Tag Archives: Faith

Not the Sunday We Expected

Posted in Athletes in Action, Prayer by

Dear friends,

A couple of weeks ago, Rick and I were playing pickleball with friends when Rick suddenly didn’t feel well. He could tell that his heart rate had dropped and he just felt off. We went to the ER and consulted with a doctor there who said, “From just looking at you and talking to you, I might ask you why you’re here, but this EKG tells me you’re having a heart attack.”

Rick was immediately taken to an OR for heart catheterization which revealed blockages of 100% in one coronary artery, 90% in another and 80% in a third. He was then scheduled for open heart surgery which resulted in what the hospital calls coronary artery bypass graft(CABG) which they pronounce “cabbage.” Rick had FOUR cabbages, so he has enough for alot of coleslaw! During his week in the hospital, he had so many tubes and wires coming out of him that he said he felt like spaghetti. He maintained his sense of humor throughout his hospitalization which encouraged me.

Rick will have a long road to complete recovery, but he is making faster-than-average progress for which we are very grateful, especially since his heart issues seemingly came out of nowhere. Rick has walked about 7 miles a day for years, eats a very healthy diet and maintains a healthy weight. I guess heredity trumps lifestyle. He is already back up to walking about an hour a day, albeit much more slowly than he did before. I fondly refer to him as a “speed turtle.” He is currently seeing nurses and physical therapists daily, and he will continue cardiac rehab for the next several months.

Throughout this adventure, the Lord Jesus has been very near to us and God’s people have been a tremendous source of help and encouragement. We have felt greatly loved and cared for, and we thank God for wonderful family, friends and neighbors who have been so kind. As Rick was wheeled in for his heart catheterization, I shared with him Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Please pray about the impact of this event on our entire family and for continued recovery. God has more work for Rick to do on this earth. Yesterday we celebrated our 37th anniversary, and I am more thankful than ever for the opportunity to celebrate another day and another year with Rick.

Love,

Karen

PS: It looks like Rick will be discharged from PT very soon. Today the PT said this was the longest she has walked with a heart cardio patient in over 20 years.

Please review our prayer page and support needs and lift our ministry to the Lord. Click on the following: September Hard Copy Newsletter.

Bringing the news to everyone

Posted in Hard Copy Newsletter by

Did you know that AIA ministers not only to athletes and coaches, but also to sports fans? Through AIA events like the Super Bowl Breakfast and the All-Star Breakfast, we share the gospel and testimonies of faith with hundreds of people. Last month, AIA welcomed 1600 guests to the NFL-sanctioned Super Bowl Breakfast in Las Vegas where the Bart Starr Award was presented to Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jr. for exceptional character, service and leadership in his life.

Sixty people accepted Christ in response to the gospel, 200 others expressed interest in learning more about faith, and all of these were connected with local churches. More than 800 others watched the live stream of the event. 

Last month in Indianapolis, AIA presented two awards celebrating faith and character in the NBA. New Orleans Pelican Cody Zeller received the Bobby Jones Award and Jim Morris received the Jerry Colangelo award. The All-Star Breakfast takes place in the host city of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Many heard the gospel as a result of this gathering!

Athletes in Action’s “Keys to Life” Breakfast is held every year at the NCAA Men’s Final Four Tournament. This year’s event is on April 6 at the Phoenix Convention Center and will honor character, leadership and integrity on and off the court. The gospel and faith stories will also be shared.

Italy Team

AIA’s GO’24 campaign is a focus on mission trips, and March was a very busy month for spring break trips. Staff and students traveled to South Africa, Croatia, Albania, Costa Rica, Italy, South Asia, the Caribbean and some inner cities in the U.S. to share Christ cross-culturally. Several students who went are praying about serving in some of these locations for the next year. On these mission trips, there are opportunities for students to learn to share the gospel and their own stories of faith, to care for widows and orphans, to engage in athletic competition and to lead clinics for younger students and children. GO’24 will continue in the summer with many other short-term mission trip opportunities.

Croatia Team

Croatia Team

Finally, the Wooden Family Fieldhouse will be completed in the next several weeks. With indoor basketball and track, athletic training facilities and meeting space, it will enable us to serve thousands more people at our campus in Xenia, OH. The grand opening will be on June 15th.

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following:  April 2024 hard copy Newsletter.

