Bono: ‘I Believe Jesus is the Son of God; If We Could Be More Like Him, the World Would be Transformed’ (Gospel Light Minute #139)

He is an Irish singer, songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. He is best known as the frontman for the rock band U2. He is responsible for writing almost all U2 lyrics which often consist of religious, social, and political themes. Outside of music, he is widely known for his activism concerning Africa, for which he co-founded DATA, EDUN, the ONE Campaign and Product Red. Among many awards, nominations, and mentions, he was granted a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II, was given the Man of Peace award in 2008, the NAACP Image Award’s Chairman’s Award in 2007, and was named a Time Person of the Year alongside Bill and Melinda Gates in 2005. In 2013, he was made a Commander of the French Order of Arts and Letters. He was also named the most politically effective celebrity of all time by the National Journal. He has been married for over 30 years and he and his wife have four children.

In an interview with Focus on the Family, he spoke about his faith in Jesus Christ. He said, “For people who have a hard time with Jesus being the Messiah, Jesus isn’t letting you off the hook. The Scriptures don’t let you off the hook so easily. When people say [Jesus is a] ‘Good teacher’, ‘Prophet’, ‘Really nice guy’, this is not how Jesus thought of Himself. So you’re left with a challenge, which is either Jesus was who He said He was or a complete and utter nut case. You have to make a choice on that. And I believe that Jesus was, you know, the Son of God.”

Making a connection between his faith and his activist work, he said, “It’s very annoying following this person of Christ around, because he’s very demanding of your life. You don’t have to go to university and get a Ph.D. to understand this stuff. You just go to the person of Christ… We have a pastor who said to us, ‘Stop asking God to bless what you’re doing. Find out what God is doing, because it’s already blessed.’ And when you align yourself with God’s purpose as described in the Scriptures, something special happens to your life. You’re in alignment.”

In an interview with Michka Assayas, he said, “The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled… it’s not our own good works that get through the gates of heaven… If only we could be a bit more like Him, the world would be transformed.”

His name is Paul David Hewson, better known as Bono.

Freestyle Skier, David Wise, Wants to Show People that ‘God Created Us All With the Potential to Enjoy His World’ (Gospel Light Minute #138)

He is an American freestyle skier. He won the gold medal at the Winter X Games #16 in the SuperPipe in 2012, 2013, and 2014. He also won gold at the 2013 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships. Most recently, at 23-years-old, he went to the winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and returned home with a gold medal in Men’s Halfpipe.

He became a Christian as a teenager and his faith is an important part of how he sees himself as a competitor and athlete. He said, “For me, if you’re going to go so far as to believe something, then it really should be a big part of whom you are. So, whenever I’m out there skiing, I try to be the same person as a skier as I am in church on Sundays. I try to be the same in everything that I do. I really feel blessed and fortunate to be a part of such a cool sport.” He added that his dream is to “take what I love to do and inspire other people…Show people that the world is beautiful. Yes, there’s ugliness mixed in, but God created us all with the potential of enjoying this place.”

He and his wife run the youth group at their church in Nevada and he said he could even see himself as “a pastor of a church at some point.” “If that’s the way it works out, or if that’s God’s plan for my life, then that’s something I’d be totally okay with, but if not, then I’ll do whatever else comes.” In the meantime, he runs a non-profit fund called the Clean Water Project, which aims to provide clean drinking water to people in Malawi.

His name is David Wise.

Olympic Speedskater Jilleanne Rookard: Christ Gives her ‘Courage to Chase a God-Sized Dream’ (Gospel Light Minute #137)

She is an American speed skater who has competed in the sport since 2006. She was named to the U.S. team for the 2010 Winter Olympics and reached 12th place in the 3000 meter competition and 8th place in the 5000 meter competition. She won the 3,000-meter women’s speedskating event at the Olympic Trials in Salt Lake City, Utah, on December 27, 2013. She is currently competing with the U.S. Olympic team in Sochi, Russia, at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

When she started training for the Olympics in 2006, she had every reason to give up. For two years, she had to search for the right coach, had very little financial support, and had to work to pay for groceries, rent, and coaching. On top of that, her father passed away in 2001, and her mother began undergoing chemo treatments before passing away soon after. Many people around her expected her to quit and give up on her dreams, but she had her faith in God to rely on.

