Former KU basketball player Wayne Simien founded his Called to Greatness basketball camp on Christian principles.
Running 50 miles at one time may seem to outsiders like something God doesn’t intend for our earthly bodies.
But Muffie Keonin is of the mind that not only did God mean for the human body to complete such a feat, he encourages it.
So, when Keonin lined up for her second 50-mile ultra run, Lawrence’s Hawk 50, May 22, she knew God would see her through what became an epic 14-hour race complete with searing heat, miles of thick mud and a water-crossing high enough to reach her armpits.
“I actually enjoy the challenge while I’m running because I know it’s something I chose to do. ... God gave me this body, God gave me my health, even the courage to do something like this, to start the race,” says Keonin, 27, of Olathe. “I had actually dodged a few snakes, I fell in the mud several times, lost my shoes, it was very hot — I got dehydrated — but, through all of that I knew I was going to finish.”
Faith and sports do have their connections, and it’s more than just a cross around a baseball player’s neck or the off-handed comment “thanking God” from the winner of the most recent basketball tournament. But some everyday athletes like Keonin are convinced that by just lacing up your shoes, you are praising God.
“I like the saying, ‘Be a witness to God, live by example, you’re a walking Bible,’” says Keonin, who often fulfills prayer requests during her races, which have included two 50-milers and several marathons. “You know, I don’t go out necessarily preaching, but ... and this isn’t the reason why I run or do these races, but it kind of gives me credibility with certain people and it allows me to share my faith with other people when they discover, ‘Oh, you ran 50 miles, how was that?’”
What does she tell them? She ran with God: “I definitely couldn’t have done it on my own.”
Connecting faith and fitness
That frame of mind goes for professional athletes as well. And one of the prime examples of a religion-on-the-sleeve Christian athlete with connections to Lawrence is former Kansas University basketball star Wayne Simien.
Simien, who won an NBA championship with the Miami Heat, returned to Lawrence and started a basketball program with kids and Christ in mind, Called to Greatness. The program, which launched last year, is formed around Simien’s belief that faith and fitness go hand-in-hand.
“There are a number of connections and correlations that are related between sports and the Christian faith,” Simien told the Journal-World last June. “You can glorify God by how hard you work on the court ... by being a good teammate, by listening to your coach and to your parents.
“There are just a ton of examples like that where we’re able to tie biblical principles into on-and-off-the court lessons in different areas that kids face in their regular life.”
It’s Kevin Wade’s job to teach children, teens and adults that lesson as the area representative for the East Kansas chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Wade, of Eudora, says the organization counts athletes such as professional football players Drew Brees and Reggie White, KU football player Darrell Stuckey and Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt all as supporters. He says there are groups and individuals at the junior high, high school and college levels active in the FCA in and around Lawrence. The group’s main message? Play for an audience of one: God.
“We want to play our sports for that audience of one,” Wade says. “There’s nobody in the crowd looking at us. Moms and dads aren’t there. We are playing for one reason and that’s for the glory and honor of God.”
In fact, Wade says that sports seem to be the perfect conduit for faith — what better way to teach the stories of the Bible than to people steeling their own will and determination, he asks?
“I don’t care whether you’re a marathon runner or a professional football player or whether you’re just the old man that goes out golfing every Sunday after church ... there’s no better platform (for faith) than through athletics,” he says. “I don’t think anything emulates life more than sports. You get knocked down, what do you do? It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s how quickly you get back up. Christ was knocked down many a time.”
Quiet time with God
Keonin, by her own admission, was knocked down many times during her run through the woods that line the north shore of Lawrence’s Clinton Lake.
She slipped on rocks, tripped on roots, waded through icy water, only to slog through miles more of slick mud during the race, which she finished in 13 hours, 53 minutes. She was just the second woman to complete a race that saw more than half the 50-mile entrants — 14 of 23 — fail at the task.
But through it all, she kept thinking of how lucky she was to have an entire day where she could have quiet time with God. Ever since she started running regularly in college she's used her morning jogs as a time to pray and reflect.
“Everyone has that hobby that allows them to listen to God, whether it be knitting or reading or gardening or fishing, hiking, painting, drawing, cooking, you know, whatever it is ... it’s just a matter of discovering what it is,” she says. “Running, I just discovered, is kind of my way of really getting in touch with God.”
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anon1958 (anonymous) says…
I wonder if "Faith In Action" is going to replace "Faith Forum" for the philosophically and theologically feeble minded?
"she knew God would see her through what became an epic 14-hour race"
Yes indeed, I am sure the creator of quarks, black holes and a universe where plasma is the most common state of matter is just fascinated by the efforts of a little mammal scurrying around for no purpose other than their own entertainment.
"But some everyday athletes like Keonin are convinced that by just lacing up your shoes, you are praising God."
