Sports Spectrum Magazine - Spring 2020 by Sports Spectrum

SPORTS SPECTRUM

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Nate Solder (NY Giants)

Chris & Jill Davis (Baltimore Orioles)

SPORTS SPECTRUM

Geneo Grissom (NFL Defensive End)

Nicole Barnhart (2x US Soccer Olympic Gold Medalist)

Barnhart & CeCe Kizer (NWSL Houston Dash)

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“Heart of a Coach” and “Heart of an Athlete” are registered trademarks of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and used with permission.

PUBLISHER Sports Spectrum Media PRESIDENT Steve Stenstrom

VP OF MINISTRY OPERATIONS Howard Haworth MANAGING EDITOR Jon Ackerman, jon@sportsspectrum.com ART DIRECTOR Aaron Dean Sauer, aaron@sportsspectrum.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Becky York PODCAST HOST/PRODUCER Jason Romano CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joshua Doering, Kevin Mercer, Jimmy Page, Joshua Pease, Reza Zadeh BUSINESS OPERATIONS Jacob House, Tricia Hudson COPY EDITOR Lori Stenstrom

Sports Spectrum Global is a multimedia ministry with the purpose to impact people by connecting faith and sports in a relevant way, ultimately directing people, with resources for discipleship, toward a personal, loving God who demands Christ-centered lives. Printed in USA. Copyright © 2020 by Sports Spectrum Media. Bible quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SPORTS SPECTRUM, 640 Plaza Dr., Ste 110, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

CONTENTS 16 — 2020 MLB Preview Predictions, awards, players to follow.

18 — Underrated No More

Often overlooked, Anthony Rendon broke out in a big way in 2019. After garnering his first All-Star selection and leading the Nationals on a stunning run to their first World Series title, the 29-year-old felt called to help the Los Angeles Angels build a championship team of their own. And he’ll do so on a mission to spread God’s Word.

22 — Belief Between the Bases

Nick Ahmed knew since he was a boy that he wanted to play Major League Baseball, and he’s now one of the best shortstops in the game. His career took a turn for the better once he dedicated his life to Christ — in the middle of the field, in the middle of a game.

26 — New Season, New Lifetime Contract After 45 years of spring training, Clint Hurdle will be with his family this spring instead of at the ballpark. The former Rockies and Pirates manager doesn’t know what his future holds, but he’s letting God call the shots.

30 — Verses of Impact

Through the grind of life and long baseball seasons, athletes draw strength from God’s Word. Prior to the 2020 MLB season, we asked eight MLB players for Bible verses that have had an impact on them.

34 — Voice of Faith

In 15 seasons as the Denver Nuggets’ PA announcer and 12 as the team’s chaplain, Kyle Speller is using his gifts and talents to hype the players on the court, and help them off the court in their walks with the Lord.

38 — Making Disciples and Buckets

Marquette’s Markus Howard is leading the nation in scoring, while also leading student-athletes to Christ through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter he helped launch on his campus.

42 — There’s No Soft in O.U. Softball

You don’t become one of the greatest softball coaches in history without high expectations. Oklahoma’s Patty Gasso has reached legendary status by following Christ and the Bible to teach her players that their identity doesn’t rest on the game.

45 — The Increase Devotionals Messages from professional athletes, chaplains and leaders.

62 — The Pursuit: The Positive 2 By Jimmy Page 63 — Victory Beyond Competition: New Formula For Self-Worth By Reza Zadeh + PLUS

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4 - By the Numbers | 6 - Around the Spectrum & Super Bowl LIV | 10 - Sports Spectrum Digital | 12 - Heart of an Athlete & Coach | 64 - Gospel Message

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END TO THE DODGER BLUES?

Opening Day in L.A. in 2019, as seen here, was full of promise for the Dodgers. Sure, they were coming off a second straight World Series defeat, but they were heavy favorites to win the National League yet again. What happened? They came up one game short of a third consecutive trip to the Fall Classic. With Opening Day 2020 right around the corner, the Dodgers are again the popular NL pick. Can they pull it off and win their first World Series since 1988? Check out our MLB Preview starting on page 16 to see what we think. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

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BY THE NUMBERS

463 6 50 446 3

TV & digital viewers of Super Bowl LIV, making it the 10th most-watched Super Bowl ever.

Playoff rushing yards for Tennessee’s Derrick Henry, breaking a 37-yearold record for most rushing yards during a single postseason (not including Super Bowl). Henry led the NFL with 1,540 regular-season rushing yards.

First-place NFL MVP votes for Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, making him the second unanimous MVP in NFL history. He was also the youngest (23) quarterback to ever win the award.

Record-setting passing yards and total touchdowns for LSU’s Joe Burrow in the CFP National Championship Game.

BY THE NUMBERS 4

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AP Photos/Adam Hunger, John Bazemore. Julio Cortez, David J. Phillip, Gerald Herbert

102MIL

Consecutive postseason games in which the Chiefs erased double-digit deficits, including the Super Bowl, the first team in NFL history to do so.

BY THE NUMBERS

AP Photos/Gerald Herbert, Mark J. Terrill, Rod Aydelotte, Nick Wass, Nam Y. Huh

Career points scored by LeBron James with a running layup on Jan. 25, moving him to No. 3 in NBA history. He passed Kobe Bryant, who tweeted congratulations. It would be Bryant’s last tweet, as he was tragically killed Jan. 26.

30 700

6,275,459

33,644

7 When it moved to No. 1 in the AP poll on Jan. 21, Baylor became the 7th men’s basketball team to hold the top spot this season, matching a record set in 1983.

Career regularseason goals for Alex Ovechkin, the eighth player in NHL history to reach the mark.

Number of MLB teams — i.e. all of them — scheduled to begin play on March 26, the earliest Opening Day ever, and the first time since 1968 that all teams start on the same day.

Fan votes for LeBron James, the leading vote getter for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. It marked James’ 16th All-Star selection, all starts.

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AROUNDTHESPECTRUM

HOLIDAY BROS

KOBE & GIANNA Millions were stunned Jan. 26 when news spread that NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among the nine people who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. Teams around the NBA made tributes to Bryant in the days that followed, and a “Celebration of Life” for Kobe and Gianna took place on 2-24-20 (Gianna’s number, Kobe’s number, number of years Kobe played in the NBA). Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA team member, 12-time AllDefensive team member, the 2008 NBA MVP, and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.

LUKA VS. TRAE

Luka Doncic won the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year award, as Trae Young was runner-up. If there was an award for NBA Sophomore of the Year, the same two would be battling. Through Feb. 10, Young ranked fourth in the league in scoring (29.7 ppg) and Doncic was sixth (28.8); Young ranked second in assists (9.1) and Doncic was third (8.7). But the 6-foot-7 Doncic held a clear edge in rebounding (9.5) over the 6-1 Young (4.5), and Doncic’s player efficiency rating (29.10) ranked second, while Young (24.45) was 11th.

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AMAZING AZTECS Very few would have guessed San Diego State would be the last unbeaten Division I men’s basketball team this season, but that became reality when 15-0 Auburn fell to Alabama on Jan. 15. As of Feb. 10, the Aztecs were 24-0 and ranked No. 4 in the nation with five Mountain West games remaining. No team has had a perfect season since Indiana (32-0) in 1976, and there have only been seven undefeated seasons in men’s D-I basketball since the NCAA Tournament started in 1939. Only Wichita State and Kentucky have taken perfect records into the tournament since 2014. TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

BASKETBALL | BASEBALL | FOOTBALL | SOCCER | HOCKEY

AP Photos/Ton Kelvin Kuo, File, Richard W. Rodriguez, Gerald Herbert, Gregory Bull

History was made Dec. 28 in New Orleans, when three brothers logged minutes in the same game for the first time in NBA history. Jrue Holiday was a starting guard for the Pelicans, Aaron Holiday was a starting guard for the Pacers, and Justin Holiday was a reserve forward for the Pacers. The brothers had roughly 30 family members in attendance, and their parents, Shawn and Toya, watched from courtside seats. All three played in the first quarter, but the family had to wait until 4:54 in the third to see them all on the court together.

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MLS EXPANDS The 25th season of Major League Soccer features the additions of Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC, the league’s 25th and 26th teams. That makes six new teams added in the past four years — and more are on the way. Austin and Charlotte will join in 2021, followed by St. Louis and Sacramento in 2022. MLS desires to be seen as one of the top leagues in the world by 2022, so expanding and establishing a larger national reach is viewed as essential. Las Vegas, Phoenix, Indianapolis and Raleigh are all expansion candidates after 2022.

IONESCU THE ICON

Oregon senior Sabrina Ionescu, the NCAA all-time leader in triple-doubles, recorded her 24th on Feb. 7. Having the same number as one of the jersey numbers (24) Kobe Bryant made famous in the NBA made Ionescu “a little bit more emotional,” considering Bryant had befriended the Ducks before he passed away. She said she probably would have received a congratulatory text from him after such a performance. By the end of the season, Ionescu could be the first Division I player (men’s or women’s) to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in a career.

AP Photos/Chris Pietsch, Karl B DeBlaker, Mark Humphrey, Stephen Whyno

STAAL STILL A STAR It wasn’t too long ago that some thought Eric Staal was on his way out of the NHL, his best days behind him. But since joining Minnesota in 2016, he’s twice been named to the AllStar Game and he regularly leads his team in scoring. The 35-year-old was the oldest player at the 2020 All-Star Game, his sixth career appearance. Stall — who says he and his wife, Tanya, aim to “live our lives for God” — has played more than 1,200 NHL games and in December scored his 1,000th career point, the 89th player to do so.

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XFL 2.0

The XFL is back. The alternative football league kicked off Feb. 8 with all eight teams in action. It is similar to the original XFL from 2001 (its only season), but less focused on entertainment theatrics and more focused on faster, simpler play than the NFL. One major difference: Extra-point kicks are replaced by regular plays worth one point (two yards out), two points (five yards out) or three points (10 yards out). The regular season lasts 10 weeks and is followed by a two-week postseason. Oliver Luck, father of former NFL QB Andrew Luck, is the league’s commissioner.

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GOLF | SOFTBALL | OLYMPICS | TENNIS | RACING

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BIG-GAME BELIEVERS

Sports Spectrum traveled to Miami for Super Bowl LIV to talk football and faith with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers — prior to the Chiefs defeating the Niners 31-20. Here are some messages of faith from the Christ-followers we spoke with.

CHRIS JONES, CHIEFS DEFENSIVE TACKLE “My faith and my belief help me stay grounded within [a season] because through my tough times I try to go look at the Bible or look at Bible quotes, and try to relate those to my situations. That helps me get through.”

DARWIN THOMPSON, CHIEFS RUNNING BACK

STEFEN WISNIEWSKI, CHIEFS OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

“My goal is to be identified as Darwin Thompson the follower of Christ before Darwin Thompson the football player, or just Darwin myself. It’s just been God’s plan all my life. … He’s guided my steps this far, why doubt Him now?”

“At the end of the day, my football success is only because God has given it to me. ... I came into this world with nothing, I’m going to leave with nothing. Everything I have while I’m here is a gift from God.”

AP Photos/Seth Wenig, Steve Luciano, Lynne Sladky

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AROUNDTHESPECTRUM RAHEEM MOSTERT, 49ERS RUNNING BACK “I’ve got a Bible verse on my chest — Psalm 23:4-6, and it goes: ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for God is with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.’ And that right there in itself explains my life.”

BEN GARLAND, 49ERS OFFENSIVE LINEMAN “Every night and every day I do a fiveminute meditation of gratitude and just thank God for everything we have. And it’s just changed my days around. It’s the best way to fall asleep and best way to start your day.”

DEFOREST BUCKNER, 49ERS DEFENSIVE TACKLE “You’ve got to put God first, man. Without Him, without His plan for me, I wouldn’t be here where I am today. I truly believe that. … Every day I give thanks because all my talent, all the things I’ve done in my life, all the glory goes to Him.”

