Thrill Of Victory – Overcoming

Guys like Tom Dempsey and Jim Abbott didn’t throw too many pity parties for themselves.

They just went out and got things done despite some huge physical issues for a professional athlete.

They overcame.

Dempsey was a record-breaking NFL player, although he certainly didn’t look the part. Due to a birth defect Dempsey has half of a right foot and a stub of a right hand.

Not content to be labeled "handicapped," Dempsey was active in athletics despite his physical limitations. In high school Dempsey was a defensive end, and he went on to play junior college football. In junior college he dabbled with place-kicking and found out he was pretty good.

Good, enough, in fact, to draw interest from the National Football League.

A barefoot kicker in college, Dempsey was fitted with a custom-made shoe in the NFL, which had the look of a shoe that had been sawed off about where the laces begin.

As a rookie with the New Orleans Saints in 1969 Dempsey booted a 55-yard field goal, one yard short of the NFL record.

The next season, on Nov. 8, 1970, Dempsey topped that, clubbing a 63-yard field goal with :02 remaining to give the Saints a 19-17 victory over Detroit and smashing the NFL longest field goal mark.

By the end of the 2007 campaign, that record still stands. Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied the 63-yard mark in 1998. It must be noted, however, that Elam’s record-tying kick came in the thin air of Mile High Stadium. When with the Saints Dempsey kicked at Tulane Stadium, which was actually situated BELOW sea level.

Abbott had similar obstacles to overcome...he was a pitcher with just one hand.

Abbott was born without a right hand. His love of baseball found him on the mound nonetheless. Abbott became a left-handed starting pitcher, who quickly turned heads not only for his so-called handicap but for his abilities as a pitcher.

When on the mound Abbott tucked his fielding glove under his right arm as he delivered a pitch. After making the pitch he would quickly slip the glove onto his pitching (left) hand in enough time to field his position. An amazing feat to witness in itself.

Abbott was so impressive as a pro prospect that after signing a contract he became only the 15^th player in Major League history to make his pro debut in the Major Leagues, without having played minor league baseball first.

Abbott went on to pitch for four major league teams in a 10-year career, winning 87 games. One of those wins was simply incredible -- while pitching for the New York Yankees Abbott tossed a no-hitter in 1993.

The Bible is full of examples of people overcoming physical obstacles.

Paul prayed three times for God to heal his problem (many feel it was his eyesight). In addition, Paul spread the Word to the world despite unspeakable injuries and illness caused by beatings, stonings and imprisonment. Imagine Paul trying to do his writings with hands mangled by beatings and stones; surely he needed help in doing so.

Moses had a speaking problem, and at one point begged God to take away the responsibility of leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage (Exo. 4:10-16). Instead, God told Moses that his brother, Aaron, would speak for him.

And David had to overcome the obstacle of being too young to fight. David was only about 15 when he volunteered to stand up to the Philistine Army’s champion, the giant Goliath. Goliath is thought to have been over nine-feet tall. The size of the average man from that time is thought to be around 5-3, which would make the youthful David probably about 4-8 or so.

Of course, David used a slingshot to down Goliath (1 Sam. 17). David then used Goliath’s sword to kill the giant and cut off his head. David then paraded around showing off Goliath’s head (sounds just like a 15-year-old boy, doesn’t it?).

So, let us be very careful about the problems from our day-to-day activities that we sometimes moan and complain about.

Sometimes we just have to overcome.

Just ask Tom Dempsey and Jim Abbott. Or Moses, David and Paul.

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Thrill Of Victory

The reason for any sporting event is to compete. It's interesting that even 2000 years ago when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he understood the same thing we do today: you want to win. The stakes were often life-and-death in those days. Christians sometimes were sentenced to death in the arena where spectators applauded as they were torn to pieces by lions. 

We're still in that arena, but because we're in America and we're free, sometimes we forget that life-and-death game. The lions that tear us apart may not be as dramatic or easy to see coming, but nevertheless, they devour us. 

The "Thrill of Victory" is a new page being introduced by davesports to encourage you in your own race. Like Paul said, we hope that you will "run!" And we hope that you will run in such a way as to win that crown.

Think BIG When Praying

The story goes that in the early 1960s Arnold Palmer – the Tiger Woods of that era – was invited to vacation in Saudi Arabia and play golf with the king there.

The king, so impressed with Palmer’s personality and golfing ability, sent an attendant to Palmer. "The king wants to give you a gift. What is it you would like?"

Palmer quickly answered that the king didn’t have to give him a gift; that his hospitality on the trip was more than enough.

"I don’t think you understand," the attendant said. "In this country, when the king offers you a gift it is offensive not to accept. Please, what is it you would like?"

Pausing a moment, Palmer smiled and said. "Tell the king he can give be a golf club. That would be plenty."

The next morning the attendant comes to Palmer and presents him with the deed to a 300-acre golf club.

If we’re going to ask The King for something would we ask for something small? Or do we think BIG.

Do we have Kingdom prayers? Do we ask God to produce BIG things?

In your church, would you dare pray for 50 baptisms over the next year? One hundred baptisms? One thousand?

Is God big enough to handle such a request?

If we believe that the tomb is empty, don’t we also believe God is going to eventually show up again...and that He is alive, listening and still able to answer BIG prayers?

Do we pray for rain. Or do we pray for reign?

Certainly Paul was not afraid of big prayers. See Ephesians 3.

The church can do big things to bring glory to an awesome God. The extraordinary should be ordinary in the Church of Jesus Christ.

But we’ve got to ask.

So, what kind of golf club do we ask for, a putter or 18 holes/club house/pro shop?

When talking with The Father, think BIG!

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