Okay maybe I’m not really going to ever be a pro-basketball
player, but much to my surprise God has been using me to spread the gospel in
the Philippines through playing basketball!
team and then go through our team, each of us introducing ourselves and sharing
our testimony. Already I have gotten to share how much Jesus means to me, why
He called me on The Race, and why a relationship with Him is SOO important in
the “game� of life….that the “game� of basketball is a joy and important, but
what happens off the court involving your life and where you will go after this
life is over is MUCH more important to know. After each talk we offer to
exchange facebook names as well as contact info, sometimes the girls ask more
questions, sometimes they do not. At yesterday’s game we also were able to
provide an FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) Bible to the coach of the
other team and Jesus tracts to the players. Please
pray for the sowing of the seeds we have already planted and will continue to
plant. The teams and coaches are in direct contact with a full-time missionary
here named Dan Beaver (he’s our team’s coach) who is looking to continue to run
this ministry even after we are gone.
Alecia, Di, April, Angie, Me
of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take
heart and wait for the Lord.�
the unique and challenging experience of playing basketball on a women’s club
team here in Manila. Our host contact family is wonderful Jeff and Colleen
Long, they have five children and one of them, Janelle is a fantastic
basketball player (their son Kirk is also a famous basketball player here playing for Ateneo College). Through a variety of events a few of us World Race girls
ended up joining the team!
thinking that this was a onetime deal and that I’d do my best playing a pick-up
basketball game. Come to find out, we have jerseys and play REAL COLLEGE teams
of women. It’s been an incredibly challenging experience for me, because I
really have very little formal experience playing basketball. As I played, I was brought back to my very
FIRST real game in 8th grade when I got confused and started
shooting at the WRONG BASKET (several times until my coach screamed at me….)So
needless to say I’m far from being an all-star in this sport….
having to turn to Jesus to get me through each and every game. I get tired and
worn out, confused by the jargon I don’t understand, and very very sweaty…but
through it all Jesus gives me the strength to succeed (and sometimes even score
points!!) all to His glory.
today, after reading it I felt it fit perfectly with how God is using me this month in
this unique sports ministry.
“Relax in My everlasting arms. Your weakness is an opportunity to grow
strong in awareness of My Almighty Presence. When your energy fails you, do not
look inward and lament the lack you find there. Look to Me and My
sufficiency; rejoice in My radiant
riches that are abundantly available to you.
Go gently through
this day, leaning on Me and enjoying My Presence. Thank Me for your neediness,
which is building trust-bonds between us. If you look back on your journey thus
far, you can see that days of extreme weakness have been some of your most
precious times. Memories of these days are richly interwoven with golden
strands of My intimate Presence.â€� �”Jesus Calling-
Me getting ready to go cheer for Kirk Long-our ministry host’s son who plays for team Ateneo…we were able to cheer for him in the SEMIFINAL game!! GOOO Ateneo!
A few kids from the children’s home and ministry site came with us- this is Samuela and her sister Michelle. Samuela is recovering from a major surgery right now and could use lots of prayers for continued healing!
Us girls getting ready to head to the game!!