Well we all know that using your intellect is disdained by both Islam and Christianity so that does rather limit the worship options, but praising God by tying your shoes seems a lame even by the low standards of fundamentalist beliefs.
“I had actually dodged a few snakes, I fell in the mud several times, lost my shoes, it was very hot — I got dehydrated — but, through all of that I knew I was going to finish.”
Lying about snakes, clumsily and repeatedly falls on face, actually cant tie her shoes after all, too dumb to carry enough water for a short trip; nice worship service I am sure it convinced God that he should have made the rules for natural selection a bit more stringent.
Elsewhere
"Play for an audience of one: God."
This is even harder than following a child act on the Tonight Show. God plans to torture people that dont love him for eternity, presumably for his ow entertainment since no other rational reason has ever been revealed. I think God prefers watching the Guantanomo Bay Channel rather than ESPN.
"Simien, who won an NBA championship with the Miami Heat, returned to Lawrence and started a basketball program with kids and Christ in mind, Called to Greatness."
The opportunities for mocking and ridiculing the preceding statement are so vast as to boggle the imagination. However, I shall not be selfish and hog all the fun for myself. The very best thing about the Journal World is that the unintentional humor provided by its religious minded staff produces is a well that will never run dry.
Confrontation (anonymous) says…
I couldn't say it better, Anon. I love how these rich athletes live their lush lifestyles, drive their fancy cars to church, and still manage to think they're doing the work of some "God."
kansastruthteller (anonymous) says…
Interesting that many demand diversity and understanding but fail to model that very behavior.
The article is about an individual's beliefs and motivation for running long distances in difficult conditions. So how does that threaten you?
Of course I wonder why I bother responding to people who make comments like "too dumb to carry enough water for a short trip."
Didn't you read the article? It was a 50 mile run - from here to Topeka and back. A short trip in the heat and humidity? Please, if you're going to be critical at least be accurate.
anon1958 (anonymous) says…
kansastruthteller (anonymous) says…
"Didn't you read the article? It was a 50 mile run - from here to Topeka and back. A short trip in the heat and humidity? Please, if you're going to be critical at least be accurate."
I was being charitable because it is even more stupid not to take water on a long hot trip rather than a "short" one.
Lets just be clear that my ridicule (in this case) is aimed at the asinine proposition made by so many athlete Christians that their sport activities somehow have something to do with Christianity. I am not especially ridiculing them for being "Christians" but rather for being so contemptuously ignorant about their own chosen religion.
People are just making up "new" stuff about Christianity so they can feel good about their sport, gardening or whatever. If you are going to make up inane propositions about a well established religion then you really should prepare to be mocked and made fun of.
You do not need to be an atheist, to make fun of the nincompoops in this article. This whole idea of practicing sports as worship should be offensive to any Christian worth Lot's salt because it is so stupid.
Jane (anonymous) says…
http://documentaryheaven.com/?s=The+t...
thuja (anonymous) says…
This is nothing.
Check out these guys, run farther, no God to please.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendai_M...
Speicher (Daniel Speicher) says…
Okay, I'll bite... First off, anon, exactly how much water do you think a person might need for a 50-mile run? In the humidity? I would dare say it would be even more unwise to run WITH that much water. The weight simply would be more of a detriment than the water would be a benefit. Furthermore, I would tend to wager that both ignorant believers and super-intelligent non-believers probably got dehydrated alike in that run. But, hey... Who knows? Maybe the athiests had a tanker that they were suckin' off of... Don't know why that silly Christian didn't get a straw and join in.
Anyway, I digress...
As for us believers who do not think simplistically, it isn't about us thinking that God gives us special "super-human abilities" to do what non-believers cannot do. It is about recognizing where this human strength truly comes from. I am not an athelete by a LONG stretch of the imagination. (I'm kind of a big dude, in fact.) But, those who are Christian atheletes, would tell you that the only thing that separates them from non-believers who are atheletes is the humble recognition that none of what the skills have obtained and none of the natural talents and gifts that have been given came from them on any level, but from the providence of a Divine Provider.
We do believe, in fact, that God does "bother Himself" with the mundane tasks of day-to-day living. We are not deists. We believe that God loves people. And, in His love, He gives generously and graciously to ALL people... Believers and non-believers alike. This prevenient grace is His way of showing His love. Atheletes have been blessed with abilities that I have not been blessed with. I have been blessed with abilities they have not. At no given point do I think those of us who truly understand scripture and God's love think that we are uniquely given anything more than is offered to non-believers. We simply choose to take the full gift that is offered: true peace, true love and true grace.
Believers worship God in everything we do because everything we do He gave us the ability to do it. How could we keep from worshipping Him for the simple gifts that get us by day to day?
--Danny Speicher
PS -- I think kansastruthteller's opening line is probably the most profound, "Interesting that many demand diversity and understanding but fail to model that very behavior."
Interesting, indeed.