“Jesus You Are Everthing” featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album ” I Look Up To The Heavens” recorded and produced by John Hodgkinson
Blog October 15th “Christians in Sport”
Two weeks ago, I shared some information on the new US Open Golf Champion – Bryson DeChambeau. Part of that was Bryson’s Christian testimony. This reminded me of when my very dear friend Bob Milliken – then Head of RE at Crofton Secondary School – kept putting in my pigeon hole ( I was Head of PE at the time) leaflets on Christians who were top sports persons. I remember at the time feeling somewhat surprised to hear that the golfer Bernhard Langer was a committed Christian.
Since writing this blog I have pointed out a lot of currently famous sports persons who are Christians- recently, the golfer Zach Richardson, the rugby player Maro Itoje, the Liverpool Football Manger Jurgen Klopp and the footballer Romulu Lukaku.
I googled who else in sport was a Christian and here is a list of some that I knew – I wonder if you are as surprised as I was with some of the names on the list?
1) Usain Bolt
2) Christine Ohuruogu
3) Danny Surridge
4) Bubba Watson
5) Lewis Hamilton
6) David Luis
7) Thiago Silva
8) Rhaeem Sterli
9) Edison Gavani
10) Neymar
11) Andres Iniesta
12) David Silva
13) Philippe Coutinho
14) Jose Mourinho
15) Marcelo Bielsa
16) Christiano Ronaldo
17) Lionel Messi
Quote of the week
One person cannot change the world
but we can change the world for one person
One of my favourite songs is “I Can See Clearly Now” which topped the charts in US 1972. In fact, I like the song so much that the Mustard Seed Soul Band once sung it for a concert held at St Marys Church, Porchester. The song was, of course composed and recorded by Johnny Nash who sadly died yesterday of natural causes in his hometown of Houston, Texas aged 80.
His son, Johnny Nash Jr., told The Associated Press:
Nash’s career began in the 1950s covering standards and by the mid-60s, he was co-running a record company. He was among the first artists to bring Jamaican reggae to US audiences and he also helped launch the career of his good friend Bob Marley.
He peaked commercially in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when he had hits with Hold Me Tight, You Got Soul, an early version of Marley’s Stir It Up and I Can See Clearly Now, which remains his signature song.
The upbeat track with its pop-reggae groove was reportedly written by Nash as he recovered from cataract surgery.
The song promised a ‘bright, bright sunshiny day’ and had a gospel-style exclamation midway in ‘Look straight ahead, nothing but blue skies!’
The rock critic Robert Christgau would call the song, which Nash also produced, ‘2 minutes and 48 seconds of undiluted inspiration.’
‘I Can See Clearly Now’ was covered by artists ranging from Ray Charles and Donny Osmond to Soul Asylum and Jimmy Cliff, whose version was featured in the 1993 movie Cool Runnings.
It also turned up everywhere from the film Thelma and Louise to a Windex commercial, and in recent years was often referred to on websites about cataract procedures.
‘I feel that music is universal. Music is for the ears and not the age,’ Nash told Cameron Crowe, then writing for Zoo World Magazine, in 1973. ‘There are some people who say that they hate music. I’ve run into a few, but I’m not sure I believe them.’
Was Johnny Nash a Christian? I am not sure – I do know that he was brought up singing Gospel music at the Progressive New Baptist Church but I cannot find any information on his faith. So, I just hope and pray that he is now in heaven and can most definitely exclaim “I can see clearly now!”
Quote of the week
You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read.
John McArthur
Put Your Hand In The Hand Of God featuring Lucy Stimpson-Maynard from the album “Precious” recorded and produced by Ross Gill
Last week I shared a little of Bryson DeChambeau, the 27 year old American who recently won the US Open Golf Championship. The information I gave was probably only interesting to a golf enthusiast (like me) but it was only meant as a prelude to the fact that Bryson is a Christian and that I wanted to share his testimony with you. So here it is:
For much of my life, I was a churchgoer—not a steady one, but enough to tell people I went. But when I left my California home to play college golf at Southern Methodist University, I found myself surrounded with some people who had important things to say to me. I’d heard some of these before from my coach back home, Mike Schy, but I’d never paid serious attention.
