Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts

Monday, January 14, 2019

Drew Breese Testimony - Life.Church Open Network (NFL, New Orleans Saints)

Drew Brees threw an interception on his first pass of the game but he finished the day with 301 passing yards and two touchdowns. CreditJonathan Bachman/Getty Images



Drew Breese Testimony -  Life.Church Open Network 
(NFL, New Orleans Saints)

Saturday, January 20, 2018

'The Locker Room's Binding Force:' the Faith of the Philadelphia Eagles - CBN News Mark Martin

Philadelphia Eagles
Photo Credit: philadelphiaeagles via Instagram
'The Locker Room's Binding Force:' the Faith of the Philadelphia Eagles
01-20-2018
CBN News Mark Martin
Do faith and football go together? For players on the Philadelphia Eagles, the answer is a resounding "yes."
This Sunday they're in the NFC Conference Championship, and you can bet many on the team will be "prayed up."
In November, the team released a video on its Facebook page entitled, "The Locker Room's Binding Force." It's a look at the Christian faith of three players and how Christianity is a big part of the team.
Quarterback Carson Wentz, wide receiver Torrey Smith and safety/special teams Chris Maragos share their testimonies.
"I was kind of on this downward spiral because the things I was trying to place in my life to give me satisfaction would last for a little bit and then they'd fade away," Maragos said in the video. "And that was my sophomore year in high school."  
"I was really at a crossroads at that point and had to make a decision on where I was going," he continued. "And that's when I gave my life to Christ, and really he supplied that satisfaction and that joy for me." 
Players have the opportunity to attend chapel among other things.
"On every Monday night we have a couple's Bible study. We have a Thursday night team Bible study," Wentz explained in the video. "And then Saturday nights, we actually get together the night before the game and just kind of pray; talk through the Word; what guy's have been reading, what they're struggling with, and just kind of keep it real with each other."
"To have that here in an NFL facility like this, it's really special," he added.
"As men, you tend to be very sheltered. If I'm going through some things, I may not express that to the next man," Smith shared. "Only you can kind of expose your weaknesses and things you want to work on, whether it's in your relationship or your marriage or your family, whatever it may be."
"When you're able to talk about it amongst your brothers, amongst your family, it helps you grow," he continued. "And when you realize that you can apply Biblical principles to it, it helps us all grow."
"I think the biggest thing that we're always challenging each other with is just to not lose sight of the bigger picture," Wentz said. "I think wins, losses, highs, lows, everything that comes with this game, it's so easy to take your mind and your eyes off of the ultimate prize, and that's living for the Lord."
"And we want to be united," Maragos said. "We want to support each other; we want to support each other in our lives through the difficulties off the field as well as on the field."
"And so I think it's really kind of something to where we're all just kind of binding together to kind of keep each other sharpened and keep pushing forward," he continued.  
That unity has helped propel them to the NFC Championship game this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Kirk Cousins Turns Down $54 Million Contract Because 'God Told Him To' - Will Maule HelloChristian


Kirk Cousins Turns Down $54 Million Contract Because 'God Told Him To'

Sep 07, 2017 by Will Maule HelloChristian
NFL star quarterback Kirk Cousins has turned down a massive new contract agreement with the Redskins because 'God told him to.' The team reportedly offered Cousins a long-term deal including $53 million in guarantees, which he denied. Cousins instead elected to play out 2017 on a one-year deal. 
“I prayed about it and said, ‘Lord, what do you want to do?’ I just didn’t feel at peace about signing a long-term contract. I think the Lord communicates with us in many ways, and one of those ways is through his peace. And I just didn’t feel at peace," Cousins said in a speech at Liberty University, reports For The Win.
“And I do believe that the Lord — at least in my life — likes to use one-year contracts and not long-term contracts. He likes to take me to the edge of the Red Sea and have me see there is water in front of me, there are mountains on either side, and there are Egyptians chasing me from behind."
"And He wants me to sit there for a moment and go, ‘God, You better show up.’ And then He parts the Red Sea and He’s done that time and again in my life, on the football field, and off the football field.”
You can watch Kirk's full speech below. 
Source: Kirk Cousins Turns Down $54 Million Contract Because 'God Told Him To'


Saturday, July 30, 2016

Former NFL, MLB Star Deion Sanders Vows to Praise God Always, Even After Death Threats - JESSILYN JUSTICE CHARISMA NEWS

Deion Sanders Instagram
Deion Sanders (Instagram)

