| I remember going to church as a young boy, but the times were infrequent. After the age of seven churchgoing became nonexistent. I can imagine that this was a result of my parents divorce. The church wasn't accepting of such matters which is good, but I also think there still needs to be support and restoration. (At this point I will digress briefly to mention that no religion/denomination will be mentioned as to where I went to church as a child or where I am attending now, for I believe that the Bible, God, and Christ are what should be followed and not a particular religion/denomination. Not to say that religion/denomination is unimportant-just not as important as we make it to be or would like it to be.)
Anyway for the next seven years the closest I came to God, or Jesus Christ was when I heard either used as an explicative. Neither had any meaning to me. Around the age of 14 my mother, with whom my brother and I lived, started going to church again. Following the divorce, I was very close to my mother. Not to say that I did not love my father, but I lived with my mother and was able to develop a closer relationship with her. So when she started going back to church, I did as well.
During a particular service run by evangelist Herb Hoover, my mother noticed me struggling with some of what he had preached in his message. She encourage me to go forward and see what he had to say at the altar. I did so, and he led me through the "Romans Road."
I admitted I was a sinner and found out the penalty was more severe than the occasional spanking. He told me of a separation from God for all eternity. He then explained how Christ paid the penalty for me. So I prayed with him there. For the next four years I struggled with my salvation.
Did I say the right thing?...do the right thing?...pray the right prayer? Finally I grabbed my Bible and went over the same passages that the evangelist led me through years earlier. I asked myself one question, "Jim what do you believe?"
Well, the answer was Christ. I had enough Bible knowledge to know that is exactly what I needed to believe. It wasn't any prayer or work on my part but a heart-knowledge of the work that Christ did for me. I unashamedly declare that I am a Christian, and that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.
At this point I was also coming to the end of my high school career. I knew that I wanted to continue to wrestle but didn't know where. God had provided me with a decent high school career: 1986-2nd at 98 lbs, 1987-1st at 112 lbs, and 1988-2nd at 119 lbs in the Wisconsin State High School Championships. I had also placed 3rd in the 1987, and 2nd in the 1988 Greco Junior Nationals. I had a few scholarship offers, but I didn't know what to do. My mother encouraged me to go to a Christian college at least for a year to get some biblical training and knowledge. So, I went to Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Wisconsin. They had a wrestling program and the coach was 1972 Olympic Champion, Ben Peterson.
About midway through the wrestling year, Ben asked if I planned on staying at MBBC, or was I planning on a move to a larger university. I told him that I planned on staying, for I felt that it was where the God wanted me. I wrestled at MBBC for the next 4 years and helped Ben coach one year.
God had blessed me with a good college career. I had been a four time NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) place winner: 1989-1st and Most Outstanding Wrestler, 1990-2nd, 1991-1st and Most Outstanding Wrestler, 1992-1st. I had also placed 4 times at the Midlands two-4th places finishes and two-3rd place finishes.
Now, I believe I could have been much better; however, I do not think I allowed the full blessing of God in my life due to sin. This of course in is despite of the fact I had been attending a Christian college. At this point I decided that I was finished and should hang up my boots and retire. I gave my Mom a call with my decision, and she was most definitely against the decision. She reminded me of a high school dream I had to become an Olympic Champion. She also mentioned that this may be exactly what Satan and the World wanted. So with that, I called up Mike Houck who at the time was the Greco-Roman National Teams coach. He told me I needed to get back into the summer season. I then went to the University National Championships and placed 3rd. This qualified me for the U.S. Olympic Festival in San Antonio, TX. I placed first, and then found out that I had also been accepted into the Greco-Roman residency program at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After finishing my student teaching in November of 1993, I moved to Colorado Springs.
I had no money, and my parents could not afford to support me. I knew I needed a job. I started praying and after a week in Colorado, a Christian school contacted me. They needed a math teacher. I had my degree from MBBC in Secondary math education. To make it even better, they were willing to work around my training times. With that answer to prayer I knew that Colorado was where God wanted me to be, and I started work at Hilltop Baptist High School.
Unfortunately, I continued in actions that were not pleasing to God. Not that I appeared bad in the world's eyes, but I knew God wasn't happy with all the decisions I was making. I could see it in my wrestling as well. I was inconsistent. God gave me moments of brilliance, but again I wasn't allowing him to bless me fully. I found myself in a deep spiritual valley between the summer of 1994 to the summer of 1995. At this point, my fiance, whom I had been dating and engaged to for 3 1/2 years, broke off our marriage plans which were to commence in 3 weeks. I broke my ankle a week before the World Team Trials playing soccer, the Sunkist Kids (my club affiliation) was not happy with my performance, and I was in serious financial straits. I realized that God was not happy with me. With His help I have worked on improving my Christian walk.
I stopped dating, then He then blessed me with my wife Rachel. I began tithing from my income, then God has relieved all financial burdens. I put wrestling in its proper place - God's hands, and He has blessed me with one of the most successful National and International careers of all the Greco-Roman wrestlers in the United States over the last 4 years!
From the beginning, God has provided me with a host of family, friends, and coaches that have invested varying amounts of their life in mine. However, I had yet to make a World or Olympic Team. That changed this year when God allowed me to win the 2000 Olympic Team Trials. I have no idea how I will do at the Olympics, but I do know what I will do. I will finish my course and wrestle as long as God would have me. I will train to win the Gold, for any less would not be a proper testimony as a follower of Christ who gave His all for me. I will go and serve Him as a wrestler. I have put my wrestling and my life in His hands. Wrestling is a ministry, as important as any other, and I will use it to spread the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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