In the weeks leading up to the 2014 Western Amateur, and while I was there, I found myself reading a book that one of those influential people had recommended. It was called The Handbook of Athletic Perfection, by Wes Neal, and what it talked about all the way through was how to play sports like Jesus would play sports. It captured the dynamic between being ultra-competitive and being as gracious and kind as possible, and it resonated with me.
When I got to the tournament, I said to myself, “OK, I’m going to give my life to Christ and try to act like him in every single situation and do my best for him in every single situation, whatever comes about. If it’s a bad situation, I’ll look at it as an opportunity for me to show my patience, my resilience, my grace. Or if I do something great, I’m still going to be patient and graceful and kind and respectful to others.”
I said that to myself, but here’s the truth: I expected things to go my way.
What I did not expect were three amazing miracles.
First, I had never been able to eat breakfast on the mornings of a tournament. But that first morning of the tournament, I went and decided to try to have breakfast again. All of a sudden, I could eat, and a full breakfast, too! I said, “What? I can eat? This is crazy!” I don’t know the reason that God allowed me to eat that day—and every day since—but it is a huge part of my being properly nourished for the day.
Second, I had always been super nervous playing big tournaments. When I showed up at the first tee, there were the usual spectators around watching, but all of a sudden it wasn’t about the audience. It was about me doing it for God, doing it as a servant, and trying to hit every shot with as much dedication as possible and with as much grace as possible, knowing that whatever happens happens for a reason. It’s always an opportunity to point others to Christ.
Third, I had never been good with my emotions on the course, and this came out in the way I talked. I would get angry and cuss. But now my emotions were held in check. They were the correct emotions, the emotions that Christ would employ. Sure, I hit bad shots, but now I was gracious and kind and never said anything. I stopped cussing.
Those three miracles represented a huge change in my life. But there was still a big tournament to be played, with the best amateur competition in the world.
The Western Am was played at Beverly Country Club in Chicago that year, and as always the match play was preceded by four rounds of stroke play. I played well, finishing runner-up to the medalist. More than that, in the fourth round I struggled on the front nine, shooting three over par. But for the first time I realized it wasn’t the end of the world. I stayed gracious, and I shot four under on the back nine. I’m not saying God allowed that to happen because I was gracious, but I am saying that the steady emotions and the constant focus set me up to do my best.
When we moved to the match play rounds, my first match was against a fellow Californian, Xander Schaufelle. I followed the same plan: be gracious, be kind, be caring. But when we came to the eighteenth hole and I was one down, I didn’t understand it. I thought I would be winning, that I was supposed to win. I thought all this change in me was about ultimately winning the event.
We both hit our drives on the par-5 into the right rough. My next shot, though, was one of the worst shots I could possibly have hit. It was a pull chunk that went about 70 yards into the left rough. Walking to that ball, I kept telling myself, “I’m done.” I had conceded the match in my mind. But then it hit me: That’s not the way Christ would act. That’s not what he would do. He’d try and do his best on this shot. So I reamped and said, “Look, you’re going to do your absolute best.”
I measured out the shot in my mind. It was 200 yards under some trees, over a bunker, and running up to a very difficult green. But I did it. I pulled off the shot. It bounced onto the green, nearly hit the flag, and rolled off the back of the green, about 40 feet from the hole.
All the while Xander was doing what he needed to do. He laid up to the middle of the fairway, then hit a shot from about 150 yards to 30 feet.
I knew I really had only one chance. I had to chip it in. But for the first time all week, I was extremely nervous. I was walking around and couldn’t hit the shot for maybe two minutes. My caddie finally said, “Hey, dude, you’ve got to hit the shot. I got over it, still extremely nervous, heart pounding, and hit the shot. It bounced once on the fringe, once on the green, rolled, hit the cup, and went in the hole! I high-fived everybody. I was super excited and jumping in the air. I thought, Cool! This is how I’m going to win. He’s going to miss the putt, we’re going to a playoff, and I’m going to win it.
When Xander hit his putt, it looked like it was going six feet by. But it hit the back of the cup, bounced up, and fell in. I lose.
I did all the right things, then. I had my hat off and gave him a hug and shook his hand and was very gracious. I went over and thanked the tournament director and was gracious and appreciative even though I had lost.
But when I went to lunch, I became bitter. I couldn’t understand why it had all happened this way.