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WESTERN MICHIGAN QB JON WASSINK LEAVES LEGACY OF SERVING, STEMMING FROM FAITH IN CHRIST By Riley Zayas ‘It all stems from my faith in Christ’

Wassink’s on-field accomplishments say much about him as a football player, but it’s what he does off the gridiron that says the most about him as a person, and follower of Christ. His pay-it-forward mentality — an idea that everything he’s been blessed with is a gift and he wants to make life better for For Western Michigan quarterback Jon Wassink, the day never someone else — is what has driven his deep involvement with stops. In fact, some wonder why or how he does it all. After all, several different groups of people in the Kalamazoo community. most college kids don’t go to grad school, volunteer for more It all goes back to one solid foundation: his faith in the Lord. than six organizations and start at quarterback for the football “It all stems from my faith in Christ,” Wassink said. “I truly team. But Wassink is different, a man who lives out his faith every believe God has given me everything I have, so instead of me single day. being selfish and owning everything, I have more of a mentality The word “leader” is often used to describe great, respected, of, ‘I want to give it back,’ because He has given me everything.” honored people, and Wassink is one of them. In fact, he’s leading That foundation has led to Wassink becoming a consistent nearly everywhere he goes. participant on team community service projects. He impacts the On the gridiron, he’s the one his teammates have looked next generation in a variety of ways, mentoring at Tree of Life to in “make-it or break-it” situations, when the game is on the ministries, Indian Lake Elementary School and is a regular visitor line and the team needs a fourth-down conversion to keep its at the Bronson Children’s Hospital, adding a little bit of light to quest for victory alive. He’s the guy the coaches have relied on every child’s day. to keep the offense in tune, executing every play, and setting Amongst his fellow college students, he does the same exact an example of hard work in practice. He’s the player fans have thing, serving as a WMU Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader. looked to in guiding their beloved Broncos for much of the past Of all his responsibilities, one of the biggest is leading a weekly three seasons. Bible study. In addition, he’s also a volunteer with Uplifting Wassink played his final game for WMU on Dec. 30 in the Athletes, a unique organization of college football players which First Responder Bowl in Dallas. He led his squad to a 17-10 benefits those with rare diseases such as kidney cancer, cystic lead over Western Kentucky entering the fourth quarter, but the fibrosis and others. Broncos ultimately fell 23-20 after a last-second WKU field goal. In 2016, Wassink was a part of a mission trip that traveled to the Wassink closed his collegiate career with 193 yards passing, one Dominican Republic, repairing and rebuilding infrastructure for a touchdown and one interception in the game. small community whose population was around 100. Furthermore, His impact on the field will be missed, but maybe even more he’s participated in helping feed the homeless in Kalamazoo, an area so off the field. where the homeless population is around 500 people...

To read the rest of this story, search “Jon Wassink” on SportsSpectrum.com. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

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AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

EDITOR’S NOTE: Riley Zayas is a high school freshman and freelance journalist from Round Rock, Texas. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated for Kids, Horns Illustrated, Fellowship of Christian Athletes publications and his personal blog, 360 Sports.

VOICE OF THE CHRISTIAN ATHLETE

THE INCREASE

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For more stories from the lives of athletes, all pressing toward the goal found in John 3:30, visit TheIncrease.com.

MY NUMBER ONE There’s a lot of excitement rising up in me for this new season. Coming off a season of disappointment with an injury last year, after getting on the rollercoaster of joining a new team and trying to adapt to a new town, I’m beginning to experience a peace about where I am. Now, it’s time to enjoy the abilities God’s given me so I can go and be all that I can be for my teammates. Having my daughter, Lyla, on this journey with my wife and me now, I’m even more eager to go out and do my best on the field. Many of my teammates have told me about the safe haven being a dad provides an athlete. Once you step off the field, you are able to turn on “dad mode.” Everything that seemed to matter during the game suddenly doesn’t matter at all. When the game’s over, real life will just be beginning. I’m going to be relying on Lyla more than she’ll ever know. My hope for this season is simple: to go out there and play my best, for the whole season. I want to go out there and show consistency. Every five days as I go out onto the mound to pitch, I want to be a rock for my team. I want to show them there’s a firm foundation I’m standing on which can allow me to be a rock they can rely on. I want them to know Luke is going to be there every day with a smile on his face, ready to do whatever

By Luke Weaver,

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher

he can, not only for the team, but for each individual on it. I’ve experienced this through many of my teammates over the years and now it’s my time to step up. Last year was a strong year for spiritual growth and community for me. I had a great group of guys whom I knew I could rely on through text messages and group chats — guys who were growing in their walk and spurring me on to do the same. I was able to get into God’s Word daily without letting other things come in the way. This year I want to do more of the same, making sure that my time with the Lord isn’t just something to be check-marked, but moments to relish, developing in me a greater desire for more of Him. I want to grow so close to Jesus that spending time with Him is never a “have to” but a “want to.” That, above all else, is my No. 1 priority this year. The closer I get to Christ, the more I become the man, father, husband and athlete He’s designed me to be. The instruction manual for life is found right there in the Bible. When your mind is in tune with the truth, your actions and words will reflect Christ. There are plenty of distractions in this world that will attempt to change your perspective. Don’t become who you are because of what the world throws at you, become who you are by discovering who God created you to be...

AP Photo/Gregory Bull

To read the rest of this story, search “Luke Weaver” on TheIncrease.com.

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S SP POORRT TS S S SP PE EC CT TRRUUMM

HEART OF AN ATHLETE

HEART ATHLETE

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

OF AN

— 1 Timothy 4:12

HIGH SCHOOL

ANNABELLE HASSELBECK

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH IMPACTED THE WAY YOU PLAY YOUR SPORT? It’s been challenging coming to the East Coast for high school. At my school, there isn’t any faith-based anything in the athletic realm of the school. My parents have been leading me by example, showing me how to lead a team, how to set the right example even when you aren’t a senior or captain on a team. Though it’s been challenging, my faith has had every bit of impact on every sports team and every game in which I’ve played. HOW HAS YOUR FAITH BEEN CHALLENGED AT YOUR SCHOOL? It’s tough when there is no one on your team to encourage you to go deeper in your faith. In these moments I turn to God. It’s been extremely helpful to have my sister, Mallory, who is 16 months younger than me, on the team with me this last year. When I’m supposed to be the older, courageous one, she’s helped me to realize how to think about certain situations. Together, Mallory and I have seen God work in our lives in crazy ways through sports. HOW HAS GOD USED SPORTS TO BRING YOU CLOSER TO HIM? Living in Seattle, then Nashville, then Indianapolis, and now Boston, we have been to a lot of different schools. I hadn’t even heard of lacrosse before Tennessee. I never expected it to be my main sport when I came to Boston four years ago. God has allowed me to play lacrosse for four years, win championships, play with my sister, and now both of us will be playing this sport at BC together. It’s so cool to be able to say God has plans for us we never could have imagined.

Annabelle Hasselbeck is a three-sport high school senior at The Rivers School in Weston, Mass. A midfielder on the field hockey team, Annabelle helped her team go undefeated and become the 2019 New England champions. She then continued the year on the basketball team, prior to her spring lacrosse season before she heads into her freshman year at Boston College, where she will join the Eagles’ lacrosse team. Annabelle is the oldest daughter of former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and his wife, Sarah, both of whom were athletes (football and field hockey, respectively) at Boston College. 12

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ANNABELLE HASSELBECK - THE RIVERS SCHOOL

Moving to Boston and entering a new school as a freshman, I struggled to find a way to live out my faith. I felt strongly on the inside about certain things but worried that my voice would be so different and not accepted. I developed more confidence as a sophomore to help set better team culture, even though I wasn’t one of the oldest players on the team. I hope to take this lesson I learned with me to college too. WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR TEAMMATES SAY ABOUT YOU? I hope they see me as a friend to everyone — that no matter what our differences are, I’ve had a positive, loving impact on them. I would hope others would say, “Annabelle helped me become a better person.” TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

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Photos courtesy of the Hasselbeck family.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VERSE AND WHY? “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” — 1 Timothy 4:12

HEART OF A COACH

HEART COACH

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone. ”

OF A

— John 8:7

HIGH SCHOOL

JEFF LEWIS

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO IMPACT YOUR SCHOOL? When I first got a job at this school, which is comprised of kids from a poverty-stricken community, I saw kids running in their Walmart-brand shoes, with no protection for their feet or knees. I thought, “This is wrong.” I reached out to the community and found doctors in town who could help, as well as a local running store that now goes a long way to help us get shoes for the kids. I can really only get shoes for the kids who truly need them or who prove their hard work, but I wish I could do more. HOW HAVE YOUR ATHLETES ENCOURAGED YOU? I have a girl who ran for me who became the 2008 state champion in the mile, and then went on to be a college coach in Georgia. Two years ago she called me in tears and began to relate a story from her recent recruiting trip to sign two girls to their Division II school. Two other girls were being signed to D-I schools and all the attention in the area was on them. She said, “If I hadn’t said anything about these two girls we were signing, they wouldn’t have been recognized. You always taught us everyone matters.” WHAT IS ONE SPECIFIC THING YOU TEACH TO YOUR ATHLETES? I tell my kids, “Wherever we go, we need to leave the fragrance of kindness.” When we go to state meets, I’ll write a devotion that God lays on my heart specifically for that occasion. I talk to the kids about what people remember — they’ll never remember how much money or success you had, but they’ll remember how you treat them.

Jeff Lewis is the head cross country coach, head girls track and field coach, and a science teacher at Northside High School in Fort Smith, Ark. In 2010, Coach Lewis joined the cross country program with seven kids on the roster; since then he’s grown the program to 78 kids.

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WHAT KIND OF CULTURE DO YOU CREATE ON YOUR TEAM? Whenever we travel and visit restaurants, I tell my athletes to leave the restaurant cleaner than when we got there. One time, we were at a restaurant and so was another team. The other team left a huge mess on the table and floor, and I looked at the busser who was about to start cleaning it up, and I said, “It’s OK, we’ll take care of it.” Our team cleaned the table, swept and mopped the floor, and did it all with a smile. The owner came up to me and said, “In 30 years, I’ve never seen anything like this.” He handed me his card and said that if any of my kids went to school in his town, they’d have a job right away. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BIBLE STORY? I often think about the Bible story when Jesus was confronted with the prostitute and knelt in the dirt. He said, “You without sin cast the first stone.” I want these kids to know I’m not throwing any rocks. I don’t judge them. I want them to feel safe. SPORTS SPECTRUM

JEFF LEWIS - NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

HEART OF AN ATHLETE

HEART ATHLETE

“When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord...”

OF AN

— Joshua 6:20-21a

COLLEGE

TORI DILFER

HOW HAS YOUR FAITH IMPACTED THE WAY YOU PLAY YOUR SPORT? The biggest way my faith impacts how I play is how grateful I’ve become for my sport. Over the past year, God has really reshaped how I think about my sport and how I use my platform. He’s shown me that my team is my mission field. Discipleship through my team has been a big game-changer for me. HOW HAS YOUR PREPARATION FOR COMPETITION CHANGED AS A RESULT? I’ve started to prepare very differently. My preparation for volleyball is now intertwined with my time spent with the Lord. Also, my relationships with my teammates have been more intentional. God has opened a door with some of my teammates for discipleship and growing together in our faith walks. My eyes have been opened to the impact these relationships can have on people’s eternities. HAS THERE BEEN A COACH WHO HAS IMPACTED YOU GREATLY? Coach Ron Whitmill had trained me since I was 12 and then became my head coach for my last two years of high school. Coming to coach at Valley Christian High School (San Jose, Calif.) was a huge step of faith for him and his family. It was so cool to see his bold step of faith inspire our whole team to play for something greater. He showed me a leap of faith which influenced my decision later on to transfer to Louisville.

