Ever since I got on Twitter (back around 2009), it has been for me a really good tool. It has been my go to place for status updates for Facebook, a place for real time thoughts on games and events, and a really great place to interact with people that I don't normally get to interact with face to face. I would say that my experience on Twitter has been 98% positive.
Another of the 98% happened last week. To preface, a couple of months ago I started listening to a podcast called SportsYapp (there's a link to some of the podcasts on this blog. It's done by Sports Spectrum, which is a sports magazine that tells stories about those in sports and their faith in Jesus. On the podcast, Bryce Johnson, who is the host, will talk about sports and entertainment and Jesus along with interviewing those in the sports & entertainment fields. Some of the people Bryce has interviewed have been CBS analyst Clark Kellogg, ESPN writer & commentator Chris Broussard, Tennessee Titans punter Brett Kern, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brad Smith & Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw among others. It's a really cool podcast. If you haven't checked it out yet, you ought to give it a try.
So I follow SportsYapp on Twitter. Recently I began to follow Jason Romano on Twitter. Who is Jason Romano you ask? Well Jason is the Senior Talent Producer at ESPN. He is in charge of booking guests and analyst for the various shows on the ESPN family of networks. I started following Jason on Twitter for 3 reasons (in no particular order). One, he talks about sports and the various people that come through Bristol. Two, he shares Scripture and his faith. Three, he randomly has pictures of when Star Wars was visiting ESPN on his Twitter profile picture sometimes. Pretty good combination in my book.
Now that you know the backstory, here's the cool encounter. So last Monday (March 26th), I @ replied to SportsYapp suggesting they should try and get Jason Romano on their podcast because I thought it'd be a good interview. Well not even a few minutes later I get a message from Jason contacting me about it and where to reach him and that he'd love to do it if he was able to get permission from ESPN. I then sent a message to Bryce with Jason's contact info and that was that.
This week rolls around and the interview was up yesterday. It was a really good interview about some of the behind the scenes stuff of what it takes to get talent on air. Jason also shared his testimony and what it's like to live out his faith where he works. The link to the interview is here.
It's really cool how God uses such things like Twitter for His glory. And it's a really cool reminder that even something as simple as a tweet can be used in a big way.
Showing posts with label encouraging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encouraging. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Comparing Charlie Sheen & "Pacman" Jones: A Case Study
Given the news that's been going on the past several days regarding Charlie Sheen, I've been thinking a lot about the way he's acted and the things he's said. I've tried to figure out the best way to address it. And then comes along an article from Yahoo Sports on a person who has been written about several times on this blog: Adam "Pacman" Jones. I figured it'd be a great time to address the two.
Charlie Sheen, like "Pacman" several years ago, pretty much is living life with reckless abandon. Sheen is partying it up both inside his home and outside of it, said in interviews some ridiculous things, & pretty much exlemplifying the motto "eat drink & merry". On the outside he's protraying this "I don't care about anything, I'm enjoying my life" persona but deep down there has to be a lot of hurt and pain.
It seems that Sheen is on a crash course and seemingly is okay with it. I thought this was the case with "Pacman" as well but thankfully in Adam Jones' case I was wrong. Jones has stayed out of trouble since he joined up with the Bengals. In the Yahoo article, it talks about the changes he's made in his life including cutting out going to the clubs and spending more time with his fiancee and kids. He's quoted in the article as saying "What am I sorry for? There are a million things. I’m sorry for everything.”
I don't know if at this point Jones has a personal relationship with Jesus. The article does point out that it is a process that Jones is going through and he's not all the way there. But it is encouraging. From the man that gave the quote "It ain't no sin to go to the strip club" to be where he is now is encouraging and I hope that it continues. And I wish the same for Sheen as well. I do hope at some point Sheen can turn things around and begin a relationship with Christ. Then indeed he will be winning.
