Chalk Talk: Setting Goals with Scout Farmer
/“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know what you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” Colossians 3: 23-24
THE FAM: Hey Scout! I am SO excited to be talking with you today!! First off, tell us a little bit about who you are?
SCOUT: My name is Scout Farmer and I am 18 years old. I am a senior at Newport Harbor High School and love the game of soccer. I am just your average teenager trying to grow, love, and study. I want to help others realize that we are all in this journey with God together.
THE FAM: That's awesome! So how are you feeling going into your senior season?
SCOUT: I'm so excited for my senior year! I get to experience the bittersweet feels of ending a chapter to start a new chapter. I have the overwhelming feeling of sadness but happiness. Sad because after four years, it is finally over. But happy because I got to have four amazing years with girls that are family now. And all I want to do is thank God everyday for my blessings He has given me.
THE FAM: That tension between being sad and yet excited is so real and so relatable. Let's talk about your faith. I know you gave your life to Christ as a freshman in high school... how has that translated onto the soccer field?
SCOUT: To be honest, I usually forget about God when I am on the field. I tend to be mean spirited with my actions and I don’t care about what I say to the other girls. I sometimes hit and am overly aggressive and angry towards other players. In my last season of club, I started to challenge myself to be the Christian athlete where I would acknowledge God on the field. I haven’t been perfect, but I think I am beginning to get a better sense of what it means to be follow Jesus on the field. As my last season of high school is starting, I have set goals for myself that I want to follow in order to better follow God on and off the field.
THE FAM: I am so thankful for your honesty. So what are your goals for the season and why?
SCOUT: My three goals are to compete for Christ, represent God with my words and actions, and to respect and love others. I'll explain them below!
1. First off, my goal is to compete for Christ.
One of my main goals is to think more about God and what He has done for me in my game. God gave me the talent to perform at a high level and I want to use my talent to thank Him. God gave me a body that can push through the pain and bruises, I want to show Him that I am thankful for what He has given me. Instead of thinking that I am just playing soccer, I want to have a reason for why I am playing… that reason is God! Before, during, and after games, I want to thank Him for dying on the cross for me, by living obediently for Him and being grateful for what He has given me.
2. My next goal is to represent God with my actions and words.
I think that this is a great goal for me be a faithful follower of Jesus on the field because naturally I do not think before I act. If a girl hits me, I usually hit back harder. I use my words to get inside people's head and hurt them with words. Instead of this, my goal is to turn to God for peace before I react. I need to find Grace for the other girls and not react in an ungraceful way. I want my words and actions to represent God because I am His daughter. I am on Earth to help spread His goodness and grace.
3. Lastly, to respect and love others.
Having respect for the other team is one of my golden rules because God has taught me to love my brothers and sisters. God loves every single one of us, so I think it is fair to work on loving everyone even if they are wrong or have hurt me. I have realized that we all sin and yet God still loves and supports us. Why do I need to react in a hurtful way to get revenge on someone who has hurt me, when God has forgiven me too? This is how I want to work on showing grace and kindness to people on the field, by respecting others.
THE FAM: I love all of those. How encouraging and inspiring! How do you think you will accomplish those goals?
SCOUT: I want to reach my goals through prayer and being focus. I am also writing these out for accountability and will be sharing with friends what my goals are. I know that God is with me as I make my goals into reality. I am doing this to be with and closer to God while I play soccer!
THE FAM: Thank you SO much for sharing this with us. I am sure that it will encourage others and inspire them to make goals as well!!