CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
2023 NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS
2023 NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS
This entry means so much to me. As I have said before, I am not the most avid sports fan; but, I have come to realize that God will use absolutely whatever He chooses to get through to His people. Sports is what many in the nation seem be focused on right now, therefore.
Because I don't believe in coincidences, I now know that this was God constructing His own testimony. As I spoke of in a previous entry: On Christmas eve, in 16° weather, the coldest day of the year in this city, I went into a university owned facility trying to stay warm. An individual affiliated with that university called campus police on me and I was arrested and spent the day in jail. At what was, no doubt, one of the most dismal moments in this assignment, on the following day, which was of course Christmas, seemingly out of nowhere a trio of young people approached me asking for directions. We had a brief conversation and I wished them good luck in the basketball competitions this year. They gave me some gift cards. I thanked them and I said to them, "When y'all win, I'm gonna give God publicly." They were from Connecticut. I'm trying to keep this brief, but it's just still so unbelievable. It seemed like shortly after our encounter UConn began to descend in the ranks (the devil got into the details). They were hovering around 24th place. BUT GOD had different plans, after all this was His testimony, on His birthday.
Certainly God could have gotten testimony out any one of the final four this year. Several years ago I blogged about a little boy in San Diego whose parents helped him use Pokémon Go to locate and feed homeless people; and Miami listened to His instructions a few years ago. God made it so difficult for me that I couldn't make up my mind which team I wanted to win; so I asked Him to choose His testimony.
On yesterday, championship game day, I briefly crossed paths with someone wearing a UConn t-shirt, who was getting ready to turn his back on me; not sure if he was a player or a fan. Before he could do it, in passing, I simply told him "Don't do it - just give God glory." He looked shocked that I had actually spoken to him. I just kept walking and thanking God for their impending victory.
In all that happened, what I remember most about my encounter with these young people was the inherent respect shown to their elder; they used terms like "yes ma'am" an "no ma'am" almost unheard of these days.
There is so much more to tell, but...
What an exciting tournament. These teams did not disappoint. This was a final four for the record books.
I didn't mean to go on and on. I'm just still in awe of the way God worked this out. Ain’t God good?!!!
Because I don't believe in coincidences, I now know that this was God constructing His own testimony. As I spoke of in a previous entry: On Christmas eve, in 16° weather, the coldest day of the year in this city, I went into a university owned facility trying to stay warm. An individual affiliated with that university called campus police on me and I was arrested and spent the day in jail. At what was, no doubt, one of the most dismal moments in this assignment, on the following day, which was of course Christmas, seemingly out of nowhere a trio of young people approached me asking for directions. We had a brief conversation and I wished them good luck in the basketball competitions this year. They gave me some gift cards. I thanked them and I said to them, "When y'all win, I'm gonna give God publicly." They were from Connecticut. I'm trying to keep this brief, but it's just still so unbelievable. It seemed like shortly after our encounter UConn began to descend in the ranks (the devil got into the details). They were hovering around 24th place. BUT GOD had different plans, after all this was His testimony, on His birthday.
Certainly God could have gotten testimony out any one of the final four this year. Several years ago I blogged about a little boy in San Diego whose parents helped him use Pokémon Go to locate and feed homeless people; and Miami listened to His instructions a few years ago. God made it so difficult for me that I couldn't make up my mind which team I wanted to win; so I asked Him to choose His testimony.
On yesterday, championship game day, I briefly crossed paths with someone wearing a UConn t-shirt, who was getting ready to turn his back on me; not sure if he was a player or a fan. Before he could do it, in passing, I simply told him "Don't do it - just give God glory." He looked shocked that I had actually spoken to him. I just kept walking and thanking God for their impending victory.
In all that happened, what I remember most about my encounter with these young people was the inherent respect shown to their elder; they used terms like "yes ma'am" an "no ma'am" almost unheard of these days.
There is so much more to tell, but...
What an exciting tournament. These teams did not disappoint. This was a final four for the record books.
I didn't mean to go on and on. I'm just still in awe of the way God worked this out. Ain’t God good?!!!
THANK YOU LORD
for Your continued faithfulness to Your Word
Thank you guys for your kindness and generosity toward a total stranger, and again
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
to the
Gray, White, and Blue
for Your continued faithfulness to Your Word
Thank you guys for your kindness and generosity toward a total stranger, and again
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
to the
Gray, White, and Blue