Tori Dilfer just completed her junior year as the setter for the University of Louisville women’s volleyball team. After two seasons at Texas Christian University, Tori transferred and helped lead her new team to the Elite Eight of the 2019 NCAA Tournament, a first in Louisville’s school history. A marketing major, Tori hopes to play overseas after her collegiate career. 14

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TORI DILFER - UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE

WHAT BIBLE STORY MOST INSPIRES YOU TO LIVE BY FAITH? The battle of Jericho. In the book “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson, he puts this battle in the context of prayer. He talks about how they were marching around the city, making prayer circles around the things God had promised them. When I was trying to decide if I should transfer to Louisville or not, I felt an overwhelming tugging at my heart. I’m not known for choosing the hard things, I like comfort, but this was the first time I wanted to push myself to be great. I realized, through this story, I needed to pray down the walls of my decision and trust that the things God has promised me will come. But it was my job to circle that. TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

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Photo by Carl Schmid

HOW HAS YOUR FAMILY BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU? My sisters and I have a really great bond. Since they also play volleyball, we are able to be a big encouragement to each other. My dad, Trent, is a former NFL athlete and my mom, Cassandra, played college sports too, so we are very competitive. We challenge each other, but it’s always been in an uplifting way. I’ve never felt pressure to be a great athlete because they are. We’ve cultivated an environment to be the best you can be with the gifts God’s given you.

HEART OF A COACH

HEART COACH

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

OF A

— Ephesians 6:10-11

COLLEGE

TYSON SUMMERS

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT COACHING? I’m very relationship-driven. It’s one of the reasons I never wanted to explore an opportunity in the NFL. I really like recruiting kids, getting to know them and their story, and I really like being able to take guys and help them identify things that will not only make them better football players but better people. I love to see their potential and watch their growth. When I see guys understand and believe in the process, I see them succeed. I love that. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE YOUR PLAYERS? You have to think about what the main thing in life is. We live in a world with so many distractions. There are so many things at our fingertips at all times — things I never had to deal with when growing up. I try to train the players to think about what is the right way to communicate and what is the right thing to do. You may have the excuse of a flat tire to make you late, but you need to communicate that. We all have to set our standard at a higher place — raising our standard every year. Make your standard an A+.

Photo courtesy of University of Colorado football

HOW DOES YOUR FAITH IMPACT HOW YOU COACH? If you put your faith in Christ, it allows you to coach freely. You’re not going to be perfect but you are trying to give perfect effort and perfect communication. If you know how much Christ cares for you, and you can show that as much as you can, that carries a lot of weight. I believe these are my strengths. I’m not perfect; I make mistakes every day. I think being able to be transparent about that is important. As Christians we have to be transparent with God. If our relationships with others can look as similar as the one we have with Jesus, we will be successful.

Coach Tyson Summers joined the football coaching staff at the University of Colorado in December 2018 as the defensive coordinator. In 16 years coaching at the collegiate level, he has also spent time as the head coach at Georgia Southern and an assistant at Georgia, Colorado State, Central Florida, Alabama-Birmingham, Georgia Southern and Troy. Summers played linebacker from 1998-2001 at Presbyterian College (Clinton, S.C.).

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WHAT DO YOU HOPE YOUR PLAYERS SAY ABOUT YOU? I love the relationship you get with your players five years later. I’ve had many players say, “You’ll always be my coach.” And I will, but what I really hope is that they’ll always be my friend. That’s what I hope the word “coach” means to them. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VERSE AND WHY? “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” — Ephesians 6:10-11 The verse reminds us to lean on Him for strength while having confidence in His power. Putting on the armor reminds us we are in a constant battle that we will win! SPORTS SPECTRUM

TYSON SUMMERS - UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

SSM

2019 | MLB SEASON RECAP WILD-CARD ROUND

AL: Tampa Bay Rays beat Oakland Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NL: Washington Nationals beat Milwaukee Brewers

DIVISIONAL ROUND

AL: N.Y. Yankees beat Minnesota Twins, 3-0 AL: Houston Astros beat Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2 NL: St. Louis Cardinals beat Atlanta Braves, 3-2 NL: Washington Nationals beat L.A. Dodgers, 3-2

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS

AL: Houston Astros beat N.Y. Yankees, 4-2 NL: Washington Nationals beat St. Louis Cardinals, 4-0

WORLD SERIES

Washington Nationals beat Houston Astros, 4-3

AL MVP: Mike Trout, L.A. Angels NL MVP: Cody Bellinger, L.A. Dodgers AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Houston NL Cy Young: Jacob deGrom, N.Y. Mets AL Rookie of the Year: Yordan Alvarez, Houston NL Rookie of the Year: Pete Alonso, N.Y. Mets AL Manager of the Year: Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota NL Manager of the Year: Mike Shildt, St. Louis

AP Photo/David J. Phillip

MLB PLAYERS TO FOLLOW 16 16

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Nick Ahmed, Diamondbacks SS Logan Bawcom, Free Agent P

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WASHINGTON NATIONALS, 2019 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

2020 | MLB STAFF PREDICTIONS AMERICAN LEAGUE AL AL AL AL

East: N.Y. Yankees Central: Chicago White Sox West: Houston Astros Wild Cards: L.A. Angels, Cleveland Indians

NATIONAL LEAGUE NL East: Atlanta Braves

NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers NL West: L.A. Dodgers NL Wild Cards: Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS

AL: N.Y. Yankees over Houston Astros NL: L.A. Dodgers over Atlanta Braves

WORLD SERIES

L.A. Dodgers over N.Y. Yankees

AL MVP: Mike Trout, L.A. Angels NL MVP: Ronald Acuna, Atlanta AL Cy Young: Gerrit Cole, N.Y. Yankees NL Cy Young: Max Scherzer, Washington AL Rookie of the Year: Jesus Luzardo, Oakland NL Rookie of the Year: Gavin Lux, L.A. Dodgers AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, L.A. Angels NL Manager of the Year: Brian Snitker, Atlanta

Matthew Boyd, Tigers P Tim Lopes, Mariners OF/IF www.sportsspectrum.com www.sportsspectrum.com

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Andrew McCutchen, Phillies OF Adam Wainwright, Cardinals P

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Underrated No More OF TEN OVERLOOKED,AANBIGT HONWAYY IN

RENDON BROKE OUT IN 201 9. AF TER GARNERING HIS FIRST ALL-STAR SELEC TION AND LEADING T HE NATIONALS ON A STUNNING RUN TO T HEIR FIRST WORLD SERIES TITLE, T HE 29-YEAR-OLD FELT CALLED TO HELP T HE LOS ANGELES ANGELS BUILD A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM OF T HEIR OWN. AND HE’LL DO SO ON A MISSION TO SPRE AD GOD’S WORD. by K E V I N ME RCE R

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idnight had come and gone, the celebratory champagne barely dry, his goatee bordering a broad smile, when third baseman Anthony Rendon took a moment to breathe. His Washington Nationals had just defeated the Houston Astros in seven games to win the 2019 World Series. And it all happened in Houston, Texas, the city in which Rendon was born and raised. “We just never gave up, no matter how many times we were faced with elimination games, or we were about to get traded, or people were about to get fired,” Rendon told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt after the game. “We just kept on going.” Rendon has often performed well under pressure, and it is always done with a striking serenity. Van Pelt asked him why, and Rendon didn’t bat an eye. “I think I understand that there are bigger things going on in this world,” he said, “and my Savior, Jesus Christ, gives me that patience and that slow heart rate.” Rendon also gave Van Pelt an apt one-word description of the Nationals’ entire 2019 season — resilient. The team found itself slogging through another up-anddown season. The Nats weren’t in playoff position for most of the year, and even found themselves under .500 at one point. The team was shaken, but not defeated. Thanks to a strong stretch run, Washington made the postseason as a TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971 wild-card team.

AP Photo/Alex Gallardo

ANTHONY RENDON

AN T HONY RENDON

“We are given this platform and we all are called to spread His Word to everybody. And if I’m not doing that, then I’m not living out my purpose on what we’re supposed to be here for.”

made an All-Star team. That all changed in a big way last season. He hit 34 home runs and 126 RBIs with a .319 average, all of which were career highs and good for his debut All-Star Game appearance. He was also placed on the All-MLB first team, was the MLB RBI leader and won his second Silver Slugger Award. He even garnered attention as a potential MVP, finishing third in the NL behind Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich. Rendon accumulated 20 more hits and 15 more RBIs during the Nationals’ postseason run, including a home run in Games 6 (when he had five RBIs total) and 7 of the World Series. As a top free agent this offseason, the 29-year-old had a life-altering decision to make: Should he stay with Washington, the only team he had ever known since entering the majors in 2013, or should he depart and seek

to build a life elsewhere with his pregnant wife, Amanda, and young daughter, Emma? It was a decision, Rendon recently told Sports Spectrum, that required him to release his own grip on life. “Having that unknown, you trust that He’s going to guide us,” Rendon said on the Sports Spectrum Podcast, in an episode to be released March 2. “He has our hand along the way and He’s leading us down the right path.” Rendon felt God drawing him to Los Angeles, where he signed with the Angels. The seven-year, $245 million contract made him the first third baseman in history to have an annual salary as high as $35 million. “This is just really exciting. ... To have that respect, to feel wanted, to want someone to come be a part of your family – that was one important thing that [my wife and I] always talked about,” Rendon said during his

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, Mark J. Terrill

– ANTHONY RENDON

They came from behind to defeat the Brewers in that one-game wild-card showdown, then outmatched the No. 1-seeded Dodgers and swept the Cardinals to advance to the World Series. As if the journey to get there weren’t arduous enough, the Nationals stole the first two World Series games in Houston only to drop the next three at home. Back in Houston and facing elimination against the American League’s best team, Washington captured the next two — returning to D.C. as champions. It’s the first title for the franchise since its inception as the Montreal Expos in 1969. The 2019 Washington Nationals were unexpected champions. And in the process, their star third baseman unexpectedly became one of baseball’s most prized free agents.

endon’s star rose steadily from relative obscurity throughout the summer in 2019. Few casual fans knew his name in March; everyone had heard of him by October. Perhaps partly due to his unassuming style of play, Rendon was perennially underrated and had never even www.sportsspectrum.com

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1919

ANTHONY RENDON

introductory press conference with the Angels. In L.A., he’ll join a number of other superstars like Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Shohei Ohtani, as the Angels seek to build a team that soon makes its own push for a World Series championship. And if the talented-butyoung Angels don’t know what they’re adding to their clubhouse with the veteran Rendon, they need only hear what Rendon’s former Nationals teammates have to say. “He’s one of the best dudes I’ve ever come in contact with,” said utility player Matt Adams on the Sports Spectrum Podcast in November. Adams was Rendon’s teammate with Washington in 2018 and 2019. “Doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low, and he’s always the same person day in and day out” Adams said. “I think that comes to being in the right frame of mind with the Lord … Seeing guys like that who go in on a daily basis and just perform at a high level, and no matter if they succeed, no matter if they fail, they know that at the end of the day they have Jesus Christ by their side, that’s a pretty cool thing to see.” Catcher Matt Wieters, Rendon’s teammate in 2017 and 2018, was also struck by Rendon’s faith. “He has an unbelievable deep-rooted faith, and when you’re around him and you get to know him, once you’re able to get him to open up, he’s not afraid to share his faith,” Wieters said. eyed 22-year-old in 2013, still figuring out life and faith as a pro baseball player, he was met with a solid core of believers who showed him what it meant to be a follower of Christ in Major League Baseball. He saw their vulnerability and their genuine concern for each other as people. He was intrigued. “I started digging into the Word more and it was the end of 2014-2015 that I started making that transition,” Rendon said. “I started opening up a little bit more. I started digging into the Word a little bit more, and man, He’s kind of just taken me by the wing and pushed me where I’m trying to stay in the Word as – ANTHONY RENDON much as I can now, and my life has just taken a good turn for the better.” Rendon said his parents took him and his older ith his move to the Angels comes a transition for brother, David, to Catholic services as they grew up in Rendon, from being one of baseball’s up-and-coming Houston, but his family never went back after they were players to being an established star on the field and a invited to attend a non-denominational church. Rendon leader in the clubhouse. He can impart his vast baseball learned years later that his parents gave their lives to the knowledge to the young guys who are not too different Lord back then. While it took a little longer for Rendon, than he was only a few years ago. Even more importantly, his parents had firmly planted a seed of faith in their son. he can also act as a mentor to the young Christ-followers Some faithful teammates in high school watered on the Angels’ roster. that seed, and in college at Rice University it began When Rendon arrived in Washington as a wideto grow. Rendon attended Bible studies, yet it

“I started digging in to the Word a li ttle bi t more, and man, He’s kind of just taken me by the wing and pushed me where I’m trying to stay in the Word as much as I can now, and my life has just taken a good turn for the better.”