To get myself out of my funk, I decided to walk out and hit some chip shots. On my way over, I called Mike, my coach back home. Immediately, when he answered the phone, boom, the Holy Spirit hit me. I finally understood what it meant to be playing golf and why I was here. It wasn’t to play golf to win tournaments, or to be in these cool situations where I chip in to win or do something crazy. It was for the exact opposite reason. It was about the character I had employed in that particular situation. It wasn’t about me winning a trophy, it was about me winning in regards to God’s favour and how he would work things out. I did not win that tournament, but I sure as heck won that day.
There was a time in my life, before that tournament, when I was severely depressed, because golf was consuming my life. Now I had complete freedom. It was by far the best moment in my life, better than winning the U.S. Am, better than winning the NCAAs, anything.
There’s nothing that compares to the feeling that the Holy Spirit gave me that day. I’ve never experienced it since; I don’t think I ever will until I go to heaven. But I’m telling you, there was something that happened, something that I can’t explain, something that I hope everybody can experience one day, because no other feeling compares. That was the change that allowed me to start understanding God’s love for me and Jesus’ love for me as well, and what he truly did by coming down here and saving all of us.
Wow ! That’s me saying “Wow” not Bryson!
Quote of the week
Fail early, fail often – and always fail forward
John Maxwell
A Worship Song featuring Lucy Stimpson-Maynard from the album Where Would I Be Without You ? recorded and produced by Ross Gill
Today Joffy our brilliant Musical Director is coming from Bristol to record more of Acts The Musical. So, Nicola Poustie is singing “This is not Heaven” for our forthcoming Showreel. Edward Duly – Baker is singing a new piece of recitative for his role as Theophilus – “But Paul came face to face with the Lord” and Mei- Ling Thomas is singing “I Will Exalt You”.
More of that in future weeks but today I decided to share a little more of Bryson DeChambeau, the 27 year old American who won last weeks US Open Golf Championship. Bryson is changing the face of golf by hitting the ball further than anyone thus making the game little more than drive- pitch and put.
Here is some basic information about him:
Bryson James Aldrich DeChambeau (born September 16, 1993) is an American professional golfer. He has won seven times on the PGA Tour including one major championship, the 2020 U.S. Open. As an amateur, DeChambeau became the fifth player in history to win both the NCAA Division I championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same year. With his U.S. Open victory he became the third player to have won those three championships, after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, and the sixth player to win both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open.
Renowned for his analytical approach to the sport, DeChambeau has acquired the nickname of “The Scientist”. His clubs are specially designed to his specifications, with thicker than normal grips and irons that are all the same length. In 2020, he became the longest driver on the PGA Tour after gaining 40 pounds in weight.
At the 120th U.S. Open at Winged Foot, he came from two strokes behind at the start of the final round to win his first major championship. His 6-under par total gave him a six stroke victory over Matthew Wolff. He was the only player under par in the final round, with a three-under par 67 and the only player to finish under par for the tournament. With the win, he became the third player in history, after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to win the NCAA Individual Championship, the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Open during a career. The win moved him to number 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking, matching his previous best, first achieved in November 2018.
All very interesting (if you are a golf fan) however you may have already guessed why I am featuring Bryson today – yes he is a Christian!
Next week I will share with you his story of faith.
Quote of the week
Success is getting what you want- happiness is wanting what you get.
Dale Carnegie
Acts – The Musical – Showreel – Introduction – featuring Alex Knox as Luke and Edward Duly – Baker as Theophilus – recorded and produced by
jjamesaudio
So we at Mustard Seed Songs have been working hard at producing a 20 minute “Showreel” for Acts The Musical. We realised that it could be sometime before we could finance the recording of the whole 2-hour Show or indeed film it – so instead we have focused on giving people a” feel” of what is to come by producing this 20 minute “Showreel.”
We have chosen excerpts that we hope will demonstrate the flavour and variety of the Show plus give an idea of how Acts – The Musical works on two levels 1) telling the story of how the Gospel message was spread as chronicled in the Acts of the Apostles. 2) Using Theophilus, who was probably Luke’s sponsor, as a person on a faith journey, symbolic of someone in the audience.
We have been so fortunate in having two West End actors – Alex Knox and Edward Duly- Baker to play the roles of Luke and Theophilus.
