Chris & I put Libby in soccer when she was probably 4 or 5. It was too early, by the way, but she was so darn cute in her little lime green jersey with her blonde bob swinging in the breeze as she ran up and down the field. She mostly seemed to enjoy running alongside her friends (with no interest in the ball) when she wasn’t picking flowers off the pitch or waving to everyone on the sidelines. Oh, and snack. The girl loved herself a good snack.
For years after, we never missed a game. It was our weekend thing to do together, & we literally drove all over the state in every kind of weather to watch her play. We’ve sat on the sidelines in zero degree sleeping bags & two pairs of pants. We’ve sweated ourselves into heat exhaustion under our huge red & utterly obnoxious beach umbrella. One time it was raining so hard during a PK shootout, none of us could even see if the ball was in or out. We played hype music in the car on the way & tried not to talk too much on the way home if the good guys lost. We went through the Chick-fil-A drive-through at 6:30 am & ate countless team lunches at Panera Bread during tournaments. We all hated tryouts week with a passion. Two times we had to find a Hibbets in some random town because she refused to put on her cleats before she left the house & accidentally left them at home. We carpooled girls to and from practice & enjoyed the distinct smells of wet grass & feet in our vehicle. (Maybe “enjoyed” is too strong.) I loved hearing them talk & laugh when it was my turn to chauffeur. I loved hearing her & Chris debate the finer points of the offsides rule & what they would’ve called differently. I loved hearing him coach her, & we both loved that she would take his pointers & hash out how she could get better next week. He & I strategized and discussed her soccer “career” for hours on end. It was a big part of our lives for a long time.
She gained so much from soccer — An inner confidence, poise under pressure, the ability to quickly let go of the losses & enjoy the wins, the ability to deal gracefully with all kinds of coaches & adults, and the sweet, lasting bonds with a different friend group composed of great kids. It all served her well.
As she got older, soccer got more serious. We didn’t have aspirations for her to play in college, but it was important to us that she played in high school – especially for Chris. He was in the marching band, & he firmly believed it kept him out of trouble & gave him experiences & relationships that he still valued years later. He preached that our kids needed to be “part of something” to be happy & healthy. He said it SO often, in fact, we all probably rolled our eyes a few times behind his back. Sometimes to his face. 🙂
As everything about her young life became more competitive & serious, my flower-picking, waving-from-the-sidelines girl began to feel more and more pressure over soccer. What she loved most about playing – the team bonding & the friendships – was really taken away from her during Covid. We hated that for her. And what I hated most of all was that she sometimes didn’t feel important.
This weekend, her high school varsity teams – both the girls and the boys – earned the opportunity to play in the state finals. The games took place less than a mile from the trauma hospital where Cate & I were taken after the accident. The girls’ game, tied at 0-0, went into overtime & then an incredibly exciting PK shootout. The boys’ game was equally as exciting, with the goal that assured their win coming in the final moments of the match. They are both now State Champions. And she was an important part of it. Everyone seemed to feel it, & they were so kind to share it with me.
God can redeem anything He wants to.
As I stood there after the second win only able to say Oh. My. God. over & over, He showed me something. He showed me that this is what it feels like when you know the end of the story while it’s still unfolding. It’s an exciting, adrenaline-filled ride, but it’s different now. There is peace. When you have complete confidence that the end of the story is “WE WIN,” you get to just sit back & watch Him show off. It’s fun! And I think He wants us to have that same confidence in the end of the Big Story that He’s still writing.
He also showed me that she was playing along with them, just in a different place. A place where her skills — and her joy — are limitless. There’s no pressure, no insecurity — just love. And I believe her teammates got a taste of that on Friday night. Playing for the joy of it & the love for each other … I know I felt it, and it was incredible. They are bonded for life now.
I follow a woman who shares prophetic words. In late April, she said God showed her many people who have struggled & suffered for so long crying out with weariness, “May there be miracles.” He told her that He was taking their cries & pain & turning them into something else. Something new.
MIRACULOUS MAY appears to have arrived.
Good night ❤️⚽️❤️⚽️