8 - Life Beyond College Athletics

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

                                 - 1 CORINTHIANS 13:11

Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing you will be successful.

                                 - ALBERT SCHWEITZER

I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his own ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

                                 - JEREMIAH 17:10 



     This world can become an intimidating place when college comes to an end.  That is when what I like to call “the real world” begins.  It is the world of grocery shopping, monthly rent, energy consumption bills, medical bills and you name it; you pay it.  It can be even more devastating to a full scholarship athlete, because the past four to five years at college included room, board, books and meals at no cost other than some bumps and bruises.  Once you graduate from college, whether you like to admit it or not, your life will dramatically change.  I’m not implying that it is going to necessarily change for the better or worse, because that is entirely up to you.  That depends upon your preparation for your post-college life prior to graduation.  Like I said earlier, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

Now don’t start getting the cold sweats on me if you are graduating in the near future and are still trying to figure out what you want to do with your life.  I want your transition to the working world or maybe even professional sports to be as smooth as possible.  There are steps you can take to minimize your risk and give you the best opportunity to get a great-paying job out of college.  A sound resume, excellent social skills and an optimistic attitude will take you a long way.  Don’t forget about the most important thing.  If you are a Christian, you have Jesus Christ, the very Son of God on your side.  He will be there for you to guide and direct your every step if you seek Him with all your heart.

I’m hoping my post-college story can offer some insight and direction into where you want to go from here.  We live in the best country in the world, and you can be whatever you put your mind to in life.  If you believe in yourself and you feel that God is directing you in a certain way, there is nothing to lose by going for it.  You have been put through the demanding schedule of a student athlete for the past four to five years.  It is exactly the type of training that helps you succeed in the working world.  If you were like me, you became very savvy at managing your time efficiently to complete your education and at the same time, to excel in your collegiate sport.  Employers are looking for workers just like you to help their company grow.  Get that pen or pencil ready to take some notes, because I’m about to take you on a tour of the post-college world.    

ASPIRATIONS FOR THE NEXT LEVEL

Upon the completion on my senior season at URI, there were still a number of questions that I had unanswered regarding football.  After playing 11 college games that season and making a truckload of tackles, my body would need several months to heal my hyper-extended elbow, bruised calf muscle, stiff neck and sore lower back.  The problem with giving yourself time to heal after the season is that there is not really any time if you want to play at the next level.  Once the season is complete, the elite college NFL draft prospects get invited to showcase their talent and work with NFL coaches at games like the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl and the Senior Bowl.

At the end of the season, the good Lord blessed me with accolades that personified what it meant to be able to make every tackle for Jesus on the field.  Even though we won only three games that season, I was named on the First-Team All-Conference Defense for the Atlantic 10 Conference and for the second year in a row, led the A-10 in tackles.  In addition, I was named a Second-Team All-American for Division I AA football, recognized as a First-Team Academic All-American, for my grades and was ranked as the 35^th best middle linebacker in the country based on the ratings for the 1999 NFL draft. 

The most memorable award that year came at the URI Football Banquet when I was named as the team’s Most Valuable Player.  This is an award that to this day I hold dear to my heart because it was voted for by the players on the team.  It was truly an honor and privilege to know that my efforts to lead and encourage my teammates were recognized by the players.  Although I did not have a speech prepared as I stood at the podium in front of the players, coaches and parents, I utilized my opportunity to tell them about my personal Savior.  I told them that without Jesus in my life, this award would not have been possible.  Everyone in that room heard me give the Son of God all the glory and honor that day.  I told them that because Jesus shed his blood for me on the cross at Calvary without sin, my sins in the past, present and future have been forgiven.  Not only would my sins be separated from me farther than the East is from the West but I would also be given the opportunity to spend eternity in heaven after this life is complete.

Of course, there were some blank stares in the crowd that day, but I was not interested in whether I offended anyone.  I simply wanted to share the truth about Jesus Christ.  That might sound like a cruel thing to say for some people, but the truth is that without Jesus in your life, you are not going to heaven.  That is not something I came up with out of the blue, but it is what the Bible says in John 3:16.  Now if you are not going to heaven, then where do you think you’ll be going?  The only two places people go when they die is either heaven or hell.  The sad thing is the number of people that do not realize they are not going to heaven. 