(The Yahoo article on Jones can be found here)
Charlie Sheen, like "Pacman" several years ago, pretty much is living life with reckless abandon. Sheen is partying it up both inside his home and outside of it, said in interviews some ridiculous things, & pretty much exlemplifying the motto "eat drink & merry". On the outside he's protraying this "I don't care about anything, I'm enjoying my life" persona but deep down there has to be a lot of hurt and pain.
It seems that Sheen is on a crash course and seemingly is okay with it. I thought this was the case with "Pacman" as well but thankfully in Adam Jones' case I was wrong. Jones has stayed out of trouble since he joined up with the Bengals. In the Yahoo article, it talks about the changes he's made in his life including cutting out going to the clubs and spending more time with his fiancee and kids. He's quoted in the article as saying "What am I sorry for? There are a million things. I’m sorry for everything.”
I don't know if at this point Jones has a personal relationship with Jesus. The article does point out that it is a process that Jones is going through and he's not all the way there. But it is encouraging. From the man that gave the quote "It ain't no sin to go to the strip club" to be where he is now is encouraging and I hope that it continues. And I wish the same for Sheen as well. I do hope at some point Sheen can turn things around and begin a relationship with Christ. Then indeed he will be winning.
(The Yahoo article on Jones can be found here)
Friday, August 13, 2010
Reflecting on The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels
People who know me know that I grew up a professional wrestling fan and to some extend I still am today, though I'll watch old matches more than I'll watch new ones. One of my favorites to watch growing up was "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels. He wasn't a big guy or really muscular, but he above and beyond the call of duty in putting on a show for all the fans in the arena and watching on TV. He is a guy who I respected as a wrestler and have come to respect even more so as a person.
For those that don't know his story, to try and sum it up would be difficult. But he was someone who had achieved a lot of success but was feeling empty, he tried to fill that emptiness with drugs, with fame, and it didn't work. On the outside he was successful but on the inside he was a wreck. He had an injury to his back that forced him out of wrestling in 1998. That was the beginning of a rough time in his life but it was also the time God used to work in his life. He got married, started a family but things weren't clicking in his life fully. His wife got back into church and invited him to go. He did and heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and from that accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and has been following him ever since.
From that point on, there was a change in his life. He had turned his life over to the Lord, began making amends with friendships and relationships that had been hurt by his previously destructive behavior, got involved in his local church leading bible studies and would share his faith often. He got back into wrestling in 2002 after his back had healed up and continued to wrestle until his retirement after Wrestlemania 26 this past March.
He is someone who is an encouragement of the work of Christ in someone's life and the impact that has. Shawn is quick to point to his faith in interviews even to this day. This week Bill Simmons, ESPN.com writer and podcaster, interviewed Shawn and during the interview there were several times Shawn referenced his faith and the importance that it has in this life (you can click on this link to check out that interview). Also, if you ever get the chance watch the DVD "Heartbreak & Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story". It is produced by WWE and tells the story of Shawn's life and career through 2006. It talks about the highs and lows of Shawn's life and does share a little bit of his testimony of his conversion.
It's always good to point out those who are active and sharing their faith and using the platforms God has given them to do this. Kudos to Shawn and hope that God continues to use him in such a manner.
For those that don't know his story, to try and sum it up would be difficult. But he was someone who had achieved a lot of success but was feeling empty, he tried to fill that emptiness with drugs, with fame, and it didn't work. On the outside he was successful but on the inside he was a wreck. He had an injury to his back that forced him out of wrestling in 1998. That was the beginning of a rough time in his life but it was also the time God used to work in his life. He got married, started a family but things weren't clicking in his life fully. His wife got back into church and invited him to go. He did and heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and from that accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior and has been following him ever since.
From that point on, there was a change in his life. He had turned his life over to the Lord, began making amends with friendships and relationships that had been hurt by his previously destructive behavior, got involved in his local church leading bible studies and would share his faith often. He got back into wrestling in 2002 after his back had healed up and continued to wrestle until his retirement after Wrestlemania 26 this past March.
