program #10
| Evander Holyfield: World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
"In all thy ways acknowledge him ...and he shall direct thy paths." It was an 8-year-old's curiosity about a restricted area at the boy's club that led Holyfield to his athletic destiny: boxing. After daily requests that were always turned down, Holyfield finally wore down Carter Morgan, convincing the coach to let him join the boxing team. A fire was lit within him when Coach Morgan told him that if he didn't quit, he could become heavyweight champion of the world. Under the guidance of Coach Morgan, Holyfield never lost a match between the ages of eight and eleven and, throughout his years as an amateur, he compiled an impressive boxing resume with a 169-11 record. In 1983 he represented the United States in the Pan-American Games in Venezuela, where he won a silver medal. He followed the Pan Am experience up in 1984 by winning the National Golden Gloves Championship – with all of the wins by KO – and earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. He was favored to win the light-heavyweight championship at the 1984 Los Angeles games, but instead received a bronze medal after a controversial end in the semifinals to his Olympic dreams of gold. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Holyfield relied heavily on his faith and on the values of respect and perseverance instilled in him by his mother to accept the ruling. He had learned to expect the inevitability of setbacks in life, knowing that they could not cause him to give up. When he was a child his mother had told him, "If you start quitting, you'll be quitting for the rest of your life, because nothing is going to go your way all the time." He knew that he could only achieve his goals if he believed in himself, worked harder, and did not quit. His poise under the strain of such an obvious disappointment set the tone for his demeanor during his professional care He won his first world title in 1986. To this day, Holyfield is the only undefeated, undisputed Cruiserweight Champion. On October 25, 1990, Holyfield fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming the Heavyweight Champion. Immediately after accomplishing such an amazing feat, Holyfield prayed, thanking God for letting him reach his goal, acknowledging that he couldn't have done it without Him. When asked to sign autographs, Holyfield happily did so, and revealed the source of his strength, also writing the reference "Phil. 4:13." The message refers to the scripture in the book of Philippians, which states "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." But in 1994, Holyfield lost his titles. Directly after the fight, Holyfield was rushed to a hospital where it was determined that he was going into heart failure. After days of tests, he was told that he had heart problems which were not life-threatening, but were career-ending. Doctors recommended that he retire from the ring. He heeded their advice, even as he prayed for healing. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." His faith in the healing power of God proved stronger than his medical prognosis. Holyfield returned to his doctor and was told he was getting better. A second follow-up visit to his physician indicated more improvement in his condition. A third visit revealed that his heart was healed. Renewed in 1995, convinced that his heart had been healed by God, he returned to the ring. In 2000, Holyfield won on a 12 round unanimous decision and made history by becoming the first boxer in history to be the world heavyweight champion four times. Excerpted from evanderholyfield.com |
Norm Miller: Chairman, Interstate Battery System of America
Norm Miller is a believer. He believes in the American Dream because he's lived it. From a humble beginning as a traveling salesman for Interstate, he worked his way up through the ranks to become CEO and chairman. Norm Miller is also a believer in God's power to change lives, because it was that power that turned his own life around after years of drinking as hard as he worked. That was the beginning of many changes in his personal and professional life. At the same time, there were some things about Norm Miller that stayed the same. His creative energy never flagged, and his willingness to dream up and try new ideas remained his hallmark. As a result, Interstate Batteries is now one of corporate America’s stunning success stories, a robust company that enjoys an unparalleled reputation for excellence and honesty. Candid about his failures, overflowing with a wealth of practical advice, and always colorful, Norm shares what he's learned along the way in three exciting and successful decades at Interstate. He and his wife, Anne, have two children, Tracey and Scott, and five grandchildren. Excerpted from ibsa.com |
Bonnie Blair: US Olympic Speed Skating Gold Medallist, Minnesota
TESTIMONY I don't remember the first time I skated on ice, I was too young. I do remember falling in love with that wind-in-my-face feeling while speed skating. My parents put skates on me at age 2, the way it should be if you're serious, and I've always liked it. I never could have achieved the success that I have without setting physical activity and health goals. No matter what the competition is, I try to find a goal that day and better that goal. Winning doesn't always mean being first. Winning means you're doing better than you've ever done before. From thinkexist.com |
