Let me talk to you about something on my heart….Are you living like a champion?  I believe everyone wants to win in life, don’t you?  Oh, there are times we do not understand all that winning may take or we may feel like we are losing so badly winning is impossible!  However, within each of us I believe God has placed something deep in our hearts, a true passion to win.

Champions love what they do.  It does not matter what the race or the profession in life.  People who win the race, win because they love what they do.  For example, a woman who desires to be a wife and a mother above all else in life, excels in her desire if she loves caring for her husband and children.  She is a true champion when she loves what she does.  People in the business world excel when they love their job.  You cannot "work up a love for it."  Either you love what you do or you do not love what you do.  Face it this way:  if you do not love what you do, you are already behind in ever experiencing championship living. 

Look at what happened in the NFL Playoffs yesterday:  passion produced two upsets.  I was talking with a NFL GURU Broadcaster the other day.  He felt that Indianapolis and Chicago would be playing for the Super Bowl Championship in Detroit.  It was all set up for them.  They had home field advantage and had experienced great successes this year.  Yesterday, they both lost.  The visiting teams "out-passioned" them which led to out performing them on the field.  What do we learn from this?  You can make millions of dollars a year and have thousands of dollars awaiting you in bonuses to win it all.  However, if you do not want it more than those you play against, you lose it. 

What do you do when you lose it?  The passion is gone and the love for what you do is gone.  First, pray and talk to God about it.  Secondly, evaluate what caused you to lose the passion to win.  Thirdly, let time tell whether it is "just a season in your life" or "it is a real problem." Fourthly, change your schedule or if the issue is job related, change your job or even your company.  We all need to be re-planted from time to time.  Change is not bad.  Change may be God’s agent to move you back into having a winning drive.

I have a big day today as I speak to all of our employees for a large block of time.  If you think about it, pray for me.  I am on the hill at 12:45-2:30.  Before and after that, I will be leading in an "in-house staff retreat" for our Ministry Staff for the next two days.  It is an important day and an important time in our ministry.  As always, I want us to have the passion to succeed.  You know, live like champions! 

Champions love what they do . . . I hope you live like this today.  I intend to do so completely!