over the Wolverines. Ohio State was able to come up with five turnovers, all from Michigan's quarterback, Tate Forcier.

On Sunday, we watched the recording of the ABC telecast. Matt Millen who was providing color commentary for the game said this of Forcier, "Bad things happen to all players. It's how you react that matters."

So true.

A friend of mine once asked me, "If someone spits on you does that make you mad?"

I said, "Absolutely."

He said, "No it doesn't. It makes you wet. It's your choice to be mad."

He had me. He was right.

We are all going to face challenges and obstacles in this life. How we respond to them will determine the type of person we will become.

"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Jesus in John 16:33

Friday, November 20, 2009

The Heart of a Champion

Stefanie Spielman and her family on the field at halftime of a game in September.
Stefanie Spielman, wife of OSU linbacker great, Chris Spielman passed away yesterday after a lengthy bout with cancer. This is very sad for the Buckeye Nation but it is also something worth celebrating.

Chris said this in an article which appeared today in the Columbus Dispatch, "Stefanie has gone home to be with the Lord," he said. "For that, we celebrate, but with broken hearts. I want to thank everyone for their support. ... Together, with your help, hopefully we made a difference in this fight."

When they received the news, they decided to use this for good. She said this shortly after her diagnosis, "I know there's a reason God gave me breast cancer, and I'm supposed to do something with it," she said that year.

This family is an inspiration to me in many ways and as I have read more about Stefanie, my admiration for her has grown. You can get a glimpse of her faith and positive spirit in these words: "I do not feel sorry for myself. I do not wish this would have happened to anyone else," she wrote on July 11, 1998. "I pray I grow stronger with each passing day. I cannot let this get the best of me, and I will not let this ruin the rest of my life -- no matter how long it is."

What a great example of how to live. Prayers to the Spielman family!

Go Bucks!


We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3b-5

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The Right To Lead

John Maxwell is one of my favorite leadership authors. He has a great knack for making the complex easy to understand and remember. This segment from his book, The Right to Lead is no different:

WHAT GIVES A MAN OR WOMAN THE RIGHT TO LEAD?

It certainly isn't gained by election or appointment. Having position, title, rank, or degrees doesn't qualify anyone to lead other people. And the ability doesn't come automatically from age or experience, either. No, it would be accurate to say that no one can be given the right to lead. The right to lead can only be earned. And that takes time.

The Kind of Leader Others Want to Follow
The key to becoming an effective leader is not to focus on making other people follow, but on making yourself the kind of person they want to follow. You must become someone others can trust to take them where they want to go. As you prepare yourself to become a better leader, use the following guidelines to help you grow:

1. Let go of your ego.
The truly great leaders are not in leadership for personal gain. They lead in order to serve other people. Perhaps that is why Lawrence D. Bell remarked, "Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things, and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things."

2. Become a good follower first.
Rare is the effective leader who didn't learn to become a good follower first. That is why a leadership institution such as the United States Military Academy teaches its officers to become effective followers first - and why West Point has produced more leaders than the Harvard Business School.

3. Build positive relationships.
Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. That means it is by nature relational. Today's generation of leaders seem particularly aware of this because title and position mean so little to them. They know intuitively that people go along with people they get along with.

4. Work with excellence.
No one respects and follows mediocrity. Leaders who earn the right to lead give their all to what they do. They bring into play not only their skills and talents, but also great passion and hard work. They perform on the highest level of which they are capable.

5. Rely on discipline, not emotion.
Leadership is often easy during the good times. It's when everything seems to be against you - when you're out of energy, and you don't want to lead - that you earn your place as a leader. During every season of life, leaders face crucial moments when they must choose between gearing up or giving up. To make it through those times, rely on the rock of discipline, not the shifting sand of emotion.

6. Make adding value your goal.
When you look at the leaders whose names are revered long after they have finished leading, you find that they were men and women who helped people to live better lives and reach their potential. That is the highest calling of leadership - and its highest value.