So, this week it is the introduction:
Luke: – Acts 1: 1- 11
Theophilus- Theophilus- – it is your humble servant Luke,
Theophilus:
Luke, my dear friend- it’s been too long – writer of such a wonderful book
Jesus crucified – then risen alive
For forty days appearing as hundreds testified
Theophilus and Luke
Ascended – ascended to heaven
Angels proclaiming, He would return.
He would return again
Luke:
Most excellent Theophilus may I be so bold
There is now so much more of the story to be told
The church has been born – I’ve witnessed it all
How the Gospel has spread allow me to recall
Theophilus –
Luke, I don’t know how to tell you this – I do believe but I just need help with my unbelief.
Luke:
Having a relationship with Jesus is a journey on which we are all at different stages. Please allow me to be your guide – let me share with you the Acts of the Apostles
Quote the week
The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.
Abraham Lincoln
You are the Maker – featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard from the album Love is the Way recorded and produced by Bob Ross
First, I thought I would share the latest photo of our two lovely doggies- Genna, the Labrador and Dylan, the Boarder (Border Collie – Lab cross)
Second, I recently had a thought I would like to share. Many people I know would not regard themselves as Christians or Atheists but Agnostics- i.e. unsure if there is a God or not.
A dictionary definition of Agnosticism is the view that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. Another definition provided is the view that “human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist.”
So, I tell my friend Joe that I have a friend called Edward Glover who lives at 35 East Street, Gillingham Kent. I then ask Joe if he believes me. Joe can say yes because he has actual evidence that Edward lives there – for example he saw Edward walk through the front door of no 35. Joe could also simply trust me as he knows I would not lie or perhaps Joe could simply reason why would I wish to deceive him.
Joe could also say that, for whatever reasons, he does not believe that Edward lives at no 35. The third alternative is that Joe could adapt a sort of agnostic attitude- I am not sure if Edward lives there – or how can I know if he does? But Edward choosing this option does not take away the fact that either Edward does or doesn’t live at 35 East Street, Gillingham, Kent.
I would like to extend this thought to argue that either God exists or He does not – an agnostic position of “not sure/how can I know” does not detract from the fact that either there is a God or there is not.
This argument could continue to consider the evidence of God existing or not. Evidence for His existence could include how He reveals Himself to us but I am rushing on- my point today is that being an agnostic does not take away the fact that there are only two possible truths to the question “Is there a God? It is either “Yes or “No” – “Don’t know” does not constitute a third possibility.
Quote the week
A little progress each day adds up to big results
Satya Nani.
For the month of August, I shared four videos with you that, for different reasons I had found powerful and encouraging.
It was not my intention to carry on sharing videos in September but I received one from my dear friend Mr Mill that I thought I had to share. Also, as I was flicking through TV channels the other day, I came across the Edinburgh Tattoo- now Caroline and I have been to Edinburgh Castle where it takes place so I thought I would take a brief look, even though it is not really “my thing”.
It turned out it was a recording of the 2018 Tattoo as Covid had caused the 2020 event to be cancelled, however I was absolutely knocked out with a drum performance and was even more knocked out when I discovered that the drum band are private and not military – “The Top Secret Drum Corps.”
Should have some up to date info next week of our forthcoming Acts- The Musical
For the month of August, I have been sharing four videos with you that, for different reasons I have found powerful and encouraging.
So, the fourth video is of Edward Baker- Duly singing an extract from a Show in which he starred – “The Bridges of Madison County.” The beautiful song is “It All Fades Away.” Edward sings it wonderfully and I am delighted to say that he has been recording the part of Theophilus in our forthcoming “Acts -The Musical.” Edward has performed in Broadway and the West End so it really is a pleasure and privilege to be working with him.
For the month of August, I am sharing four videos with you that, for different reasons I have found powerful and encouraging.
So, the third video is Mustard Seed’s second virtual choir video “Still in Tears” which is an extract from our forthcoming “Acts- The Musical.” It portrays the feelings of members of the church of Ephesus as they watch Paul – who had been with them for two years- sail away to Jerusalem, distraught as they knew that they would never see him again.
Many thanks for all who took part and to Joffy Girling (JoffyJames) for the recording and edit.
For the month of August, I am sharing four videos with you that, for different reasons I have found powerful and encouraging.
So, the second video is Risen! The Musical with subtitles in Vietnamese. This is “hot off the press” with many thanks to Gina Truong for the translation and to Alex Serban for the subtitling.
