HEY CARDINALS NATION!

Welcome to our Athletics Department Newsletter. By subscribing, you will get any and all information about Concordia Athletics sent straight to your inbox every week. These will be going out every Monday.

Here’s what to expect in today’s newsletter:

• Blog

• Weekly Recap

• Quote of the Day

• Cardinal Toolbox

• Upcoming Events

• Read Time: ~ 5 minutes

🔨 BLOG

“THERE ARE NO GREAT VICTORIES IN LIFE WITHOUT ADVERSITY”

Tiger Woods was widely considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. He had won an impressive 14 major championships and was at the height of his career in the early 2000s.

But one day, his world came crashing down. A scandal involving infidelity and personal issues led to a very public divorce and negative media attention. Woods' performance on the golf course began to decline, and he faced criticism from fans and fellow players who questioned whether he could ever regain his former greatness.

To make matters worse, Woods struggled with a series of injuries, including chronic back pain that required multiple surgeries and forced him to take extended breaks from golf. Despite his best efforts, he faced setbacks and challenges that left many people wondering if he would ever be able to return to his former glory.

But Woods refused to give up on his dreams. He worked tirelessly to overcome his physical limitations and rebuild his personal and professional reputation. He underwent numerous surgeries and treatments to address his back pain, and spent countless hours in physical therapy and training to regain his strength and flexibility.

His hard work paid off in 2018 when he returned to competitive golf and began to show signs of his former greatness. He finished second in two major tournaments that year and began to climb his way back up the world rankings.

Then, in April 2019, Woods achieved one of the greatest comebacks in sports history by winning the Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia. In the final round, he put on a masterful performance, displaying the kind of skill, determination, and grace under pressure that had made him a legend in the world of golf.

As he sank the final putt to clinch the victory, the crowd erupted in cheers, celebrating not just his triumph on the golf course but the resilience and perseverance that had brought him to that moment.

If there’s one thing in life that I have come to learn as a coach, as a teacher, and just as a sports fan. It’s that there are no great victories in life with adversity. The greatest celebrations come from the greatest heartbreaks.

As Christians, our greatest victory was achieved by Christ. And Christ’s victory comes from the greatest adversity, known to man: victory over sin, death, and the powers of darkness. The quote "There can be no great victories in life without tremendous defeat" reminds us that victory often comes after a period of struggle and hardship.

In order to achieve victory over sin and death, Christ had to endure tremendous suffering and defeat. He willingly took on the sins of humanity and suffered a brutal death on the cross. But through his resurrection, he emerged victorious, defeating sin and death once and for all. Christ's victory is all the sweeter because of the defeat he endured. It reminds us that even in our own struggles and defeats, we can find hope in the ultimate victory that Christ achieved for us.

There are 3 main points about this victory that I want to look at.

1. Christ’s victory over sin and death

2. Christ’s victory over the powers of darkness

3. Christ’s victory in our daily lives

1. Christ’s victory over sin and death

Sin and death are the fundamental enemies of humanity. Sin is the rebellion against God's will and the separation from His love, while death is the ultimate consequence of sin- death.. The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that the wages of sin is death. Therefore, sin and death are not just problems that we face in life, but existential threats to our very being.

However, the good news is that Christ has achieved victory over sin and death through His death and resurrection. On the cross, Christ took upon Himself the punishment that we deserve for our sins, and through His resurrection, He conquered death and opened the way to eternal life.

As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Through Christ's victory over sin and death, we have the assurance of salvation and eternal life. We can have confidence that our sins are forgiven, our relationship with God is restored, and our future is secure. We can live in the freedom and joy that comes from knowing that death has been defeated and that we will live forever with God.

But this victory is not just a personal triumph, but a cosmic one. Christ's victory over sin and death has universal significance, as it brings hope and redemption to all of creation. As Paul writes in Romans 8:19-23, "The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed...in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God." Therefore, the victory of Easter is not just a celebration of our own salvation, but a proclamation of the good news to the world.