Former NFL, MLB Star Deion Sanders Vows to Praise God Always, Even After Death Threats

JESSILYN JUSTICE  CHARISMA NEWS
Join us on the new C-Pop podcast where Taylor and Jessilyn discuss, debate and sometimes deride pop culture with a strong sense of humor and a focus on Christ. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Former NFL star Deion Sanders vowed to praise God like there is no tomorrow in a recent Instagram post.  
But the star of OWN's Deion's Family Playbook isn't limiting the glory to God in just one Instagram post. Rather, the praise flows through his social media feed.  
"God was there when many of yall talked about me,doubted me,lied on me,cheated me,turned your back on me,bet against me,hated on me,stole from me and tried to kill me physically & verbally. THAT'S WHY I PRAISE HIM LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW! #Truth @revjahwar@twh_phd" he wrote in one post.  
In another, he shared, "Get Ready baby your time has come! You're about to receive your breakthrough & your blessing. Stay focused and don't look back at yesterday trials & tribulations. You got this baby. It's your time but please don't forget how u made it thru & who brought u thru. In JESUS Name let us all shout AMEN!!! SEND THIS TO EVERYONE THAT NEEDS TO HEAR THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE RIGHT NOW.#Truth @revjahwar."
In the NFL, Sanders played for the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the Baltimore Ravens, winning the Super Bowl with both the 49ers and the Cowboys, according to his website.  
In baseball, he played for the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants.  
Now the versatile athlete coaches kids through his Truth program.  
"I'm walking in my calling!#Truth #Truthcamp2016," he says of the program
3 Reasons Why you should read Life in the Spirit. 1) Get to know the Holy Spirit. 2) Learn to enter God's presence 3) Hear God's voice clearly! Go deeper!
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

Friday, April 15, 2016

5 Ways to Face Financial Problems With Resolve - BJ FOSTER/ALL PRO DAD CHARISMA MAGAZINE

David Akers (Facebook)
David Akers walked into the kitchen to finally tell his wife. Feeling weak, he had to put his hand on the counter to hold himself up.
That's when she asked, "What's wrong? You have been acting weird the past couple of days." What she didn't know was that the money was gone.
Akers was in his ninth year as a kicker with the Philadelphia Eagles and had gone to three Pro Bowls. He had earned millions of dollars. Several days before, he had received a call from the FBI. Although he had done his due diligence and sought the advice from wise business experts prior, the money he had invested with Triton Financial to purchase real estate had been illegally diverted by the company's chief executive. Now eight years of NFL salary, close to $4 million, was gone.
Fortunately, Akers has a wife who cares more about relationships than she does about material things. While losing that amount of money hurts, a strange look of relief came over her face. She said, "Thank God. I thought you were going to say you were leaving me or something. As long as we are together, we will be fine."
That unique perspective has helped them approach each day from a position of strength rather than fear. It is my pleasure to announce that David Akers, a married father of three, has become an All Pro Dad NFL Spokesman. Here are five thoughts that helped him face his financial problems with courage and resolve.
'Look Forward and Lead'
When hard times hit, a person can dwell on the past or move forward. As a husband and father, Akers had to set the tone for the family. It was time to embrace a new day. Things may look different for them now, but that certainly doesn't mean that they will be worse. The future may feel less secure, but he has chosen to move forward and lead the way with faith and hope. That type of approach has a major impact on the well-being of each family member.
'We Always Want a Little Bit More'
We tend to think, "If only I had (insert object of value), I would be content." However, once we get that thing, we want something else. The more we get, the more we want, never grateful for what we have. The cycle has to stop somewhere. Better to stop it now, rather than later.
'We Have Our Family'
When something traumatic happens, it makes you remember what is truly important. The key to a full life is found in relationships. Material wealth is temporal while relationships are eternal.
'Time to Swallow My Pride and Downsize'
The whole experience was humbling for Akers. Money and fame bring a feeling of status and accomplishment. That was another thing that was lost. Pride will cause a person to make bad decisions that have repercussions for the whole family. Fortunately for David's family, he took the road of humility.
'It's Not My Money'
Right before he received the call from the FBI, Akers and his wife had been praying about giving a sizable amount of money to needy families. They had committed to that decision the day before the call came. They believe that the money they have is provided by God and, therefore, not theirs. So even after the huge loss, they still followed through on their commitment. Their faith in God's provision gives them courage and freedom.
BJ Foster is the content manager for All Pro Dad and a married father of two.
For the original article, visit allprodad.com.
Draw closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you read Charisma magazine. Sign up now to get Charisma for as low as $1 per issue.
Dare to go deeper in your faith. Our "Life in the Spirit" devotional takes you on a journey to explore who the Holy Spirit is, how to interact with Him, and how He works in your life. Are you ready to go deeper?

