Written by Todd Whetsel

These three words are more than a philosophy for the TSA Athletic Department.  They serve as a mission statement for our coaching staff and have also become a personal goal of mine.  As a parent of three children, and as a coach, I cannot think of any other greater value in which to invest my energy and effort than the hearts of my children and the children I have the privilege to coach.  The idea of “Target the Heart” stems from Proverbs 4:23 which says,  “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”  This verse communicates the importance of guarding the heart:  the truth is that everything we say and do comes from our heart and the character that we possess.  This verse also communicates the urgency and effort (It’s a full-time job!) that are required to protect not only our own heart but the hearts of others.

This job can take on many forms, but I would like for us to consider this within the framework of some of the key words in the mission of Tattnall Square Academy.  

• Exceptional-This is not an impossible goal!  In Daniel 1 we find the four Hebrew children were found to be ten times better than their counterparts.  Why? God blessed their efforts as they studied the truth of God’s Word.
• Faith-Without faith it is impossible to please God.  We cannot do this in the energy of our own efforts-simply put, we need the Lord in every area of our life.
• Partner-We are a team!  It takes parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, youth pastors, Sunday school teachers, etc. to reach the hearts of our children and students.
• Success-This word is only mentioned one time in the Bible, and it was promised to Joshua as he meditated on God’s Word!  Everyone wants to be a success, but to be successful by the Biblical definition, we must know God’s Word and apply it to our lives.
• Passion-Col. 3:23 says to do things “heartily as to the Lord.”  Heartily carries the idea of diligence and cheerfulness.  As a parent and a coach I love to see students passionate about what they do!
• Glorify God-No one is perfect or has all the answers, but we are created to glorify God.

As parents, how are we doing in this area?  This is an awesome responsibility and challenge that each of us face.  Please do not take these comments as a lecture because I struggle every day in this area.  I want to simply encourage us all to make a daily effort to guard our own hearts first-we will have a much greater impact in reaching the hearts of our children if we have taken the time to guard our own hearts.