She said, “I had accepted Christ just before I made the decision to train for the Olympics in ice speed skating in 2006. I was training at a gym and I started pouring out some of my troubles to a woman. Without hesitation, she asked me if I would like to pray. We prayed right then and there on the floor at the gym. I said yes, and that is when the magic started to happen. It goes to show that God is everywhere! God is on the floor of my local gym and He is in my bedroom at 3 a.m. when I am pouring my life out to Him!”

Her faith is a source of strength and inspiration for the times when she feels like giving up. She said, “it was strange that God didn’t solve all of my problems. But it seemed as though He was giving me the strength to handle more!” She had to remind herself every day why she was pursuing her dream. She told herself that whether she succeeded or failed, she would learn something. She said, “I realize that it’s not about me at all. It’s about finishing what I started… I’ve just kept growing since the time I accepted Christ, and it’s not anything sudden. I realize now that I’m never going to stop learning.” She thanks God every day for the lessons He has taught her in her journey. Even with the risks of moving, training, and uncertain outcomes, she says there is one thing she has learned, and that is: “Success is not defined by the outcome, but by the courage it takes to chase God-sized dreams.”

Her name is Jilleanne Rookard.

Bobsledder Elana Meyers: Win or Lose, ‘I’m in this Sport to Glorify God’ (Gospel Light Minute with Daniel Whyte III)

She is an American bobsledder who has competed in the sport since 2007. She won the silver in the bobsled two-woman event with Shauna Rohbock at the 2009 FIBT World Championships in Lake Placid, New York. Named to the U.S. team in 2010, she along with Erin Pac won the bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. In 2013, she and brake-woman Katie Eberling won the silver at the FIBT World Championships in St. Moritz. She is currently competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Though she always dreamed of being an Olympian, it wasn’t an easy road to get there. Before taking up bobsledding, she was the first softball recruit at George Washington University and quickly set nearly every offensive record. However, she said, “My sophomore year, our softball team was doing really badly and our season ended up getting canceled. So, that being the center of my life, I got really depressed. I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t know what my purpose was. I just started researching religions. Something inside of me told me I needed more than this.” While reading a book about spiritual things over Christmas break, she became overwhelmed with emotion, and said of that time, “It hit me that Jesus is the way. I can’t explain it by anything other than that. It was so strong and powerful; I knew that I needed to change my life.” When she returned to George Washington University, she began to understand what it means to be a Christ-follower. She joined Athletes in Action, began studying the Word, and growing in her faith.

In 2003, she was invited to try out for the 2004 Olympic softball team but the experience did not go well; she says she “crashed and burned.” After retiring in 2007, she took up bobsledding and she has worked hard to become one of the top female bobsledders in the country. After winning the bronze in 2010, she said, “To walk away with a medal was the accomplishment of a lifelong dream. It’s hard to put into words how incredible that experience was. That’s one of those moments when you know how real God is. I think I won that medal to glorify Him. One of the big reasons I was put in bobsled is to help people not only reach their goals, but come to Christ. God put me here for a specific reason and I don’t think it’s just to win medals. At the end of the day, I’m in this sport to glorify God, so if that means I come in last place or I win the gold medal, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Her name is Elana Meyers.

Jacob Tamme: ‘Faith in God Comes First in Life’ (Gospel Light Minute #135)

He is a tight end for the Denver Broncos. Before going to the Broncos in 2012, he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football for the University of Kentucky, and as a senior, he earned first-team All-SEC honors from both the Associated Press and the coaches polls.

In 2007, he was named the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year and elected to the first-team Academic All-America squad by the College Sports Information Directors of America. He was the 2007 recipient of the Bobby Bowden Award, a national honor presented by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

He helped his teams, the Colts and the Broncos, win the AFC Championship, the Colts in 2009 and the Broncos 2013. He recently helped to lead his team, the Denver Broncos, to a Super Bowl berth in the January 19th’s AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. His team played the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 48 on February 2, 2014.

He said of his faith, “I’ve been blessed with two great parents who taught me how to do things the right way and that provided a great foundation for my spiritual life. Today, I am very thankful to have a life partner in my wife and a son. This has given me a great responsibility to lead my family in our faith, relationship with Christ, and provide the same foundation that my parents provided for me. To me, this is the thing that matters most in life.”

