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Pastor Shawn Mitchell- San Diego Chargers

Chargers team pastor Shawn Mitchell usually spends Sunday mornings at New Venture Christian Fellowship in Oceanside, where he's the senior pastor. But during the playoffs, he's traveling with the team. So is Monsignor Daniel Dillabough, a University of San Diego vice president, who celebrates Mass for the Catholic players. Mitchell leads chapel services for interested team members. On Sunday's, he leads the postgame prayer. “To a man, we all feel we need to take a moment and pause and go back to the source of all our success and give thanks,” Mitchell said about the locker-room prayer. “The fact that we have been winning, the men figured that the Lord obviously is not finished with them yet.” After 26 years as spiritual mentor to the Chargers, Mitchell is both a chaplain and a cheerleader.

“They are just great guys with tremendous character,” is how he puts it. Some, like rushing superstar LaDainian Tomlinson, wear their faith tattooed on their bodies. In LT's case, it's a pair of praying hands on his right arm. Others – Mitchell declines to name names – write Bible verses on their shoes before heading onto the field. Stuff like Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” When it comes time to bow their heads, “We never pray to win,” Mitchell said. “We pray that both teams will be kept free of injury and they'll be able to perform to the best of their God-given abilities. “But honestly, under the breath of a few guys, they may add, 'And give us a win.' ” First it was cancer. Then diabetes. Next, a debilitating stroke. But no matter what's thrown at him, New Venture Christian Fellowship founder and San Diego Chargers Chaplain Shawn Mitchell survives, heals and moves on. Some would call it luck. Mitchell knows better. "I am here today as one of millions of living testimonies of the power of prayer," he said. Mitchell, 55, is still senior pastor at New Venture, which has grown from a handful of people meeting in his living room 20 years ago to a megachurch in Oceanside serving about 3,000 families.

While preaching in front of his congregation in March 2008, Mitchell began to feel extremely weak and dizzy. He didn't know it at the time, but he was suffering a brain aneurysm. Later in the day, he keeled over and was rushed to the emergency room. "I had popped a blood vessel in my brain," Mitchell said. "The doctors informed me that they were considering drilling into my skull to relieve the pressure; my brain was expanding because of the bleeding, but they felt there was not enough time."The prognosis was grim. "The hemorrhage was deep," he said. "The doctors told me that if it did not stop on its own, I would not live to see the next day." He didn't know it at the time, but as he and his family were grappling with the news, a prayer chain request had been e-mailed out to his congregation, and it had spread across the globe. The result?

"Dr. Jesus stopped that bleeding," Mitchell said. "God is but a prayer away." It wasn't the first time God has stepped in to save his life, in more ways than medically, he said. Mitchell became a born-again Christian in high school. Since then, he has placed a priority on telling others about God's love, and his life has been the better for it, he said. "I began to talk to God in prayer, and said, 'I'm not the most talented guy, but if there is any way you can use me in your work in some way, I would be very honored,'" Mitchell recalled. "I believe he heard that prayer." After that prayer as a young man, Mitchell went on to earn a bachelor's degree in theology and philosophy from Point Loma Nazarene College, and undertook graduate studies at Azusa Pacific University, Bethel Seminary and at the Institute of the Holy Land in Jerusalem.

After ministering in San Diego for a few years, including as a chaplain for the San Diego Padres, he was invited to be team chaplain for the San Diego Chargers, a position he has held for nearly 30 years. He is the team's spiritual leader, conducting chapel services, Bible studies and inspirational meetings for coaches, players and their families. He has also served as an instructor with the Billy Graham Association, and continues to be a popular guest speaker -- with appearances in nearly two dozen countries over a 20-year span, including a recent appearance in Murrieta for the National Day of Prayer earlier this month. But his busy schedule was abruptly interrupted in 1998 when he received the first of what was to become a series of bad medical news. His youngest brother called. He had renal kidney cancer. After he died in 1998, Mitchell and his surviving three brothers decided to get checked out, too. That's when it was discovered that Mitchell had the exact same cancer as his brother -- in the same spot -- a 1 1/2-inch tumor on his right kidney.

