This is the story of the most unlikely Olympic decathlete in history. Despite size and stature, Bryan Clay is the defending champion of the 2008 Olympic gold medal and winner of the 2004 Olympic silver medal in the decathlon. His journey is as inspiring as it is gritty, as troubled as it is triumphant.Far more than just a sports memoir, Redemption details the drudgery, devastation, and ultimate conversion that led Bryan to become a world champion. ô[God] had a plan when I believed that dreams never came true because, in my life, they never did,ö says Bryan. Through a remarkable series of events and devoted prayers of his mother, BryanÆs life was turned around into a victorious narrative of truly being redeemed.
A perfect blend of medical drama and spiritual insight, Gray Matter is a fascinating account of Dr. David Levy's decision to begin asking his patients if he could pray for them before surgery. Some are thrilled. Some are skeptical. Some are hostile, and some are quite literally transformed by the request.Each chapter focuses on a specific case, opening with a detailed description of the patient's diagnosis and the procedure that will need to be performed, followed by the prayer request.
From there, listeners follow as Dr. Levy performs the operation, and then we wait-right alongside Dr. Levy, the patients, and their families-to see the final results.Dr. Levy's musings on what successful and unsuccessful surgical results imply about God, faith, and the power of prayer are honest and insightful. As we see him come to his ultimate conclusion that, no matter what the results of the procedure are, "God is good," we cannot help but be truly moved and inspired.
The true nature of redemption is remarkable.
And no one knows that better than Bryan Clay—an Olympic champion who was once a traveler on the dark road to destruction.
From his broken family to his troubled youth, Clay’s odds in life were more in favor of ending in criminality than in athletic victory on the world stage. But thanks to his mother—a woman of conviction, relentlessly dedicated to prayer—God’s design for his life began to develop in a most miraculous way, turning Clay into a champion of more than just athletics but also of faith and family.
Priceless lessons of trust, perseverance, and hope await as Redemption reminds us that life is precious and—just like the sport that affords Clay the title of World’s Greatest Athlete—every second counts.
With an inside glimpse into the fascinating world of track and field, re-discover a God whose plans often unfold exactly like Clay’s life: victorious against all odds.
“I have been put on earth not only to win medals and enjoy the thrill of competition but also, ultimately, to point people to the faithfulness of God.” —Bryan Clay
I heard a well-known Christian musician say at a concert that God was in the business of fixing broken people. I went home and thought about that for a while, and I came to a different conclusion...
That different conclusion, reached by singer/songwriter Bob Kilpatrick, has some interesting and exciting applications for re-thinking what it means to be a Christian.
Rather than casting God in the usual role as architect and great mechanic of the universe, Kilpatrick instead paints a portrait of God as an artist---passionate, visionary---who considers humankind his masterpiece. God doesn't see Christians as broken beings chugging along in a fixed-up life. He sees us as new creations, whole, complete, and a stunning part of his creative process. It's a powerful perception of God, one that determines how much we understand and enjoy God, which, in turn, affects the entire course of our lives.
We'll stop perceiving God based on what we lack, what we need repaired, and how weak we are, and come to know God as a creator who sees each one of us as a work of beauty and value. If we believe our relationship with God is one of artist/masterpiece/creative process, then we have every reason to rejoice in every stage of that process.
The Art of Being You offers every reason to believe that God is preparing us for an amazing heavenly display.
