Blog Archives - COACH Toby Schwarz

COACH Toby Schwarz

Never Alone!

1/31/2025

“He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8b

Loneliness is a natural feeling and emotions come with that feeling. Being alone is a choice because God has promised to always be with us, no matter what.

Lord, thank YOU for always being with me, especially when I am lonely.

Patience Is A Skill!

1/30/2025

“As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.” Luke 24:49b

Patience!

Lord, I am not going to pray for patience because I know that You will help me acquire it by painfully and involuntarily practicing patience, so instead, I am choosing to work on being more patient and simply ask for Your strength in being patient.

Positive Messaging!

1/29/2025

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” Romans 10:15

It is too easy to complain. It is more challenging and takes more effort to be positive and encouraging. However, it requires God's help and strength to have an attitude of joy in the midst of any circumstance and that attitude of joy will allow us to complain less and demonstrate joy and love more often.

Lord, give me strength.

All Day, Every Day!

1/28/2025

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7

My college mentor always said, "How different would our life be if we walked around all day, every day, as if Jesus were standing right next to us?" Our actions and words would most likely be much different. We wouldn't want to upset Him and we wouldn't want to embarrass ourselves.

Lord, help me to remember that You are walking with me all day, every day.

Skill-Full!

1/27/2025

We recognize that we need to practice to be better at any skill. Free throw shooting. Golf. Fishing. Woodwork. Cooking. Driving. We all understand that skills require time and effort and intentionality. Unfortunately, we tend to look at "soft skills" as being different than these "hard skills". Resilience is a skill. We must work through tough stuff to learn how to work through tough stuff. Mental Toughness is a skill. Focus is a skill. Coping with anxiety is a skill. When we see these things as being a "personality trait" or something else that we can't get better at, we only get worse at them. Working Hard is a skill. If we want to be a hard worker, today is a great day to work hard. And working hard at being more resilient, mentally tough, having focus and coping are all a great place to start. "I learned the value of hard work by working hard."

You Don't Need To Ask!

1/27/2025

“The Lord looks down from heaven; he observes everyone.” Psalm 33:13

It is interesting that we often include in our prayers, "Lord be with us" or "Lord be with me". I get it. But it also seems obsolete. God is always with us. Maybe we should pray, "Lord, thanks for being with me always" or more appropriately for most of us, "Lord, help me to recognize that You are always with me, even when I may not be with You."

Lord, thank You for being with me always and help me to recognize that You are always with me, even when I may not acknowledge that You are.

What Time Is It?!

1/24/2025

“There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

There is a time for everything. Unfortunately, we aren't patient, nor do we handle unmet expectations very well so it often feels like the "wrong time". We need to trust in God's timing and realize that our timing and His timing don't necessarily match up so we need to trust that the time we are in right now is the time we should rejoice in or the time to ask for His strength to get through.

Lord, the time is now for me to trust in Your timing and thank You for the blessings and ask for help in times of struggle.

PRay First!

1/23/2025

“Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray." James 5:13

Most of us pray when there is nothing else we can do. We pray because we are suffering and need help. Maybe we should pray first and we would prevent avoidable suffering.

Lord, help me, heal me and grant me peace.

Who Is God?!

1/22/2025

“For the LORD is great and highly praised; he is feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.” 1 Chronicles 16:25-26

What about You!?

1/21/2025

’‘The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8b

We all sin. We all need Jesus. We all have more in common than we have that can be used by us to criticize others with.

Lord, help me to spend my time dealing with my own failures and spend no time pointing out others' failures.