Because i know a lot of people will wonder....
ill just explain why i quit volleyball in a detailed emotional note.
Background: i've played school season vball for six years, club season for six years, and summer vball camps for about four years. in other words, i've played volleyball year round for a very long time!
The past few days something really got me thinking.. hard. I think about my future all the time and all the great things i am GOING to accomplish when i grow up, but something started to not feel quite right in the past three days or so. I go to church at Applegate on friday nights and to Table Rock on sunday mornings.. that should make me a good christian right? wrong! I listen to the message, follow along in the reading, and read my own daily devotions at home. It's not like i'd ignore it, i understand what is being taught and i think "wow, what a great thought to carry with me for the week", nothing more than that though. Let's just say that my walk with the Lord is not at its strongest or fullest potential. I'm doing the right things, but only going through the motions.
The other day i was having a bummed out day. Mom asked me what was wrong and i honestly really had to analyze myself and think of why i wasn't feeling that great. Physically i'm fine, other than horrendous allergies and various other minute problems i deal with day to day. Well,, how did i feel? what was wrong with me? i was stressed out, tired, grumpy, and worst of all i had no desire to do anything at all. "you could read a book" mom offered, "im not in the mood to read right now" i glumly reply. "you could clean your room" she says with a smirk. "negatory ghost rider!"
As i am laying in my bed,, (not even wanting to do that) i think of why God placed me on this earth and what my real purpose in life is... i start to think about it.. what is my purpose? why can't God tell me? i dont know how to listen to Him! What if He's talking to me but i cant hear Him? am i following the path God has laid out for me? i want to feel God's presence in my life! UGH!
and now frustration.
Mom tries to comfort me, but i feel like i've failed God by not living every second of the life He has given me, for His glory. Mom tells me to get out my devotions, my notes, my Bible, and just read and spend some time humbling myself in the sight of the Lord. We find verses i've written down in my church notebook, quotes from strong believers, discussions in the front of one of my Bibles. She tells me to pray, then says good night and i'm alone. I start to pray, gosh i haven't done this in a little while. I am quiet at first to think of what to say, it hits me, i cry, i know God is talking to me. He is always there, standing at the door of each of our hearts just waiting to see if we let him in. I've let him in before, but then i got distracted and let go of his hand. i walked away, not drastically, but enough to feel the absence. I can only think of hurtful things to say to my stupid human self, i will make it up to Him, i thought. From this point on i am going to live, TRULY 100% LIVE for the Lord! i ask him to show me what thing i need to eliminate in my life to let him take its place.... He answers. Volleyball, two hours a day, everyday, into the summer, tournaments, club season, school season, camps, far away, "focus taelor, on volleyball, be devoted", thousands of dollars solely on volleyball, stress. Focus? me.
I found my problem. Some christian athletes can incorporate their faith with their passion for a sport, and God may bless that. For me, i played volleyball for myself, no thought about God unless i really "needed" to make my serve in a pressuring time. i played to impress people, coaches. I felt my own selfish need to out perform other players. i need to hit better than any other DS, i need to talk more than anyone out here, etc, the list goes on... My drive to excel in volleyball was out of the selfishness in my own heart. I needed to cut it at its source. I thought about just playing volleyball with a brand new attitude,,,, but no, i've been playing this way for far too long and it would be far too easy to lose control again.
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After high school i am going to medical school, I will not have time to play volleyball in college. I am going to be a Nurse Practitioner. I am going to travel the world and do mission work, help people in need. I am going to live a live mapped out for me by my Creator. I am going to be bilingual, so when i go to spain, ecuador, mexico, etc. i will relate to people on a familiar basis. I love people, and i love to help people.
with that in mind,, this was my thought..
Play volleyball for two more years, spend several thousand dollars doing so, as well as several thousand hours put into it, (and a constant stress, worry, happy/unhappiness)?
Or, spend that time and money building a stronger relationship with the Lord, serving His people in any and every way i can, ministering to them, and living in such a way to glorify Him?
You guessed it, i chose the latter of the two. For me, volleyball showed me nothing that seemed promising for my future except for great team skills. Getting involved with church ministries while i'm young and then growing up and maybe leading some,, now that sounds a lot more promising. Especially when the Lord's hand of blessing is over it.
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God has a lot in store for me and i cannot tell you how excited i am to find out of all the wonders he has planned for my life. I will tell you one thing though,, If ever you wish to join me, talk to me, or just question me, please do. I am always around. And i will not let go of my Lord's hand now. Wherever He leads me, i will follow.
"In the end, a person is only known by the impact they have on other people." -Jim Stovall
Entrust your future to God because our life is short. Prepare yourself so you are ready for whatever God's will is for your life. Make your heart, mind, and life ready so God will see you are open and ready for what He wants for your life. Make plans but keep them open.
Revelation 3:20
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."
A Christian should act in such a way that wouldn't make sense if there wasn't a God.
Ill leave you with those last thoughts.
-Taelor Danae Hewlett, child of God.



