There’s something about the first goal that changes everything. It increases swagger, and makes you feel official.

This season I’ve had two girls score their first ever goals in a soccer match, and it has caused both their confidence and their love for the game to skyrocket. Human beings love to win, and I think that our first win in a particular area is always special.

Can you remember the last time you scored a first goal? Perhaps you made a work presentation that you had never done before, or wrote your first song, or shared your faith for the first time. Firsts are always challenging because we’re rookies when we attempt them, but once we overcome them they introduce us to a whole new world of opportunity.

Although God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, it doesn’t mean that He is an unchanging status quo. He is interesting and exciting and He loves creativity and firsts.

If your life has been stuck on cruise control for too long, then I think God might want to introduce you to a new “first.” Maybe you’ll go on your first mission trip, or preach your first sermon, or write your first book.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 9 that we’re in this race to win. We can’t win until we score our first goal, and we can’t score that first goal until we get in the right game and play our little hearts out—just like my little U10 girls in AYSO.