We don’t control the cards we’re dealt. All we can do is play what we have.
Tyler Trent passed away on Tuesday.
The Purdue student had battled a rare form of bone cancer. He had become a sensation in college football and Big Ten circles as being someone the Purdue football team rallied around this season. The hashtag #TylerStrong went viral.
He inspired and encouraged people. He raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research. He wrote a book that he’d never be able to see completed, but which will also continue to raise money for cancer research.
Tyler was also outspoken about the importance of his faith.
In 2017, Tyler’s cancer returned and he began to pray that God would use this journey for His glory.”
As I think about the impact he had over the last few months, it’s clear that this prayers was answered.
In an interview with Today, Tyler said: “Waking up day to day is like winning a lottery…I try to rely on my faith in Jesus Christ and figure out how to have a good day.”
As his battle continued, Tyler took to Twitter numerous time to glorify God. (more…)
It’s incredible to think about what Drew Brees has accomplished on the football field. Last night, against the Washington Redskins, Brees became the NFL’s all time leader in career passing yards.
Sports radio show host Colin Cowherd brought up some of the adversity he’s overcome in his opening monologue on today’s program.
Injuries
In high school, he blew out his knee his junior year.
As a senior, he only had two scholarship offers: Purdue and Kentucky, two schools known more for basketball than football.
At Purdue, Brees put up incredible passing numbers. He’s still the all time passing leader in the Big Ten (and second all time in touchdown passes).
Too small
Before coming into the NFL, Brees was considered undersized. He stood just 6 feet tall and came into the league at a time where a lot of prototypical quarterbacks were 6’3″ or bigger. But Brees was a trailblazer for future quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield.
Better options
Brees was taken as the first pick of the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. He had a successful stint in San Diego before the Chargers drafted Phillip Rivers. Seeing the writing on the wall, Brees left San Diego after the 2004 season.
Brees had his coach suspended for an entire season after the Bounty-gate scandal.
Through all of that adversity, Brees kept plugging along.
There are only nine 5,000 yard passing seasons in NFL history. Brees has five of them.
You can accomplish anything in life if you’re willing to work for it.
-Drew Brees
Last night, when Brees broke the record, his wife and four children were on the field to celebrate with him. He told them “You can accomplish anything in life if you’re willing to work for it. Alright?”
He knows it because he’s done it.
There are a lot of excuses we can make: didn’t have the right parents, didn’t have the right connections, didn’t catch the right breaks.
We have to respond to adversity by working hard, growing as people, learning from mistakes, and being opportunistic. It’s easier to make excuses than to take responsibility. It’s easier to settle than to strive to do great things.
I think that’s why we should appreciate what Brees has accomplished. Because it’s a reminder to us all that you can accomplish anything in life if you’re willing to work for it.
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Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.
I believed in him. Ohio State had struggled to move the ball with a passing game which was as bad as usual and a running game that was never able to get going. Despite all of that, late in the fourth quarter the Bucks took the ball in good field position, trailing by only six.
As the team drove, it wasn’t pretty, but I believed in the ability of freshman quarterback Braxton Miller to lead the offense down the field.
I believed that the magician could pull the rabbit out of his hat. The offense moved with a different swagger on that drive.
