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*Listen/Watch the Full FFF Podcast on Spotify , YouTube , Apple It's Not My Fault Most Fantasy Football managers who have played for a while are confident they can draft a strong team, put together successful weekly lineups, and make the right moves throughout the season. However, sometimes, the players we thought would be great are disappointments. Despite our high hopes, our Fantasy team often loses many more games than we thought they would. When this happens, we complain about our bad Fantasy season, quickly shift the blame for why we lost certain matchups, and make excuses for our poor decision-making. We tell ourselves or others, “It’s not my fault,” and instead… ·        Blame the actual NFL player for not being a more productive player on our Fantasy team. ·        Blame all the injuries our Fantasy team dealt with. ·        Blame the coaches for not calling enough touchdown plays for the players on our Fantasy team. ·        Blame the Fantasy analyst who told us to start that player, and he ended up with one Fantasy point. ·        Blame the refs for not giving our player the catch he deserved, which made our team lose by one point. ·        Blame the Fantasy schedule for always having to play the highest-scoring team of the week. ·        Blame our loss on having too many players on a bye. ·        Blame our bad draft on our draft position and having the 8th pick. ·        Blame our close loss on our opponent being lucky. We can come up with excuses and people to blame all day long, and yes, there may be legitimate reasons to complain about how our season has turned out. But we need to be willing to own our mistakes since we're the ones who drafted the players, made the lineup decisions, added and dropped players on the waiver wire, and accepted and rejected trade offers. After all, we're responsible for our Fantasy team, and although so much is out of our control, it doesn’t give us the green light to blame, complain, and make excuses. We must acknowledge that we chose the wrong players, made foolish lineup decisions, and shouldn’t have rejected that trade offer. Sometimes, it’s just not our season, and we can either say, “It’s not my fault,” or say, “I’m the manager, it was my bad, and I just didn’t choose the right players this year.” When it comes to our lives, we can find ourselves in a tough spot and quickly blame others. We can make excuses for our behavior or current circumstances and complain about our jobs, classes, coaches, teachers, bosses, kids, or spouses. Yes, so much is out of our control, and there may be legitimate reasons to complain about what’s happened to us. However, the reality is that we all make choices and sometimes make the wrong ones. But when we make mistakes and blow it somehow, are we willing to take ownership of our actions...or do we point our fingers at someone/something else? When we lose in life, the sooner we’re willing to go from “It’s not my fault” to “It’s my bad,” the quicker we can evaluate, learn, and move forward. 1 John 1:8-9 (AMP) tells us, “If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [His Word does not live in our hearts.] If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].” We must acknowledge we are sinners and admit when we sin. As we surrender our lives to Jesus and follow Him, confessing and repenting is something we must be willing to do as we rest in God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Proverbs 28:13 (NLT) says,  “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” We can echo Psalm 32:5 (ESV): “I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” It’s hard to admit when we’re wrong or when we sin. We’d much rather make excuses, blame someone else, and complain about the bad things that have affected us, but ultimately, we are responsible for our behavior, mindset, and choices made while on this earth. Paul reminds us in Romans 14:10-12 (TLB): “You have no right to criticize your brother or look down on him. Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of God. For it is written, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue confess to God.’ Yes, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” We won’t blame then, so let’s not blame now. Prideful people are unwilling to admit when it’s their fault, so we must choose humility and embrace the grace available to us through Jesus as we turn to Him and say, “My bad,” "I was wrong," and “I need You.” Let’s be encouraged this week by James 4:6 (AMP): “But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, 'God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].'” If you could go back to this year's Fantasy draft, what is the number one thing you would do differently, and why? What is the biggest mistake that you have made as a Fantasy manager during the season this year? What/who are you most likely to blame when your Fantasy season isn't going well? What are your most common excuses if you're having a lousy Fantasy season? What are the situations or areas in which you complain about everyone else or blame others the most? Why do you think you tend to complain about those things? Why is it such a big deal when you choose to blame and fail to acknowledge your sins and take accountability? What is the difference between being in a culture (at home, work, with friends) of blame and excuse-making and a culture of accountability and grace? How have you experienced the blessing of openly confessing your sin, not making excuses, or blaming others? Most conflicts involve multiple people who are sinning against one another. How can you avoid shifting the blame away from yourself in such situations and own your role in the conflict? How can you respond to others confessing their sins and owning their mistakes? Original NFL rules did not allow substitutions, meaning every player had to play the entire game on both sides of the ball.