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AP Photo/Nick Wass

AN T HONY RENDON

AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

was while he was bed-ridden and nursing an injury that he truly began to explore God’s Word for himself. Rendon left Rice after three seasons and became the Nationals’ first-round pick at No. 6 overall. “As a child, you think that you have to perform a certain way, that you have to be perfect to gain acceptance by other people,” Rendon said as he remembered his early thoughts about God. “But with Christ, it’s the complete opposite. I’m glad that I finally grasped that — that we’re all broken, that we’re all sinners and it doesn’t matter where we came from. He’s going to love us for who we are as a person and He’s going to change our ways slowly by changing our hearts. And then our actions will depict that.” Life nowadays looks very different for Rendon than it did only 365 days ago. Each morning, he rises in a city on the opposite coast. Each day, he dons a cap with a new logo. Each afternoon, people recognize his face as he heads home. Yet Rendon knows that one thing will never change, and in this he has hope: God will always be on the throne, whether he’s in Washington, Los Angeles, or somewhere else; hitting .350 or .150, playing for championships or high draft picks. He will choose to live for the Kingdom. “As I continue to grow in my faith and get into the Word — and reading up on ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’ (Luke 12:48) — we are given this platform and we all are called to spread His Word to everybody,” Rendon says. “And if I’m not doing that, then I’m not living out my purpose on what we’re supposed to be here for.”

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Nick Ahmed knew since he was a boy that he

wanted to play Major League Baseball, and he’s now one of the best shortstops in the game. His career took a turn for the better once he dedicated his life to Christ — in the middle of the field, in the middle of a game. by

BE CK Y YO RK

ick Ahmed’s childhood dream was hanging by a thread. Ever since he was a 4-year-old in Western Massachusetts, he yearned to become a Major League Baseball player. He had made it as a professional, but struggling night after night for the Double-A Mobile Baybears was not what he envisioned the life to look like. “I had failure after failure,” he told Sports Spectrum recently. “I don’t know why they kept playing me. Every night I was going 0-for-4 with a couple strikeouts. I would go back to my apartment at the end 22 22

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of the night and lay in bed and stare at the ceiling. I didn’t know how to deal with the failure. I didn’t know how to handle the adversity. I was crushed because baseball was my idol. And I had made success my idol as well. I wouldn’t sleep, and I’d think the next day I’d show up to the park, I was going to be released and my dream that I have had since I was 4 years old would be over.” The Baybears’ manager, however, proved to be a life line. Ahmed was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2011, but traded in 2013 to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, which is how he found himself in Mobile — on a new team in a new city, away from his fiancée. Ahmed began looking for security in something, and found great comfort in conversations with manager Andy Green, who often invited Ahmed into his office just to talk about life, baseball and family — as well as what was most important to Green, his faith in Jesus Christ. “He showed me what it means to be a man of God in professional baseball,” Ahmed said. “His way of living attracted me to want to learn more about why this guy is the way he is. I started to regularly attend baseball chapel services and dig into the TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker

Belief Be tween the Bases

NICK AHMED

NICH AHMED

“I just turned around, faced the outfield, closed my eyes and prayed. ‘All righ t God, I have been doing life by myself for the past 20 years. I need You to come save me and start teaching me to do life with You.’ I gave my life to Christ at that point on the field.” – NICK AHMED

AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker

Word myself. I started to understand who Jesus was and that He wanted a relationship with me, not just for me to check a bunch of boxes and go to church on Sunday.” Green, who was in his third year of coaching professional baseball, saw potential in the person and player of Ahmed. “You get into coaching because you want to impact players in a positive way,” says Green, now the Chicago Cubs bench coach after being the San Diego Padres manager from 2016-19. “There was always a hunger for real truth and real wisdom in [Nick].” Before long, on an extremely hot and humid May night in Mobile, Ala., during one of Ahmed’s “failure-filled” games, he made a decision that would change the trajectory of his future. “I can’t tell you why, it was just God moving in me,” remembers Ahmed, “but in the middle of a game — the fifth inning — I jogged out to shortstop and, instead of taking the two or three ground balls to warm up between innings, I just turned around, faced the outfield, closed my eyes and prayed: ‘All right God, I have been doing life by myself for the past 20 years. I need You to come save me and start teaching me to do life with You.’ “I gave my life to Christ at that point on the field.”

rowing up in the small town of East Longmeadow, Mass., Ahmed and his brothers spent their childhood engulfed in sports. Soccer, baseball, football, basketball, golf … you name it, they played it. But for Nick, baseball trumped them all. “I remember being 4 or 5 years old and watching the Red Sox on TV thinking, ‘Man, this is something I want to do when I grow up,’” Ahmed said. Pursuing his dream of making it to the majors, a 14-yearold Ahmed printed out an MLB logo, which he hung up in his parents’ basement gym to use as motivation as he lifted weights. www.sportsspectrum.com

Duct tape still holds the poster in the same place today. “It was always a dream of mine, but I didn’t think it was a possibility until I got to college and played in the Cape Cod League during one of my summer breaks,” Ahmed said. The Cape Cod Baseball League is the premier amatuer league made up of a collection of top college athletes from around the country, who gather to play in a wood-bat league for the summer, hoping to stand out to the scouts. It was here, during the summer before his sophomore year at the University of Connecticut, where Ahmed realized he may just have what it takes. After his junior year, the Atlanta Braves claimed Ahmed in the second round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft, and he set off for the minors. “After I was drafted, I realized my life didn’t have a whole lot of structure outside of baseball,” Ahmed said. “I started attending baseball chapel sporadically.” Ahmed had grown up going to a Catholic church with his parents, but while his attendance was reliable, his faith foundation was not. “I didn’t have a real relationship with God,” he admitted. That changed in Mobile. Ahmed didn’t tell anyone right away, but he admitted to feeling an intense amount of peace and calm wash over him that night on the field, which he attributes to the Holy Spirit invading his soul. “It changed how I thought and how I lived,” he said. “God gave me new desires. It’s a long process, and still is, but it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.” Across the country, back in Massachusetts, God was also working in the heart of his fiancée, Amanda. Having befriended the wife of one of Ahmed’s previous coaches, Amanda too was learning what it looked like to follow Jesus. “She gave her life to Christ two weeks after I did,” Ahmed said. “We have now walked the faith journey together over the last six years and it’s been amazing!” SPORTS SPECTRUM

NICK AHMED

hmed’s passion for Christcentered community soon began to grow and others in the league took notice. Upon hearing of his faith in Christ, outfielder Steven Souza approached Ahmed while their two teams were stretching before a fallleague faceoff. “I went up to him and said, ‘I’m Steven Souza. I heard you love Jesus. That’s awesome.’ And from there we cultivated a relationship,” Souza said. Through an awkward, untimely exchange as opponents, the two players soon became good friends and eventually teammates, spending the 2018 and ‘19 seasons together with the D-backs. “People don’t like it when you stand for the Gospel — they think it’s a distraction in the clubhouse,” Souza says. “To have a brother like [Ahmed] is so good.” Being a professional baseball player and Christ-follower has not always been an easy road for Ahmed. The temptation to focus on stats and success, rather than spiritual growth, has been a battle for him since the day he committed his life to Christ.

“My job is very performancebased. The box scores, how I did last night, salaries, contracts — everything is public information. I’d like to say I don’t struggle with that — making baseball an idol — but I definitely still do at times and have to check myself often. I do have a better perspective now. I don’t have to ride the rollercoaster of highs and lows. My joy comes from Jesus and not the circumstances around me,” he says. Keeping this perspective takes routine, training and commitment, much like with his athletic career. Ahmed’s spiritual training regimen includes keeping a daily gratitude journal, studying God’s Word privately and among his teammates in Bible studies and chapel, and praying regularly. Every year yields a different roster for the team, and Ahmed admits to feeling frustration at times for the lack of Christian community or conversation he has experienced in his locker room. During one of these seasons of frustration, Ahmed decided to give up forcing conversation about God with others, and instead chose to trust Him to

provide open doors. No sooner than he changed his striving into prayer did he experience God’s hand at play. Over the next five days, Ahmed daily had a teammate either ask him a question about his faith or send him a text about God. “It was like God was handing me it on a silver platter,” he said, adding, “Prayer makes Him move. For six or seven weeks [I had] no conversations with any depth or meaning or anything about God, and then in five days there were many situations. That’s a testament to my lack of ability to change anyone’s soul, but God being the One to be able to do that. It was frustrating for me to try to do these things on my own, but once I slowed down and started asking God to create these opportunities, it’s been incredible to watch Him do so. God’s strengthening my trust in Him.” Having been greatly impacted by a mentor himself, Ahmed now makes an effort to do the same for those in his circle of influence. “Nick has an innate ability to focus on the present and be one-one-one with those around him,” Souza says.

“Thinking back on what I’ve been through over the las t six years, and to that momen t when I gave my life to Chris t on the field, and how many nigh ts I though t [i t would be] my las t time playing professional baseball, i t’s really special.”

AP Photos/Rick Scuteri

– NICK AHMED

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NICK AHMED

AP Photo/Alex Gallardo

fter that fateful day on the field of Mobile, Ahmed’s perspective not only changed his spiritual walk with the newfound freedom he experienced in Christ, but his career began to take off. He made his MLB debut in June 2014, and became Arizona’s starting shortstop in 2015. He battled injuries in ‘16 and ‘17, but then earned a Gold Glove Award in ‘18 and ‘19 — yet another dream come true. “For me, being a shortstop who really loves and appreciates defense, it’s something I’ve really wanted to achieve for a long time,” he said of the Gold Glove. “Even as a kid, I followed that award.” Most kids love going to the batting cage to hone their home run stroke, but Ahmed’s focus, even from a young age, was different. He loved practicing defense. “Thinking back on what I’ve been through over the last six years, and to that moment when I gave my life to Christ on the field, and how many nights I thought [it would be] my last time playing professional baseball, it’s really special,” he said. “God blessed me with the ability to stay healthy and do special things with the gifts and talents He’s given me. To get recognized for that was great for me and my family.” But beyond the recognition he’s received over the past six seasons in the majors, Ahmed hopes to leave a more eternal impact on the lives he’s touched through the game of baseball. “I hope people remember that I gave God the glory,” he said, “that I loved my teammates, that I gave everything I had to maximize the talent God has given me, and that I love my wife and children well.” wwwwww. .ssppoorrt tssssppeecct trruumm. .ccoomm

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, n o s a e S New e m i t e f i L w Ne Con trac t

Af ter 45 years of spring training, Clin t Hurdle will be wi th his family this spring instead of at the ballpark. The former Rockies and Pirates manager doesn’t know what his future holds, but he’s letting God call the shots. by

JASON R O MA NO

To listen to the entire interview with Clint Hurdle, visit SportsSpectrum.com 26 26 26

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“I was a flawed man. I recommi tted my life to Chris t 23 years ago and I got sober. I married Karla 20 years ago. I t wasn’t a Chris tian walk, i t was a Chris tian obs tacle course that I helped create.”

lint Hurdle is a baseball treasure. He’s been around the game since being drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1975 as the ninth overall pick. He made his Major League Baseball debut with K.C. in 1977, and went on to play 11 seasons before retiring in 1987 as a member of the New York Mets. Soon after, he turned to coaching, and in 2002 he became the manager of the Colorado Rockies. He led Colorado to a National League championship in 2007 during an improbable run to the World Series, but just two years later he was fired after an 18-28 start in 2009. After a season as the Texas Rangers’ hitting coach, Hurdle was named manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, whom he led to three straight playoff berths in 2013, ‘14 and ‘15. He was named the NL Manager of the Year in 2013 after helping the Pirates end their 20-year playoff drought.