“My faith is important because it’s the core of why I believe we exist as humans. Faith allows us to spend an eternity with God and it fuels my every day actions. I’ve seen how having faith in God can change lives and it certainly has changed mine….God has to come first in all of our lives, then family second. Everything else that we chose in life comes after. Football is very consuming and I love being able to go out and compete week in and week out, but you have to elevate the other two (faith and family) because they are most important and the cornerstones of our lives.”

His name is Jacob Tamme.

Peyton Manning: ‘My Faith in Christ has Been #1 in My Life Since I Was 13-Years-Old’ (Gospel Light Minute #134)

He is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Before playing for the Broncos, he was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played 14 seasons from 1998 to 2011 for the Colts. He led the Colts to eight division championships, two AFC championships, and one Super Bowl championship in 2007.

His statistics throughout his playing career have ranked him among the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. He has been awarded four NFL MVPs — a league record. He has also been named to 13 Pro Bowls and 7 AP All-Pro teams. He has thirteen 4000-yard passing seasons, and is the all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes for the Indianapolis Colts. Fox Sports and Sports Illustrated named him the NFL “player of the decade” for the 2000s. And in 2013, Sports Illustrated named him “Sportsman of the Year.”

Also in 2013: He broke the record for most passing touchdowns in a season with 55 of his own; he joined Brett Favre and Dan Marino as the only NFL players in history to throw for over 60,000 yards; and he broke the NFL’s passing yardage record by exactly one yard in the final game of the regular season.

He led his team, the Denver Broncos, to a Super Bowl berth by throwing for 400 yards and two touchdowns in the January 19th AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots. His team plays the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 48 on February 2, 2014.

He said of his faith, “At age 13, I committed my life to Christ, and that faith has been most important to me ever since….For me generally it had always been the big four: faith, family, friends, and football. As important as football is to me, it can never be higher than fourth. My faith has been number one since I was thirteen years old.”

He said further, “Some players get more vocal about their faith, and some point to Heaven after scoring a touchdown and praise God after games. I have no problem with that. But I don’t do it, and I don’t think it makes me any less a Christian. I just want my actions to speak louder, and I don’t want to be more of a target for criticism…My faith doesn’t make me perfect, it makes me forgiven, and provides me the assurance I once looked for. I’ve been blessed—having so little go wrong in my life, and being given so much. I pray every night, sometimes long prayers about a lot of things and a lot of people, but I don’t talk about it or brag about it because that’s between God and me, and I’m no better than anybody else in God’s sight. But I consider myself fortunate to be able to go to Him for guidance, and I hope (and pray) I don’t do too many things that displease Him. I believe, too, that life is much better and freer when you’re committed to God in that way.”

His name is Peyton Manning.

The Question God Asked Steve Smith: “When Are You Going to Start Playing for Me?” (Gospel Light Minute #133)

He is a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers. He played college football at the University of Utah. He was chosen by the Panthers as a third round pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. He was selected to the Pro-Bowl five times and to the All-Pro three times. He is known as one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL. In 2005, he led the league in receiving yards, catches, and touchdowns. This same year, he was the NFL Alumni Wide Receiver of the Year, AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and the PFWA NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Having spent his whole career with the Panthers, he is the team’s all-time leader in total touchdowns, receptions, and receiving yards. He currently leads all active NFL players in all-purpose yardage.

He says of his faith, “I accepted Christ in a boiler room in Tampa Bay in 2003. I accepted Christ, but I didn’t understand the responsibility, or understand the full lifelong commitment, the true covenant between a believer, myself and—with Christ. And so I was kind of lukewarm, I was straddling the fence. I kind of looked for (it) when I needed it, but when I didn’t need it, just kind of shoved it to the side.”

With talent, pride, and a chip on his shoulder, he often got into arguments with other players and teammates. During the 2010 season, he decided to change that. After taking a long look in the mirror, he said, “I really just did not recognize the man, the young man, in the mirror. I didn’t recognize him, I didn’t see it, I didn’t like what I saw; vain, egotistical, and self centered. The world revolved around me. And, it was only important thing at that time was me. And that’s not how real life works. That’s not what it’s about. That’s not what a husband ought to think, ought to be, that’s not what a father ought to be.”