7. Give your power away.
One of the ironies of leadership is that you become a better leader by sharing whatever power you have, not by saving it all for yourself. You're meant to be a river, not a reservoir. If you use your power to empower others, your leadership will extend far beyond your grasp.

Good stuff!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Be a Burning Bush



A friend of mine, Brian Keel (CFO of The Toledo Area YMCA), puts out a weekly devotional via email which is excellent. I thought I'd share his from this past week:

The Wind

Probably my favorite shrub is the Euonymus alatus compactus or “burning bush”. During the spring and the summer it appears rather ordinary…just another in a long line of green foliage planted in front of the house. When autumn rolls around the leaves turn a vibrant red; lighting up the whole yard. But every year the same thing happens…we get one of those windy stretches Northwest Ohio is known for and “poof” the leaves are gone in an instant. All that’s left is the empty shell, just a bunch of sticks poking out of the ground.

No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. Ecclesiastes 8:8

A youth pastor in our area died in his sleep last week at age 40…no apparent health issues… no warning… no anything. I’m sorry to say that I did not know him personally, but I have heard so many wonderful things about him since…even a planned involvement in youth work at one of our YMCA facilities. Solomon sure got it right… “no one has power over the wind….” But we can make sure that we burn a vibrant red while we are here. We have power over our actions, over our words and over the things people might remember us for. We have the power to love as Jesus loved… to feed the hungry, to care for the sick, to clothe the needy.

Make a difference… be a burning bush….

Monday, November 16, 2009

Finding Good in the Bad

In an interesting article in the NY Times, Jeffrey Katzenberg (pictured above), the CEO of DreamWorks Animation shared a few valuable nuggets:

* He learned his most valuable lessons from his worst bosses.
* In regard to leadership in today's world, the most important thing is to make people feel secure.
* In order to be innovative you must take risks. Taking risks means that failure is a possibility so they don't expect that every single thing will be a hit. As a result their employees aren't afraid to make mistakes.
* In leadership respect is so important. Not so much from the followers, but rather from the leader to those he/she is leading.
* One of the most valuable lessons came from being fired from Disney...it opened up all sorts of doors.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Gather Together

I went for a walk late yesterday afternoon through my neighborhood and the neighborhood next door. As I turned a corner I heard what sounded like thousands of birds chirping. I looked around and spotted them all huddled together at the top of a tree. It wasn’t a thousand, but there were at least a hundred up there.

As I walked I thought that it was interesting that I didn’t see one single bird over here and another over there and one behind me. They were all gathered together. Kind of like how we are supposed to be.

1 Peter 5:8 tells us that Satan is like a roaring lion who roams around looking for someone to devour.

On any animal shows I have ever watched, when a predator (like a lion) is hunting it usually goes after the prey which is by itself. Those who are in a pack are much more difficult to get to.

When things are not going well for us we have a natural tendency to withdraw and be by ourselves until the storm blows over. Well, this is exactly what Satan wants. He wants us to be alone so that he can act like the lion on the animal shows and devour us.

Hebrews 10:25a says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…”

So gathering together is a lot more than just socializing. It is meant to protect us and to refuel our tanks, especially when we are down. So do that and encourage someone while you’re at it!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Lessons From The Wizard Of Oz

I received an email this morning with this short article about the Wizard of Oz from Will Craig, who writes about coaching others:

Most of us are familiar with the story of Dorothy and the friends she meets on her way to find the Wizard. The Scarecrow who felt he lacked a brain; the Tin Man who didn’t think he had a heart; and the Cowardly Lion who wished he had courage.

The Wizard (a man whose heart was in the right place but whose ethics needed some work) actually exercised some effective coaching skills at the end of the story.

For each of Dorothy’s three friends, he fostered a sense of belief that they, indeed, had those things they sought so desperately. He convinced the Scarecrow he was smart by giving him a diploma. The Tin Woodsman received his gift from the Wizard and knew he now had a heart because it was breaking. The Cowardly Lion became instantly courageous when he received his medal for bravery.

He then goes on in the article to talk about the power of believing in yourself. While that may be important, I believe there is an even more important lesson for each of us here.

The Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion all were down UNTIL someone spoke words of encouragement to them. It was that encouragement which lifted them up and allowed them to begin to believe in themselves.

This is true of many around us. They could be hurting and not even show it. Your encouragement could be exactly what they need to lift them up above the fog. So why not encourage someone today!

But encourage one another daily.
Hebrews 3:13a

Monday, November 09, 2009

Servant Leadership

Earlier this football season, I put up a post about Pete Carroll, USC's charismatic football coach, and how he kept his team loose before their big game against Ohio State.

Well, it appears he does some other things that many don't know about which also help him in his ability to be a great leader. He is a servant of others. Tim Moore from the Audience Development Group, wrote the following piece that I hope you find as interesting as I did:

It's eight at night. A reporter from LA Magazine is camped in Pete Carroll's office; the apex of Trojan football legacy on the USC campus. Suddenly Carroll ends the dialog and says, "I have to be somewhere." The writer asks if he can come along but is summarily refused.

"Absolutely not," says Carroll. The reporter asks again. With the critical eye of Joe Stalin, Carroll hesitates, acquiesces, and tells the writer he'd better change apparel. The USC coach rummages through a closet and flings a polo at the writer like a dished-off shovel pass. "Put this on," he says. The reporter asks, "How come?" Carroll tells the reporter that he might get shot wearing the bright blue. From there the writer struggles to keep up: an animated walk across campus to a waiting van, then to South Central Los Angeles. He tells J.R. Moehringer, now riding shotgun, to lose his notebook. There will be no quotations or formal written summary as it might make the people they'll be talking to anxious.

First stop, a group of guys on the street: maybe stoned, maybe drunk and possibly armed but to a person, stunned at who is approaching them. Carroll shakes hands, starts talking about football and the tension in the air falls away. They talk about their lives, the police, and other things...a car pulls up. Someone's mother, back from the store. Pete Carroll waves then helps her with groceries, carrying multiple bags. This can't be, she thinks; coach of the tightest, toughest, hippest college football team in the nation, a late night bag-boy? The scene is repeated with several other stops with similar reaction from stunned partisans of the night, until sometime after midnight they head for the obscure van and back to campus.

Carroll explains he feels this ritual is important, necessary in fact, to let these people know someone cares about them and has them in mind. He has found jobs for at least 40 men in these neighborhoods. On this night an emotional young man who thanks Carroll for coming out, places a bracelet on the coach's wrist; something he made and a symbol of solidarity.

Carroll admits few USC fans know of this routine. His wife, Glena, laughs and admits it worried her in earlier times, but not now. She tells LA Magazine writer J. R. Moehringer she's okay with it but drew the line on Baghdad.

If you're a UCLA or Cal fan, you've probably already made up your mind about Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans: arrogant, almost always a notch better, and so damn loose and cocky on the sidelines. If, however, you're ever invited on one of Carroll's after dark recon missions, you might just accept the premise that things are seldom as they appear. Pete Carroll defies the odds on and off the field, just as his boyish never-change-looks defy time. He keeps fun in the game and his players loose and unafraid. Once a card-carrying member of the NFL, he was only a number. Upon becoming the main man of Troy, Carroll became one the most prolific people in all of sports, and Trojan dominance of college football is evidence.

For those of us reaching for significance as leaders in a relatively short life, we'd do well to ask to ride shotgun in South Central Los Angeles with Carroll some night. If not, as an option spend 3 hours watching a Southern Cal game as Carroll strides the sideline in high animation, grinning ear-to-ear, patting players on the shoulders, having the time of his life. That's leadership. That's fun.

Friday, November 06, 2009

How Can I Forgive?

Yesterday, I wrote about a story that Ed Laymance included in his eBook, Not Against Flesh and Blood, which showed how forgiving others can give us true freedom.

So how can you do this, especially if someone has hurt you deeply?

Laymance gives the following steps in his book:

1. Begin by asking God to bring to mind anyone you need to forgive. Ask yourself, "Is there anyone, living or dead that I feel owes me something? Am I holding a grudge or bitterness against someone? do I carry disappointment with me? Is there anyone, living or dead, who hurt me or harmed me and I'm wearing that hurt?"

