i am just reflecting today on this topic.   oh my what a funny word.  TEAM.  my kids laugh as i am the least athletic person they know- but this has been my word since they were wee ones............ Yes wee ones.  starting 17+ years ago.......... I have always taught & spoke as if we were MASSIVE in number......... the 3, then the 4, 5 & eventually 6 of us Suttons.    why? i have NO IDEA.  i am certain of this however-- it is a GOD DEPOSIT in me.  it is an identifier that could not possibly be denied!  yet i have never and do not anticipate ever applying it to an athletic endeavor.  i truly get as excited about being the 'cook, clean or bottle washer on the team'.  i have delighted myself in the Lord in ALL of those places in ministries!  rubbing my hands together- "oh goody God.  Look at us now.  We are a team.  we are your team!! Yeah God, Yeah Us."    in fact i realize now, that when i stuck to some not so lovely projects like GLUE & others made very different choices --i remember knowing "i am staying in the game. at the least, i am proud of this leader- hey he/her is swinging his bat".  i am thrilled to say now that i believe that God was allowing me a place among the saints to operate in/around the culture of honor.  in fact  the word "TEAM" for me is inter changeable with "eco-system" of ministries- tiny or huge- it is a perfect petri dish for this process.  i have been involved in probably 40 different petri dish ministry/civic processes that have been as varied as you can imagine.  all have been a success: some ending text book "perfect" others ending text book "horribly painful", all however were successes. how can i say that?  God always always always revealed Himself to me as my teacher-- in these TEAM / eco-systems.  To me, for me, and about me.  I think about my 30's (17 yrs later) I totally got the revelation that I truly can be all the players in the Samaritan PARABLE.  Yes, one situation I am the mugged, next the muggee, next the inn keeper, next the priest that crosses the road, next the Samaritan.  i was relieved and assured all at the same time- to not have to be STUCK in any of the roles- even the 'good roles',  the ability to be honest with myself & with God about those different roles- going & growing from GLORY, TO GLORY, TO GLORY.  God is who is good!! the world can count on that.  when i am not 'good' the world is not going to explode- i am free to be free!!  Good, bad and ugly.  God is a redeemer and a GLORIFIER!!  I need Him-  He is awesome and i love that!!  HE IS AN AWESOME TEAM OWNER/COACH  I love the way He does it & I desire to model that- long before i even relized!!  LOL  blessings to you all & hey "i'll see you on the field"

Teamwork: "Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.  - Zephaniah 3:9

"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion."
~ Mia Hamm
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
~ Margaret Meade

"Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."
~ Andrew Carnegie

"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."
~ Henry Ford