In 2019, Hurdle was fired as the Pirates manager, and he enters the spring of 2020 out of baseball for the first time in 45 years. We caught up with Hurdle recently to talk about his future in baseball, his journey of faith, and how he ended up sending encouraging emails to thousands of people. It’s 2020 and the last time many people heard the name Clint Hurdle was the end of the 2019 season, when you were let go by the Pittsburgh Pirates. What has this transition been like and how are you moving forward? It has been more than I ever could have imagined, my ride in baseball. I’ve had 45 springs being in major-league camps. It’s kind of crazy — I was never invited to a minor-league camp, I’ve always started with a major-league camp. This will be the first spring in 45 years I don’t go and put on a uniform. And it’s OK. I was fired on the last day of the

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AP Photo/Keith Srakocic

CLINT HURDLE

CLIN T HURDLE

season, spent nine years in Pittsburgh, we didn’t play well. I probably faced more challenges in the last three months of last season than I did in the first 15 years managing. I thank God, though, that I haven’t gotten what I deserved. I managed 16 years, two different teams, played 10 seasons, relationships have been built and shared, friendships made. There are so many great memories. I’m thankful for not getting what we deserve. What’s going on here is temporal. I’m terribly excited about what’s next and I have no clue what that is.

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

There’s no fear in the unknown for you? How does God take our temperature? How do we show those around us that there’s growth? We’re all promised adversity in the book of James. We’re all promised hard times. This is kind of a hard time. Not many managers get to choose their ending, but we all have an opportunity to choose our beginning. What does 2020 look like? I don’t know. I have to listen to God’s voice for direction and calling. It could be in the game, it could be outside of the game. It may be to go back and plug

in with my wife and be a servant to my kids; they’ve all sacrificed a lot. At 62, I still don’t know what is best for me. It was clear that God wanted me out [of baseball], so I move on. And that’s what I’m doing. This faith that you have, where did it start? I’m such a flawed man. And that’s the great thing about Jesus — He knows our flaws. He made us. He created us. He loves taking us when we’re broken and helping us put it back together when we truly commit and pour in and serve and pick up the cross and walk with Him. I made a commitment to Christ at the age of 17 at an FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) event. For the next 23 years, I had some incredible spiritual times but I actually used God as an ATM for the next 23 years. I was in and out. I thought I was conning God. I wasn’t walking the walk all the time. I had many masks that I was wearing back then. Through that 23-year period, two divorces, two failed marriages, the common fabric was me. I finally realized I was an alcoholic; I’m 23 years sober now. I was a flawed man. I recommitted my life to Christ 23 years

ago and I got sober. I married Karla 20 years ago. It wasn’t a Christian walk, it was a Christian obstacle course that I helped create. If you look at what has happened in my past 23 years, I have so many blessings I can’t even count them. What does submission to Christ look like for you? A lot of guys try to figure out their “why,” their “who,” their “what,” and most of us make bad decisions during those times. I’ve tried everything else. The Song of Solomon was written for me; I tried everything else. “Let’s do it. Let’s push in all the chips to God.” Truly for the first time in my life, I’m saying, “Thy will be done, not mine.” Small groups have been so important. Having mentors. Having a “Mount Rushmore,” my board of directors to help me become the man God wanted me to be — humble, committed, steadfast, meek, has integrity. I want to be someone my wife looks at and says, “I love you with all my heart.” I want to be a dad whose kids say, “Dad, I love you with all my heart.” I’m just trying to honor God and Jesus in all I do. And I don’t bat 1.000, but I just want to tell people about the one thing that has worked for me.

“I’ve signed a lifetime con trac t wi th the home team. I’m jus t trying to be a good team player, and a good team player makes those around them better.”

www.sportsspectrum.com

S PS OP RO TRST SS PS EP CE TC RT UR M UM

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my faith played a role in my decision making. I wasn’t going to compromise. There’s no right way to do wrong. We had a Faith Night every year and I would share publicly. You model behavior you want to instill with others. I’m not going to beat them over the head or threaten them. But you can’t play it safe; you can’t stay in the shallow water.

“I’m jus t trying to honor God and Jesus in all I do. And I don’t bat 1.000, but I jus t wan t to tell people about the one thing that has worked for me.” To listen to the entire interview with Clint Hurdle, visit SportsSpectrum.com

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SSPPOORRTTSS SSPPEECCTTRRUUMM

What did faith in the clubhouse look like for you as a manager in the major leagues? I had stood for so many things that made no sense, so it was time at the age of 40 to stand for the one thing that made sense to me. I did not ever use the manager’s desk as a pulpit. The manager’s desk was a manager’s desk. That door was open and there was time that you built relationships with people, built trust and showed that you cared about them personally and professionally. And there were opportunities [to talk about faith]. Most of them were offsites, but every once in a while we’d talk about Jesus in my office. The organizations I worked with knew where I stood with my faith. Dan O’Dowd, our general manager in Colorado, was a man of faith and we prayed together regularly. I let my players know it wasn’t an act, and over the course of my time with the Pirates,

Can you tell us how you began sharing group emails each day? It’s a crazy story. It’s a God wink. It started out as a small group in Colorado in 2009, and we’d meet once a week and have a devotional time and a leadership lesson. And then I would frame it up in a text and send it out, and I did for like two months. People loved it, male and female. But then I got fired at the end of May. So we’re on vacation for the Fourth of July on the Outer Banks (North Carolina) and I got a phone call and it’s one of the members of the group. It’s a female. She asked me about the transition and I told her it was great and the first vacation in 35 years. So she tells me, “I just called to let you know I’m not doing that well. I miss our meetings. I miss our texts. At the end of every text, you would always say, ‘Make a difference today, Love Clint.’ I just wanted you to know that you are not making a difference and I don’t think you love me.” I wanted to tell her to slow down, I had just gotten fired. But I told her she had given me a lot to think about. My wife said, “What TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

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CLIN T HURDLE

are you going to do about it?” So as soon as I got back, I began to send the messages out with that group over the next few years. The text number got [out of control] and I would spend an hour and a half on it. I finally figured out how I could do email and put groups together — I’m getting less dumb. And the number kept growing and I got to a point about four years ago where I brought in a website manager and he got me hooked up with Mailchimp and helped put this www.sportsspectrum.com

thing together. The list has grown to 4,500 people. Two daily emails. It’s easy and it’s free. You can go to ClintHurdle.com to sign up. What are you learning from God today? “Be patient. Be still. Know that I am God. Whatever your plans are, put them down because My plans are so much better for you. Lay it down. Submit. And don’t think you have to stay in the game; you don’t

have to stay in the game.” My wife and I have spent 77 days together in a row — we’ve never done anything close to that in 20 years of marriage! I’ve learned I need to stay out of the kitchen. I’ve learned some things with my kids and it’s OK to tell them, “I don’t know.” I share with everybody that I’ve signed a lifetime contract with the home team. I’m just trying to be a good team player, and a good team player makes those around them better. SPORTS SPECTRUM

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS PITCHER

Acts 20:24 (NIV) However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. “Several years ago I was looking for a Bible verse, and that Bible verse for me really sends it home — Acts 20:24. It says, ‘My life means nothing to me unless I use it to fulfill the missiongiven by the Lord Jesus Christ, that is the mission of telling the whole world the wonderful grace of God.’ It just, in a nutshell, speaks to how important every single thing you do in your life is and how He should be at the center of all of it.” 30

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NICK AHMED

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS SHORTSTOP

James 1:2-4 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. “James 1:2-4. It was a verse that fully brought me to my knees and just gave me the realization to understand that God’s ways are so much different than our ways, and just try to count it all joy when you face trials of many kinds. It’s so countercultural, it’s so different than how I grew up. In the game of baseball, failure is so inherent, such a part of the game, and it stinks. Naturally it sucks; you don’t want any part of it. But in baseball you’re great if you fail seven out of 10 times, so you’ve got to learn to deal with it some way. So I like to deal with it God’s way now, and it’s not easy but that’s the verse that rocked my world and brought me to Christ.” TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

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ADAM WAINWRIGHT

CHASE ANDERSON TORONTO BLUE JAYS PITCHER

MATT WIETERS

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS CATCHER

LUKE WEAVER

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS PITCHER

AP Photos/John Minchillo, Gene J. Puskar, Ross D. Franklin

Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV) A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. “I used to use a black glove and now I use a lighter glove and make sure the verse is on there; I have it on the index finger. It’s Proverbs 16:9, that’s kind of my life verse: ‘The heart of the man plans his ways but the Lord directs his steps.’ When that really hit home with me was when my dad passed away when I was in Double-A. I’m like, ‘OK, this isn’t working out.’ My dad and I were like — I say this all the time — like Forrest Gump, we were like peas and carrots. We were close. But my parents were divorced, I came from a broken home, lived with him from 12 until I went to college, and then that verse really hit me. And then when my career didn’t really go the way I wanted it to, when I got sent back to Double-A after going to Triple-A the year before, I was not understanding the plan for my life. My plan was to get to the big leagues like that (snaps fingers), and then the Lord had different plans. I finally got called up and am lucky enough to continue to play. But yeah, Proverbs 16:9 and the death of my dad was really the reason that really came to real life for me.” www.sportsspectrum.com

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight “I started doing a word a year and a verse a year. So one of the first ones I did was Proverbs 3:5-6: ‘Trust in the Lord and He will make your paths straight, and lean on Him.’ And each year I try and find another verse that changes for that year. But that’s the one that always comes back to me. This game and this life, they can seem so crazy and dirty, but I can always trust that the Lord’s going to make my paths straight.”

Matthew 19:26 (NIV) Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” “One that always is at the forefront is Matthew 19:26, and simply put, ‘With men it’s impossible; with God all things are possible.’ Pretty broad term but something that fits a lot of things in our life. It also has a little side meaning to it because I had a cousin growing up on my mom’s side who died in a car crash; his name was Matt. So I just always kind of put those two together. Out on the field I like to put the verse on my glove and just kind of carry [Matt] with me, but also take the true meaning of the verse and just live it out.” SPORTS SPECTRUM

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS THIRD BASEMAN

Matthew 19:26 (NIV) Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” “I actually have this particular verse tattooed on my arm just above the scar where I had Tommy John surgery when I was in college. And the verse is Matthew 19:26 — ‘With God all things are possible.’ You know it’s funny, when I was younger and I first started to learn this verse, I didn’t actually realize the deeper meaning of it until I got older. The thing that I learned was Jesus was telling His disciples, ‘How does a man enter the Kingdom of Heaven?’ And it just grew in meaning as I’ve learned and gotten deeper in my faith. It’s something I always fall back on when times get hard, that I can’t rely on my own strength, but with God all things are possible. It’s very fitting in the game of baseball when you have struggles and sometimes we lean on our own [wisdom] and we know we can’t do that.” 32

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BRENT SUTER

MILWAUKEE BREWERS PITCHER

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NKJV) Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. “I always go John 3:16-17 as some of my go-to’s. But really in terms of how it’s lived out, 1 Corinthians 13 when Paul is talking about love: Love is patient, love is kind and love is long-suffering. Just seeing true believers how they live that out and you can just see Jesus through them, and that application of the soft heart, the kind heart, the servant mentality, rather than the boasting or the shaming or the beating down with the Bible. That’s not what the Christian life looks like, and unfortunately to a lot of people in this country and throughout the world and the secular world, that’s what Christianity means to them. If we can just try to find some way to change that up and just grow the Kingdom for His glory and the servant mentality way and the soft heart way, that would be ideal. That would be what Jesus would want.”