He says that’s when he was faced with a question from God. He said, “God just really broke me and asked me that question that I think everyone has in different ways. Which was, ‘You’ve played this game long enough for yourself; when are you going to start playing for Me?’ That was a question that hit home.” It was then that he decided to rededicate his life to the Lord.

He said, “You can have your bank account at Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, every big business, but on that weekend, they aren’t open. At midnight when you’re broken, that bank account isn’t going to help you. God has been in my life whether I’ve known it or not, and been looking out for me the days that He knows, He’s known. And He’s been there in the muck and the mire. For me, He’s redemptive; He’s that Father that even when your dad is striking out, He’ll hold you.”

His name is Steve Smith.

Candace Cameron Bure: “God Has Changed Me in Ways that Words Cannot Describe” (Gospel Light Minute #132)

She is an actress, producer, author, loving wife and mother of three. She is perhaps best known for her role as D.J. Tanner on the hit television series “Full House” from ages 10 to 18 which ran from 1987 to 1995. She is the sister of actor Kirk Cameron. Her other film credits include: “Punchline”, “The Wager”, and “To the Wall.” Her television credits include: “Cybill”, “Boy Meets World”, “Make It or Break It”, “The Heart of Christmas”, and “Let It Snow” among others. She was nominated for the Young Artist Award seven times primarily for her role in “Full House”, and she won the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award in 1994.

She says of her faith, “When I was growing up, my family wasn’t Christian. We didn’t talk about God and I didn’t know anything about him. When I was twelve years old, my parents told us we were going to church; a friend had invited us. It was strange to me, and I giggled at the thought of God. But as we continued to go every Sunday, my heart felt warm, and I saw how happy my mom, brother and sister were. I decided that I wanted to feel the same way. It was Jesus Christ that was producing this change in them, so one Sunday morning, I asked Jesus into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior. I was baptized along with some of my family at a later service. I was extremely excited about what I thought was my new Christian life.”

As a teenager, her popularity caused church to become an after thought .She said, “It wasn’t until I read the book Left Behind that I started rethinking my Christian life. There was one character that stood out to me. Pastor Bruce Barnes. He was left behind after the Rapture had occurred. I could not understand how a pastor could be left behind and figured the authors had probably never read a Bible! But, the book went on to explain, and it was my own ignorance that had me to believe that I could ask God into my heart, live my life the way I wanted to (even if it was not pleasing to the Lord), and still go to Heaven when I died.”

She said, “After reading a book my brother gave to me, now called The Way of the Master it changed my walk with God forever! It talked about the 10 commandments, and showed me my sin in it’s true light. You see, when I prayed the “sinner’s prayer” that day in church when I was 12, I asked God to forgive my sins. But I didn’t even know what my sin was. But, the law showed me my sin. As I went through every commandment, I saw that I’d broken all of them. Then I learned that God was going to judge me by this standard, not the world’s standard. So, while I thought I was a good person compared to other people, I saw that I was a horribly bad person by God’s standard. It was then that I truly recognized and understood my sin and what Jesus did for me. I broke the Law, and Jesus paid my fine. God has changed me in ways that words can’t describe. He has transformed the way I think and live my life. Things that were once important to me are no longer. I can’t help but share the Good News with everyone! I know there is nothing more important. I know that without Christ, the eternal consequences are devastating. I urge you to surrender your whole life to Jesus, turn from your sin and trust in Him with all your heart. Pick up a bible, and start reading.”

Her name is Candace Cameron Bure.

Rashad Jennings: ‘If You Put God First, He Will Take Care of Everything Else in Your Life’ (Gospel Light Minute #131)

He is a running back for the Oakland Raiders. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft before going to the Raiders in 2013. He played college football at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Before transferring to Liberty, he attended the University of Pittsburgh in 2005 and became only the fourth true freshman running back to start there.

At Liberty, he set a Big South Conference record with 3,633 yards with 42 TDs and a 5.7-yards-per-carry average. He holds numerous rushing records including most rushing yards and touchdowns in a single season and most 100-yard consecutive, single-season, and career games. He also played high school football at Liberty Christian Academy where he helped the team advance from a 0-11 season to a 10-1 season in two years.