Monday, March 28, 2016

Christians Must Unite Now Against Gay Bullies and Their Allies - MICHAEL BROWN CHARISMA NEWS

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory (Reuters)


Christians Must Unite Now Against Gay Bullies and Their Allies


In the Line of Fire, by Michael Brown

The mayor of San Francisco has banned all publicly funded city employees from traveling to North Carolina.
The NFL is threatening to block Atlanta, Georgia, from hosting a future Super Bowl.
The NBA is threatening to relocate next year's All Star game from Charlotte, North Carolina, to another city.
Corporate giants like American Airlines and Hollywood giants like Disney are threatening action against Georgia and North Carolina.
Why?
It is because North Carolina has passed a bill requiring people to use the public bathroom or locker room that corresponds to their birth certificate gender and because Georgia has enacted legislation (yet to be signed by the governor) that would protect pastors from having to perform same-sex "marriages."
It is time for Christians and all people of conscience to say: "Enough is enough with your bullying. We are not going to bow down to your threats. We will do what is right, regardless of cost or consequence, and in the end, we will be vindicated for taking a stand."
As for Ed Lee, the mayor of San Francisco, he's acting more like a dictator than a mayor. Who gave him the right to tell city-funded employees where they could travel in their own country, once known as "the land of the free"?
Unfortunately, the pattern is all too familiar.
A state like Indiana passes a Religious Freedoms Act that mirrors national law, as a result of which gay bullies and their allies threaten to pull their businesses from the state—from Wal-Mart to Apple to Craig's List to the NCAA—and within days, the governor and the legislation cave, passing a new law that makes things worse than ever. (This happened in March, 2015; the Indianan legislators and governor have since pushed back to some degree.)
We cannot let this happen in our states (I have lived in North Carolina since 2003), and as believers nationwide, we must stand together and reject these pressure tactics and call them out for what they are: unethical, strong-armed bullying.
Never bow down to bullies!
Earlier this year, I helped draft an eight-page letter to the mayor and City Council of Charlotte, detailing the negative effects that their new "anti-LGBT discrimination" bill could have. (Ironically, a gay man who was instrumental in helping to push this bill through was a convicted, child sex-offender who has since resigned as president of Charlotte's LGBT Chamber of Commerce because of his past record.)
Among the negative effects of this bill outlined in my letter were:
  • The door would be opened wide to heterosexual predators who would use transgender bathroom rights to spy on girls and women (for chilling video evidence of what these heterosexual predators have done, see here).
  • The proposed changes could lead to widespread discrimination against Christians and other people of faith who, in good conscience, could not participate in same-sex "weddings" (such as photographers, bakers, florists and others). The law would now be decidedly against them.
I also noted that, "National studies indicate that states which do not have non-discrimination laws including 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' are suffering no ill effects economically," dispelling the myth that only "progressive" (that is, "pro-LGBT") cities are prospering. The evidence is clearly against this.
This is yet another reason to stand up to the bullies: Good business practices and hard work lead to prosperity, not being politically correct. (For the truth about the North Carolina bill, which the secular media is largely failing to report, see here, and note that in North Carolina, some of the companies protesting the loudest already have policies to protect LGBT "rights" and those policies are completely unaffected by the new law.)
In Georgia, the main focus was preserving religious freedoms, such as protecting pastors from having to perform same-sex "wedding" ceremonies. (Religious freedoms were certainly an issue in North Carolina, but the central focus here was on the bathroom bill.)
Yet as Ryan Anderson pointed out, the bill passed by the Georgia legislature was quite narrow in its protections, contained language that could be used against people of faith and was a significantly gutted version of a far from perfect original bill.
In other words, the current bill awaiting the governor's signature is quite tame, simply providing the barest of protections of our religious liberties, and it is still creating anuproar of protest, as "More than 30 of Hollywood's heaviest hitters sent a threatening letter to Gov. Nathan Deal, telling him in no uncertain terms that if he passes the religious-freedom bill the legislature handed him for consideration, they'll never work in Georgia again."
As I have warned for years (and repeated almost ad infinitum), the activists who came out of the closet want to put you and me in the closet, and they will not rest until that door is safely shut. It is time for us to say: That will never happen, and we will go to jail rather than compromise our convictions. Your bullying will backfire in the end.
When it comes to transgender issues, we are dealing with an unquantifiable, untestable condition which relies entirely on self-perception (and can switch by the day or the hour), as noted by Margaret A. Hagen, professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. Yet the mayor of Seattle recently used an executive order to allow biological males to use women's bathrooms.
What kind of social madness is this?
In the days to come, I plan to lay out some specific calls to action, including a strategy for Christian athletes in the NFL and NBA. But for now, it's time for us to get on our knees before God so we can stand tall before man, resolving in our hearts that, whatever it takes (in godly, not fleshly terms), we will do what is right. (For an excellent, strategic handbook, see here.)
For the moment, I encourage you to take a moment to send a note of appreciation toGov. Pat McCrory in North Carolina for not caving in (He will be under heavy pressure in the days ahead.) and a note strongly encouraging Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal to sign House Bill 757 into law. Will you stop and do that right now?
Billy Graham once said, "Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened."
Let courage spread from you to others—in your home, your school, your place of business, your congregation—beginning today.
We will not bow down to the bullies!
Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire and is the president of FIRE School of Ministry. His newest book is Outlasting the Gay Revolution: Where Homosexual Activism Is Really Going and How to Turn the Tide. Connect with him on Facebook at AskDrBrown or on Twitter @drmichaellbrown.
Draw closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you read Charisma magazine. Sign up now to get Charisma for as low as $1 per issue.
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.
Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive it by email.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

