Superbowl Champs!!

Excited! Thrilled! Elated! Joy! Relief! Satisfaction! These are just a few of the emotions I have been feeling since the end of the Superbowl victory last night. And what a game it was. There was no lack of excitement from beginning to end, with the conclusion I have dreamed of since 1995.

I admit I have only been a Colts fan since 1995. That was the year I began taking a real interest in the game of football and especially the NFL team called the Indianapolis Colts. That was the fall my daughter was in Riley hospital and my husband and I would watch the games from her hospital room.

I have a unique and special husband. He has so much patience with people and it's because of him that I was able to learn enough about football to love and appreciate the game. As we sat in the hospital rooms watching the games, I could ask him questions about what was going on and he would always explain in ways I could understand.

Those were the days of Harbaugh and Siragusa and they had a great year almost making it to the Superbowl. After that season, I was hooked. My love and passion for the game has grown each year since. The fact that my son started playing youth football in 1998 and is now a junior in high school and still playing and my husband being the offensive coordinator for our high school team has added to my passion.

I have had many good reasons to love and support the Colts through the years. They have put together a team of great guys starting with the owner Jim Irsay taking over after his father's death in 1997, to obtaining RB Marvin Harrison in 1996, QB Peyton Manning in 1998 and coach Tony Dungy in 2002. We have had sad moments of losing great players to other teams and exciting moments of adding new members that have really brought success - such as this year's additions of kicker Adam Vinatieri and RB rookie Joseph Addai. But the men who stand out the most to me and the ultimate reason I love this team so much is the many men of faith we have representing our city and the NFL.

Tony Dungy has had so many opportunities to live his faith before our nation and show how Jesus makes a difference in his life. My heart broke with him and his family last year as they had to deal with the unexpectant death of their son, James. It was such a blow - a devastation that they were able to accept because of faith. I have had the opportunity to read about the faith of Dallas Clark, Hunter Smith, Jeff Saturday, Tarik Glenn, Ben Utecht, and others who use their fame to witness to others. To me, that is what makes them champions. They have the "it's not about me, it's about Him" attitudes.

God bless all of you. You inspire me and give me the real reason to cheer - "Go Colts!!"

Superbowl XLI

Being a Colts fan, I have been on a high the past two weeks. Being a Christian, I have also been on a high the last two weeks. The history being made goes beyond anything I've ever seen in my years. I believe it goes beyond anything the human eye can see at all.

Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith are the first black coaches to go to the superbowl. That is amazing and unbelievable to me. The fact that skin color makes a difference in the eyes of humanity at all has always been quite unbelievable to me. I am thankful that God created us all different and yet loves us all the same. Each one of us is created in His image to live the plan He has for our lives. Which brings me to my next point.

These two coaches have a strong faith in Jesus Christ. I have had the privelage of hearing them confess it over and over on national TV all week. Their faith is the very essence of who they are. I got an email yesterday that shows a full page ad that was run in USA Today. Tony Dungy is quoted as saying, "The inspiration for my coaching model comes from Jesus himself." And Lovie Smith is quoted saying, "At a young age I called on God to help me. I have leaned on him ever since." Underneath their pictures and these quotes there is another quote which reads, "On Sunday one of us will be a world champion. We may have reached the ultimate goal for a football coach, but we know there is more to life than football. Even when you have achieved the ultimate, something better lies beyond. As pro football coaches, we are also men of faith. A faith that drives us ever day to seek excellence. A faith that comforts us even in the worst of times. A faith that assures us that when we are walking the sideline, we are walking with God. We would love to tell you more. Visit www. BeyondTheUltimate.org for stories and videos from real people who have discovered that there's more to life than just living."

Wow, these men are such great men of faith. It has truly been a blessing for me to hear them interviewed and to hear the responses from the media all week. There has been nothing but good feedback from every single one of them. These two men are different,-they live their faith and because of that God is being glorified. Oh that does my heart good.

Oh Lord, how you bless my heart. Thank you for Tony and Lovie and the faith you have given them. Thank you for putting them in the position to witness to the world. I pray your protection over them Father. May you be their armor to protect them from every evil that satan throws at them. I know he wants to see them fall - he would like nothing better than ruining their testimonies. But you Lord have promised to never let us be tempted beyond what we can bear and always giving us a way out. May they be in Your Word each day, putting on Your full armor to take their stand against the devil's schemes. May their faith continue to grow stronger and their lives shine strong to draw masses to You. Thank you Father, for your Son Jesus. Thank you for sending Him to die in our place. Your love, mercy and grace are beyond anything we can ever understand and completely beyond our deserving. We stand amazed at Who You are. May our lives be used by You and for You. Through the precious name of Jesus I pray - Amen.

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matt. 5:16