2. On a pad of paper make a list of the names God brings to mind. Don't be surprised if your name is on the list. You may be carrying guilt or shame for something you allowed. Don't be surprised if God's name is on the list. You may be confused, angry, or hurt that God allowed bad things to happen to you or someone you love. After five to ten minutes, you will have a list.

3. Tear off that page and set it aside. Start with any name on your list and put that name at the top of a clean sheet of paper. Then ask God to show you what it is about this person that you need to release.

4. Write down everything that comes to mind. This is not a novel, so you need not start at the beginning of the relationship and work forward. One thought will connect with another. Write what comes. Use words, phrases, paragraphs, and symbols--however you want to do this. This is for no one's eyes but yours, so be brutally honest. Hold nothing back.

5. some of what you write will be connected to other people on your list. Just make a note by their name; you will add this to their list later. Keep on task with one person at a time.

6. This is pretty emotional stuff, so you will need to take an occasional break. Take a walk, blow your nose, hit a pillow, get a drink--but stay with it until you feel you are done.

7. What you're going to do next may seem silly or stupid. do it anyway. This is a very important step. Make sure you are alone and no one can hear you. Imagine the person you've been writing about is sitting in a chair close by. You need to stand, so you can walk around. I want you to see yourself as a judge. What you have written is a list of indictments against that person. As judge, read out loud everything you've written; with whatever emotions you feel; using whatever words and volume you need to use. This is "no holds barred", "up close and personal", "in the face", "full force"! Don't be "Christian" or "appropriate". Let 'em have it! Include any additional things that come to mind. Say exactly what you feel.

8. Some of what you've written only needs to be said once. Some of what you've written needs to be said more than once. Say what you've written until it no longer needs to be said--a hundred times if necessary. One of the reasons you've been carrying this stuff is because it needed to be said, and you needed hear yourself say it - without debate, rebuttal, excuse, or explanation from the one who hurt you.

9. When you get to the last word on the last page, having expressed all emotions you needed to express, as judge, declare out loud, "Guilty as charged!"

10. Then as judge, declare out loud, "Case dismissed!"

11. Next, pray, "Holy Father, I do not feel like dismissing this (because you don't!), but I don't want to be controlled by this way any longer. I choose to forgive and release it to you. I choose to "flush". Now, help me walk away from how I feel and enjoy the sweet smell of freedom! Amen."

12. Destroy what you've written as a physical representation to yourself that the case has been dismissed. Dig a hole and bury it, burn it, shred it, whatever feels good. One person I helped said when they were finished with everyone on their list, in addition to destroying what they had written, they wrote each name on an individual sheet of toilet paper and flushed each one. What a great idea!

13. Repeat this process until you have an "emotional funeral" for everyone on your list. Don't stop until you have flushed everything. One inch of raw sewage in the house is better than six inches, but the house still stinks!

Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
Luke 11:4

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Forgive and be Free

I am reading an interesting e-Book written by Ed Laymance titled, Not Against Flesh and Blood.

In one section of the book he reminds the reader of the importance of forgiving others. This is a story he told which illustrates this principle very well:

A woman was abducted, raped, robbed, shot and left for dead. When the abductor shot her he put a gun to her head intending instant death. She jerked at the last moment. The bullet went sideways. He ran off and was never found. She survived the attach and endured months of surgeries and rehab.

She was interviewed by a reporter about three to four years after the attach. In the middle of the interview the reporter commented how she must really hate the man that put her through all this. Her response was, "I once did, but not any more." When the reporter asked for an explanation she replied, "For a long time I was consumed with revenge and justice. I wanted him caught. I wanted him to endure all the pain and suffering he had inflicted on me. I could think of nothing else. Them one day it occurred to me. That man robbed me of one night of my life. I decided I was not going to give him one more day!"

What great words! We must remember, unforgiveness can fester inside of us and actually cause us to be ill. When we forgive, we are actually setting ourselves free!

