Major League Soccer Next Pro, now in its second season, is part of the third division pro soccer landscape in North America. These teams, tied into their MLS (division 1 counterparts) represent an added step in the professional player pathway for the beautiful game. As the season began this past weekend, we have two Soccer Chaplains United chaplains on who are currently serving MLS Next Pro teams. Jubal McDaniel, in his 3rd year with Tacoma Defiance has seen the club go from USL - Championship to MLS Next Pro. Kevin Hasenack (Rev Kev) is part of the work with the Colorado Rapids 2 (R2) team. Both join me on the podcast today to talk about their teams and the league

Standing around the trash bin, we watch AFC Richmond sharing and, in a team bonding moment, being vulnerable with one another as they tell the stories and people and places in life that have shaped them and shaped their experience. It is not easy for men, especially, to share and be vulnerable. This is especially true in the competitive environment of a football locker room where you are a team, but still competing for a place in that team. Today, in this Lesson from Lasso, we take a minute to observe the work of sharing and being vulnerable and I talk about how we can bring the burdens that we have — the spiritual, emotional, and mental burdens to Jesus.

Christina Garber has faithfully served the Portland Thorns since 2019 as volunteer chaplain and will continue to do so but not under the banner of Soccer Chaplains United, any longer. As Christina and I have spoken over the last few weeks, a greater need to "simplify life" has become an emerging theme. Wife to Andy, (who is a Tottenham fan) and mother to three wonderful children, Christina has also supported the Portland Thorns through a NWSL championship season (2022) as volunteer chaplain all the while maintaining full-time work with CRU City and helping the development of the Pro Soccer Chaplains Association. In truth, it has all become a bit too much. Christina will continue to serve the Thorns and step

Today's Community Project Update features a Thank You from Musana Community (Kampala, Uganda). You might remember that Musana had made request which we filled in August of 2020. Months of delays in shipping items to the African nation which was shut-down effectively because of COVID-19, the gear arrived in 2021; however, many schools and government agencies were still closed down due to the pandemic and Musana wasn't able to distribute and start using the gear until last year (2022). We're excited to share a video thank you update (also viewable here on our YouTube channel and on our front web page). Originally, Soccer Chaplains United sent Musana the nearly 900 lbs of soccer gear in converted shipping containers which were

Sometimes (often times) we simply cannot pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. The simple truth is that we need others. We need a "stretcher crew" to carry us when we cannot go on — spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Who is on your stretcher crew? Today, in this Lesson from Lasso which also airs on the same day that the Ted Lasso show is premiering its 3rd season, I talk about the need for having others believe in us. We watch as AFC Richmond owner Rebecca changes her heart and mind when the warm and welcoming Sam invites her to participate in the team's ritual cleansing ceremony to right the wrongs of the past. Sam sees and believes a truth