It’s rare, but, when it happens, people take notice. Every pass is complete, every drive ends with six, and everyone knows they’re witnessing greatness.

We talked to some of the top college football players in the country, beginning with USC’s Matt Barkley, about what it looks like to be “in the zone” spiritually.

When someone starts a program aiming to get healthy or lose weight, there is always energy, excitement and enthusiasm right out of the blocks. They encounter success early, saying things like, “I feel so great!” or, “I have so much more energy,” or, “I’m stronger, my moods are better, and I’m even sleeping better.” Everything is better. They have made enough changes with food and exercise that they really do feel better, and people are starting to notice.

Provide your Huddle members with a deck of playing cards or note cards. Tell them they must create a card house with at least two levels to it. (They will soon discover the difficulty in establishing the foundation level, not to mention the upper level.)

After some time has passed, use their experiences to emphasize the parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24-27). Compare the house built on sand to the card houses that kept falling down –– our lives without Christ as the builder. Then compare the card houses that did stand to those with the solid foundation of rock –– Christ as the careful and masterful builder of our lives. 

It’s a simple phrase, yet one that means everything to former two-sport Baylor University star Melissa Jones, who ends every email with those encouraging words.

Over the last four seasons, “MJ,” the Big 12 Conference 2011 Female Sportsperson of the Year, was just as comfortable sharing Christ’s love with others as she was distributing the rock to her teammates. Her work ethic, athleticism and faith shined both on and off the court—even as darkness, quite literally, crept in.

Back in 1973, God had a plan for Steve Robinson, who’s become one of the most influential FCA staff members in the Tennessee area.

When he joined FCA, the former Tennessee Volunteer football player was promised a year’s salary, a company car and the opportunity to travel through a mission field ripe for spiritual growth within Nashville and Middle Tennessee. The young ministry had a foothold in just 15 area schools at the time.

Now, by God’s favor and grace, FCA’s influence can be felt in 234 schools across the region and in a growing number of FCA events, summer camps and retreats. Robinson will quickly deflect any praise to those working around him, but he is directly responsible for much of the growth in the area.

Goal
Most memorable classic victories involve a last-second heroic goal, a fourth-quarter interception at the goal line or a game seven, three-point jumper at the buzzer. Is this type of victory exciting? Yes. But certain? Probably not. Those kinds of victories rely on variables of chance in order to record the win. In our Christian experience, Jesus our Champion has already defeated our foe.

In just four short years, FCA Hockey has grown from a small, upstart sport-specific ministry to a flourishing international force.

Much of that can be credited to National Director Rick Randazzo, whose vision for the minis-try has spawned significant growth in summer camp participation, the addition of three staff members and multiple international mission trips, including a college team outreach to Turkey last year.