It was an emotional speech as I let the Holy Spirit give me the words to say.  At one point in the speech, I held up the MVP trophy and told the defense that they were just as deserving of this award.  That year our defense finished second in the A-10 conference in total defense, which is quite an accomplishment considering our eight losses.  I told the players that it was a shame that our society recognized victory from failure based on the amount of wins or losses you have.  There was definitely an untold story that year about the Rhode Island players persevering through the season.  They continued to fight and never gave up, which was something that those players should have been proud of that season.  A couple of years later, it would be the freshman and sophomore players who would turn the URI football program around.  For the first time in a long time, they were ranked as one of the top 25 Division I AA college football teams in the national polls throughout their winning season of 8-3. 

The extent of my brush with the NFL after my senior season consisted of a scout from the New England Patriots coming to the University of Rhode Island to test me, one of our offensive linemen, and our transfer running back from Clemson.  We each benched 225 pounds for as many reps as we could get and were timed in the shuttle run and the 40-yard dash.  I even signed with an agent in Providence, but he didn’t materialize any leads for a tryout in the NFL.  I wasn’t invited to a NFL combine and to be honest with you, there seemed to be absolutely no interest from anyone.  It was not very long after the season that I realized that my football career was possibly coming to an end.  

HANGING UP THE CLEATS

One of the most difficult things you will ever have to do if you really love the sport you play is to eventually hang up your cleats for good.  It is my fear that your experience with playing at the next level will be the same as mine.  What I hope is that you make the most of your college education and have a degree in something you enjoy.  The great thing about a solid bachelor’s degree in college is that you don’t have to put all your hopes and dreams in one bucket.  If the NFL works out, that is fantastic.  If it doesn’t, you have a college degree to fall back on.  The NFL is really the best of the best.  If you want to play in the NFL, you have to be willing to put your body on the line every play.  After the last game of my senior college season, I somehow knew that my body could not be put on the line any longer.

My mindset after the completion of my senior year regarding the NFL was that if they were interested in inviting me to the combine or wanted to come to the University to test me that was great; if not, then I was surprisingly also fine with that.  After playing football for 14 seasons, it was time to finally hang up the cleats.  That is a decision not so easily made by a lot of football athletes, especially when they are in the NFL and don’t know when to say enough is enough.  How many surgeries and injuries do you have to sustain until you finally retire?  The reason I think some athletes have such a hard time letting go is because of their fear that they have nothing else to fall back on.

Sure, I probably could have played in the CFL or the indoor arena football league after college, but the payout just did not seem to be enough.  Why should I risk injury to my neck, back, shoulders and knees for a measly $40,000 to $50,000 a year, when I could use my mind, a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in Spanish to work up to that amount and beyond in a couple of years?  The damage had already been done to my body with all the tackles I had made over the years.  I have a neck that likes to crack several times a day, and after my college football career came to an end, I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease in my lower vertebrae.  That would explain my constant lower back pain since I was 18 years old. 

Looking back on my decision to stop playing football after college, it was one of the smartest things I have ever done.  I enjoy having a high quality of life, and if I had extended my football career, there is no doubt in my mind that I would be far worse off than I am today.  Some of the great quarterbacks during my childhood, like Joe Montana, John Elway and Dan Marino are now in the Canton Pro Football Hall of Fame but their bodies paid a terrible price.  I would bet you that these quarterbacks have had numerous surgeries related to football injuries, and the game of football has taken away their youthful step for the remainder of their lives.  Now their bodies creak and crack when they walk, but if you asked them if it was worth it, I’m sure they would say they would not trade the memories for anything.

That is the double-edged sword with football.  On the one hand, it is fun and competitive to play, but on the other hand, your body will ultimately pay the price.  There is so much physical contact in the sport that you cannot come away from it without your body being affected in a negative way.  With that said, if you asked me if I had to do it all over again would I have played football for 14 seasons?  The answer to that question, my friend, would simply be “I would not have changed a thing.”  Football helped mold me into the person that I am today and in my opinion that is well worth the aches and pains that come along with it.

PUTTING OFF THE WORKING WORLD FOR ONE LAST SUMMER

Once you finally reach your last semester of college without any football responsibilities, it is as refreshing as jumping into an ice tub full of water after a session of doubles.  For those who have not gotten to experience this, it is a good thing when your body is overheated and you are drenched in sweat.  Sure I was going to miss playing in the games on Saturday afternoons but as far as the practices and meetings were concerned, I was ready to move on.  That semester I completed my Bachelor of Science in Finance and also added a Minor in Spanish with a cumulative G.P.A over 3.3.  I even took some acting classes that semester and performed in a couple of short plays just for the experience and because I had the time to do it.