JASON ADAM

CHICAGO CUBS PITCHER

Romans 8:28 (NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. “I think my go-to is probably Romans 8:28: ‘We know God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.’ I look at that and it’s not always necessarily what we view as good initially, but always in hindsight we can look back and see the good and know that He’s using whatever circumstances — like for baseball terms: released, up [to the majors], down [to the minors], whatever — He’s using that to mold us and shape us into the men that He wants us to be. And to grow our families closer together, and ultimately grow us closer to Him and grow His Kingdom. That’s what’s more important than anything.” TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

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MATT CARPENTER

“On the field, I play tight end for the Chargers. Off the field, my wife Parker and “On the field, I play baseball for the Los Angeles I play for Team Freedom, with International Dodgers. Off the field, my wife Ellen and I are Justice Mission (IJM). Growing up, we didn’t humbled to partner with our friends at IJM and know that slavery still existed. But it hurts my play IJM’s heartfor that rightTeam now, Freedom. there are children and families around the world born into this violence IJM our heart life infinitely better andshares pain. That’s whyfor wemaking want everyone to know for partnership a thatvulnerable together, children we haveand the our power to make plays a difference. supporting we can send darksmall part in By their huge task:IJM, breaking through rescue tolight those that desperately need IJM, it, and ness with and hope. By supporting we can support them theirthat healing and restoration.” send rescue to in those desperately need it, and support them in their healing and restoration.”

Join the team with Hunter and Parker to end slavery in our lifetime: IJM.org/TF

Join us in the fight to end slavery: IJM.org/TF www.sportsspectrum.com www.sportsspectrum.com

PRO ATHLE TES ENDING S P O R T S S P E C TSL R U M AVERY 33 SPORTS SPECTRUM 21

KYLE SPELLER

by J O N AC K E R MAN

yle Speller was standing in the busy Pepsi Center hallway that leads to the locker rooms when he noticed something was up. Dozens of screens line the walls, displaying motion-graphic images of the Denver Nuggets — All-Star Nikola Jokic, veteran Paul Millsap, star rookie Michael Porter Jr. — but Speller saw a few players huddled around a smaller screen. He was lingering in the hall because arena workers moved the chapel room, so as the Nuggets’ team chaplain, he was trying to make sure guys knew where to go — players from both the Nuggets and visiting Houston Rockets, as chapel services in the NBA are open to both teams. Jerami Grant, Torrey Craig and 34 34

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Mason Plumlee stood down the hallway on this Sunday afternoon looking intently at someone’s phone, apparently receiving some unsettling news. After a few moments, they made their way to chapel. “Is everything OK?” Speller asked as the players entered the room. They sat down and shared what they’d just learned. Kobe Bryant was dead. Whatever message Speller had prepared for chapel was scrapped. “In that moment, I didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to say,” Speller remembered. “The only thing that I know to do in moments like that is to pray. So we just prayed. Just spoke whatever the Lord was laying on my heart.” After he closed and the players returned to their locker rooms, Speller walked back down the hallway and out to the court. Stunned, he thought of games he’d seen on that very court, not too long ago, in which Bryant tormented the Nuggets with his other-worldly skill. Speller had one of the best seats in the house for those contests, because he’s also the Nuggets’ public address announcer. So he sat down in his courtside seat, roughly three paces toward the Denver bench from midcourt, and put on his headset. He learned from his in-game entertainment directors that a plan was being put together to honor Bryant in some manner.

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Photo by Sports Spectrum

KYLE SPELLER “It’s a privilege to have both roles and I don’t take it for granted. I appreciate it, I’m grateful. As the announcer, I’m one of 30 people in the world. I’m like, ‘God just blessed me.’ When it’s like that, I just want to serve.” — Kyle Speller “I got the script that I read about eight minutes before I was supposed to read it,” he said, explaining that nearly everything he says over the PA system has to be approved. He usually has more time to review scripts. But a plan came to fruition and Speller led the arena in a powerful moment. “Ladies and gentlemen, basketball fans,” Speller announced, “a tragedy has befallen the world of basketball.” He mentioned the crash, then proceeded to list Bryant’s more notable basketball accomplishments. “Please join us in a moment of silence for Kobe Bryant,” Speller continued. “Rest in peace, Mamba.” Because this early Nuggets-Rockets game was the first on the NBA slate for Jan. 26, video of the tribute was picked up and shown by networks all over the country. Speller felt honored to be a small part in honoring Bryant’s life. Never before had Speller’s dual role of announcer/chaplain been put on such display. Never again does Speller hope to endure such a heavy night. “It was a reminder that tomorrow is not promised to anyone,” Speller says. “You gotta know where you’re going to spend eternity.”

Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images

ost of Speller’s nights at the Pepsi Center are like the one Sports Spectrum spent with him a week and a half before. Fist bumps and hugs everywhere he goes — to players, coaches, fans, ushers, anyone he’s seen more than once or twice in the arena. And that makes for a lot of people, this being his 15th season as Denver’s PA announcer. Our evening begins at 4:50 p.m. local time, about 20 minutes later than Speller had hoped. He had a meeting at his twin boys’ high school that morning, which put him behind in his day job at Comcast, which meant he left his South Denver office a little late, and his drive up Interstate-25 was slowed by traffic, so it looks like he won’t be having dinner tonight. All he has time for is a cup of coffee because he needs to make his www.sportsspectrum.com

way up to the second floor, through a maze of hallways, for the in-game entertainment pregame meeting at 5:15. About 17 minutes later, Speller — 48 years old, shaved head, dressed in a nicely-pressed charcoal suit, standing 6-foot-6, or “6-7 with shoes on” — heads back down to the court. Before leaving the second floor, he’s got a hug for Ken, who’s in a wheelchair and working security by checking the credentials of anyone coming off the elevator. Upon exiting the tunnel leading to the court, Speller also has a hug for Vicki, the most loyal fan the franchise has ever known. As he nears his courtside perch, Speller bumps fists with Woody, a security guard stationed behind one of the baskets. As he settles in, Speller chats with

his assistant for the night, who helps him stay on track with all the action going on around them. Speller reviews and jots notes on his script, marking words he needs to enunciate and ideal spots to pause in his delivery. But before long, it’s time to be chaplain again. He heads back past Vicki and down the hallway to set up whichever room he’s given for chapel; they’ll be in Dressing Room #1 tonight, he’s told. We spend a few minutes rearranging chairs and tables, giving the nondescript room as much of a welcoming feel as possible. Then it’s down the hallway further to the visiting locker room. At 5:56, Speller pops in to tell the Charlotte Hornets that chapel will be in Dressing Room #1 and starts at 6 p.m. (Any player

interested should already know it always starts 60 minutes before tip-off.) About five minutes later, two Hornets and three Nuggets join Speller. After roughly 20 minutes, they emerge. Speller says tonight’s message centered on Isaiah 40:31 (KJV): “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” He has dozens of messages he’s delivered to NBA players, and yes, occasionally he’ll use a sermon more than once. With so much turnover in the NBA, the odds of someone hearing the same message twice are slim, but it has happened. “I really just try to rely on the Holy Spirit; that’s the only way I know to do it,” he says. By 6:27 p.m., Speller is back courtside and it’s game time — for him, at least. Before the teams return for layup lines, the court is buzzing with pregame TV broadcasts, arena sponsor promotions and kids getting a chance to walk on an NBA court. Speller has a few minutes to chat as some young musicians are brought out for a quick performance. He explains that his duties for the Nuggets are a dream (announcing) and a calling (pastoring), but his day job supports his family of five (wife Tomeka; 21-year-old daughter Tyler; 18-year-old twin boys Christian and Christopher). He works for Comcast full time as an Employee Onboarding Specialist, meaning he oversees new and promoted leaders to help them get acclimated. It’s Monday through Friday, but his supervisors allow him a flexible schedule; he tries to go in early and aims to leave at 3:30 or 4 p.m. on game days. Speller has been a Nuggets fan ever since he moved to Denver from Brooklyn, N.Y., as an 8-year-old with his mother in 1979. Basketball brought him to Eastern Wyoming Junior College, and two years later to Adams State University in Alamosa, Colo., an NAIA school that transitioned into an NCAA Division II school his senior year. He

SPORTS SPECTRUM

KYLE SPELLER was “definitely a banger,” a rebounder whom one of the coaches nicknamed “Hatchet” because he always brought “a lot of physicality.” After college, he harbored dreams of a pro career, and was invited to a tryout with the Nuggets. He had also started doing some voiceover work, and had a hunch he might have more of a future in that than basketball. So after his tryout, he asked some Nuggets staffers about announcing. Nothing ever panned out. He went into full-time ministry with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as an urban director in Denver, and he later became an ordained youth pastor, while also finding voiceover gigs. Then in 2005 — 12 years after he graduated from Adams State with an English degree, emphasis in broadcast journalism; after going into full-time ministry and then stepping out; after taking a job with Comcast — the Nuggets fan was on the team’s website and saw an ad. “Grab your microphones,” it read. He looked further and sure enough, the Nuggets were looking for a PA announcer. “I saw the ad and I showed it to my wife, and she was like, ‘That’s your job. That’s your job.’ I’ll never forget that,” Speller says. So he went into a studio in his Comcast building and needed only five minutes to record a demo and burn it onto a CD — “because I had been doing it in my head for years.” The Nuggets told him his audition was the only one they liked. “I’ve been here ever since,” he says. As he joined the organization, the Nuggets were growing into regular contenders with a young forward named Carmelo Anthony. In Speller’s second season, Denver acquired perennial AllStar Allen Iverson. A.I.’s first game is one that stands out to Speller. “That game and that moment,” he recalls, “I can’t believe I’m getting ready to introduce Allen Iverson — is that it?” The young musicians have stopped playing. Speller quickly switches into announcer mode — his voice an octave higher, syllables carried out a little longer: “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the Colorado Youth Symphony! To find out how you can participate in a prime-time performance, please contact the group sales department.” Speller laughs. “We didn’t know if they were finished or not.” Before 36

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he continues on about Iverson, he’s got another announcement, this time about the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. Back to Iverson, Speller remembers watching the breaking news on TV showing Iverson stepping off a private plane in a blizzard. The fan in him first felt “ultimate excitement” at the idea of an NBA legend joining the Nuggets. But then the announcer in him started thinking, “How am I going to announce him?” He says he ultimately didn’t do anything too crazy.

***

s our courtside conversation carries on, we discuss the uniqueness of chapel services in the NBA, where players from opposing teams attend the same service just an hour before taking the court against each other. Does he ever sense any tension? “No, I don’t ever feel that,” he says. “The way players are kind of conditioned nowadays, [they’re like], ‘Off the court, we’re cordial; when we’re on the court, that’s when we don’t have any friends.’ … It’s interesting to see that type of dynamic sometimes where I’m watching a game and I see a couple guys that we were just fellowshipping [with], but now they’re out there on the court and they are fighting, brawls and all. It’s funny to watch. But that’s basketball, that’s competitiveness.” In his dual role, Speller has the rare opportunity to go deeper with some of the players he’s announcing. Now in his 12th season as chaplain, he’s cultivated many relationships, mostly with Nuggets. But he’s such a consistent and energetic presence that the regular chapel-goers on visiting teams look forward to visiting Denver. He’s never missed a game or a chapel. “He’s been the guy — even when I wasn’t here, I looked forward to Denver’s chapel just because he’s so passionate about it,” says sevenyear veteran Mason Plumlee, who was traded to the Nuggets in February 2017. “He brings good energy, and he’s well-studied too. He keeps it fresh every time. For us, with our schedules, it’s hard to go to a traditional service, so we lean on him a lot.” Though Speller was an NBA fan long before he became so entrenched in the league, he’s never starstruck

when players walk into chapel. “There are guys that I love watching as players; some of my favorite players have been able to be a part of this. But no, I’m never awestruck or anything like that,” he says. “What I am is, I’m grateful that God’s given them that platform and a lot of those guys are able to use that platform …” Announcer mode, this time very monotone: “Please give a warm Colorado welcome to the visiting Charlotte Hornets.” As the crowd boos, Speller laughs at one of his shticks — giving the opposing team no love. He’ll use the same inexpressive voice for visiting player introductions, substitutions, free-throw attempts, etc. “Home court advantage,” he says. Earlier in the night, Speller detailed how he came to be the team’s chaplain, a role he never sought out. When he came on as the PA announcer, he reconnected with Bo Mitchell, who was one of the FCA board members when Speller was on staff with the sports ministry. When Speller discovered Mitchell was the Nuggets chaplain, he asked if he could sit in on the pregame chapels. “He knew who I was and he didn’t have a problem with it. And I think ultimately in his mind, he had been praying about a replacement because he was wanting to start to step down. He’s actually the chaplain of the [Colorado] Rockies now; he’s the present chaplain. But he was wanting to slow down a little bit. “And so I would attend, and then all of a sudden, next thing you know, he was asking me if I could take a couple of [the services]. I was like, ‘Oh sure. No problem.’ And then next thing you know, he’s like, ‘I want to start to have you do the chapels and I’ll be the chapel coordinator.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, OK. Sure, all right.’ And the next thing you know, he’s out of here,” Speller laughs. Does Speller have anyone that helps him? “No, not at this point in time,” he says. And in 15 seasons as the PA announcer and 12 seasons as the chaplain, he’s seriously never missed a game? “No. People ask, ‘What do you do?’ I’m like, ‘I just don’t miss.’ I’ve done it when I’ve had bronchitis; I did it when my mom passed away. I still came in with all those deals. For me, TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