An Open Letter to Cam Newton - SHAWN A. AKERS CHARISMA NEWS

Cam Newton became a hit with the fans this season, but like many of us, he may need some maturing.
Cam Newton became a hit with the fans this season, but like many of us, he may need some maturing. (Cam Netwon Facebook page )

An Open Letter to Cam Newton

Cam Newton became a hit with the fans this season, but like many of us, he may need some maturing. (Cam Netwon Facebook page )
Note: This story is updated with new information and an apology. This is the grace I am talking about that we need to give.
Dear Cam:
During the 2015-2016 National Football League season, the whole world has become a witness to how you became a shining example of a man who thoroughly enjoys the job and talents that God has blessed him with. I believe the entire league owes you a debt of gratitude for how you made playing football look like fun instead of someone who is simply drawing a huge paycheck.
As the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers, you brought the joy of professional sports back to the city of Charlotte. Your antics—your dabs and Superman poses after you score touchdowns—may seem obnoxious and arrogant to some, but that could simply be jealousy. Your playful demeanor won over a lot of fans, including myself.
As a former resident of the city and admirer of the team—notice I didn't say fan—I thank you for what you've done to bring enthusiasm back to the Carolina Panthers. I have many friends back in Charlotte, and they're having fun with it, too.
We've watched as the Panthers had an outstanding season, winning 15 of 16 regular-season games. You cruised through the playoffs to the Super Bowl, and you were named the NFL's Most Valuable Player. You deserve every bit of the accolades you have received.
Unfortunately, when you and your teammates lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, your image took a huge hit. It's not because you lost or because of your performance during the game. It was your demeanor in the post-game press conference that disappointed and shocked many.
You sulked. For the most part, you gave one-sentence answers to reporters' questions. Frankly, you acted like a 10-year-old child who had just had their cellphone taken away—not that a 10-year-old should have a cellphone.
You didn't own up to the six times you were sacked. You didn't own up to the two fumbles that led to 14 Denver points. You ended the press conference with the phrase, "I'm done, man."
Not cool, Cam, not cool.
I can't say that I've ever been a fan of yours. As an avid fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide, there's a natural tendency to dislike you because of your affiliation with Auburn University. You made us look bad during your senior year, and you won a national championship in 2010, which makes Tide fans' stomachs turn. But then that's just football.
I actually want to apologize to you for maligning you as a person. The controversy and scandal that surrounded you blinded my eyes so much so that I announced I wouldn't root for the Panthers any more when they drafted you. It was not my place to judge you, and I'm sorry I did. I did not give you the grace that Jesus would have. That showed my own character flaw. Again, I apologize.
As it turns out, I find my spirit actually grieving for you. I never thought I would ever say that. But as a man of God, I find myself now praying for you. Since I wrote this, a reader informed me that you indeed profess Christ, and that's wonderful. I apologize if I made any assumptions about that. Now it's all a matter of maturity in your walk with Him. Sunday's post-game antics only showed a sign of immaturity in you. You were hurt and disappointed because, for the first time in life on a big stage, things didn't turn out the way you had hoped.
Cam, many people are going to call you out for your behavior on Sunday, and chances are, you don't care right now. Deion Sanders, himself a man of God, did just that on national television by saying, "You are the face of our brand right now, you can't do that. I understand the emotions of losing, but you can't do that. A Manning, a Brady ... all these guys who are a prototypical type of quarterback in our game, they're not going to do that ever. Would Drew Brees ever?"
What Sanders should have done was pulled you aside and talked to you about it in private. Or, he should have reacted like Marshall Faulk, who himself knows the pain of losing a Super Bowl. Faulk said, "I've been on that podium in that very same seat. It's tough, it's hard," said Faulk, whose Rams fell to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI. "When I look back at how I handled it, I promised to never be that person again. Cam is going to learn from this.
Cam, remember this: Through it all, God loves you and wants you to draw near to Him so you can better handle the adversity in your life. This isn't the first time it's happened, and it won't be the last. But allow Jesus to come into your heart so that you can learn to deal with your trials and tribulations. He's inviting you to do just that. 
I suggest you talk with teammate Charles Tillman, whom I interviewed on my Javelin podcast recently. He's a great man of God who can help you.
I know you're disappointed about not winning the Super Bow, but that will pass. With your talent, you will be back there with another opportunity.
And as I always like to say, "there is that." 
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW from CHARISMA: Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