I remember one audition that I had for the production of “Taming of the Shrew”.  I had two monologues memorized from two different contrasting Shakespeare plays as I walked onto the stage.  Of course, being the rookie I was, I stumbled through my monologues and pretty much failed miserably.  The director was not terribly impressed, but he was interested in hearing one of my impersonations after seeing it on my resume.  I told him I could do Sly Stallone from Rocky and he told me that Sly was one of his favorite actors.  As I internally prepared myself to shock and awe them I blurted out only two words.  You can probably guess what those two words were.  I simply said in my best Rocky accent “Yo Adrianne.”  After a couple of laughs from the people in the stands I proceeded to do an Arnold impersonation from the movie “Pumping Iron.”  Needless to say, that went over about as well as acting like Rocky Balboa.  I wasn’t called back for a second audition that day, but it was time to have fun as a regular student for my last semester of college, and I was enjoying it to my fullest.    

It was a time of relaxation but also preparation as I started considering where I wanted to work and what I wanted to do when I graduated college.  Did I want to work in a place like Boston or what about the financial capital of the world, New York City?  The cost of living definitely had to be taken into consideration, not to mention the starting salary.  If there is one piece of advice I can give you after you graduate from college, I would highly encourage you to take the summer off before entering the working world.  Once you start working you are probably going to get two weeks of vacation a year for your first five years at your job, and your college days will be a distant memory.  Use the summer to do something fun like traveling to Europe or working at a part-time job and taking trips to fun destinations around the United States.

Another thing to take into consideration during your last semester is the opportunity you have to study abroad.  Did you know that full scholarship players can travel abroad and use their scholarship money to pay for their board, books and tuition?  Even if you do not have a scholarship, studying abroad is usually cheaper than if you are going to an out-of-state school.  Prior to my final semester, I was considering studying abroad in Seville, Spain.  If it had not been for the possibility of playing at the next level, I would have been Spain-bound, and my full scholarship would have covered every bit of it.

The last exam I took before graduating was a Spanish final.  I can still remember the exhilaration and sense of accomplishment I felt after my last college exam was complete after five years of college.  Many students who saw me after that exam might say that I was skipping and whistling, with a big smile on my face.  Although it seemed like a long journey at the time, it surprises me how fast those five years went by.  Without a doubt, my personal relationship with Jesus Christ pulled me through college and allowed me to persevere during that experience.  It was finally time to make the transition from college student athlete to the working world, but before that would happen, I decided not to start full-time employment until the end of summer.

As job fairs came to Rhode Island, I was seriously considering potential job offers in Boston and New York City.  However, the high cost of living was not offset enough by the salary range employers were offering.  After graduation, I took a week long excursion with my brother and good friend, Chris DeSimone.  It included deep sea fishing and trips to Boston, Newport, Martha’s Vineyard, Hoboken and New York City.  I stayed in Cleveland during the summer, at my parents’ house.  Looking to stay busy but still enjoy my last summer, I worked part-time jobs, including personal training at Bally’s Total Fitness, security at Jacob’s Field for the Cleveland Indian games and personal training for some clients at their home. 

It was an enjoyable summer but also a summer of fervent prayer.  I prayed to God to bless me with a job that would challenge, fulfill and exceed my expectations.  As I sent out resumes to different prospective employers that summer, I received an unexpected call from the Sherwin-Williams Company.  This was the same company that I interned with in the Treasury Department at the Corporate Headquarters in downtown Cleveland during the previous summer.  That unexpected call would ultimately lead to another answered prayer in my life and send me traveling around the United States and the Caribbean.  It also goes to show the importance of gaining practical experience in internships during your time at college.  Employers want to hire people they know something about, and internships allow them to gain a comfort level about your work skills.  Internships give you an “in” to jobs that would otherwise be very difficult to obtain.                

TRAVEL BUG BITES HARD

It was mid-July when I received that unexpected call from the Sherwin-Williams Company.  Earlier that summer, I had inquired about available job openings in the Treasury Department, but there were no openings.  The International Treasury Manager, Lee Pena, that took me under his wing during my internship, was kind enough to forward my resume to the other applicable finance related departments in the company.  It wasn’t long before the Audit Department called for an interview regarding a field auditor position.  An interesting twist to your first job out of college might be that it is in a field that you are not totally familiar with.  Don’t be discouraged if that is your case, because that is where company training comes into play.

