10/09/2026
It’s Friday somebody needs to hear this if you’re dealing with anxiety feeling over whelmed or defeated. Let’s focus on the next play.
THE NEXT PLAY
A basketball framework for growing with Jesus
You’re good at basketball. That means we have something familiar to build on.
Kobe Bryant became a great player through learning, preparation, and practice. You can practice skills for everyday life, too. Jesus meets you where you are and helps you grow from there.
1. Practice the fundamentals.
On the court, footwork, passing, and shooting matter. In everyday life, your fundamentals might be keeping an appointment, communicating your needs, or completing one responsibility.
Your practice: Pick one small responsibility and repeat it this week. Make it manageable enough that you can begin.
2. Play one possession at a time.
Looking at everything you need to do can feel overwhelming. Bring your attention back to the possession in front of you.
If you need to make an appointment, your first play might be finding the number. The next play is deciding what to say. Then you make the call.
Your question: “What is my next manageable play?”
3. Use your timeout.
When you feel overwhelmed, practice noticing it and communicating it.
You can say: “I’m getting overwhelmed. I need a few minutes. Then I’d like help with the first step.”
During the pause, take a few comfortable breaths and pray: “Jesus, help me see what I can do next.”
Your practice: Agree with your mentor on how you’ll reconnect after a pause. If you need more time or support, say so.
4. Pass the ball.
Basketball gives you practice working with other people. Bring that skill into your everyday life.
Make your request specific: “Can you help me understand this letter?” or “Can you sit with me while I make this call?”
Your practice: Ask for help with one thing you’ve been carrying alone.
5. Review the play and make an adjustment.
A missed shot is one moment in a game. When something goes wrong, you can look at what happened and practice a different response.
Ask:
* What happened?
* What helped?
* What could I try next time?
Your worth in Christ is secure while you learn. You can acknowledge a mistake without condemning yourself.
THIS WEEK’S PRACTICE
Choose one area: appointments, communication, household responsibilities, or another area that matters to you.
Each day, write just one sentence:
“Today, my next play is ______.”
When we meet again, we’ll talk about what you tried, what helped, and where you need support.
Read Matthew 6:34 together. Let it bring your attention back to today.
One possession at a time. One manageable step. Walk with Jesus through the next play.
