Amber's Stand
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series II Cycle A
Amber was thrilled when she made the girl's varsity basketball team in her junior year of high school. She really loved basketball and practiced hard to make the team.
Amber was encouraged by fellow teammates and her parents. Her coach told her that with a couple of good years she would be able to receive scholarships to any number of colleges with good basketball programs. This became Amber's goal. She would practice and play hard with the hope of receiving a scholarship. Her parents always told her to dream the impossible dream, which she did.
Amber was also very active in her church's youth group. She helped plan a weekend retreat with other youth from several area churches. It would be a great weekend together in the mountains. Not only would there be plenty to do that weekend, but Amber also saw it as a chance to grow in her faith. Amber's parents paid the deposit to ensure she would go. Amber did not think too much about it; the retreat would take place a couple of weeks after basketball season was completed. The youth were eagerly anticipating their retreat, talking about it at practically every meeting.
It was one of those unforgettable seasons for the girls' basketball team. They did better than anyone had honestly expected. Amber was among the team's leading scorers. The team not only had a winning record, but they would also be in the state playoffs for the first time ever. A sports writer for the local newspaper wrote that the team had a very good chance to win the state championship. All the girls on the team were ecstatic.
As the girls were practicing for the playoffs Amber realized that one of the games was scheduled for the same weekend as her church youth group retreat. She knew her team needed her while at the same time she really wanted to go on the retreat with the other youth. Her parents told her it was her decision to make. Either she would play basketball or she would go with the youth group on their retreat. This was not an easy decision to make, but Amber made her own choice. First, she told her parents, then the youth group, and finally her coach. She would not play basketball but would instead go on the weekend retreat with her church youth group. Her parents were so proud of her. They did not have to tell her what to do or what was more important. She had made her own decision.
The coach was a completely different story. She told Amber that if she wasn't going to participate in that one playoff game she would let her teammates down and would be off the team. Not only would she be off the team, the coach told her, she would seriously jeopardize any future college scholarships she might receive.
While many might have caved in to the pressure, Amber did not. She went with her youth group and had a fantastic weekend at the retreat.
Amber was encouraged by fellow teammates and her parents. Her coach told her that with a couple of good years she would be able to receive scholarships to any number of colleges with good basketball programs. This became Amber's goal. She would practice and play hard with the hope of receiving a scholarship. Her parents always told her to dream the impossible dream, which she did.
Amber was also very active in her church's youth group. She helped plan a weekend retreat with other youth from several area churches. It would be a great weekend together in the mountains. Not only would there be plenty to do that weekend, but Amber also saw it as a chance to grow in her faith. Amber's parents paid the deposit to ensure she would go. Amber did not think too much about it; the retreat would take place a couple of weeks after basketball season was completed. The youth were eagerly anticipating their retreat, talking about it at practically every meeting.
It was one of those unforgettable seasons for the girls' basketball team. They did better than anyone had honestly expected. Amber was among the team's leading scorers. The team not only had a winning record, but they would also be in the state playoffs for the first time ever. A sports writer for the local newspaper wrote that the team had a very good chance to win the state championship. All the girls on the team were ecstatic.
As the girls were practicing for the playoffs Amber realized that one of the games was scheduled for the same weekend as her church youth group retreat. She knew her team needed her while at the same time she really wanted to go on the retreat with the other youth. Her parents told her it was her decision to make. Either she would play basketball or she would go with the youth group on their retreat. This was not an easy decision to make, but Amber made her own choice. First, she told her parents, then the youth group, and finally her coach. She would not play basketball but would instead go on the weekend retreat with her church youth group. Her parents were so proud of her. They did not have to tell her what to do or what was more important. She had made her own decision.
The coach was a completely different story. She told Amber that if she wasn't going to participate in that one playoff game she would let her teammates down and would be off the team. Not only would she be off the team, the coach told her, she would seriously jeopardize any future college scholarships she might receive.
While many might have caved in to the pressure, Amber did not. She went with her youth group and had a fantastic weekend at the retreat.
