Today I'm covering the third Beatitude which reads, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." -Matthew 5:5 (NRSVUE) Meekness is often misunderstood. Modern definitions don't convey what the Biblical authors were trying to convey. I once heard someone describe it as "power under control" but that's not quite right. Mark E. Caner describes meekness as "an attitude or quality of heart whereby a person is willing to accept and submit without resistance to the will and desire of someone else." So meekness is more about your attitude than your actions.  How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? If you've played in any tournaments you've had to exercise meekness. This is especially true if there's no referee. In nearly every tournament, your opponent calls balls out on their side of the court. There are times when you need to exercise meekness (even if it appears a bad call) because they have the authority to make the call.  When there isn't a referee to appeal to, this can be especially difficult. One way to avoid conflict is through the acronym PEACE mentioned in Caner's article: Place your faith in Jesus Christ Employ prayer in your decisions Adjust your focus from yourself Control your anger and tongue Exude your humility and mercy I hope this helps you the next time a line call doesn't go your way! Pickleball News At the Masters last week, the PPA introduced new serve rules: There is no tossing the ball up on the serve The ball must leave the hand in a downward motion The ball must leave the hand at or below the top of the hip Some players were hitting serves into the net because they had to change their serving style. The new ball and new serve rules shook things up at the tournament. Pickleball Tip This week's pickleball tip comes from Ed Ju (Davis Pickleball) and it deals with eye dominance. The biggest takeaway from this video is to make sure your dominant eye isn't turned away from where you're trying to hit the ball. Closing Remarks Next week we’ll cover the fourth Beatitude that deals with righteousness so make sure you’re following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you liked this podcast share it with a friend and don’t forget to stay out of the kitchen! Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Send some Satoshis: https://getalby.com/p/jorowi Looking for a new paddle? Check out Glory Pickleball. Using the code GENX10 will get you a 10% discount on their paddles and it helps support the podcast.

Today I'm covering the second Beatitude in Matthew 5:4 which reads, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (NRSVUE) Mourning is something many of us don't do well. There's a misconception among Christians that we should always be happy. Think about this, though: If you don't mourn you'll miss out on the blessing of being comforted. You also rob others of being a blessing when they comfort you. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? You're going to lose some games. If you're like me, you're going to lose a lot of games. If I'm not playing well, I can really start feeling down on myself.  When this happens, it's important for me to allow my partner or the group I'm playing with to comfort me. It's also a good time to consider any instructions or suggestions from others so that I can improve my game. News Steve Wong is the new Vice President of Competition at USA Pickleball. In a press release on their site, USA Pickleball said Wong "will oversee USA Pickleball’s competition department with an emphasis on growing and streamlining all sanctioned tournament play, including National Championships, regional tournaments and general sanctioning."  The Vulcan’s VPRO FLIGHT Pickleball was named the official ball of the PPA Pro Tour. Pickleball Tip This week's pickleball tip comes from Briones Pickleball and it's about improving your serve.  Have a pre-serve routine to help you focus on the point. Contact the ball in front of your body. Closing Remarks Next week we’ll cover the third Beatitude that deals with meekness so make sure you’re following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you liked this podcast share it with a friend and don’t forget to stay out of the kitchen! Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Send some Satoshis: https://getalby.com/p/jorowi Looking for a new paddle? Check out Glory Pickleball. Using the code GENX10 will get you a 10% discount on their paddles and it helps support the podcast.

This week I’m talking about Matthew 5:3 which reads, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NRSV)  Poor in spirit can refer to humility or knowing that you’re in need of God’s grace. It can also refer to physical poverty but most people see this phrase as more of an attitude rather than a state of poverty. The “kingdom of Heaven” isn’t a physical kingdom but a spiritual one. Yes, one day Jesus will physically establish His kingdom on earth but that’s not what He was referring to here. That spiritual kingdom is often referred to as an “upside-down” kingdom where the meek and merciful put others first. How can we apply this to pickleball?  When I started playing, I didn’t know anything about the game. I had a lot to learn and I’d actively seek out players who could teach me more about pickleball.  Now that I know more, I have to check my heart sometimes and make sure I don’t approach the game as a “know-it-all”. There is always more to learn. Even pros have to learn new strategies and techniques to continue playing their best. I need to do the same. I should also be willing to play a game or two with that newbie. This can be hard for the competitor in me sometimes because having a partner who makes more mistakes than I do can be frustrating. But, I need to put others first sometimes so that I’m not only helping someone learn to play a fun sport but I’m also exhibiting a Christ-like attitude. News Pickleball Kingdom is expanding to New Jersey. According to a press release, Pickleball Kingdom is aggressively expanding and “has identified New Jersey as a key growth area. The company previously announced it plans to open 20 Pickleball Kingdom locations in Central New Jersey over the next few years. It is now on a star search to find ambitious people who want to participate in that growth.”  Pickleball Tip This week’s tip comes from John Cincola and it has to do with dinking.    Use cross-court dinks for offense in order to create openings for an attack. Use dinks to the middle or directly across from you for defense and to neutralize or setup your opponent. Watch his video for a more in-depth explanation. Closing Remarks Next week we’ll cover the second Beatitude that deals with mourning and comfort so make sure you’re following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you liked this podcast share it with a friend and don’t forget to stay out of the kitchen! Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Send some Satoshis: https://getalby.com/p/jorowi Looking for a new paddle? Check out Glory Pickleball. Using the code GENX10 will get you a 10% discount on their paddles and it helps support the podcast.  

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. If you haven't started playing yet, you probably know someone who does.  As a Christian, I try to be like Jesus in every area of my life. When I'm on a pickleball court that can be a challenge sometimes. In this eight-episode series, I'll share how The Beatitudes in Jesus' sermon on the mount help us stay out of the kitchen and play pickleball in a way that honors Christ without being "that person" who tries turning every point into a sermon. I'll also lob in some pickleball news and tips each episode so you're not stuck on the sidelines waiting to get into the game. Join me each week in January and February for Good News Pickleball!   Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Support the podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/johnwilkerson Looking for a new paddle? Check out Glory Pickleball. Using the code GENX10 will get you a 10% discount on their paddles and it helps support the podcast.