He is someone who is an encouragement of the work of Christ in someone's life and the impact that has. Shawn is quick to point to his faith in interviews even to this day. This week Bill Simmons, ESPN.com writer and podcaster, interviewed Shawn and during the interview there were several times Shawn referenced his faith and the importance that it has in this life (you can click on this link to check out that interview). Also, if you ever get the chance watch the DVD "Heartbreak & Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story". It is produced by WWE and tells the story of Shawn's life and career through 2006. It talks about the highs and lows of Shawn's life and does share a little bit of his testimony of his conversion.
It's always good to point out those who are active and sharing their faith and using the platforms God has given them to do this. Kudos to Shawn and hope that God continues to use him in such a manner.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Twitter, Sports and Opportunities for Encouragment
I've thought about writing on this for awhile and finally have found the time to do it. One of the trends in the past few years is the use of Twitter. For those who don't know what Twitter is, it's a form of social media that people use 140 characters to convey messages about where they are, what they're doing, or what they're feeling as well as conversing with others. It has grown in scope and usage to where people from a variety of places and popularity use it. It has become a place where people get their news (I found out the death of Michael Jackson's death from Twitter first), some promote products or connect with other people. This is particularly the case with celebrities/athletes as many have Twitter accounts and regularly tweet (write a message).
Back in January there was an ESPN.com article written by Amy K. Nelson that touched on the access that Twitter has given to fans and athletes regarding Chad Ochocinco (Johnson) and a fan of his who passed away and the tribute Chad gave to the fan last season. I would recommend reading the article and you can find a link to the article here.
I personally initially did not get into Twitter but I eventually did get an account and have regularly tweeted since then. Of course most of what I've tweeted about has been either about my faith, what's going on in my life and about sports. I follow friends of mine along with following athletes, coaches, sports reporters, analysts, and other "famous" people in the arena of sports. From this, I've found it a great way to learn more about my favorite teams and players and people that I watch on TV. A great example of this is Mark Schlereth. He is an analyst for ESPN for the NFL. He was an offensive lineman who played for the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos and on Super Bowl winning teams with both franchises. Along with tweets on the NFL and his chili that he promotes, he regularly talks about his faith. On Sundays, he shares a "churchy thought" which consists of sharing a Bible verse and a thought along with it. I've found it to be a nice source of reflection and a blessing to read as I'm out the door to church or back from church.
One of the cool things that Twitter allows people to do is a thing called at reply. Basically you put the @ symbol along with the username of someone on twitter and you can communicate with them. I use that a lot to talk to friends. I also use it to communicate with those athletes, coaches, reporters and analysts. It is a opportunity to communicate in ways that previously weren't there. And what I've tried to do along with expressing my opinion on sports is to also send a word of encouragement. I'm sure many of them get thousands of messages or more a day. But just as I'm called to encourage those I come in contact with in real life, in reflecting Christ to them, Twitter is a way to encourage and reflect Christ not only to those you know but also to those you don't. In some small way, I hope that word or two is an encouragement to them. I truly believe that God can use you through Twitter just as He can use you through other means of communication.
The cool thing is God has gifted each one with talents and passions to use for His glory. When we're doing that, He's being glorified and we're doing what He's called us to. So whatever your passion and talent, see how you can do it for God. For me, that's blogging and tweeting about Jesus and sports. :)
Back in January there was an ESPN.com article written by Amy K. Nelson that touched on the access that Twitter has given to fans and athletes regarding Chad Ochocinco (Johnson) and a fan of his who passed away and the tribute Chad gave to the fan last season. I would recommend reading the article and you can find a link to the article here.
