Prodigy’s are especially young individuals, endowed with exceptional abilities, talents and qualities. When coaches, parents or teachers discover this gift, young people are often pushed to see how good or great they can be. In some cases adults use these special children as pawns, attempting to live their lives through them. If an endeavor results in a full college scholarship after years of dedication, practice and persistent is rewarded. Yet; if these prodigy’s get burned out, lose interest or start to hate the sport they once loved, perhaps these years were a waste of time.
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established, Proverbs 16:3.
As a former coach, I have seen my share of amazing athletes. After spending three consecutive years at cross country nationals, I began to see key ingredients in becoming an elite runner. Through conversations with other coaches and parents, most of the national champions joined a local running club early, some starting at the age of 6. Meanwhile, as a high school golf coach, a similar connection can be made. Competition, dedication to practice and a swing coach has resulted in one of the strongest classes of female golfers to come out of the state of Delaware. I won’t be surprised if a few of these young women end playing on the LPGA tour after college.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, Colossians 3:23.
After I moved back to Delaware two decades ago, a friend gave me the phone number of Max Lucado’s editor. I spent nearly thirty minutes asking a series of question, wanting to know what it takes to become a professor writer. After sharing a brief summary of his road to success, one comment stuck out during our conversation. “If you are going to take this seriously, you need to write full time for seven years to have any chance at getting recognized.” This year marks my 7th year as an amateur screen writer. After I submit my two scripts for the 2019 Nicholls Contest by the May 1st deadline, I won’t hear the results until July. Nonetheless, I have taken a chance, invested hundreds of hours and have become vulnerable to rejection to pursue another dream. Only time will tell if my attempt at becoming a prodigy writer will result in success or failure.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 