It took only one interview with the Audit Department, and later that week, I received the job offer I had been praying for.  Sherwin-Williams was flexible with my desire to start after summer, and when it was finally time to go to work, it was a traveler’s dream.  I was going to train with three different field auditors across the United States.  You are probably wondering what I would be training to audit at these different locations.  The reason the Sherwin-Williams Company has an internal Audit Department is because there are over 3,000 Sherwin-William Paint Stores located throughout the Unites States.  I was not an expert when it came to making or selling paint, but I was eager to learn the business from the ground up.

My first assignment was a two-week trip to Fort Worth, Texas, to meet up with the auditor responsible for the Dallas/Fort Worth audit zone.  He would teach me how to audit every aspect of a paint store (including cash control, banking, accounts receivable management, inventory management, financial statements, sales invoices, purchasing and receiving merchandise, store safety, store security controls and staffing).  It was a lot of information to take in, but that was why I would be training for six weeks.  When I arrived at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, I remember the auditor telling me how impressed he was that

I had reached platinum status due to a certain number of hotel stays with the Hilton Honors program.  I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but when we drove to our first audit location in south Oklahoma, it was a little surprising to find out that I grabbed the wrong suitcase off the luggage rack.  It was definitely a rookie mistake, and the next morning we had to drive back to the airport to return the luggage with the platinum Hilton Honors tag and pick up my suitcase.  This was not the best way to make a first impression with your new co-worker.

Training for my first job out of college was pretty intense because I had to absorb so much information in a relatively short period of time.  Even though it was challenging, it was exciting to be utilizing my hard-earned bachelor’s degree in Finance.  It was also fun getting to travel and live on the road.  After two weeks in Dallas/Fort Worth, I headed to Hartford, Connecticut, for two weeks with a veteran field auditor.  I learned a great deal from him as we traveled to four different paint stores.  This time, I made sure to check my luggage tags after I arrived at the airport.

My last two weeks of training took me to San Antonio, Texas, for a two-week period with the auditor of the San Antonio audit zone.  I was quickly learning how to conduct a store audit, and by my last two weeks, I was given the lead on the store audits.  It was hard to believe how far I had come over six weeks of training.  Even though I was burning the midnight oil in using my laptop as I continued to learn the audit program, I knew that this experience would pay off in the long run.

It was an easy decision when it came time to pick which audit zone I wanted to work in after my training was complete.  The two choices I had were the Boston audit zone and the St. Louis audit zone.  Even though Boston was a big city, the cost of apartments were so expensive that the previous auditor there lived in New Hampshire.  Traveling out to the Midwest just seemed like a better fit for me.  Before I knew it, my belongings in Cleveland were picked up by the moving company, and I was living in South St. Louis.  I was responsible for 50 stores in my audit zone.  I went to places like the birthplace of Mark Twain in Hannibal, Missouri, and to the town of Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln, Illinois.  My audit zone was considered about 30% travel.  I scheduled my audits accordingly, so I would not have to stay on the road over a long period of time.

After working in the St. Louis audit zone for 8 months, the opportunity came to transfer to the Ft. Lauderdale audit zone.  This audit zone was perfect for someone who likes beaches and the Caribbean.  Getting paid to audit paint stores in places like Key West, Naples, Fort Myers, Miami Beach and Puerto Rico sounded almost too good to be true.  I prayed to my personal Savior to send me to Ft. Lauderdale if it was His will.  My Field Audit Supervisor at the time helped answer that prayer.  This was an excellent opportunity to continue to learn new things in my profession, as I would audit floor covering, intermix and spray equipment facilities.  In addition, I would get to practice my Spanish during two-week audit trips to Puerto Rico.  Little did I know at the time that I would meet my future wife a little over a month after moving to Ft. Lauderdale.