114 Million Super Bowl Viewers Blatantly Ignore God's Word - LANDON SCHOTT CHARISMA NEWS

Super Bowl halftime show

114 Million Super Bowl Viewers Blatantly Ignore God's Word



A scene from the Super Bowl half-time show. (Reuters)


Last night I was at church watching the Super Bowl with a bunch of young adults in the student ministry. We had a concert planned for the halftime show, and I was in the sound booth watching hundreds of young people enjoy contemporary music that glorified Jesus. My phone started to buzz over and over with friends of mine asking if I saw the Super Bowl half-time show. I knew instantly that it had to do with gay awareness and homosexuality.
The moment I looked at the live TV screen, I saw an entire football stadium designed in rainbow colors that read, "Believe In Love." Over 114 million people tuned in around the world to be made more aware and celebrate homosexuality from the largest single platform on the planet.
The world is celebrating a definition of love that has no biblical foundation. The Bible tells us that "love does not delight in evil but rejoiced in the truth" (1 Cor. 13:6). If the Bible refers to homosexual practice on all account as evil (ungodly) behavior, then it can't be love as God defines it or intended it. It's a carnal love, a deceptive love, a love of the world masquerading as the love of God. They can wrap their slogan of gay awareness in the rainbow, but that doesn't make their love godly.
In my new book, Gay Awareness, I write about the revelation God gave me on the rainbow and why the gay community uses it as their banner.
Over the years, it has grieved me that the gay community has adopted the rainbow as their emblem. This was the sign to the people of God that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. Genesis 9:13 says, "I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth." The interesting part is the relationship between the rainbow on the banner of the gay community and a sign of the promise of God related to God's judgment on the world. The people who don't want to be judged chose the sign of God's promise against the backdrop of God's judgment of the world.
I began to pray and ask God to speak to me concerning why the gay community chose the rainbow as their own. One day, in the middle of my daily Bible reading, I came across the reason. Revelation 4:3 says, "And He who sat there appeared like a jasper and a sardius stone. There was a rainbow around the throne, appearing like an emerald." Follow me on this. In Revelation 4, God was showing the disciple John a vision of heaven and the throne room of God. John puts into words what he saw in the presence of God, and describes it and all of its colors like a rainbow.
I believe the gay community unconsciously chose the rainbow as their banner because, on some level, they desire the presence of God without passing through the judgment of God. The flood of judgment came first. The rainbow of the presence of God followed.
Gay awareness continues to sweep across the world, with America leading the way. Tens of thousands participated while hundreds of millions watched as our nation waved the banners of judgment celebrating our belief in love while denying the God of love.
Landon Schott and his wife, Heather, founded The Rev Ministries in 2008 and launched REVtv.com a 24/7 online youth and young adult network dedicated to turning the heart of a generation to Jesus through Christ-centered media. Landon received his Bachelor Of Arts from Trinity Theological Seminary and authored Jezebel: The Witch Is Back, a spiritual warfare book. His new book, Gay Awareness, is set to be released March of 2016. Connect with Landon on Instagram or Twitter @LandonSchott
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW from CHARISMA: Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Former Super Bowl MVP Explains Winning in Defeat - TOM BUEHRING/700 CLUB PRODUCER CHARISMA NEWS

