Christian Illustrations from the Olympics

Fiji rugby Gold Medal winning team gives glory to God and the video of them singing We have overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of the Lord. following winning the Rugby 7s Olympics final.

Why Michael Phelps made it to the Rio Olympics?

Wayde van Niekerk - 400 metre Gold Medalist and world record holder: Relying on God 

Alamaz Ayana winner of 10000 metres -  The secret to my succes I’ve been training specifically (for this event). I pray to the lord. The lord has given me everything, everything. And my doping is Jesus. Those are the reasons.”

Usain Bolt - and the importance of His Christian faith

Maya DiRado (Gold, Silver and Bronze Olympic swimming medal) : My Faith Frees Me to Dream Big

Rose Nathike Lokonyen - LWF refugee student - 1 of 10 refugee atheletes.

Steele Johnson and David Boudia - identity in Christ not diving
.
Helen Maroulis - Gold medal wrestler - reveals how Jesus helped her through her struggles

10 USA athletes who put God first

CBN PROFILES OF FAITH

The Lutheran connection with the Australia Olympic swimming team



I

Article: Israel Folau the importance of relying on God

Israel Folau is an Australian rugby union player, former rugby league player, former AFL player, former Mormon and now a Christian...
He talks very openly about the importance of relying on God, and seeing how being humbled actually allowed God to open doors for him....

The following article appeared at http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/wallaby-superstar-israel-folau-says-a-broken-ankle-and-a-move-to-afl-was-gods-way-of-giving-him-a-wakeup-call/story-fndptke0-1227026152511

ISRAEL Folau believes God broke his ankle in 2009 to teach him a lesson about boozy weekends and random one-night stands with women.
Folau believes God took him out of the NRL to endure two years of toil in the AFL to humble him.
Then, only after Folau had reconnected with God, did He open the door to rugby, in which he now stands as the man to end 12 years of Australian agony by leading the Wallabies to victory over the All Blacks in tonight’s Bledisloe Cup opener.
And if you think Folau is crazy, he doesn’t care.
“I want to advertise who Jesus Christ is, which is the thing that means most to me,” the Wallaby fullback says, patting his heart hard.
“I know it’s got nothing to do with footy, but that’s what drives me every single day.
“Everything is not always about footy, it’s about me as a person generally, wanting to be that person that I was called to be.
“A lot of people don’t or wouldn’t understand what I’m saying, but that’s what really drives me.
“I just want to encourage all the athletes who are Christians or believe in God, to not be ashamed, really share what they believe.
“Because in the sporting world in Australia, it’s really rare for athletes to come out and speak about Christ.
“I am not ashamed to come out and say it, because that is what I truly believe in. Everyone has their different opinions, that’s their freedom of choice, but this is what I truly believe in.”
Most don’t know this about Folau, but he was once as boozy as the best of them during his NRL career.
“There was a time there where I was playing at the Broncos where I was really going out a lot and drinking a lot,” he says.
“There was one particular time, in 2009, a period where I was doing that for a couple of months, drinking a lot from week to week.
“Then we were playing against the Warriors, it was a Friday night game, and I had planned to go out on the weekend from Saturday to Sunday, just getting plastered.
“I broke my ankle in that game. When I got to the change-room, I knew then that was punishment, God wanted to slow me up on the things I was doing.
“In the previous weeks I was going out, coming home at 6am, I’d wake up not feeling that great, I wasn’t as happy as I thought I would have been.
“That experience stands out for me. When I broke my ankle I knew God was trying to teach me something.
“I had lost track, that was due to alcohol, going out on weekends, hooking up with girls. The morals I was taught were totally opposite.
“I fell into the culture of the way professional athletes live. I was meant to go through that to realise what my identity is, and that is in Christ. Not to get sucked into what the world wants, but to believe in what is internal.
“It’s very challenging when it’s only you that has that within the team culture.
“I’m blessed to say now that it was all part of the journey.
“God changed my path. League was everything to me, I put that in front of God, and He took me away from that to go to AFL.
“This is what I truly believe; God used AFL, which was something different for me, to start all over again.
“When a person struggles, they turn to something they know will help them. For me, God used that to humble me, and make me think ‘God is first, not the sport’.
“A lot of people would deem the AFL tenure as a failure, but spiritually it allowed me develop in the way God wanted.
“That has led me to this path with rugby. I wouldn’t have seen this door open, but the things that have happened in the last 18 months were already written down in God’s book, and I see that.”
Folau adds: “I grew up as a Mormon, and my family left that church [in 2011] because different doctrines and beliefs they had weren’t what we believed was right.
“Now we’re part of a small Christian church where I can see the difference; my relationship with God now has gone to another level I didn’t think was possible.
“All of the changes that have happened in my career and my life has been since I left the Mormon faith. That’s nothing on the Mormon faith, but I know God directs myself and my family step by step in our lives, and I can speak on behalf of my parents and younger brothers; they’re in a really good place now.
“People might think [my success] is luck, or a coincidence. But all the things that have happened in my career in such a short time - I’ve put in a lot of hard work - but I believe only God makes that happen.”