FINDING TRUE LOVE

As I traveled to Fort Lauderdale in my 1992 Ford Tempo that I nicknamed “Crucificio“, I could not help but think of what God had planned for me in South Florida.  Of course, there was an exciting new job and different places to visit.  The only problem is that you eventually get to a point in your life where you can go to only so many places and see so many things before you want someone special in your life to be part of your adventures.  When it came to meeting my future wife for the first time, two places came to my mind.  My two preferences were either at church or at a linedance bar.  Now I know that seems a little contradictory, but let me first explain.  The church is where everyone says you should find a good woman to marry which I attended on a regular basis.  The reason I also chose a linedance bar was that I was an avid linedancer and a big fan of country music.  I didn’t see any harm in meeting a nice lady in a cowgirl hat that shared my same interests. 

The first time I met my future wife was at a linedance bar in Davie, Florida, called Davie Junction.  I had only been in South Florida for a little over a month; and Cupid shot me with his arrow as soon as I looked into her beautiful eyes.  She first spotted me on the dance floor from the second level of the club as she watched me do a little line dancing.  That night I was decked out in a pair of carpenter jeans, my black cowboy hat and black alligator boots.  After some quality line dancing, I went upstairs to use the restroom.  Before I came back downstairs, I briefly stopped behind some people who were facing toward the dance floor.  I felt a hand tap me on the shoulder, and a tall gentleman pointed to this young woman sitting on a stool by a table.  Little did I know that the tap came from her younger brother who overheard her talking about me to her sister.  At the time I wasn’t sure exactly what he was implying so I took the opportunity to introduce myself to the young lady and asked her if she would like to two-step.  It only took one dance, and I knew that I had to see her again.  There was just something different about her (besides her good looks) that aroused my curiosity.  Before the night was over, I found her upstairs and asked if it would be all right if I called her sometime to go on a date.  Luckily for me, she gave me her cell and home phone that night.  I still have those numbers in my wallet six years and one baby boy later.   

It took only four months of dating before I proposed to my wife, Tiffany, at the Cleveland Pops Orchestra in downtown Cleveland just before midnight on December 31, 2000.  The first time I told Tiffany that I loved her was on an observation tower nestled above the clouds in the tropical rainforest called El Yunque in Puerto Rico.  I wanted it to be special, because God blessed me with an angel who would forever change my life and help me grow closer to Him.  I also wanted to do the right thing and ask her father’s permission for her hand in marriage. 

I will never forget the day that Tiffany’s father and I played racquetball when he was just starting out in the sport.  We played five games and I ended up winning all five.  On the way back to their house I decided to ask her father’s permission for Tiffany’s hand in marriage.  Now I admit that I chose the wrong time to ask for permission after not letting him win one racquetball game, and what came next I certainly had coming.  After I popped the question to her father, he said, “You beat me in five games of racquetball in a row and did not even let me win one game before asking for my daughter’s hand in marriage?”  With that aside, he did agree to let me marry his daughter, on the condition we went to marriage counseling classes, which I was more than willing to do.  Whenever you pop the question remember that timing unlike mine is everything.  We were married the following year on September 22, 2001, and had a beautiful wedding and reception in Key Biscayne, Florida.   

Our wedding (like many others during the month of September 2001) did not come without obstacles to overcome.  Just eleven days earlier on September 11, 2001, my groomsman and good friend, Chris DeSimone,  with whom I played football with at the University of Rhode Island, was tragically killed in the World Trade Center on that horrible day.  It was hard to believe what I was seeing on television that Tuesday morning at work because I had just talked to Chris about my wedding the Sunday before.  Chris was certainly a good friend who will be truly missed.  I’m thankful to know that during our time together at college, I utilized my opportunity to witness to him about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It really does make all the difference in the world when you lose a loved one but know inside that you answered God’s call and shared your spiritual story with them.  They may not receive Christ then, but you know that you allowed God to use you to plant a seed which He would hopefully water later in life.

The strong marriage that Tiffany and I enjoy today is entirely a testament to God.  He is the glue holding us together.  The relationship we each enjoy with our personal Savior, Jesus Christ, is by far the best thing you can have in common with your spouse.  The divorce rate in our society is well over 50%, which is a tragedy in itself.  When two people unite together in marriage, they are doing it before God.  It is a significant commitment to each other for life and not just based on a bunch of feelings.  It is a promise to God, and when you get divorced you are breaking that promise.  With God, all things are possible, and that is why I believe it is so important to let Him help your marriage flourish and grow.         

