Everyone knows the story of Job and how God tested him with some pretty serious stuff. Though at times Job questioned why everything was happening to him, he never really lost sight that God was in control. After Job was tested and was proven faithful, God granted him more than he had ever had.

I recently had breakfast with one of my good friends, Dave Jenkins, and we were talking about the show “The Biggest Loser” and how so many people buy fitness equipment and then never use it. He shared this quote with me: ”The world has all these great intentions. Too bad most end up in the basement unused.” How true. Even in my own life, I’ve started to workout, lose weight and get back in shape many times only to stop way to soon. All those efforts fall into the “great intentions” pile.

Late in 2002, Francisco Rodriguez burst onto the Major League scene as a 20-year-old fireball pitcher, and he promptly helped the Los Angeles Angels win the World Series. On September 13, 2008, he nailed-down the final three outs of the team’s win over the Seattle Mariners to earn his 58th save of the season, thus, breaking the Major League record. After the game, Rodriguez said that during the experience, he could feel the presence of his grandfather, who had passed away 10 years earlier. “I felt like he was right next to me,” Rodriguez said. “He's with me every day. I would give up anything to have him right next to me and enjoy this moment.”

This morning when I stepped outside my door for my daily run, I was greeted by the crazy heat and humidity of a Midwest July morning. Usually the heat doesn’t affect my running as much because I run during the coolest part of the day right before sunrise. But today, it was like someone forgot to turn on the air conditioner. It was over 80 degrees and, boy, was it humid.

Sam is a promising, young basketball player. He has all the skills necessary in order to play varsity at his school, but recent injuries and other setbacks have gotten in the way of his hoop dreams. In fact, he just found out he has a stress fracture in his shin, which is news that, at 16, can be heartbreaking. Even though Sam has an unbelievable support system at home, this setback has been incredibly difficult for him to handle.

In life, there aren’t many guarantees. We may have the best game of our life today and then have the worst tomorrow. The only thing we can do is obey our calling to be faithful and do our best for God’s glory.

Dean Karnazes, the ultra marathon runner, lost his sister in a freak accident. Perhaps the pain of this loss gave him great determination. He was a cross-country runner in high school, but afterward he set aside the sport until the age of thirty. His first run, after resuming, left him bruised and beaten, but he had found his sport. Now he does seventy-five-mile training runs once a month and, just for kicks, he runs at night. Karnazes runs in heat in the Desert Valley; he runs in snow on the highest peak in California.

The Apostle Paul reminded his Corinthian friends that athletes run in such a way as to win the prize (1 Co 9:24), but he used this example to illustrate the most

I was recently at the state volleyball tournament in Yakima, Wash., for the 1A state title game. I traveled on a "rooter bus" with some of the students from the school. They had been such a supportive crowd all year, getting dressed up in crazy outfits and always being loud and supportive to our girls' team, which finished 4th in state. The volleyball team thinks that the fans had a lot to do about their success. That day, as I was watching our student body, who were dressed in crazy costumes and face paint, cheering as one, I got an image in my mind. What if. . . What if that was how we were to worship God and spread the Good News about what He has done?

After a tough loss on Sunday, I really didn’t feel like being very positive. It took me awhile to get out of the locker room because I didn’t want to talk to anybody, let alone face people who would inevitably ask that question, “Did you win?” I shut myself up in my room and didn’t move for a few hours, feeling like not only was I a failure, but also the whole day was as well.

John 3:16 is probably the most recognized verse in the entire Bible. Back in 70s and 80s you would see this verse at large sporting events all over the United States. However, it recently found a home in a different format. College and professional football players now write sayings, area codes, names and other things on their eye black for games. Throughout the past college football season and bowl games, several athletes made it very clear where they stood spiritually based on these marks. Probably most notable, Tim Tebow, from the biggest stage of college football, donned “John” on one side and “3:16” on the other in front of a national and worldwide audience. 

Hockey Chat:  There are a lot of superstitions and traditions that the NHL players have.  On the Blackhawks, John Madden used to change his laces every single time he skated. Patrick Sharp always wears his headphones with his iPod on before the game.  Brian Campbell doesn't like anyone touching the knob of his stick before the game, or he has to re-tape it.  Brent Seabrook gets ready at the exact same time every game. Tomas Kopecky during warm-ups always spits on all four faceoff circles.  But regardless of whatever superstitions these guys have, there core ability is what makes them great players.