2. Christ’s victory over the powers of darkness

The Bible teaches that there is a spiritual battle taking place around us. In Ephesians 6:12, we read, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” There are spiritual forces at work in our world, and they are opposed to God and His purposes. We live in a broken world. If you look at the atrocities that happen in our world on a daily basis, you can tell that our world isn’t how it should be. We try to come up with solutions to all of the problems that the world has. But when that happens, another problem springs up. Threats of war loom around the world. There’s a mental health crisis in our world. It seems like we receive news of another atrocity in our schools practically every week. Our world is broken! There is a spiritual battle that consistently takes place around us!

However, the good news is that Christ has achieved victory over the powers of darkness. In Colossians 2:15, we read that Christ “disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”The victory Christ achieved on the cross was not just over sin and death, but also over the powers of darkness.

What are the powers of darkness? They refer to the spiritual forces that are opposed to God and His purposes. The Bible describes Satan and his demons as the leaders of these forces. In the book of John, Satan is described as a liar and a murderer, who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 8:44, John 10:10). His goal is to oppose God and His people, and to lead them away from the truth.

However, Christ’s victory over the powers of darkness means that Satan’s power over us has been broken. When we put our faith in Christ, we are transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). We are no longer under the power of Satan, but under the power of Christ.

This victory is not just a future hope, but a present reality. Christ has given us the authority to resist the devil and his schemes (James 4:7). We can stand firm in the truth, knowing that Christ has already won the victory over the powers of darkness.

We can also live in freedom from sin, as Christ has given us the power to overcome temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). We can resist the devil’s schemes, knowing that Christ has already won the victory over him.

However, it is important to remember that the powers of darkness are still at work in our world. Satan and his demons are still active, seeking to oppose God and His purposes. But as believers, we can stand firm in the truth, knowing that Christ has already won the victory. We can resist the devil’s schemes, knowing that he has no power over us. We can live in freedom, knowing that Christ has already achieved victory over the powers of darkness.

CHRIST’S VICTORY MEANS FREEDOM!

Christ’s victory means freedom for us from the powers of darkness of this world. We know that Christ has already achieved victory over the powers of darkness!

Christ’s victory on the cross was not just over sin and death, but also over the powers of darkness. As believers, we can live in the freedom that this victory brings. We do not have to be afraid of the powers of darkness, because Christ has already defeated them. We can resist the devil’s schemes, knowing that he has no power over us. We can stand firm in the truth, knowing that Christ has already won the victory.

3. Christ’s victory in our daily lives

As Christians, we are called to live our lives in a way that reflects the victory that we have in Christ. It is not enough to simply know that Christ has overcome sin, death, and the powers of darkness. We must also live our lives in a way that reflects this victory and share this truth with those around us. This right here is the transforming power of Christ’s victory on the cross. This is the celebration that we see on Easter. This is why Holy Week this week is so special and so important. Through that freedom that we receive, we now get to live our lives in a way that reflects the victory that we have in Christ!

Living a victorious life in Christ means that we live in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who empowers us to live a life that is pleasing to God. It is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to overcome the temptations of the flesh and the schemes of the devil.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 5:16-17, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” We experience Christ’s victory in our life when we walk by the Spirit!!

Walking in the Spirit means that we must be intentional about our relationship with God. We must spend time in prayer, reading the Word of God, and being in fellowship with other believers. These are the things that will help us to grow in our relationship with God and to live a victorious life in Christ.

The Apostle Paul also reminds us in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” We must allow our minds to be transformed by the Word of God. This means that we must be intentional about what we allow into our minds. We must guard our hearts and minds against the things of this world that can distract us from living a victorious life in Christ.

Living a victorious life in Christ also means that we must be obedient to His Word. The Apostle John reminds us in 1 John 5:3, “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” We must be obedient to God’s Word if we want to experience victory in our daily lives. This means that we must choose to follow His commands, even when it is difficult or unpopular.