A GREAT COACH REMEMBERED

It was March 1, 2001 when the most encouraging, caring coach I ever knew went to be with the Lord in heaven.  Coach Ray Dorr passed away at the age of 59 after battling Lou Gehrig’s disease.  Coach Dorr was responsible for recruiting me to the University of Kentucky and never lost sight of my potential on the football field.  He took pride in his recruits, and even after the coaching staff got fired at UK, Coach Dorr cared enough to send me a hand-written letter from College Station, Texas, during his new coaching job at Texas A&M.  He wrote me to say that he knew I was going to do great things at the University of Kentucky.  I can still picture Coach Dorr doing monkey rolls on the football field with the running backs during one of our summer doubles.  He had such a zest for life, and it was easy to tell that he was a man filled with the spirit of God.  He was a true delight to be around, and it wasn’t hard to see he was a bright shining light in a dark world.

Not long after I graduated from the University of Rhode Island I wrote a letter to Coach Dorr.  I told him about what I had achieved at the University of Rhode Island and how I gave all the glory and honor to Jesus Christ.  I wanted to let Coach Dorr know that his recruit came through just like he said I would.  He saw something in me that so many others overlooked and that had a profound impact on my life.  Coach Dorr was my mentor, my coach and my good friend.  I only wish I could have had the chance to say goodbye.  I know that one day I will get to meet him in heaven and that he will have some people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and most importantly, Jesus, to introduce to me.

I believe that the good Lord used Coach Dorr to work with young student athlete football players and to help them change their lives for the better.  I’m sure there are countless stories from former players about his encouraging words and loving heart.  He personally motivated me to continue to reach out to young student athletes to help them reach their God-given potential.  Coach Dorr coached college football for 33 years, with time spent at Texas A&M, Kentucky, USC, Washington, Kent State and Akron.  To show the true spirit of this warrior and champion, I read in an article that during the last year of his life battling his disease, Coach Dorr and his wife, Karen, would lead a weekly Bible study with the quarterbacks he coached at Texas A&M.  Coach Dorr will be missed by many, but certainly not forgotten.          

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY AND POTENTIAL

Is it just me or is there a general misconception that Christians do not know how to enjoy life?  The reason I think this misconception exists is because our society defines a good time as getting intoxicated, having promiscuous sex and even doing drugs.  That doesn’t sound like such a good time to me.  I don’t think Jesus intended for Christianity to zap us of our zest for life.  There should be an unbridled excitement that arises with each new day, because there is a purpose to our very existence.  There is a reason you are alive, and God has a purpose for your life.  The more time you spent with Jesus in fellowship, the clearer the purpose for your life will become to you. 

Regardless of whether you are in high school, college, starting out in the working world or a parent who wants to better understand your children, you have special talents that God has blessed you with.  The good Lord would not give you potential if he did not want you to develop it.  The reason we were originally created in the Garden of Eden was so God could have fellowship with man and woman.  After all, we were created in His image and that is an honor in itself.  Although many years have passed from that day in the garden, one timeless thing that remains the same is that God still wants to have fellowship with you.  The fact that He sent His Son to die on the cross for us is proof in itself.

When I look back on the past 29 years of my life, I can see God’s hand molding and shaping me more and more each day.  I’m reminded of the story of Moses when God wanted to use him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt into the Promised Land.  You would think that if God personally asked you to do something, it would be difficult to turn him down.  When God talked to Moses from the burning bush, it was God’s desire and intent to use the 80-year-old Moses to lead the Israelites out of oppression.  Instead of Moses jumping onboard from the start, he tells God in Exodus 2:11, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”  I wonder how many of us say the same thing to ourselves when we feel like God is calling us to do something great.  We say, “Lord but who am I?”

Moses goes on to make additional excuses to the Lord about not seeing how people are going to listen to what he has to say and tells God that he is not a very good speaker.  God finally gets irritated and angry by Moses’ lack of confidence and tells him that He will send his brother, Aaron the Levite, with him and will give Moses the words to put into Aaron’s mouth to speak.  Even though Moses made all the excuses under the sun of why he was not qualified for such a task, you have to give him credit for eventually taking a step of faith and trusting God.  This passage speaks volumes to my life because I have made the same excuses when God has called me to do something for His kingdom.  In the past, I have questioned what difference I could make in peoples lives and lost sight of the fact that the Creator of the Universe was on my side.     

