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“Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24
Without professional sports in their state, the citizens of Nebraska have elevated their Cornhusker football team to pro status—living for each Saturday in the fall. This fact isn’t lost on senior running back Rex Burkhead, who has used his four years in front of Big Red Nation to spread the saving message of his Savior, Jesus Christ.
Have you ever tried doing something alone? Something like running, working out or even watching a movie? If you have, then you know how lonely it can get and how much harder it is to finish the task. But, when you do have a partner—a sidekick, someone who has your back, someone who spots you in the weight room—doesn’t it seem to make you push a little more and work a little harder?
When it comes to living as Christians, the same principle applies. Isn’t it more difficult to talk to a stranger about God when you’re alone? Isn’t it so much more tempting to slip into sin when no one is there to help you fight temptation?
Have you ever gone to a restaurant that serves bread before the meal and, when the bread got to your table you just stared at it? Say you have just worked out and you are incredibly hungry. Everyone in the restaurant can hear your stomach growling, but all you do is just sit and stare at the bread. People around you start talking to each other and asking questions like, “Why are you just staring at the bread? Eat it!” But you just sit and stare, wondering why you aren’t satisfied.
Preseason: a time of intense workouts, two-a-days, ice baths, and maximum exertion!
Fall sports are just now emerging from this intense time. Great teams are being forged through the crucible of preseason and are getting ready to run the gauntlet of the regular season. But as tough as those preseason workouts may be, there is one day that athletes dread even more: the day the cuts are made.
As an athlete, I remember the rapid heartbeat in my chest, the doubts and anxiety, the holding in of my breath as I walked into the locker room to see if my name was on a list. I dreaded the voice of the coach saying, “Son, step into my office.” But, on the flipside, it was always such a great experience if I did make the cut and saw the diligence pay off!
Most people don’t figure out their purpose until adulthood. But for me, everything happened when I was four years old. That’s when I started playing hockey and that’s when I began to follow Jesus. Both of my passions kicked in right away. I’m still working on my game and I’m still working on my relationship with God, but because I discovered my passions at an early age, being bold in my pursuit of those things has come naturally for me. Most importantly, however, is my passion for Jesus. That passion gives me the strength to be totally unashamed of Christ. I never want to hide my love for him. Whether it’s something I say or how I act, I have to reflect Christ. I’m not going to be afraid to say something or be afraid of people criticizing me or putting me down for my faith.
In volleyball, or in any sport, running a timed mile is not unusual. The other day I had butterflies in my stomach wondering if I could make it in the eight-minute time frame. If I didn't, I wouldn't even be considered for the team. I was praying for strength and quickness. When the coach said, "Go," and we all began, the words "strive, stretch, strain, succeed" began running repeatedly through my head.
I grew up in a Christian family in Peterborough, Ontario. As a young athlete, I did my best to balance my hockey career with the faith I had embraced as a six-year-old boy. My parents were great examples of what it looks like to trust Jesus. I can remember coming downstairs before school every day and seeing my mom reading her Bible and praying.
One of the greatest attributes of leaders is a desire and obedience to serve others. Jesus communicated that the most important commandment was to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and then to love others. To put it simply: Love God; love others. Or, to use the old acronym for J.O.Y.: Jesus, Others, You.
We love to be the best. As competitors, we want to be the best in everything. Being good is good, but being best is better. We want to go from good to great in every aspect of life. We have to be #1—on and off the field! Nobody remembers the loser. Second place? Seriously? We engage in the relentless pursuit of excellence!
“I Must Be the Best Me” is a principle I believe and live daily. In Luke 12:48 we are told, “to whom much is entrusted, much is required.” No matter what gifts you’ve been given, we must have a desire to be faithful and maximize them. It is essential that we are life-learners who desire to grow and develop. But it doesn’t stop there!
Ever since I was a little kid, I always wondered what it takes to be an Olympian. What type of characteristics does it take? What kind of person do you have to be? Now that I am one, I’m very humbled because it’s not like I feel like I’m so great or that I’ve done anything that special to deserve to get to the Olympics. I feel like the thing I’ve done best is I’ve just gotten back up from all of the lickings I’ve taken, both physically and spiritually. I’m a pretty black-and-white person. I’ll try to live the best I can, then I’ll mess up and fall, and I’ll get all down and upset with myself.
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