Blog Archives - COACH Toby Schwarz

COACH Toby Schwarz

Tag ... You Are ... An Idiot!!

11/25/2025

"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8a

Imagine that you have a friend and the friend likes someone and tells you how much that they like that someone and then one day, you notice that particular someone walking closer to your friend and the next thing you know, your friend runs away from that someone and that someone, for some reason, chases your friend, but your friend runs faster away from that someone. What would you think of your friend in that situation?

Lord, help me to see that You are running to me with open arms and help me to stop running away.

Want More???!!!!

11/24/2025

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33

There seems to be a lot of people feeling as if they don't have much going on and that they want MORE! After talking with them, it appears that MORE is not what they need. They need DIFFERENT. When we find ourselves unsatisfied and wanting more, we should first examine whether we are seeking the right things. And when we do seek what is right, we will find that we will be given more than we can imagine.

Lord, thank You for all that I have and help me to want more of You and more of what You want.

Comforting and Humbling!!

11/20/2025

“See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children – and we are!” 1 John 3:1a.

We are God's Children!!! This is extremely comforting. If/when you are a parent, you know that you will do ANYTHING for your child. We are also God's Children!!! If you have ever been a child, you know that you THINK you can do things on your own but you REALIZE that you are completely dependent on your parents.

Lord, thank You that You see me as Your child but also help me to see myself as Your child, and that I am both loved by You but also I need You!

Step By Step!!!!

11/19/2025

“But I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.” Micah 7:7

When we find ourselves in a bind or we don't know what to do, there are three simple steps ...

Step 1 - Ask God. Stop what you are doing and don't try to fix it yourself. Ask God first.
Step 2 - Be Patient. God's timing is different than ours. We have been on the planet for a few years and He has been around for ... well, FOREVER ... so "I'll get back to you soon" is relatively different for Him compared to us. And He also has three possible responses when we only have two. We typically function with "Yes" or "No" while He often responses with "Not Yet".
Step 3 - Trust. Trust that God will answer and trust that His answer is always better than yours.

Lord, help me to ask, wait and trust!

Who Cares???!!!

11/18/2025

“The one who works his  land will have plenty of  food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.” Proverbs 12:11

"Who cares how we spend our time? It is my time. I can do with it however I want!" That life philosophy is fine if you don't want to accomplish much in life because we are all selfish, and when left to our own choices, we will choose less than more. More importantly, that life philosophy is fine if you don't care about what God wants. Who cares? God cares. He cares about you and cares that you care about other things than yourself.

Lord, thank You for caring about me and not simply leaving me to my own selfishness.

Love Skill!

11/17/2025

“And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.” 1 John 4:21

We all know those "natural athletes". Those people that just make athletics look easy. The are unusual and rare and that is why we often see them as being special. Unfortunately, most of us are the type of athlete that has to be intentional and work hard every day to achieve our athletic goals. Love is the same thing. There are those who make love look easy. For others, love is a skill that must be learned. God "commands" us to love. God "commands" things when He knows we won't do them naturally or frequently enough.

Lord, help me to train my "love skill" by showing love more today, especially when showing love is more challenging.

Pro Choice?!

11/13/2025

“A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10

"Comparison is the Thief of Joy" Theodore Roosevelt. So is Envy and Jealousy and Judgement and Hatred. If those are the thief of joy, what brings joy? Joy is a choice. Choose gratitude! Choose self-acceptance! Choose kindness! Choose contentment! Choose Jesus!!!!!

Lord, I choose You over those things that take from me, because You always give to me!

CHECK ME OUT!!

11/12/2025

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24

In this day and age, they say "if there isn't a picture, it didn't happen". This plays into the centuries old problem that "we are all selfish and we want to be seen when we do anything that is good". The "Check me out" mindset is real. Unfortunately, we should have more of a "Check God out" mindset.

Lord, help me to be more concerned about You getting credit than doing things so I get credit.

In Dependence!

11/11/2025

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

We have been given FREEDOM BY God. Freedom to make our own choices. A huge blessing. We have not been given INDEPENDENCE FROM God. We are dependent on God and will never reach our full potential on our own. We will always be dependent on God.

Lord, help me to avoid the temptation to overvalue my own independence and help me to understand the true meaning of the freedom that You provide and the gift and responsibility that it is.

People Pleaser!!

11/10/2025

“For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10

I have never found a "people pleaser" that is happy. Pleasing people is never successful. People are too selfish to care what you think or do for them. Pleasing people not only doesn't please them, it rarely pleases you. No one wins!

Lord, help me to be a God pleaser!