"It's considered inoperable," Mitchell said. "The prognosis is dire." But something happened. A few months after the diagnosis, before doctors were going to attempt surgery, Mitchell was giving a sermon and a parishioner raised his hand out of the blue. "He said, 'Pastor, you spend so much time praying for us, can we pray for you?' " Mitchell said. "Several hundred people gathered around me and began to beseech the Lord for my life." Two days later, an X-ray of Mitchell's kidney showed the tumor was gone, he said. "We said, 'What do you attribute it to?'" Mitchell recalled. "The doctors said, 'I don't know, it must have been our machines.' We know it was the hand of God, due to the prayer of others." His wife, Laurie, said she recently looked at the before and after X-rays of her husband's kidney, and the emotions of Mitchell's brush with death came rushing back. "It was like, 'My gosh, that was real, that really happened,'" she said. "For whatever reason, the Lord has used severe sickness to be a part of his life. He has chosen to use that in his life for his glory. "But the tribulations were not over yet. Another of Mitchell's brothers died of the same cancer within a year after Mitchell's miraculous healing. "I am not sure why he left me," the pastor said. His congregation does.

"With all his life-threatening health challenges, he's been faithful to the call God has on his life, and it's apparent God hasn't finished with him yet," said Barb Roessler, who attends New Venture and has worked with Mitchell at the church for nearly two decades. "Pastor Shawn has been an inspiration and example to me of keeping focused on what really matters in life, and to never underestimate what God can do. "Mitchell said God showed that healing power again several years after his two brothers died, when he developed a severe case of diabetes in 2004. His blood-sugar test results showed that he was dangerously close to going into a coma, and his doctor started him on insulin immediately. "I ended up taking shots to the gut," he said. "They told me I would be on insulin the rest of my life." That's when Mitchell and his family began to pray. The pastor started to show improvement. His need for insulin dropped by 20 percent. A month later, he was off it. While he is still a diabetic, he keeps the disease in check with a variety of supplements and a healthy diet.

"At home I have three dozen unused syringes, which is for me a reminder, a trophy, of how God heals," he said. "My doctor calls me Lazarus." But the road to recovery hasn't always been smooth sailing. After his stroke, his body was often overcome with pain, and his memory and vision were impaired. He underwent nearly six months of therapy and doctor visits. He is whole again -- he said his doctors have told him his fitness, conditioning and health are near 100 percent. Laurie Mitchell said the experience has challenged the whole family. But ultimately, she said, it's a story with a happy ending. She said her husband's faith has been strengthened through his trials, and his prayer life has become more intimate. "It sounds unreal that one person would go through this much and still be standing," she said. "I can see how the Lord has used adversity in Shawn's life to draw him closer to him. (We are aware) that this is something that the Lord really wants to use in his life, to be one of the things that defines him and his ministry."

 

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PITTSBURGH, Pa. (CNS) – Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu is not an NFL superstar who happens to be a man of faith. Rather, in his heart, he is simply "a Christian with a passion for Jesus." Football, Polamalu said, "gives me confirmation of how I can carry out my faith. It's my way to glorify God." And while he views his team's 2006 Super Bowl win as "really beautiful and a blessing," Polamalu notes that "success in football doesn't matter. Success in anything doesn't matter. As Mother Teresa said, God calls us not to be successful but to be faithful. My prayer is that I would glorify God no matter what, and not have success be the definition of it."

"Knowing Troy and how he carries himself, he brings light to the team," offensive lineman Alan Faneca told the Pittsburgh Catholic, the official publication of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. "Everybody respects that." Polamalu exudes a gentle, humble spirit, said Father David Bonnar, pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish in the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, who has celebrated Mass for 10 years before home games with Steelers players and coaches. "Since his arrival in Pittsburgh, he has been a permanent fixture at Mass. Even with all of the fame and success, Troy remains committed to the Christian faith," Father Bonnar said. "And if he has changed in any way, he has just become even more humble and spiritual. I have found him to have both the strong contemplative sense of Mary and the fierce active sense of Martha." Raised in Tenmile, Ore., the youngest of five children, Polamalu attended Catholic grade school and was steeped in the Polynesian culture of reverence for family, church and personal honor.