Reflection: Why forgiveness is important...even in sport

The Essendon Football Club peptide saga has finally had some closure. This has been a messy affair not just for Essendon, but also the Australian Football League, the media, supporters and anyone affected.

Whenever life is messy often there are strong opinions, (some informed and some not so well informed). If some people had their way, Essendon, James Hird and everyone else involved in the saga would have been severely punished, tossed aside and abolished from the game, others are at the other end of the spectrum and for them nothing would have happened.

However the AFL in dealing with this matter has made some very clear statements: 

• player welfare is absolutely important 
• there must be integrity and fairness for all clubs 
• illegal and sports enhancing drugs are not welcome 
• breaking AFL rules will result in consequences 
• we are a forgiving family

Andrew Demetriou, the CEO of the AFL (and others in the AFL) highlighted that forgiveness is an important part of the AFL, when they said there is always room for forgiveness in the AFL family. For many people forgiveness may seem strange and even a problem. However there is good reason for forgiveness to be an important value in any family or community. Basically it helps people deal healthily with their imperfections and mistakes, it encourages good relationships and makes for a stronger community.

Forgiveness is the number one priority for God and His church, it is God’s and our main message as Christians. We all need forgiveness from God (check out John 3:16-17 and Acts 13:38) but it is not just something we are asked to receive from God, we are called to be forgiving people (check out Colossians 3:13). At one stage in His ministry Jesus was asked by one of his closest companions how many times must I forgive my brother (I am sure you have asked this question about someone). Jesus’ response was, “not just once, not just seven times, but a whole lot” (you can read about this in Matthew 18:21-35). When we forgive we can live in better relationships on earth, we help others grow and we be part of a stronger community.

Like the AFL demonstrated this week, forgiveness does not come easy, it involves people saying sorry and it does not necessarily mean that someone gets away with something. There are earthly consequences when we need forgiveness, however good consequences will help us and help the community but forgiveness should always be our priority and it is God’s priority for you

Something to reflect on
Where have you lived inconsistently to what God says in His bible? Pray to God to forgive you because of what Jesus has done on the cross and by rising from the dead, ask Him also to help you live differently.
Where are there bad or poor relationships in your life? Pray about a plan to deal with these relationships, to talk to those concerned, to address the issues that have caused the poor relationship, admit how you have contributed to the problems and look for ways you can show forgiveness to others.

Coming up with a solution....

Most of us can see things that get in the road or interfere with ourselves and others hearing, seeing and experiencing the gospel...(if you doubt this think about what does love my neighbour mean and reflect on the explanations to the Ten Commandments that we find in the Small Catechism). We can either sit there and lament these things....or we can explore ways of doing something about them.

Now we were faced with an issue in our parish....a number of our children were interested in AFL football....but Auskick was only offered on Sunday....and it was highly unlikely they would change with 450 kids participating in Auskick on a Sunday... So we approached AFL Tasmania to see if any alternative could occur.

Now read about what happened as recorded in the local newspaper the Advocate.

God bless being able to play football on a Tuesday
24/06/2008 9:42:00 AM
FOOTY versus God.
It's a tough choice to make on a Sunday, but thanks to Devonport Pastor Richard Schwedes, the decision is no longer necessary.
As Pastor of the North Tasmanian Lutheran Parish and a Sydney Swans-supporting footy tragic, Mr Schwedes wants to ensure kids "can have a spiritual journey but still enjoy their footy too".
"There are a lot of kids in our church who are into footy but with Auskick only running on Sunday mornings, they aren't able to play," he said.
Keen to help the kids get some fresh air, Mr Schwedes got together with the AFL and the two parties are combining to offer Auskick to primary school boys and girls on Tuesday afternoons.
Not that you have to be a member of the flock to join in.
"It certainly isn't just for churchgoers," Mr Schwedes said.
"There are many families who aren't church regulars who still regard Sunday as a family day and this will give them another option."
AFL Tasmania North West regional manager Barry Gaby said the variation from traditional Sunday morning Auskick was an example of the AFL and the church working together to benefit kids and keep them active.
"AFL Tasmania want to make the sport available to as many kids as possible," Mr Gaby said.
"We try to bend the rules and be flexible."
Anyone interested in Tuesday afternoon Auskick can contact Pastor Richard Schwedes on 64278013.

Since this article 36 children have enrolled and another article appeared in the paper...Many of the children are from family's who have experienced the Sunday church and footy battle, parents feel more supported by the church and there are even some people who don't go to church who have joined and we get to touch base with.

Now football may not be an issue in your area (Auskick maybe offered at another time)...but what things are drawing people away from the gospel and what can you offer to help them....think outside the square...