*Listen/Watch the Full FFF Podcast on Spotify , YouTube , Apple Talking About Fantasy Football If you’re like me, you love playing Fantasy Football and talking about it! It’s fun to tell other people about our team, how we did in our most recent matchup, and discuss the players who contributed to our team’s success. We especially get excited when we bring up how bad our team was to start the season and how we turned things around.  We’ll talk about Fantasy Football with other Fantasy managers in our league or friends in other leagues, and sometimes even with strangers, because there are plenty of aspects from the season that we can relate to. We speak the same language, know what it’s like to face the same injuries to star players, and understand how exciting it is to experience a close win that was clinched during Monday Night Football.  As easy as it is to have Fantasy conversations with other people who play Fantasy, it can be challenging to bring up the topic with people who don’t currently participate. Sometimes, people are hostile toward Fantasy Football because they don’t believe it’s something they would be interested in. Other times, people have no understanding of what it’s all about.  However, in these situations, we get to passionately tell them why we love Fantasy Football, why it’s been so important in our lives, and why it’s worth the commitment. It might initially sound foreign or foolish to those who don’t play, but we can help them comprehend it so they're no longer confused.  We might also find out that the reason they don’t play is that they’ve never been invited to a league or they have a false understanding of Fantasy Football. These are opportunities to encourage more people to play Fantasy and experience the same joy we have from our involvement. We can explain why they should play and participate in the Fantasy Football community. We have to help them realize that it will give them a new perspective on the NFL and that being in a Fantasy league will provide worthwhile relationships. We need to do our part to ensure that people don’t continue missing out on everything that Fantasy offers. This approach to spreading the word about Fantasy Football will hopefully get us thinking about what’s much more important to tell others about: Jesus! If we love Him, then we love talking about Him. Our gratitude and love toward Him give us the desire to share the Gospel. It's the Good News that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection allow us to be saved from our sins and given eternal life through faith in Him.  As much as we love talking about Fantasy Football, do we love talking to others about Jesus? What if we got excited about sharing the many ways we once “had a bad team” and how He helped us turn things around? We’ll most likely talk about our faith with other believers in our church or from other churches because we speak the same language, face similar “injuries,” and  have plenty of other aspects we relate to.  These conversations might be easy, but we know how challenging it can be to discuss Jesus and the Bible with people who don’t currently follow Him. Sometimes, people are hostile toward God because they don’t believe in Him, aren’t interested, or don't understand what being a Christian is all about.  Romans 10:14-15 (NLT) says, “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!'” We get to passionately tell others who Jesus is, how He loves us, why we love Him, why He’s been so important in our lives, and why it’s worth the commitment to follow Him. People see something different about us because He lives within us, so we must always be ready to talk about Him. 1 Peter 3:15 (AMP) tells us, "But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.” We might find out that sometimes people don’t believe because they’ve never been invited to a church or because they have a false understanding of Christianity. It sounds foreign or foolish at first to those who don’t yet believe, but we can help them understand what it truly means to know God and be forgiven so they're no longer confused.  These are opportunities to encourage more people to trust in Jesus and experience the same joy we have from following Him. We can explain to them why they should turn to Him and be a part of the family of God.  2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV) explains, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you, on behalf of Christ, to be reconciled to God.” We have to help them realize how it will give them a new perspective on life and eternity and how being in a local church will provide worthwhile relationships. We need to help ensure that people don’t continue missing out on everything that God offers us—Himself, His love, grace, mercy, and peace. We can help other people come to faith in Christ by telling them about the truth of God’s Word, the transformation He’s made in our lives, and how we’ve experienced His presence and power. But ultimately, the Holy Spirit’s work changes hearts and minds and empowers people to surrender their lives to Jesus.  When we consider how He’s worked in our lives, how could we not talk about it? As Psalm 105:1-2 (NLT) puts it,  “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done. Sing to Him; yes, sing His praises. Tell everyone about His wonderful deeds.” What do you love most about Fantasy Fo ot ball? What kind of conversations do you regularly have with others about Fantasy Football? What makes it hard to talk to people about Fantasy who have never played before? What do Fantasy outsiders have difficulty understanding about Fantasy? Have you ever invited someone to play Fantasy Football for the first time? How often do you tell others about Jesus? What kind of responses have you received when sharing your faith? What hesitations do you have about bringing up your faith with nonbelievers? What do you share when you tell others about how Jesus has changed your life? W hy do you think people should follow Jesus? Fantasy Football Index, the first national magazine dedicated to Fantasy Football, was launched in 1987. — Sports Business Daily

