Football is officially done, but it has served its purpose. It gave me and the other missionary coaches a reason to be here, and an opportunity to form friendships and share Christ, and a couple months ago, one of the players on our pro team began reading the Bible with one of the other American coaches here. About 7 chapters into the book of Matthew, he began to believe in the Scriptures he was reading and the Jesus found therein. God made himself known to him! He is currently in a sort of weigh the cost mode as he is nervous about what his family, friends, and employers will think and do, but he is continuing to learn as he is reading the Word and being discipled by this other coach. Join with us in praising God for revealing Himself and in celebrating our new brother in Christ! And please be praying for him, that he will know the love, power and presence of God, and that God will protect him and provide for him as he begins to take what are likely going to be some hard next steps in his journey with Jesus.
God used football to introduce Himself to this new brother in Christ, but there are still so many others that God has given us relationships with through football that don't know him yet. But now my football responsibilities are done, and with the resulting extra time I will have, as well as from drastically cutting down my language study (because, comeon, how much more am I really going to learn in the last few months I'm here?), I have the opportunity to completely devote my time and energy to pursuing people who I have built relationship and trust with over the past year and half through football. Please be praying that God will use these times to work through us and reveal Himself to others as well!