I personally initially did not get into Twitter but I eventually did get an account and have regularly tweeted since then. Of course most of what I've tweeted about has been either about my faith, what's going on in my life and about sports. I follow friends of mine along with following athletes, coaches, sports reporters, analysts, and other "famous" people in the arena of sports. From this, I've found it a great way to learn more about my favorite teams and players and people that I watch on TV. A great example of this is Mark Schlereth. He is an analyst for ESPN for the NFL. He was an offensive lineman who played for the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos and on Super Bowl winning teams with both franchises. Along with tweets on the NFL and his chili that he promotes, he regularly talks about his faith. On Sundays, he shares a "churchy thought" which consists of sharing a Bible verse and a thought along with it. I've found it to be a nice source of reflection and a blessing to read as I'm out the door to church or back from church.
One of the cool things that Twitter allows people to do is a thing called at reply. Basically you put the @ symbol along with the username of someone on twitter and you can communicate with them. I use that a lot to talk to friends. I also use it to communicate with those athletes, coaches, reporters and analysts. It is a opportunity to communicate in ways that previously weren't there. And what I've tried to do along with expressing my opinion on sports is to also send a word of encouragement. I'm sure many of them get thousands of messages or more a day. But just as I'm called to encourage those I come in contact with in real life, in reflecting Christ to them, Twitter is a way to encourage and reflect Christ not only to those you know but also to those you don't. In some small way, I hope that word or two is an encouragement to them. I truly believe that God can use you through Twitter just as He can use you through other means of communication.
The cool thing is God has gifted each one with talents and passions to use for His glory. When we're doing that, He's being glorified and we're doing what He's called us to. So whatever your passion and talent, see how you can do it for God. For me, that's blogging and tweeting about Jesus and sports. :)
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sports Analogy: "The Pep Talk"
Most people that know me know I love sports analogies. So it's no surprise that I thought of one last night right before I went to small group. The past few weeks I had been feeling down just with things in my life. I got an e-mail from an old friend and boss of mine and among other things it was an encouragment.
Sometimes in life we have seasons where things aren't going our way or we're getting knocked around. It's in those times where we need people in our lives who can encourage us. The sports analogy is this, the "pep talk". It's halftime or intermission. The team is down, feeling defeated. Coach walks in or the captain of the team and fires the team up giving encouragment and pushing the team to play up to potential. The team is reenergized and ready to go out and face the competition again.
As believers, we have those seasons in our life where we get knocked down. And I believe God places people in our lives to encourage us, to give us these "pep talks". Sometimes we're the ones to give the "pep talk" to those who are down. It's an important part of being a community following Jesus, to help one another to carry burdens we all face.
Sometimes in life we have seasons where things aren't going our way or we're getting knocked around. It's in those times where we need people in our lives who can encourage us. The sports analogy is this, the "pep talk". It's halftime or intermission. The team is down, feeling defeated. Coach walks in or the captain of the team and fires the team up giving encouragment and pushing the team to play up to potential. The team is reenergized and ready to go out and face the competition again.
As believers, we have those seasons in our life where we get knocked down. And I believe God places people in our lives to encourage us, to give us these "pep talks". Sometimes we're the ones to give the "pep talk" to those who are down. It's an important part of being a community following Jesus, to help one another to carry burdens we all face.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Reason #87 Why I Love College Students and Why I Feel Called to Minister To Them
There were two stories that have come out in recent weeks that really touched me. The first was already covered really well by my friends Stephen and Adam so check out their blogs to read about it. The other was about Chris Lofton, the UT basketball player who found out he had cancer right after his junior year. He was treated in the offseason and played his senior year. And though he didn't play as well as he did the previous year, he didn't use his sickness and treatment as an excuse.
When I hear about stories like these and others, it reminds me of my calling to be a minister to college students. And it encourages me that there is so much already there in the lives of students and that God brings out so much more in those who follow Him.
When I hear about stories like these and others, it reminds me of my calling to be a minister to college students. And it encourages me that there is so much already there in the lives of students and that God brings out so much more in those who follow Him.
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