Where is the course we can sign up for called Trusting Yourself 101?
We watched one incredible example of a guy that must have taken the graduate level version of that course when Austin Rivers made his historic 3-pointer at the buzzer in the February 8, 2012 UNC-Duke rivalry to give Duke the win in front of 20,000+ UNC students and fans.
One of his teammates, Mason Plumlee, said later he trusted Austin, but...take the shot already.
His dad, Doc Rivers, said he was wondering about the seconds ticking away until he realized that his son was setting up the exact play that would give him a good look at the basket.
Seven-foot Tyler Zeller standing between Austin and the basket didn't daunt him and Rivers even checked the clock with 2 seconds to go to make sure he had everything in place.
As the last second ticked away, he fired the shot heard around the sports world.
Now make it or not, where does one get the confidence to trust oneself enough to put all that in place and risk everything to do what you feel called to do?
Austin Rivers, in a post-game interview, said with a smile, "God just put it in."
Is that the formula? Work as hard as you can, listening to God's direction, learning and practicing in every way you can and then, when it's crunch time, throw it up and let God determine the outcome?
Here is what I know: not trusting yourself is a ticket to pain and fear and a rerouting of your dreams and God's best for you.
So here's to Duke freshman Austin Rivers and the lesson he has taught me: take every shot in life that seems mine to take and let God determine the outcome.