Living a victorious life in Christ also means that we must be willing to forgive others. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Forgiveness is essential to living a victorious life in Christ. We cannot hold on to bitterness, anger, or resentment if we want to experience the fullness of the victory that we have in Christ.

The victory that we have in Christ is not just something that we celebrate on Easter. It is something that we can experience every day of our lives. Living a victorious life in Christ means that we must walk in the Spirit, be intentional about our relationship with God, allow our minds to be transformed by the Word of God, be obedient to His Word, and be willing to forgive others. When we do these things, we will experience the fullness of the victory that we have in Christ, and we will be able to share this truth with those around us.

What a beautiful display for our athletes of what true victory looks like! In the face of their our trials and adversity, they can have hope because of what Christ has done for them.

We have seen how he achieved victory over sin and death, how he triumphed over the powers of darkness, and how he brings victory into our daily lives. And we are reminded that all of this was accomplished through his great sacrifice on the cross.

The story of Tiger Woods' victory at Augusta is a powerful illustration of this truth. We saw how he overcame defeat and adversity to once again claim victory. But as sweet as that victory was, it pales in comparison to the victory that we have in Christ. For his victory was not just over a golf tournament, but over the very forces of darkness that seek to destroy us.

Christ's victory was not easy. It came at a great cost, and he endured immense suffering and pain to achieve it. But because of his sacrifice, we can now share in his victory. We can overcome sin and death, we can resist the powers of darkness, and we can live victorious lives in Christ.

Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." This verse reminds us that through our union with Christ, we have died to our old self and have been raised to new life in Him. We now live by faith in Him and His victory over sin and death, and it is only through Him that we can have victory in our daily lives.

Let us remember the incredible victory that we have in Christ. And let us give thanks for his great sacrifice, which made this victory possible. May we live every day in the light of this truth, and may our lives be a testimony to the power of Christ's victory over sin and death.

- Coach T

💭 QUOTE OF THE DAY

💬 VERSE OF THE DAY

🧰 CARDINAL TOOLBOX

“HANDLE HARD BETTER”

We all pray for our circumstance to be easier rather than praying for the strength to handle hard better.

⏪️ WEEKLY RECAP

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball pulled out the brooms again in both games to move to 5-1 on the season. The Lady Cards haven’t given up a set in 15 straight sets!

The Lady Cards start district play this week! Wish them luck!

FOOTBALL

Cardinal Football started the season of 1-0 with a dominating victory over Summit Christian.

Alex Jones 119 pass yds, 4 TDs, 1 Rush TD

Daniel Wolfmueller 53 rush yds, 1 TD

Will Charles 83 rec yds, 1 TD

Lucas Long 26 yds, 2 TD

Henry Kalbas 10 yds, 1 TD

The Cardinals will travel on the road again this week to take on St. Mary’s Catholic in Taylor.

‼️ UPCOMING EVENTS

VB @ San Antonio Keystone: JV @ 5:00, V @ 6:00 Address: 119 E. Craig Place, San Antonio, TX 78212

VB vs Kerrville OLH: JV @ 6:00, Varsity @ 7:00 Address: 500 Immanuel Rd. Pflugerville, TX 78660

FB @ Taylor St. Mary’s Catholic: Kickoff at 7:00. Address: 1213 Davis St, Taylor, TX 76574

VB Tournament @ Carrollton Prince of Peace: Sep 1-2. 1st Game Friday @ 3pm Address: 2600 Research Drive, Plano, TX 75054 

XC Meet @ San Juan Diego: Time TBD. Address: 2512 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

🏅 LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO SUPPORT CARDINAL ATHLETICS?

If you are looking for more ways to follow along and support our athletes, here are a few more things we do:

1. Interested in Sponsoring an Edition of our Newsletter? Shoot an email to our athletic director [email protected] and he will point you in the right direction!

2. Follow us on Social Media. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates throughout the season!

We pray that your day is full of reminders of God’s love and faithfulness. May you faithfully build your life on Christ.

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in my weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

To God be the glory,

Coach T