KYLE SPELLER

“Even when I wasn’t here, I looked forward to Denver’s chapel just because he’s so passionate about it. He brings good energy, and he’s well-studied too. He keeps it fresh every time. For us, with our schedules it’s hard to go to a traditional service, so we lean on him a lot.” — Nuggets vet Mason Plumlee

it’s a privilege to have both of those roles and I don’t take it for granted. I appreciate it, I’m grateful. As the announcer, I’m one of 30 people in the world [who are NBA announcers]. I’m like, ‘God just blessed me.’ When it’s like that, I just want to serve.” ***

Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

ventually we had to let Speller do his job, so we reconvened after the game, a 100-86 Nuggets rout. About the only thing we had yet to cover was his favorite story — how he came to make Jesus the Lord of his life. Raised in a fatherless home, Speller was often in church with his mom. He got baptized when he was younger, but “it was between my sophomore and junior year of college (going from Eastern Wyoming to Adams State) that I gave my life to the Lord. It was actually June 29, 1991.” He was part of a youth ministry called the Voices of Faith, a youth choir in Denver that traveled all over www.sportsspectrum.com

the country. Because Speller was in college and one of the older members, he mostly performed only around the Denver area. But he was greatly impacted by Pastor Yvonne McCoy. “That was just a powerful time,” Speller recalled. “Mama McCoy, she is one of my moms to this day. She’s moved to Tennessee but we stay in contact. She’s always just poured into us.” On that particular summer night, Speller was feeling thankful and so grateful for what God had been doing in his life. “In my own room, I just got on my knees and just gave my life to the Lord and asked Him to be Lord of my life, and just accepted him in that manner. And then from that point on I was just different. Just living for God ever since,” Speller says. How he got to where he is today has all been “orchestrated by God. I can’t take credit for any of it, that’s for sure,” he says. During his senior year at Adams State, a new coach, Terry Layton, was brought in, and that’s who introduced

Speller to FCA. Later that season, Speller was named the FCA Male Athlete of the Year for Colorado, which led him to meet FCA’s state director, Donnie Dee, who ultimately brought Speller on staff after he graduated. He’s still involved in church ministry, serving as an associate pastor at Emmanuel Christian Center in the suburb of Aurora, where he gives sermons every so often, but regularly leads a monthly men’s meeting on the first Saturday of the month. He insists on not being paid for that role, nor the Nuggets’ chaplain role, to ensure he keeps the focus on serving — whether that be players, coaches, fans, ushers, whoever. “Ultimately I’m here to serve, period.” But he has to be back at Comcast in the morning — to work. We’ve taken up enough of Speller’s time, which he was more than gracious with. At 10:02 p.m., more than five hours after we first met, Denver’s announcer/chaplain calls it a night. SPORTS SPECTRUM

MARKUS HOWARD

g n i k a M d n a s e l p i c Dis Bucke ts

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hen it came time for Markus Howard to choose a number to wear at Marquette University, he wanted to make sure it had significance. He went with “0” — simple, yet profound, because he felt it best symbolized his faith and the role Christ plays in his life. “First and foremost, I’m a Christian before anything else,” Howard said recently on the Sports Spectrum Podcast. “I’m a son [of God], so I want to be sure that my number meant something and it represented something. It truly represents that without my relationship with Christ, I feel like I am not the person that I’m meant to be.” Now in his fourth and final season as a Golden Eagle, Howard leads the nation in scoring at 27.4 points per game (through Feb. 10). He is on pace to become the Big East Conference’s all-time leading scorer by the end of the regular season. He already holds one impressive conference record: 53 points in a game, which he dropped in Marquette’s 106-104 overtime win against Creighton on Jan. 9, 2019 (highlighted by a 10-of-14 performance from beyond the arc). Howard averaged 25.0 points per game last season, earning consensus second team All-American honors as a junior. Then he was forced to take on an even larger role this season when the Hauser brothers (Sam and Joey) — who combined for 24.6 points per game inT O 2018-19 S U B S C R I B E : C A— LL 866-821-2971 TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

AP Photo/John Minchillo

MARQUETTE’S MARKUS HOWARD IS LEADING THE NATION IN SCORING, WHILE ALSO LEADING STUDENT-ATHLETES TO CHRIST THROUGH THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES CHAPTER HE HELPED LAUNCH ON HIS CAMPUS.

MARKUS HOWARD

“I think that’s kind of the main thing that I’ve been placed on this earth to do, is to spread His Word through the sport. Being an athlete with a platform, you have to use it the right way, and I think keeping Him at the forefront of everything is definitely going to help people see and understand the great things He’s done.”

Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley, Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson, Phoenix Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr. and former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett before shutting down its program in 2019. It only took Howard three years to graduate from high school, making him one of the youngest college athletes in the country when he joined Marquette in 2016. He made 27 starts as a freshman, averaging 13.2 points per game and helping the Golden Eagles reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2012-13 season. Though Howard averaged 17.6 points over Marquette’s final seven games and ended up leading the team in scoring, his first year in college came with plenty of challenges too. He only played a total of 52 minutes in the Golden Eagles’ first four games and was more than 1,700 miles

away from his close-knit family in Arizona. After that freshman year, Howard decided to get his first tattoo: “Philippians 4:13,” written on his wrist. The verse says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (NKJV). Howard bumped up his scoring average to 20.4 points per game as a sophomore, and shot 93.8 percent from the free-throw line. He scored at least 30 points on six occasions — most notably a 52-point performance against Providence — as the Golden Eagles went 21-14 and lost in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament. Following that sophomore season, Howard joined other Marquette student-athletes on a mission trip to Costa Rica. He felt called to organize a Bible study for people on the trip, which he led every night. By the end of the group’s time in Costa Rica, 50 to

AP Photo/Darron Cummings, Matt Slocum

— Markus Howard

decided to transfer. Howard opened this season with a 38-point night against Loyola Maryland, followed three weeks later by 40 points against Davidson, and 51 the very next night vs. USC, all Marquette victories. Howard could have pursued a pro career after his strong junior season, but he chose to come back — partly for basketball reasons, partly with another goal in mind. “I thought it was going to be great for me having another year to leave an impact on this campus through my faith and I knew that another year here was going to help not only myself grow in my faith but help others around me,” Howard said. “I know that just me trying to be an influence and spreading the Gospel around this campus is something that I think God put me on this earth to do.”

oward described faith as being at the “forefront” of his household growing up in Arizona. He attended Perry High School in Gilbert, Ariz., for two years before moving to Findlay College Prep in Henderson, Nev. Findlay produced the likes of www.sportsspectrum.com

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MARKUS HOWARD

“Markus is a man of the Lord and he puts his relationship with Jesus above anything. You can see that in the way he is, the way he presents himself, the way he talks to people, the way he cares. The love that God has for us is shown through him.” — MU lacrosse player Jordan Schmid a month at a time: peace, love and faith. What Schmid described as a “consistent” seven to 10 people at FCA meetings last year has turned into 20 or 25 on a typical week this school year. “We just want to try and make it an enjoyable experience for the student-athletes because it’s taking time out of a Sunday to talk about God and how He’s working in your life,” Howard said. “We want to be sure it’s comfortable for people, that they don’t feel any type of pressure, that they’re enjoying it, they’re having a good time, because that’s really what it’s all about.” Even when Marquette lost to Wisconsin in Madison on a Sunday afternoon in November, Howard returned back to MU’s campus in Milwaukee and was at the FCA meeting that night. He told the group that’s where he wanted to be after a loss.

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“To me, that shows so much because you just lost to our in-state rival; we talk about beating Wisconsin every single year,” Schmid said. “He came back and he was like, ‘I’m not gonna go sulk in my room and moan. I’m gonna go pour into others.’” While FCA was growing off the court, Howard continued to thrive on it. He produced two 45-point games — in addition to the 53 points he scored against Creighton — as a junior. The Golden Eagles went 24-10 and posted their highest single-season win total since 2012-13. They finished 12-6 in Big East play and earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they were upset by Ja Morant and Murray State in the first round. In disappointing moments such as this, Howard’s faith plays a key role in helping him see them as opportunities for him to rely on God even more. “If I sit on it too much and I get really upset about things that were out of my control, then I’m not really showing or displaying faith in Him,” he said. “I think just being able to kind of take a step back and not be so quick to blame certain circumstances for a bad game or a loss, rather than maybe it just wasn’t His will in that moment. I think that’s kind of what helps me through tough times like that.”

Jared Butler, Baylor @_xjaredx_ Sean McDermott, Butler @ seanmcdermott22 TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 866-821-2971

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

60 people were listening to Howard share the Gospel. “I knew that God was in [Costa Rica] and He was really working through me, and the people there also with me, and us trying to accomplish a mission,” he said. “It was something that I was really proud of, but also it was something that I knew was going to benefit me along the way.” Howard wanted to bring that experience back to Marquette, so he started talking to the university’s support staff about the possibility of establishing a Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter on campus. He got positive feedback, and went to work with men’s lacrosse player Nick Singleton to make their vision a reality. When Singleton graduated at the end of the 2018-19 school year, fellow men’s lacrosse player Jordan Schmid assumed his leadership role alongside Howard. “[Howard’s] in the spotlight all the time, and I do feel bad for him because people only see him for basketball when I think he’s so much more,” Schmid told Sports Spectrum. “When I first met him, I saw someone who loved Jesus and cared for others more than anything else.” Howard and Schmid now meet every week to plan the FCA meetings held on Sunday nights. They picked three themes to focus on during the fall semester, each for

MARKUS HOWARD

and I think keeping Him at the forefront of everything is definitely going to help people see and understand the great things He’s done, not only for me but for others in my position as well.” Schmid sees Howard doing just that every week, both through FCA and how he lives out his faith on a daily basis. “Markus is a man of the Lord and he puts his relationship with Jesus above anything,” Schmid said. “You can see that in the way he is, the way he presents himself, the way he talks to people, the way he cares. The love that God has for us is shown through him.”

— Markus Howard on the FCA chapter he helped launch

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, Matt Slocum

The tattoo on his wrist and the number on his journey serve as reminders for Howard to maintain that perspective of who he is playing for. Whatever the rest of his senior season holds and whatever the next step in his journey is, the all-time leading scorer in Marquette history wants to share his testimony and use basketball to bring people to Christ. “I think that’s kind of the main thing that I’ve been placed on this earth to do, is to spread His Word through the sport,” Howard said. “Being an athlete with a platform, you have to use it the right way,

“It’s taking time out of a Sunday to talk about God and how He’s working in your life. We want to be sure it’s comfortable for people, that they don’t feel any type of pressure, that they’re enjoying it, they’re having a good time, because that’s really what it’s all about.”