He says of his faith in God, “I am truly humbled to be in the position I am. There is nothing special about me; I am just in a special position, and it is my job to utilize it to advance the kingdom. My faith is what got me here. My faith is going to keep me here. A part of playing in this game is to make sure that I witness to as many guys as I can; that truth (the Gospel) is going to last longer than the NFL.” He says his time at Liberty University showed him that “if you do things the right way, if you put God first and give him honor in your life, He will take care of everything else.”

His name is Rashad Jennings.

LL Cool J says, “I Am a Christian” and “I Love God” (Gospel Light Minute #130)

He is a rapper, entrepreneur, and actor. He has released thirteen studio albums and two greatest hits compilations including “Mama Said Knock You Out” in 1990 and “The DEFinition” in 2004. His latest album “Authentic” was released on April 30, 2013. He is well known for the popular hip-hop tracks, “I Can’t Live Without My Radio”, “I’m Bad”, and “Rock The Bells” among others. He has also appeared in numerous films and TV shows including: “Krush Groove”, “Charlie’s Angels”, “Deliver Us from Eva”, “Last Holiday”, “Kingdom Come” and “30 Rock”.

He is currently starring on the CBS crime drama TV series, “NCIS: Los Angeles” as Special Agent Sam Hanna. He has won several awards including, a Grammy award in 1992 and 1997; an MTV Best Rap Video Music Award in 1991; 4 NAACP Image Awards; and 2 Soul Train Music Awards. He was inducted into Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2007.

In an interview with Crosswalk, he talked extensively about his faith. He said, “I’m a Christian. Faith is a huge part of what I do, on every level – and I mean from salvation to tithes and offerings, and on every level and every dynamic that you can think about. … I was raised in church, and I read the Bible constantly. I stay in the Word constantly, on every level, because ultimately I think that we need that strength. You need that power in your life – that wisdom and discernment. You need that rain on all the seeds that are inside of you, and constantly nurture that potential that God placed inside of you, by watering it with that Word and constantly getting that in you, so that you can deal with the industry, so that you can deal with the trials and tribulations and temptations that come your way because of film, because of television, music and various other areas of the world, and the industry that I’m in. For me, it started off as a boy, and here I am.”

Asked how he nurtures his faith in the music and film industry, he said, “It’s kind of interesting. Sometimes, you have to let your life be the testimony. You have to let your life and yourself be the example. If I can be successful in the secular world and give God the glory, then it’s not so difficult. If ultimately he gets the glory, then the proof is in the pudding. If I can go out and claim a victory for God, and if I can go out and do incredibly exciting things and take my life to new dimensions and new levels and, at the end of the day, when I’m standing in the end zone, give God the glory, then I’ve done my job. Yeah, you get some of those weird vibes that people have because they fear being looked upon as different from everyone else when they talk about God. But for me, I love God, and I’ve never had a problem with going out in front and saying that it’s because of the tithes and offerings, and because of the faith and because of the fact that I’m willing to step out of everything worldly that I’m able to be in this position. I don’t have a problem saying that. It doesn’t bother me.”

His name is LL Cool J.

How God Helped Interstate Battery CEO Norm Miller Overcome Alcoholism and Find New Life in Christ (Gospel Light Minute #128)

He is the chairman of Interstate Battery. From humble beginnings as a salesman, he worked his way up through the departmental ranks of the company to become CEO. He expanded the company’s dealerships to over 200,000 across America and helped build up a brand name and reputation that is known for excellence and honesty.

As a young child growing up in Galveston, Texas, he often watched his father drink heavily on many evenings after work. Consequently, when he entered junior high, he began drinking as well. His drinking and partying continued all the way through high school and college. After college, he got a job with Interstate which kept him on the road a lot, and many days after working on cars and trucks, he would drink until the bar closed in the wee hours of the morning.

However, on one occasion, he was driving home after a night of drinking and got pulled over by the police. He says in his testimony: “I already had been convicted of two DUIs, but somehow I talked my way out of getting arrested. When I woke up the next morning all hung over, I called in sick to work. Then as I lay there in bed, the truth overwhelmed me. I was an alcoholic just like my father. I’d lost control of my life. That was a frightening realization! At the very instant I realized I had become an alcoholic, I blurted out in a half-yell of desperation, ‘God, help me! I can’t handle it!’ I’ll never forget those words, because He took the compulsion to drink away completely. It was over right then. I realize it doesn’t happen that way for everyone, but it did for me, and I’m eternally thankful. The weird thing is that if you’d asked me the day before if I believed in God, I would have told you that I didn’t know — that I hadn’t given much thought to it.”