"I believe that I'm the same person on and off the field. I live my life with a passion and that includes how I play. Obviously, football calls for physical contact, but that's just part of the game," Polamalu said. To illustrate, he offers Jesus' time on earth as an example. "Look at the passion for life that he lived as portrayed in the Stations of the Cross – that fight that he had in him, as well as the love he shared with others. There's no difference." Indeed, what sets Polamalu apart is his knack for keeping love at the center of his sport. "Football, in general, has it backwards," he said. "They think this inner anger, this hatred, is what drives football and becomes the physical aspect of the game. But love overcomes all things. My love to glorify God through my playing will far outweigh anybody's hate for me."

Polamalu always reminds himself that through good and bad he offers everything to Jesus. He is a gentle soul with a Christian aura around him that has also inspired other friends and colleaguees to become better Christians. Troy Polamalu converted to Greek Orthodox two years ago, His wife is a Greek Orthodox and he is just as devout, if not more so and believes that being a Christian is not just a Sunday exercise. He found last years Super Bowl victory "really beautiful a blessing". He gives every effort on and off the field of carrying his faith as a "way to glorify God.

Major props have to go out to Troy Polamalu.. As Paradise of X-Clan pointed out this all pro Pittsburgh Steeler personifies the type of off the field behavior for all athletes to follow. This brother stands firm for a number of causes. Most notable is the behind the scenes work he does with the homeless. Many people don’t know, but Polamalu is well known amongst Pittsburgh’s homeless because he shows up to freeway underpasses and other spots where homeless people live and he brings them food, clothing. He buys them groceries and looks out for folks. It’s a thing that many in the media knew little about-which is a testament to Polamalu because he wasn’t trying to be some media hero. It was during the G20 summit when the homeless were being forcibly moved that Paradise Gray and Jasiri X ran into Polamalu who was visibly upset when he learned how the homeless was being treated. He was doing all that he could do to help them out..

Troy Polamalu helping out his people in a devastated Somoa should be of no surprise. This is what he does and because of his heroism we salute him and hold him up as a shining example for all to follow.. Troy Polamalu has developed a cult following here and throughout the NFL for his long, curly locks and Tasmanian Devil-style of play. It shouldn’t have taken a natural disaster in his homeland for us to ask about Polamalu’s bond with his Samoan heritage. Not until the 8.0-magnitude earthquake and three ensuing tsunami tidal waves that killed 168 people in the South Pacific this past week did we bother to explore the background of the superstar safety, already one of the Steelers’ all-time greats. For once, we should not worry about the status of his injured left knee and treat Polamalu as a person instead of a cartoon hero.

“It’s different in the sense that, we had a tragedy here with Hurricane Katrina, but this is islands in the South Pacific. It’s not as Westernized. Help is not immediate. In that case, it’s scary,” Polamalu said. “I don’t know how outspoken you can be and be heard, and who would really care. It depends. We’re not dealing with Texas or Louisiana. We’re dealing with American Samoa, which is a protected territory of the United States. I mean, western Samoa, America couldn’t care less about — but I would probably say the majority of the (Polynesian) NFL players are from there.” Six NFL defensive linemen are from American Samoa (pop. 66,000) alone, but there are 30-plus NFL players with family ties to the South Pacific. The Steelers have two in left guard Chris Kemoeatu, a Tongan raised in Hawaii, and Polamalu, who would like to see Samoa recognized as something other than a breeding ground for future NFL players.

“Honestly,” Polamalu said, “I think the NFL should get involved. Most importantly, hopefully, the United States government will get involved.” The voice of Polynesian players past and present has already been heard. The NFL organized a conference call with FEMA and the Red Cross, at the request of retirees Jack Thompson and Vai Sikahema, to keep players updated and to assess what to do charitably. It’s a sign of the impact pro athletes can have in using their influence to make a difference.
“We have to go down there and help rally the troops and rally the people,” Sikahema said, “because they so highly regard their players who come and have made a name for themselves in the NFL.” None is regarded as highly as Polamalu, among the league’s most identifiable stars for wearing his hair long in the Samoan tradition. What’s sad is that we don’t much more about a man who is so deep spiritually and culturally. Polamalu’s family is from Ta’u, one of five volcanic islands in the American Samoa and a place he describes as one where people live in huts and off the land. The damage is more severe in developed isles like Tutuila, where capital city Pago Pago was under water.