Kyle Aherns, Michigan State @kyleahrens33 Chelsey Perry, UT Martin @chelseymariah www.sportsspectrum.com

Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon Evelyn Adebayo, UConn

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PATTY GASSO

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l l a b t f So JOSH UA PE ASE

he first thing I learned when interviewing Coach Patty Gasso is that she expects the best from those around her. I had mixed up my time zones and consequently was 10 minutes late for our scheduled call. Coach Gasso was gracious about the mistake, generous with her time, and eloquent with her answers to my questions. She also left me with an unspoken, but clear, message: She would expect more out of me in the future. We were 30 seconds into the interview and already Coach Gasso was helping me be a better me. There’s a reason Gasso is one of the most successful softball coaches in NCAA history. In 25 years at the University of Oklahoma, her teams have made the postseason each year, appeared in the Women’s College World Series 13 times, won the championship four times (2000, ‘13, ‘16, ‘17), collected 12 Big 12 regular-season titles (including

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YOU DON’T BECOME ONE OF THE GREATEST SOFTBALL COACHES IN HISTORY WITHOUT HIGH EXPECTATIONS. OKLAHOMA’S PATTY GASSO HAS REACHED LEGENDARY STATUS BY FOLLOWING CHRIST AND THE BIBLE TO TEACH HER PLAYERS THAT THEIR IDENTITY DOESN’T REST ON THE GAME.

an unprecedented eight straight) and won the Big 12 tournament six times. Gasso has the most wins in Big 12 history (343), more than twice as many as any other OU softball coach, has the fifthbest all-time career winning percentage (.791; 1260-333-2) of any Division-I coach with 1,000 or more wins, and has gone a jaw-dropping 232-28 (.892) over the past four seasons. She’s coached 65 All-Americans, 13 Big 12 Players of the Year, seven Big 12 Pitchers of the Year, 141 academic allconference honorees, and nine academic All-Americans. OU Softball has been named the Coaching Staff of the Year four times (‘00, ‘13, ‘16, ‘17), Gasso has been named the Big 12 Coach of the Year 12 times, she was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame in 2012, and she joined the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame this past August.

Like most great coaches, Gasso is intense in her expectations for those around her, rigorous in her preparation, exacting during practices, and deeply competitive. It’s the type of personality that often leads to success. It’s also the type of personality that is often narcissistic, demeaning and abusive. And yet the moment Gasso starts talking, she reflects the opposite. She discusses learning self-control over her anger, of dying to her own insecurity and ambition, of treating everyone with respect. Gasso sounds, you quickly realize when talking to her, like a disciple of Jesus. “I will tell you there was a time in my life earlier in my career where I was very controlling,” Gasso says. “I didn’t like who I was. I was stressed all the time, worrying about winning, and the Lord knocked me upside the head and said, ‘This isn’t what you’re here for. I don’t care if you win games, I care

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AP Photo/Alonzo Adams

PATTY GASSO more that you try to win hearts.’ … And that completely changed my approach, my style, my worry, who I was as a coach. I am much more than wins and losses, but about being a good example to my players.”

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, Alonzo Adams

anie Reed began speed-walking toward Coach Gasso when she saw her at the NFCA conference. Gasso was one of several coaches being made available to younger coaches for mentoring in a “speed-dating” format, and Reed was determined to get to Gasso’s table before anyone else. At the time, Reed was a former University of Oregon softball player turned coach at Biola University, a small Christian school in Southern California. But Reed hadn’t gone to a private university, and was struggling to connect with her players’ life experiences. Reed was a passionate follower of Jesus, and wanted to bring her faith and coaching into the college environment. Reed knew Gasso’s reputation as both a coach and Christian, and wanted tips on combining the two. “And Coach Gasso grabbed my notepad out of my hands, and wrote down her number and said, ‘Call me, because this is important,’” Reed remembers. “And I didn’t call because I

was too shy!” However, Reed’s conversation stuck in Gasso’s memory, and when she needed to fill a position on her coaching staff, Gasso gave Reed a call. “I was so thrown off [by Gasso’s offer],” Reed says. “I drove down to Norman (Okla.), and her husband, Jim, cooked tacos, and Coach showed me around campus. I felt honored. I’m coaching at Biola [at the time an NAIA school], and OU just won the national championship — and you want me to come be a coach!” Reed was brought in to be a younger, relational bridge to the college players. She was fresh enough out of college to be able to connect both as a mentor and a friend, where she had the freedom to pour into the girls spiritually, along with team chaplain Sarah Roberts. Sometimes seeing an idol up close can be disillusioning, but Reed’s time with Gasso did the opposite. It gave Reed a vision of how her faith, rather than clashing with her role as a coach, can make the program better. “Coach Gasso breaks down the stigma around Christian athletes, that they should be softer,” Reed says. “We should risk everything because our identity doesn’t rest on our success or failure. Coach Gasso holds high standards for everyone on the field. She teaches you how to compete freely,

to go all out. [Giving your best] has to come from a free place, otherwise you won’t be OK if it doesn’t work out. “I think a lot of female athletes think, ‘If I don’t try 100 percent and fail, it’s safer.’ That’s competing from a place of insecurity. Coach teaches girls to have freedom and lay it all out there. They go hard in everything they do and it’s so much fun to watch because … it’s not coming from a place of anger toward the other team, but the players are just having fun. That is something that has to be taught.”

asso was coaching at Long Beach City College (1990-94) when she first experienced the power of “being born again.” She had grown up Catholic, and was grappling with the idea of a spiritual conversion moment that changes everything. After months of struggling, Gasso remembers a moment, out on the softball field of course, when she finally surrendered to God. “It was this undeniable Holy Spirit experience,” Gasso recalls. “I’ll remember it for the rest of my life, like the Holy Spirit was saying, ‘I got you, I’m here. I’m here, I got you.’ I went home telling my husband, crying, wanting to shout it from the rooftops.” The change was immediate, and

“Coach Gasso breaks down the stigma around Christian athletes, that they should be softer. We should risk everything because our identity doesn’t rest on our success or failure.” — Janie Reed, U.S. Olympic Softball player

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PATTY GASSO

obvious to those around her. Winning was no longer Gasso’s definition of success. For Gasso, success is seeing the girls she’s been entrusted with turn into women. She wants to teach them to replace gossiping and backbiting with having hard conversations, no matter how unpleasant, because that’s what women of character do. And more than anything, Gasso wants to use her platform to point to Christ. “Coach Gasso is an amazing softball coach, but more than anything she’s a mother figure who wants to help direct us all to womanhood,” says Grace Lyons, a sophomore shortstop at OU. “Being able to go to a school where my faith is not only accepted but challenged is incredible. It is more than softball. It’s a family where we grow as sisters in Christ by learning to love each other daily … I have made massive strides in my faith journey surrounded by this

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“I didn’t like who I was. I was stressed all the time, worrying about winning, and the Lord knocked me upside the head and said, ‘This isn’t what you’re here for. I don’t care if you win games, I care more that you try to win hearts.’” — Coach Patty Gasso culture because Coach encourages us to incorporate it into our friendships, as well as our game on the field.” Gasso doesn’t beat her players over the head with Scripture, but she does use stories from the Bible as inspiration, such as the story from Exodus when Aaron and Hur hold up Moses’s arms so the Israelites will be victorious in battle (Exodus 17:12). “It’s amazing watching our players raise their hands together, and then the fans doing it too,” Gasso says. “Then the fans want to know what we’re doing, and we’re pretty much saying back to them, ‘Read the Bible and you’ll find out!’” And yet in talking with Reed, one gets the sense that however impacting Gasso

ingraining the Bible into OU softball culture is, it will be just one small part of her legacy. Gasso has taken her fiery, unapologetic, take-no-prisoners personality and allowed God to divorce it from her ego. Whether in an interview or as a coach, Gasso has found a way to combine her high expectations with a genuine heart to serve others. It’s the type of personality that is neither a pushover nor a narcissist. It’s the mark of someone surrendered to Jesus, and it sticks with those around her long after their time together. Following her tenure with Oklahoma, Reed was selected to the USA Softball team, and she is currently training for the 2020 Olympics. The amount of attention Olympic athletes get, many of whom are completely anonymous on a national scale up to that point, is daunting. This past summer, Reed found herself in a slump, spiraling mentally, battling insecurity and doubt. To get out of it, she turned to the one person she knew would help. She called Coach Gasso.

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DEVOTIONALS Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Like the Psalmist says, it’s important for us as Christians to know God’s Word so that we stave off sin in our lives. But the Bible also has many other vital benefits. As Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

These devotionals come directly from The Increase, a community of athletes all pressing toward the goal found in John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” For more first-person testimonies and stories from the lives of Christian athletes, visit TheIncrease.com.

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S P O RSTPSO RS TPSE CSTPREUCMT R U M

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CHALLENGE YOURSELF:

If we asked your closest friends, would they consider you one of the Positive 2?

2 Do you have a can-do spirit, even when things arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going your way?

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How can you turn around the negative current of complaining and doubt?

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YOU CAN KNOW CHRIST PERSONALLY

OUR PROBLEM, GOD’S SOLUTION

God created mankind in His own image … God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:27, 31 God made human beings with personal and relational qualities like His own (Genesis 1:26) and desired to have a delightful relationship with them. But something went terribly wrong. When Adam and Eve chose to follow Satan’s advice in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), sin poisoned the world and now we are all born with the desire to do things our own way, not God’s.

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For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 Our sins against a good and holy God have distanced us from Him (Isaiah 59:2). God “cannot tolerate wrongdoing” (Habakkuk 1:12). Through sin we forfeit a relationship with God, and along with it our happiness. The result of all this is death. Spiritual death is separation from God in a very real place called hell. Physical death marks the end of our opportunity to enter into a relationship with God and avoid eternal condemnation (Hebrews 9:27).

If these words reflect your heart and you would like to receive salvation through Jesus Christ, say this prayer to God. It's as simple as A-B-C: Admit, Believe, Confess. SPORTS SPECTRUM

By Randy Alcorn

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

There is absolutely nothing we can do to restore ourselves to God. He is holy, we are not. In fact, He says even our good deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). But God loved us so much He sent us His Son Jesus, fully God and fully man, to deliver us from death and give us life (John 3:16). "God demonstrates His own love toward us … while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus went to the cross to pay the price for our sins. He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. When Jesus died for us, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The Greek word translated “it is finished” was written across certificates of debt when they were canceled. It meant “paid in full.” Jesus then rose from the grave, conquering sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

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Steven Souza Jr., Chicago Cubs outfielder

remember how draining wastotoanswer: live a performance-based lifestyle “Three questions“Ievery single human on earthit has How did I get before accepted Christ asthis? Lord Jesus of myislife. of being unconhere? Why am I here? Is Ithere anything after theThe onlypeace One who ditionally loved by a Savior who paid the price for my salvation is here? Why am I here? Is there anything after this? Jesus is the only One who andglory uplifting at the time.forever! There’s no greater joy than by God, we’re herehumbling to give God and we can same enjoy Him knowing that I can abide in love instead of having to work for it.” I challenge anyone to search for the truth — determine if Jesus really did live, die and rise three days later from the grave. It’ll be the best choice you make.”

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 God’s greatest gift is a restored relationship with Himself, delivering us from hell and granting us entry into Heaven (John 3:36). This gift depends not on our merit but solely on Christ’s work of grace for us on the cross (Titus 3:5). He is the one and only way to God. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

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If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24

To be right with God, we must admit our sinful hearts and actions, and ask God’s forgiveness. If we do, He graciously promises full forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”(1 John 1:9). Then we are to affirm to others that the resurrected Jesus is our Lord.

The life we long for is freely offered to us in Christ. We can believe His promise and call on Him to save us, humbly accepting His gift of eternal life: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). God’s Holy Spirit indwells us and helps us obey Him (2 Timothy 1:14).

Romans 10:9

[

“Dear God, I ADMIT that I’m a sinner and the penalty of my sin is death. I BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that He died and rose from the dead for my sin. And I CONFESS Jesus as my Savior. Please forgive me. I repent of my sin and surrender my life to You. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen." — Miles McPherson, senior pastor & former NFL player

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