After a friend came along and shared with him the truth of the Bible, he gradually began to understand it, and it began to take hold in his heart. He goes on to say, “An important verse for me was, ‘Seek and you shall find…’ I told God that if He was for real, I was a ‘seeker’ and I wanted to find the TRUTH. The Bible says that ‘Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ It teaches that we’re all ‘slaves’ — not just to alcohol and drugs, but to sin. Each of us has sinned against God and gone our own way, independent of Him. With a self-centered, do-our-own-thing attitude, all of our lives have fallen short of God’s intentions for us. Just as the Bible says in Romans 3:23, ‘For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ I knew that was true for me! But the good news is that ‘the Truth shall make you free,’ and Jesus Christ is the Truth! So I accepted Him just as the Bible teaches: as my Lord and Savior, as God’s only begotten Son who died as payment for MY sins. In Him is the forgiveness of sin and the power of self-control in being freed from the bondage of sin. Jesus is the gift of freedom, the power for living, and He gives eternal life!”

Today, he serves as a board member for Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas Seminary Foundation, the Overseas Council and BEE World. He is co-founder of the Great American Race and a founding team member of I Am Second. His name is Norm Miller.

The Faith of Paul Walker: “Who Couldn’t Believe There’s a God?” (Gospel Light Minute #127)

He was a famous American actor. He gained fame in 1999 for his role in the film “Varsity Blues”. He is perhaps best known, however, for playing Brian O’Conner in “The Fast and Furious” film series. His other films include: Eight Below, Joy Ride, and Takers. His television credits include: Highway to Heaven. Touched by an Angel, and Shark Week, among others.

Before his untimely death on November 30, 2013, he spoke of his conversion from Mormonism to Christianity in an interview with USA Today. Although he was raised as a member of the Mormon church, he attended Sun Valley’s Village Christian School as a teenager, and later in life became a Christian. He said, “I’m a Christian now. The thing that drove me crazy growing up was how everyone works at fault-finding with different religions. The people I don’t understand are atheists. I go surfing and snowboarding and I’m always around nature. I look at everything and think, ‘Who couldn’t believe there’s a God? Is all this a mistake?’ It just blows me away.” He was on his way to attend an event for the typhoon victims in the Philippines hosted by his charity, Reach Out WorldWide, when he passed from this life into the next.

His name is Paul Walker.

How Alfred Morris Chose to Stop Just ‘Professing to be a Christian’ and Start Living Like One (Gospel Light Minute #126)

[audio https://gospellightminute.buzzsprout.com/3192/133959-how-alfred-morris-chose-to-stop-just-professing-to-be-a-christian-and-start-living-like-one-gospel-light-minute-126.mp3]

Alfred Morris

He is a running back for the Washington Redskins. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Redskins. He played college football at Florida Atlantic University. He holds career records at Florida Atlantic University in carries, rushing yards, and touchdowns. He broke Washington’s records for single-season rushing yards and rookie rushing touchdowns in 2012. And he became the fourth player in NFL history to record more than 1,600 rushing yards as a rookie.

Growing up in poverty, he credits his mother and father for instilling in him morals, values and beliefs in family, taking him to church every week and introducing him to what it means to have a relationship with Christ. As he progressed through high school and college, he said, “I realized I had professed Christianity throughout my life and given God the glory, but I was still doing a lot of the worldly, college-kid stuff. God was blessing me and opening doors, but, when I honestly looked at myself, I saw that I was lukewarm in my faith, one foot in and one foot out.”

“That all changed when I hit a rough patch during my junior year. A couple days before a game, I had so much going on and was feeling overwhelmed with it all. Things piled up, and I hit rock bottom. Broken down, I called out to the Lord and told Him I couldn’t do this life on my own anymore. I gave it all to Him that day and jumped in with both feet. I gave God my heart and have never been the same since. I felt the pureness of God’s love and how all He wants is a relationship with each of us and to shower us with His unconditional love. It’s been an amazing journey since then.”

