Time To Be Still... Again

Rylee Reynolds has been so strong on the court and off the court.

When this season started, Rylee was one of the players that I was excited to see on the court because of what happened last year. During the '24-25 season, Rylee, only an 8th-grader at the time, was playing really well and then suffered a knee injury that required surgery and the end of her basketball season. When she was about to have surgery, I told her that my favorite Bible verse was Psalm 46:10 (ESV) — 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” I explained to her that this verse has helped me so many times in my life when everything seemed so stressful. When I am able to focus on this verse, it reminds me to be still and remember that God is still God and He can do all things. No matter what I am going through, I can trust that He will take care of me. Rylee said that she liked my favorite Bible verse and started using it as well. After the surgery, she would come to the gym on crutches but still had the joyful expression. Even though she was missing the opportunity to finish the season as well as go through therapy, she continued to show her joy and her faith. She kept healing and looked forward to the next season.

This school year, Rylee became a freshman and everyone had such high hopes for her on the basketball court and it definitely started off that way. Her presence on offense and defense was something to see. Even though she was wearing that knee brace that you see in the photo above, she would always be one of the first ones to dive for a loose ball and I mean DIVE for that ball. No hesitation. Just full determination to be the athlete that God has gifted her to be. I would often tell her how proud I was of her for having the courage and the determination to not only get back to where she was last year but even pass it with leaps and bounds. In fact, Rylee was getting recognition from lots of people including Prep Girls Hoops where she was rated #2 in the state in her position for the 2029 class in the first half of the season. The article said "Rylee has a good all-around game and isn't afraid to do the dirty work. She can defend both the post and the perimeter and her motor and rebounding ability really stand out..."

Even though she was wearing that knee brace every game, it didn't hinder her. Rylee had made it back to the game she loves and was living the dream. But then her other knee suffered the same type injury. One that would require surgery and the whole process of recovery once again. But this time is different because she has been there before and she knows how much God did for her the first time. The first time I saw her after hearing the news about this new injury, I was so happy to see that same joyful expression again. How easy would it have been to have the "Why me" thoughts that so many of us have from time to time? How easy would it have been to have a defeated attitude? Friends, that is not who Rylee is.

The night before her surgery, I asked her what her favorite Bible verse is and she said that it was still the one that I gave her last year. "Be still and know that I am God..." Since having her surgery, she has that confidence that she is going to get past this and back on the court. Learning from the first time, she has a better understanding of what she can do and what didn't go well the last time. And her expression? Joy. And what do we expect to happen? (Cue the Rocky music...) Rylee will be back stronger then ever before and ready to play again.

I wanted to write this because Rylee has demonstrated something that should be a reminder to us all. We are going to face troubles and interruptions in life and how we respond to those times of stress will effect what we do next. Are we going to keep going or are we going to quit? Are we going to trust God or get mad at God? Are we going to treat others with love or become hateful and bitter? How have we responded to troublesome times in the past? What can we learn from the example that this young lady in high school is showing us?

Rylee, I am so proud of you. Thank you for what you have been teaching me.