Kurt Warner



Kurt Warner (CBN)





Former Super Bowl MVP Explains Winning in Defeat - Kurt Warner

Join us on the new C-Pop podcast where Taylor and Jessilyn discuss, debate and sometimes deride pop culture with a strong sense of humor and a focus on Christ. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Kurt Warner was the quarterback of the Super Bowl 34 Champion, St. Louis Rams.
The 1999 Rams were the NFL's highest scoring offense, nicknamed "the greatest show on turf." The team's quick-strike passing game was led by Warner's sudden rise from undrafted backup — to the league's celebrated newcomer. Kurt explains, "That kind of success, that early, was I think the surprise to me. Just how quickly it came in my first season in the NFL, but here I am at 28 and it was like God sped up the whole career."
His impact was immediate, turning a last-place team into a division winner and leading the Rams to their first playoff appearance in St. Louis as the NFC's top-seeded team. His ascent launched him to stardom and led him to the first of three Super Bowls.
So how difficult is it to reach that game? Kurt emphasizes: "It's so difficult. So many things have to go in your favor. It's such a special thing when you put it all together. The chemistry that we had in the locker room with one another, the unselfishness amongst players."
It led to Super Bowl 34 — and a matchup against the Tennessee Titans — two 13 and 3 teams — contending in one of the most dramatic 4th quarter finishes ever. A game Kurt savored from the start saying, "Running out of the tunnel, being announced at that Super Bowl, and seeing the flashes go off, was really the first moment for it to really sink in what had happened that year. It was just about the journey that God had taken me on."
But the journey was just beginning after taking a storybook turn when the Titans kicked a game-tying field goal. Kurt recalls, "I just remember talking to Coach Vermeil on the sideline and he looked at me and just said, 'you know, this is how you write it. You know, this is what you want. Two minutes to go, quarterback, ball in your hands, lead your team down to win a Super Bowl.'"
Kurt did, on the Rams first play, a 73-yard pass to Isaac Bruce, saying, "It was called trip's right, ace right, 999, F-Seam, H Balloon. Everybody's running deep. I left it a little bit behind Isaac. And he adjusts to it and makes the catch. From there I was laying on the ground. And listened to the crowd go crazy. Now we're ahead with a chance to win it." 
Kurt watched from the sideline as the Titans took their final drive down the field against the Rams defense. Kurt acknowledges, "That's always the hardest thing. We always want to have it in our control. But the hardest part about football is it's a team sport, in that you can't do it by yourself. Everybody will remember the reach by Dyson for the end zone, a one-yard difference between winning and losing. Those are the games that ultimately will be remembered."
The goal-line tackle preserved the Rams win. Kurt was named the game's Most Valuable Player — to go along with his MVP season. Just two years later, the Rams lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl 36. Is there a consolation in defeat?" Kurt answers, "It's not all about winning. You can win in losing. Success isn't defined by whether you have more points than the other guy. That's not how God defines it. It's defined by the journey; it's defined by where you find yourself and how far you've traveled and who you've become along the way."
Along the way, Kurt became one of only three NFL quarterbacks to start for two different Super Bowl teams. Resurrecting his career at 37 with the 2008 Arizona Cardinals who lost to the Steelers in the game's final 35 seconds, Kurt earned a beloved place in Phoenix. Kurt says, "You know, I was done, my career was over, he can't play anymore. Arizona will never win! We'll never go to a Super Bowl! It's just not going to happen. And we found ourselves in a place where nobody saw themselves. When we were able to take that journey here, a community came together around a football team."
The prolific quarterback still holds three Super Bowl passing records and hits the mark on defining his place among wins and losses. Kurt says "What happened on the cross ultimately defines Jesus and defines all of us. And what many saw as a loss, was our greatest win. He won. And that speaks to our everyday lives. But it also speaks to our Savior. That's what He created us for, was for relationship. And without that, what, at the end of the day, do we really have?
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW from CHARISMA: Do you want to encounter the Holy Spirit and hear God speak to you? Increase your faith, discover freedom, and draw near to God! Click Here