Martin Luther King Jr. said it best, “Anybody can serve.  You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.  You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” God will use whoever is willing to be used. So “open up” to being used - where, when and how. “I am Third” means that God is first, others are second, and I am third. Being Third in a “Me First” age of social media, selfies, and instant gratification where personal comfort reigns is no easy task. By placing ourselves third, we have things in the right order. It is a dynamic in which God wins, others win, and we win. A key piece of a rewarding life is helping others; truly being altruistic without any obligation to do so.

Love takes work and ‘work’ is the definition of a verb. Consider the meaning of love, it is filled with actions—sacrificing, serving, listening, honoring, protecting, trusting, appreciating, affirming, among many others. Love is about making a positive difference in people's lives, all people’s lives. It is accepting people for who they are, including difficult people. “The Coin of Mattering” is the currency that values how we have existed and spent time on earth. It is a responsibility to live a life that matters. To transform, create, build, experience, and do what matters; be what matters. Live for the privilege of serving those around us. God has put us in a position to contribute to the success of wherever we are and with whomever. He has given us the opportunity to love and serve those around us and to do it with excellence for His glory. He has given us the means and opportunity to matter. It is our responsibility to live lives that matter.

Athletics and athletes were created in Greece. Purpose was to train citizens to strive for excellence, not merely victory. Excellence in every area.     To improve society. Sports teach us to persevere and push through, something we need in our faith. We can’t finish strong without pushing through somewhere along the way. We all like to win. Competing to win is good. However, the value derived from playing sports lies not in winning the game, but in giving our best; regardless of the outcome. The primary motivation for playing sports must be to obtain the goods internal to them, more so than the external gains. Competing to give glory to God and respect for others, is a display of loving God and loving others. God is with us in the wins, He is with us in the losses, and His acceptance of us doesn’t change in either of those circumstances. He is with us in the competition. Importantly, He is ‘with us’, not ‘for us.’

Humility has gone out of style. In an era of selfies and Social Media channels we are more aware of ourselves than ever before. The concept of ‘self’ is constantly in the forefront of our minds. Humility is the “lack of vanity or self-importance.” It is vitally important, but mostly overlooked in society today. Humble people don’t feel the need to paint a perfect picture of an “ideal life”. They are more concerned with the quality of their effort, the impact of their lives, and the content of their character. People with humility do not think less of themselves, they think of themselves less. They do not deny their talents and capabilities, rather they recognize these strengths pass through them, not from them. We live in a world where ego gets attention, but modesty gets results. Where arrogance makes headlines, but humility makes a difference.

We were commanded to live every day with love for each of our neighbors. To welcome them. The best we can today, then get up tomorrow and do it again. We must rise to the level of belonging. Belonging implies welcoming - acceptance and inclusion. Belonging is good for society. Creating a Welcoming environment in our community means loving those that live in our community, all of them. The foundation of welcoming is Love. The Bible does not say “tolerate thy neighbor” or even “be civil with thy neighbor,” it says, “love thy neighbor.” To love my neighbor is to welcome my neighbor. To welcome my neighbor is to see them through the eyes of God’s grace.

My “Coach Mahr” persona grew out of “answering a call.” Built off my life experiences as a business leader, a high school football coach, and a father. Most importantly it is uncovering how God’s presence is interwoven through everyday life. Now being in my third and final phase I feel called to invest in others and focus on “eulogy virtues” and not “résumé virtues.” Mentoring, motivating, building connections, raising the tide for all ships; establishing a better tomorrow, moving HIS kingdom forward. I am happy to be where I am in my life. The road I have taken is unique and it is mine, one that I was called to take.