If God only used people who were qualified to do His work, there would be a nonexistent list, because everyone falls short of the glory of God except Jesus Christ.  The truth is that God takes unqualified people who have problems of varying degrees in their lives and completely turns them around and makes them qualified.  It is the power of His mercy and grace that allows us to exceed other people’s expectations and achieve our God-given potential because of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  The same Moses who was so uncertain of what difference he could make can be found later in Numbers 14:19, pleading with God to spare his people for their sins and to forgive them.  That is quite a transformation, and the amazing thing is that God listened to Moses and spared the Israelites that day.

FINDING HAPPINESS AND PROTECTION IN THE LORD

The world we live in tries to give us a million different ways to find happiness in life apart from God.  There are things we can do and accomplish that will make us content for a short period of time, but before long, we will be hungry once again.  If there was ever a King who had it all in life it was King Solomon.  He was richer than all the mighty Kings combined before and after him.  This was a King who indulged in all the pleasures imaginable, and in the end his futile attempt for happiness apart from God led to this very conclusion: King Solomon realized that nothing on this earth could ever fill the void in his heart except the God who created him.  This is probably the most valuable lesson we can ever learn in life.  Life is too short not to learn from other peoples mistakes.  Don’t forget that besides King Solomon’s being the wealthiest man around, he was also the wisest, thanks to God’s blessings.  This was a person who knew exactly what he was talking about, due to his experiences with self-indulgence.     

The only way to fill that void in your heart for good is to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.  People try and try again to do things their own way and end up falling flat on their faces.  Don’t you think it is time we give God control of our lives?  Instead of being the co-pilot of this life of ours, we need to get in the backseat, and let God do the driving.  He knows what is best for us, but we have to trust Him.  We should seek Him with all our heart and strive to have the same faith that King David had in God.  When David went to kill Goliath that day on the field of battle, he knew he only needed one stone to slay the giant.  Some might ask why he had more than one smooth stone in his pouch as he went to battle for the Lord.  The extra stones were not there in case he missed Goliath the first time.  This extraordinary man of faith had just enough stones to take care of Goliath and his brothers if they decided to join in from the crowd.  King David was known as a man after God’s heart.  No one knows your heart and inner desires better than the Lord.  Is your heart focusing on things of this world or on God’s plan for your life?

As we move forward and encounter temptations in this world, we have the opportunity to put on the whole armor of God to protect us. I have always compared it to suiting up for a football game, but this is armor not easily seen by the naked eye.  In Ephesians 6:11 it says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  The Lord wants to protect us from the evil one and in Ephesians 6:14-17 Paul tells us how when he says,

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”

Paul is telling us that the overall importance of walking daily with Jesus Christ is not to overcome some of the temptation that comes our way but all of it.  Christians are no longer slaves to sin due to putting off the old and taking on the new.  If the armor of God is used correctly, we are firmly protected from temptation in our lives.  I know it is easier said than done but that is why I think Paul goes on to talk about the significance of praying through the Holy Spirit and reaching out to God with all your heart.  Understanding and applying the word of God in your life is the weapon we have to fight back.  When Jesus was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights, He used the sword of the Spirit every time to resist Satan, and so can you.      

MAKING A HOME IN NORTH CAROLINA

If there was ever a place that I could have envisioned myself living in until the Lord takes me home, that place would be North Carolina.  I like to call it the land of milk and honey, the headquarters of the Bible belt and the true source of sweet home Southern hospitality.  It was July 2001, and life on the road as a traveling auditor was finally starting to take a toll on me after two years.  I enjoyed getting to audit stores in places that people usually went for vacation, but being an auditor is not exactly a job that allows you to build a lot of camaraderie with your fellow co-workers.  There is a new store to audit every 3 to 4 days and when you walk in the front door at seven in the morning, a store manager is not likely to welcome you with open arms. 

Auditing was a great experience to learn about the all-encompassing operations of a paint store, but I was ready to move on to something new and exciting.  The opportunity came in July when an Accounting position opened up at a Sherwin-Williams manufacturing facility in Greensboro, North Carolina.  I discussed the open position with my future wife, Tiffany, and she encouraged me to interview for the position.  Once again I prayed to God that if it was His will for us to move, to let the transition be a smooth one.  Sure enough, God answered my prayer, as a phone interview led to a personal interview in Greensboro.  Two days after I flew back to Florida, I received a job offer over the phone.

