I grew up playing basketball.  I was an NBA player when I practiced alone, but I was a far cry from that body type and physical giftedness in games.  I did have one thing that kept me on the court: hustle.  The greatest compliment I ever received from a coach in my playing days was, “Give me 5 guys like that, and I will win 9 out of 10 times.”

A few years ago, I read a book called Quitter by Jon Acuff.  It was a great book about working toward your dream job, while still working hard in your current job.  I came across this book shortly after I knew that I was called to the Lowry neighborhood of Denver to plant a church and while only a few people knew what God was up to in our lives.  The chapter entitled “There will be Hustle” has impacted me in great ways.

I hustled to leave well by equipping and empowering leaders at my former church.  I hustled to find a way to learn the culture and relocate my family to Colorado and, once there, I hustled by working and participating as a church planting resident.  I applied hustle once we moved to Lowry by getting a job in a neighborhood Starbucks.

We have been in a season of hustling and see that hustle will be necessary over the next few years.  I apply hustle at Starbucks and even in getting things done that I really don’t love to do.  In this season in our lives, we know that hustle will be key in accomplishing what we are called to do, while taking care of the top priorities of a healthy marriage and a loving family.

Hustle has become part of my self-talk when work gets stacked up.  I even shared this idea with a regular customer at Starbucks and he reminded me about it today when the line was long and a co-worker did not arrive on time.  I might not be great at anything, but I am willing to hustle to make up for my weaknesses.