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:14

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

I Hate My Job!

I received this article in an email the other day from my friend, Doug Spada, president of WorkLife, an incredible organization which helps the local church to connect the dots when it comes to faith in the workplace. If you have ever hated your job, this is for you:

The American Workplace Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive this month found that almost half (48%) of workers are not satisfied with the relationship they have with their boss, and the majority (59%) of workers are not satisfied with the level of support they receive from their colleagues. Seventy-seven percent are not satisfied with the strategy and vision of the company and its leadership. Click here for full article.

Even in these challenging time where having a job is a blessing, a recent survey of a major municipality's employees reflected that more than 60% were unhappy in their work. One employee was quoted, "I feel miserable. My morale is lower than it's ever been. It has been difficult to even come to work." Click for survey results. (2009 Employee Morale Survey - Baltimore Dept of Public Works)

I am quite certain that some of you have a job you really hate. If you could, you would quit tomorrow but you feel like you're in a prison because you need this job, you've got time invested in it, you're not sure you could find another one, but you hate your job. If you're having those kinds of problems, I strongly urge you to read on because the Bible has some good ideas for you.


As I travel around the country talking to people, it seems to me that more people are discontent with their jobs than ever before. Undoubtedly the economic climate has a lot to do with that, since jobs are difficult to find and many feel trapped in their jobs. Also, workloads seem to be much higher, and the loyalty between employees and employers seems much lower. So, if you find yourself in a job you really don't like, you've got company.

I can understand your feelings, because I've had a job or two like that myself. But the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians:...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation....I can do everything through him who gives me strength (Phil. 4:11-13).

So, I want to talk about how to be content in a job you hate. You know, when you and I learn this secret of being content, as Paul learned it, we can't lose because our fulfillment and satisfaction are not based on circumstances - not based on whether we have a terrific job that we love, or one that we hate!

Keep in mind that Paul had to learn this technique of being content, and so do you and I. So, are you willing to enroll in Contentment 101, and learn how to be content in your job? That's where it begins. If you're not willing to learn to be content, of course, you never will learn it.

If you insist on saying, "I hate this job, I refuse to change my attitude toward this job, I could never be content with this job and furthermore I don't want to be content with it," then you've already prevented God from changing you and giving you a new heart and a new attitude.

First of all, you have to give up your rights. Most of us think things like, "I don't deserve this job," or "I deserve to have a fulfilling job," or "It's not right that I have to work at a job that doesn't utilize my talents," or "I can't be expected to endure the kind of treatment I get on my job." That's just our normal selfish nature, which has been fed and fired up by our humanistic society, teaching us "We have our rights."

Dear friend, if you want to be a contented person, you must first of all tell God that you recognize you have no rights to all that you think you have a right to. If you're a child of God, you belong to Him and He is the Master. Are you willing to give up your "rights" to have the job you want, and to allow yourself to be contented where you are? That is step one in being content in a job you hate.

Maybe you're thinking, "Well, why would God punish me with a job like this?" Let me assure you that God is not trying to make your life miserable. Just the opposite - He has plans for you that are good. But He can't work those plans for you until you surrender your rights to Him. Most of the time God does not deliver us from difficult situations until we have learned to be content and to accept them. That is how we learn to trust God and have faith in Him, and without faith it's impossible to please God.

So, step one in being content in a job you hate is to give up your rights for the perfect job and tell God you are willing to stay there and give Him control.

Monday, November 02, 2009

Encouragement

"You can be better than me." Those were the words of former Ohio State quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith to current Buckeye quarterback, Terrelle Pryor.

In a nice article in the Toledo Blade last Friday, it was revealed that Smith has reached out to the young Pryor to help him to deal with his many critics. Two weeks prior, Terrelle had turned the ball over four times in an upset loss to the Purdue Boilermakers and he was the subject of much criticism in Columbus and beyond.

In reading the article, it sounded like Pryor is very appreciative of the kind words of Smith. Based on his solid performance one game later against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Smith's words might have been just what Pryor needed.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.
1 Thessalonians 5:11a