Since that initial long 12-hour drive from Pembroke Pines, Florida to Greensboro, NC, my family is going on its fifth year in North Carolina.  I cannot think of another place in the world that I would rather live and raise a family.  You are a hop, jump and skip away from the mountains and the ocean is about three and a half hours away.  The Lord continues to work in my life to help me develop my potential through personal time spent with Him and the fellowship my family enjoys at Friendly Avenue Baptist Church.  It feels like Jesus has something big planned for me just over the horizon, and I am looking forward to watching it unfold before my eyes.

In October 2004 I left the Sherwin-Williams Company to work as an Accountant at the Deere-Hitachi Construction and Machinery Corporation where we are the main producer of mid-size excavators in North America.  I thank God every day for helping me stay focused in college to obtain my bachelor’s degree in finance, as the long hours I put in studying are now paying off in big dividends.  They say hindsight is always 20/20, but when you can hear a story from a person who has been in your shoes, maybe it hits home a little sooner.

In less than a month I’ll turn 30 years old and in some eyes be considered what they call “Over the Hill.”  My playing days on the football field are a distant memory, but thanks to Jesus it feels like my life has just begun.  As each new year passes, I plan to age like a fine wine. At 30 years old I’ll be publishing my first book, later in the year enter my first bodybuilding competition since I was in my teens, and most importantly, my wife and I will be having our second child together.  Inside I still feel the youthful spirit of that child who wanted to tackle everything in sight.  It is kind of ironic that instead of tackling people now, I am more determined than ever to tackle God’s plan for my life.  There is a great deal to be accomplished for God’s kingdom, and it is my desire to focus on the Christian student athletes of tomorrow. 

I’m focused more than ever on pressing toward the goal of spending eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ.  I have had the opportunity to meet my childhood movie hero, Arnold Swartzenegger, and recently, President George Bush, but I know that both are going to fail in comparison to meeting Jesus Christ in heaven.  Before my time comes, I want to say I did everything I could to partake in the Great Commission.  I want to be able to stand before the Father and hear Him say “Good job, my faithful servant.”  There is a place waiting for me in heaven like I have never seen before and that day will be glorious indeed!  I know that in this life I am going to stumble and fall, but the important thing is that I keep getting back up.  Never quitting and always staying in pursuit of seeing this world through the eyes of Christ will help me become a better disciple.  It will make me a better witness as I share my story with others about how my personal Savior, Jesus Christ, touched and changed my life.  

I hope this book gave you some insight about making the most of your life and enjoying every moment.  Learning to grow closer to Jesus is an exciting adventure, and if you pay attention to the details in your life, you will see where He is leading you.  He has great things planned for you and if you take a step of faith in answering your God-given call, life will be more fulfilling than you ever could have imagined.  In Mark10:45 Jesus says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  I wonder how faithful you have been in serving God instead of being served.  If the Son of God came as a sacrifice for us, how much more should we put ourselves on the line for Him?    

I encourage you to walk on higher ground as you travel down your path in life.  Don’t get caught up in building treasures on earth but rather lay your treasures up in heaven by answering God’s call for your life.  As your good works and faithfulness multiply your crowns in heaven, you will be setting yourself apart from what has been considered the selfish norm in our society for far too long.  Good role models for our younger generation are hard to come by these days, but I know that you are up for the challenge.  After all, you could be the athlete on the poster hanging in my son’s room when he gets older.  Jesus never said it was going to be easy, but rest assured, my brothers and sisters, the trip to heaven will make it all worth it.  Awaken the spirit within and let’s soar to new heights together.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1) Do you have aspirations to play your sport at the next level?  If so, are you prepared to enter the working world if your sport at the next level doesn't work out?

2) Are you pretty savvy managing your time for both athletics and scholastics?  Have you ever thought about how valuable time management, social skills and an optimistic attitude are to employers searching for qualified candidates?

3) Have you ever won an award and publicly given all the glory and honor to Jesus Christ?  If so, what was the reaction?  How did it make you feel?

4) When this life comes to an end, are there any other alternatives to Heaven or Hell?  Who do you have to go through to get to Heaven according to John 14:6?

5) Do you think hanging up the cleats in your respective sport will be difficult?  Would extending your career in the sport you play affect your quality of life down the road?

6) When deciding where you want to work after college, do you think the cost of living should factor into your decision?

7) Have you considered taking your last summer off before entering the working world?

8) Would you agree that gaining practical experience in internships is beneficial because employers want to hire people they know something about?  Have you been persistent in obtaining internships throughout college?