He is thankful now for the Redskins’ chaplain and for his teammates who encourage him daily in his walk with Christ. He said, “Professing Christ can be a popular thing to do, but living as He’s called us to isn’t easy. We all fall short of His glory, but to be able to walk the walk with others and be there for each other is the true definition of being a teammate. I thank God for transforming me and being the solid rock on which I stand. He has never left me. Without Him, I would have given up a long time ago. He’s blessed me with the abilities to play this game, and in return I play to glorify Him. He is, was, and always will be the true prize.”

His name is Alfred Morris.

Ben Zobrist: Learning to Trust God Through the Ups and Downs (Gospel Light Minute #125)

He is a professional baseball player for the Tampa Bay Rays. His versatility on the field allows him to play most positions except pitcher and catcher. He has been second baseman for the Rays since 2009. In 2009, he earned a trip to his first All Star Game in St. Louis. While there the Baseball Writers Association of America named him MVP of the Rays for that year.

Growing up as the son of a Baptist preacher in Eureka, Illinois, he played baseball since he was eight-years-old. He became a Christian at an early age and as he grew older, his faith in God increased. After no scouts looked at him when he graduated from high school, he thought his career was over, but God had other plans for him. Soon God opened up doors for him to play at Olivet Nazarene University, and then at Dallas Baptist University where he played shortstop.

During the in-between times when he was uncertain of his baseball career, he said, “I wondered why God allowed this to happen and I started to have lots of doubts. But God allows things to happen the way He wants, and we need to accept it joyfully and to love Him through things that don’t happen the way we would like in life. The Bible says: ‘And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.’ Being sent up and down in both 2007 and 2008 was a great lesson for me. I had a prideful and wrong attitude about success. God was saying to me, ‘Keep working, keep glorifying Me; wherever you are, don’t grow weary in doing good for in due time, you will reap.’ I am learning to enjoy the experience God put me in at the moment and glorifying Him in that.”

His former teammate Brian Shouse said of him, “Ben is the kind of player you would want on your team…he plays hard, he wants to learn and improve, and he has a great attitude. He is a very active Christian and he looks for ways he can help and encourage others in life. He has found peace and joy in his life through his faith in Jesus.”

His name is Ben Zobrist.

London Fletcher: ‘I Was Living in Darkness for So Long; But When I Accepted Christ, My Eyes Were Opened’ (Gospel Light Minute #124)

He is a middle linebacker for the Washington Redskins. Before signing with the Redskins, he played for the St. Louis Rams and the Buffalo Bills. Well known for never missing a game in his career, he is ranked first among active players in this regard with over 200 starts. He was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and to the Second-team All-Pro twice. He helped his team, the St. Louis Rams win Super Bowl 34 in 2000. He won the Bart Starr Man of the Year Award in 2012 and was the Washington Redskins’ Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 and the NFC Defensive Player of the Month in December 2012.

He says of his faith in Christ, “For several months in 2004, I felt God was telling me to come to Him. But I resisted the call until after the first Bible study that Fred Raines, a chaplain with Athletes in Action, had at training camp. I was excited to accept and follow Christ as my Lord and Savior. I was tired of living the life that I was living. I knew I couldn’t do this on my own. I felt a fulfillment inside that I had been searching for. I spent years chasing things I thought would bring me everlasting joy and happiness: chasing Super Bowl rings or a multi-million dollar contract; or a new house, cars and jewelry. None of those things did for me what Christ did in an instant.”

“I grew up in a home where my grandmother had us in church. It was more of a routine thing to do. I would hear people talk about how Christ changes you, but I was skeptical then. I was living in the darkness for so long. But when I accepted Christ, my eyes were opened; I wanted to shout and tell the world. I called and told my best friend — all the friends that I knew — that I had received Christ. I wanted them to really experience the joy that I felt. I was so thirsty; I really wanted to experience all that God wanted to give me. I didn’t just want to keep the relationship I had with the Lord on the inside. I wanted it to be an outward expression as well and that’s why I was excited about getting baptized that following week [after I gave my life to Jesus Christ].”

“I encourage you today: if you already haven’t made the decision to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior — don’t hesitate. Don’t be discouraged by someone else. Accept Christ in your heart. Admit to Him that you’re a sinner. I believe that this is the best decision you will make in your life.”

His name is London Fletcher.