*Listen/Watch the Full FFF Podcast on Spotify , YouTube , Apple **Are you enjoying Fantasy Football Fellowship? We make FFF available for free, but there is a cost to our ministry. We are a donor-funded nonprofit that depends on donations to keep going. Would you prayerfully consider supporting Fantasy Football Fellowship financially so we can offer this again next year? You can donate HERE! Thanks so much! Be Humble in Victory and Defeat At the beginning of the year, every manager sets out to make the playoffs and ultimately win it all. As the Fantasy Football regular season winds down, only the top teams will move on to the playoffs. That means league members are dealing with the pain of defeat and realizing that their team wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs. We all think we’ll draft an unstoppable team and win every game, but at some point, most managers are humbled by the truth that we aren’t unbeatable. We understand that so much is out of our control, and we must admit to our wrong choices. We also have to accept not knowing as much as we thought we did. Fantasy Football is humbling because nobody wins every week or the championship every season, and we often come up short. Hopefully, the humbling process will not destroy us to the point of giving up and not playing Fantasy anymore; instead, it will cause us to let go of our prideful attitudes as we aim to get better next season. On the flip side, it’s easy for this year's Fantasy Football playoff teams and eventual champions to be filled with pride and arrogance for how they finished the season and, in some cases, dominated their opponents. By winning, they can be misled into thinking they have all the answers and relish that their team is better than the rest of the league. They might brag to the rest of the league and tell others how great they are at Fantasy. They want to garner attention, take all the credit, and ensure everyone is reminded they are heading to the playoffs. They like to rub it into the other managers they finished better than them, forgetting that they never laced up their cleats or put on a helmet! Undoubtedly, winning at Fantasy is fun, exciting, and worth celebrating, but it should be done with humility, knowing that so much is out of our control. Winning is what we want to do, but how we win matters. We must be humble and thankful instead of prideful and arrogant, knowing that next season might look different. Humility is a virtue that goes beyond Fantasy and is one we want to pursue in all areas of life. However, it’s challenging to remain humble. When things are going well for us at work or with our family, it’s easy for pride and arrogance to take over. We can quickly get caught up in bragging, garnering attention, and making sure people know how great we are. Yes, it’s fun to celebrate cool things that happen in life, but when we take all the credit and direct the focus on ourselves, we can get caught up in the dangers of pride. We are warned in Proverbs 11:2 (AMP):  “When pride comes [boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance], then come dishonor and shame, But with the humble [the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God] there is wisdom and soundness of mind.” Jesus says in Luke 14:11 (NLT), “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Humility comes when we realize that every breath, heartbeat, and blessing is a gift from God. We may accomplish amazing things, but we must acknowledge He is the source of life and the One empowering us to do what we do. Ultimately, humility enables us to surrender to Jesus in the first place when we acknowledge we are sinners in need of a Savior. Then, as we follow Jesus, we must walk humbly with Him and look at His example of humility.   The truth is, so much is out of our control, and we are limited and desperately need God every moment of every day. When we grasp that and place ourselves under the authority of the One who created us and now guides us, we can’t help but be humble and thankful.  Philippians 2:13 (AMP) tells us,   “For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.” The other reality to consider is that our circumstances often humble us even more. Just like when we lose in Fantasy, we frequently face losses and challenges that remind us of our brokenness, weaknesses, and inability to be undefeated. Hopefully, these times don't cause us to give up but rather bring us to our knees in humble surrender as we trust and depend on Jesus, knowing how much we need Him.  In all cases, humility is valued and pursued as the fruit of a humble life. Proverbs 22:4 (AMP) explains, “The reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord Is riches, honor, and life.” David writes about God in Psalm 25:9 (ESV), “He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.” Let's enjoy the wins in Fantasy and life, but let's do so with humility. 1. What are you most proud of from your Fantasy season ? 2. What player were you feeling great about after his big performances and then his injury humbled you? 3.   What were you most wrong about this season ? 4. How is playing Fantasy Football a humbling experience? 5. In life, what causes you the most pride and arrogance? 6. In what ways have challenging situations humbled you? 7. How have you become more humble while growing in your faith? 8. Why is humility such a valuable character trait? 9. Why is pride so destructive? 10.   What are practical ways to live humbly? "A player in football is called a "quarterback" because in the early formations of the game, they lined up roughly a "quarter of the way back" behind the offensive line, positioned between the fullback who was further back and the halfbacks who were closer to the line of scrimmage; essentially, they were positioned "quarter back" from the running backs." —   AI Overview *Be sure to check out how your league can continue to meet as a PACK in January by utilizing content from UNPACKIN' it Ministries. Email Bryce@unpackinit.com if interested.