Competition and the Gospel

Posted in Hard Copy Newsletter, Sports T.E.A.M. by

In 2016 Rob, an AIA staffer, took a group of students on a mission trip to Central Asia. At one place they wrestled, the host country coach asked Rob if he could bring a team to wrestle in the U.S. Plans were made to bring 14 wrestlers and coaches to the U.S., but only two could get visas, including K., a skilled wrestler who really wanted to compete here.

Wrestling Newsletter edited

So K. came and lived with Rob’s family for two months. Rob took K. to several schools to attend practices and work with many wrestlers. Because K. was such a good wrestler, he was invited by a major Division I university to stay and compete with their athletes because “iron sharpens iron,” and the coaches knew K. would be able to give their wrestlers serious competition. The head coach, assistant coach and numerous wrestlers on that team are believers who understood the opportunity to influence this young man’s life with Christ’s love.

DSC_2738 edited

His six-month visa expired, so K. went home country, but Rob made a connection at another school where K. is now training with two AIA alumni. K. recently competed at the Dave Schultz Memorial International tournament at the Olympic Training Center. Rob asked BJ, a great wrestler he knew who is a Christian, for the loan of a couple singlets since K. hadn’t brought any. BJ didn’t loan, but gave K. two! Later Rob connected with BJ’s coach, an Olympic champion and a strong believer, to thank him. They hadn’t met before, but this coach had heard about Rob’s trip to Central Asia and wanted to send the guys he coaches on their next trip.

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Through all of these relationships, God is opening doors for the gospel. Staff members like Rob are taking every opportunity to connect with others to widely sow the seeds of the gospel. Competitive trips like the Central Asia one serve several purposes: they give American athletes a chance to compete worldwide while giving them extraordinary opportunities for discipleship, fellowship and evangelism; they enable students to see and participate as God draws people to Himself; they serve as a catalyst to ministry in other countries; and they give American students a vision for reaching their own campuses once they return home.  Each year the Sports T.E.A.M. division of AIA sends out 30 – 40 mission projects like this one.  Rick’s role is to help make these trips more effective. 

We are deeply grateful for your partnership!
Thank you for helping us mobilize labors for the harvest.

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following: March 2019 newsletter to print a hard copy newsletter.

Your prayers for Elizabeth

Posted in AIA Global Sports, Prayer by

It was a warm, sunny October afternoon when our guests arrived to pray for Elizabeth. We were enjoying the hint of color appearing in the trees in the front yard and the gentle breeze.  By 5:20 PM,Elizabeth Nov 26 2014, resized, cropped we had gathered around Elizabeth as she sat comfortably in the middle of our family room.  We felt grateful for all the prayer that had already been offered on her behalf, and hopeful about how God might use the prayer and anointing to heal  her. (Why? See “She needs your prayers“)

Our family is so thankful for the many people who have prayed, fasted, and invited others to pray for healing! We tangibly felt God’s love through the texts, emails, phone calls and cards telling us of even whole families fasting and praying on her behalf.

So, how did God work?

Elizabeth has experienced a marked improvement in her balance, vision and noise tolerance.  Both her doctors  have said she is doing better than they have ever seen her do. Elizabeth’s capacity to do more around the house and spend time with others also significantly improved through October and into  November.  Praise God for all of these developments!

The doctors in Columbus and Dayton both agreed that another round of intensive sensory integration therapy would be the best course of action.  She started it on November 17.  It will run at least through December 15th.  Please continue to pray:

  • for the therapy to help her brain to completely heal
  • for her to feel God’s presence and love
  • for her ability to read and think again without intense pain
  • for her ability to resume some kind of schooling

We have felt overwhelmed by your love and support for Elizabeth and for us as you offered a sacrifice of prayer.

“May [their] prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of [their] hands as the evening offering. Psalm 141:2

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we are grateful for the improvement Elizabeth has experienced, and also for you, our dear friends and family who are supporting us in this journey.

 

 

 

 

She needs your prayers

Posted in AIA Global Sports, Hard Copy Newsletter, Prayer by

Biff, Oct 2014 Newsletter, ResizedImagine walking when your brain’s ability to process sensory input lags behind, like when audio and video are out of sync on your TV. Imagine an unstable world where focusing the words on a page is nearly impossible and you have no down dial for volume or brightness; where there are unrelenting headaches, dizziness and nausea, and your heart constantly races 50% faster than normal because your nervous system is just trying to keep up.This is the life our 16-year-old daughter Elizabeth has lived for the past two years since suffering a concussion playing field hockey.