Miami Dolphins nose tackle Paul Soliai had an aunt and uncle die in the tsunami and has other relatives unaccounted for and Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Jonathan Fanene lost some cousins, so Polamalu knows how fortunate he is that his family still living there survived. “Thank God my family is safe, but the Samoan community is a little different in the sense that it’s really small and really family-oriented,” Polamalu said. “Even friends are considered family, and a lot of my friends and their immediate relatives have not been found yet.” While Polamalu wasn’t born in the Samoan islands and plans to defer charitable leadership to those who were, he wants to use his platform and lend his presence as part of the Samoan concept of fa’a lavelave.
Polamalu understands the clash of cultures between the Samoan way and the Westernized world, and knows that throwing money at the disaster won’t solve the crisis. Samoans are Aboriginal, live in villages and follow a chiefly system, where livestock can be considered more valuable than money. Under fa’a lavelave, everybody contributes. For the love of the game and Polynesians like Polamalu who play it with such passion, it’s time we put our fa’a lavelave in and show some support...In Jesus Name!

 

 

 

Brett Favre (born October 10, 1969 in Kiln, Mississippi) has been the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers football team in the National Football League since 1992.

Favre played college football at Southern Mississippi, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1991, where he was a second string quarterback with unremarkable numbers. Favre was acquired by the Packers in 1992 in a trade with the Falcons.

He has started every Green Bay Packers game after September 20, 1992, when he was summoned in to replace an injured Don Majkowski during game 2 of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals. He holds the longest consecutive starts streak for quarterbacks in NFL history, a number that continues to grow despite numerous injuries, including a broken thumb on his right (throwing) hand that he played with for all of 2003. Favre has won the National Football League's Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award three times, all in consecutive years (1995-1997; the last was shared with Barry Sanders).

During that time, while being treated for various injuries, Favre developed an addiction to Vicodin. He went public with his problem in May, 1996, and immediately sought rehabilitation after a press conference admitting his problem. He remained in rehab for 46 days. Shortly thereafter, he led the Packers to their greatest season in thirty years; the Packers won the Vince Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl XXXI against the New England Patriots at the end of the 1996 season. The Packers, led by Favre, fought their way to a second Super Bowl in the 1997 season, losing to the Denver Broncos.

One of the defining moments of Favre's career took place on December 22, 2003, in a Monday-night game against the Oakland Raiders. The day before, his father, who had been his high school coach and lifelong mentor, died. Where most players would have taken the week off, Favre elected instead to play. He threw for an outstanding 399 yards in the game. He then went to his father's funeral in Pass Christian, Mississippi and returned in time to lead the Packers to a 2003 NFC North title with a win over the Denver Broncos.

The quarterback turned his back on retirement several times in as many years, agreeing to play for the Minnesota Vikings. "I felt I did everything I possibly could do to get where I need to be," Favre said at his introductory news conference This past summer, my arm may not feel like it did at 21. But the pieces are in place that I don't have to do that much and I agree with that."They asked if I were willing to take that chance, they were, too." Favre finally decided that he didn't want to live with regrets. "I don't know how I'll feel a year from now, five years from now, but I didn't want to say what if," he said.

Fans of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre relish counting the memories and number of NFL records their hero owns. But Favre’s wife Deanna, a breast cancer survivor, finds comfort in counting her blessings. The football star’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. She spent four months undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The following year, after her last radiation treatment, Deanna was declared cancer-free. She says the life-changing experience brought her closer to her husband and her faith in God.

“I just feel like, with faith, it helps me see the good in everything,” Deanna said, The Favre's are members of St. Agnes Parish in Green Bay during football season and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Hattiesburg, Miss., during the off-season. Brett and Deanna both grew up in Kiln, Miss.