-/\/\-----------------------------------------------------------------
\ / HEARTLIGHT(R) Magazine -- http://www.heartlight.org/
--\/------------------------------------------------------------------
February 8, 2009
/--- Sponsor a Child with Compassion -----------------------\
For less than a dollar a day, you can make a powerful
difference in the life of a needy child. Click on the
following link to learn more about sponsoring a child
through Compassion!
\--- http://ads.heartlight.org/email/92/ -------------------/
=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Better than the Super Bowl, by Rubel Shelly
Last Sunday's football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the
Pittsburgh Steelers was billed as the Super Bowl. It deserves the
title. It is the game toward which everything in the NFL seasons
points. The team that wins gets bragging rights as best of the best for
the year. So hats off to Pittsburgh for its 27-23 win.
But you'll have to pardon me for thinking a much bigger game was played
last November 7 in Grapevine, Texas. It was high school kids. Faith
Christian School, sporting a strong 7-2 record, went up against
Gainesville State School. Gainesville was 0-8 coming in and had scored
a total of two touchdowns all year. Yet it was a "super" game -- the
brainchild of Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan.
Gainesville State is a maximum-security correctional facility that
houses adolescents who have had few breaks and lots of run-ins with the
law. They have convictions for robbery, assault, and drugs. Many have
no family members who keep in touch with them -- and have nowhere to go
when their sentences end.
Here was Coach Hogan's idea: Let's play the kids from Gainesville
State, show them the love of Christ, let them know they are just as
valuable as anybody else on Planet Earth, and pray it will help them
see life a bit differently.
Some of his own players were struggling to get it. "Imagine if you
didn't have a home life," he explained. "Imagine if everybody has
pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for
hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you." He thought it might
make a difference -- in both teams.
Now that was a super football game.
For that wonderful night in Texas, half of Faith's students, parents,
and fans sat on the opponent's side to cheer for them. Those 200-plus
souls cheered, shouted encouragement to the Gainesville players by
name, and otherwise did everything possible to make them feel special.
Wearing their seven-year-old shoulder pads and outdated helmets, the
boys on the field sensed something special. Accustomed to being feared
and avoided, they were being supported. "I never in my life thought I'd
hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," said Isaiah,
Gainesville's quarterback.
When the game ended -- with Faith Christian winning 33-14 -- the teams
gathered in the middle of the field. It was Isaiah's turn to surprise
everybody by asking to lead a prayer. "Lord, I don't know how this
happened, so I don't know how to say Thank You," he said, "but I never
would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about
us." The kids were taken to their team bus in handcuffs to go back to
jail. Each was handed a bag from a Faith player -- a bag that had a
burger, some fries, a soft drink, a Bible, and a personal note.
Now that was a super football game. A super night. A super way for some
young men to meet Jesus in a most unusual way.
---------
(c) 2009 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly <rshelly@rc.edu>'s
"FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for
previous issues of the "FAX of Life."
RELATED LINKS:
* Life Outside of Football
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200702/20070206_outsidefootball.html
* Strength & Help in our Time of Need
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200501/20050126_timeofneed.html
* They Called Him Sweetness
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200001/20000125_sweetness.html
* RubelShelly.com
http://www.rubelshelly.com/
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200902/20090208_superbowlplus.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
THE REASON FOR GOD: BELIEF IN GOD IN AN AGE OF SKEPTICISM, by Timothy Keller
Responding to the questions of open skeptics and ardent believers,
Keller draws from literature, philosophy, reason, and real-life
conversations to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly
rational belief.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?153
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!
HEARTLIGHT DAILY EMAIL /\/\
===============================================================\ /===
http://www.heartlight.org/ \/
Visit HEARTLIGHT on the web for even more articles, plus music,
devotionals and more for your Christian walk!
ABOUT HEARTLIGHT:
Heartlight, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) religious non-profit organization.
Donations are welcome and tax-deductible! Find out how to help!
http://www.heartlight.org/support
EDITOR: Phil Ware, phil@heartlight.org
HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE?
It's FREE! To subscribe send a blank email to:
join-heartlight@maillists.heartlight.org
HOW DO I LEAVE?
To unsubscribe send a blank email to:
heartlight-unsub@maillists.heartlight.org
STILL HAVING TROUBLE?
If our automated unsubscribe system isn't working for you,
send an email to mailmaster@heartlight.org and let us know
what list you would like to leave. We'll take care of you.
======================================================================