Since then she has endured testing and treatment from many doctors and therapists and has tried meds, therapies and treatments we had never even heard of. The past several months have been filled with appointments and exercises we are to do with her. At this point, school is nearly impossible for her since she can’t read, use the computer or concentrate for more than a short time without worsening her headache. She needs your prayers.

On Monday, October 13th at 5:00 p.m. we are inviting a couple of pastors from our church to anoint Elizabeth with oil and pray with us for her. Would you join us on that day through prayer and fasting for her? You can fast from a meal, all your meals or anything else you are willing to fast from. Jesus said that some things are only accomplished through fasting and prayer. We are not trying to persuade an unwilling God, nor are we attempting to obligate Him by the number of people praying or because of our fasting; we are crying out to a loving Father who created and knows Elizabeth and has good plans for her.

Please pray for:

  • complete healing of Elizabeth’s brain
  • Elizabeth to allow God to use this trial for good in her life
  • wisdom for the doctors and therapists treating her now
  • the provision and direction to seek further treatment for her

Your prayers and support allow us to serve!  Thanks!

Please review our prayer page and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following:  Oct 2014 to  print a hard copy newsletter.

Give Them a Voice

Posted in AIA Global Sports, Hard Copy Newsletter by

Do you remember the summer you were 20? Patrick’s and Aaron’s will be unforgettable! They have never met, but together they are about to take the biggest step of faith in their lives!

Why?Aaron, BKB Basketball

“I want to learn more about ministry and experience it. It’s new to me compared to how I grew up. I want to bring this experience back home and use it in youth ministry…. I can’t wait for it.” (Aaron)
“I am looking forward to being the Sports Information Director for our team. I want to connect with the other players and with basketball players around the country (of Mexico). It’s a trip of faith. I can’t wait to spread the word of God Patrick, BKB Basketballand faith in Mexico!” (Patrick)
They will be joining eight other basketball players and AIA staff for two weeks later in May. Listen yourself at Basketball – Mexico or click on that link on our team blog.

Patrick and Aaron are not alone. They are just two of about 500 athletes, coaches, trainers and volunteers who will be traveling this summer to experience God using their lives to impact thousands with His love and message of salvation through their love of sports.

How can you make a difference?AIA Team Blog Logo

The same way Karen and I are! Pray for them and give them a voice to share what God is doing through their lives and the bold step of faith their team is taking.
You can place the following URL http://teamblogs.athletesinaction.org/ into your web browser favorites and read a blog posting each day. If it encourages you, you can share it with your friends and family on Facebook or Twitter.

Your prayers and support allow us to serve with them!  Thanks!

Please review our prayer page and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following:  May 2014   to  print a hard copy newsletter.

Olympic-sized Faith Stories

Posted in AIA Global Sports, Athletes in Action, Hard Copy Newsletter by

Sharing Olympic-sized Faith Stories

On February 1, 2014, the Barna [Research] Group reported that Americans believe professional athletes influence society Lauryn Williams 2, cropmore than pastors “by more than a three-to-one margin.” Because athletes have so much influence in our culture, Athletes in Action strives to reach these men and women with the gospel, help them to grow in their faith, and then help them share their faith with others.  I (Karen) recently had the privilege of interviewing four-time-Olympian Lauryn Williams about her relationship with Jesus. After writing her story, I posted it online so that anyone looking for information about Lauryn or her sport can find it, and you can read about it here. It was announced yesterday (2/8) that Lauryn will be pushing the #1 bobsled at Sochi driver and fellow believer Elana Meyers! Read about it here.

Free App for Winter Olympians’ Stories

Jesus Film AppAIA and The JESUS Film Project are partnering to bring the faith stories of Winter Olympians directly into the hands of smartphone users. Through the FREE Jesus Film Media app, videos of the Olympic athletes will join a library of more than 66,000 video clips in some 1,100 languages.
Download the Jesus Film Media app now by going to app.jesusfilmmedia.org on your smartphone or search “Jesus Film Media” in the app store. For more information, go here. You can also use this app to share the JESUS Film itself with people in over 1,900 languages which comprise 91% of the world’s languages.

We value staying in touch with you.  In the next few weeks, like many families we will be dropping our home phone number.  Please make a note of this change and use our cell numbers.  You can find them by using the link Feb 2014 below.  If YOU have changed numbers, would you let us know by calling or sending an email soon? 

Please review our prayer page and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following:  Feb 2014 to  print a hard copy newsletter.