Sports
Christ is the reason for the incredible victory: McDowell, the NASCAR winner, publicly confessed his faith
![](https://theendtimenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/McDowell-the-NASCAR-winner.jpeg)
Entering Sunday’s NASCAR season-opening Daytona 500 — the “Great American Race” — driver Michael McDowell was a 100-1 underdog. After the race, which ended shortly after midnight in Florida thanks to two fiery crashes on either side of a rain delay that lasted nearly six hours, it was McDowell celebrating in victory lane.
The win marked his first in the Cup Series after only four top-five finishes in 357 previous Cup Series starts during his first 13 seasons.
“I just can’t believe it,” McDowell said on the track immediately following the race. “I’ve just got to thank God. So many years just grinding it out and hoping for an opportunity like this.”
In the No. 34 car for Front Row Motorsports, McDowell was involved in the first crash on lap 15, but his car didn’t sustain enough damage to slow him down. He was third on the final lap when the two leading cars collided, causing another massive crash. McDowell emerged as the leader, and he held on to win. The final lap was the only lap he led.
During his press conference following the race, McDowell was asked if winning this race matches the dream.
“It does, but whether I win this race or not, it’s not what defines you,” he said. “It’s unbelievable and I’m so thankful, but I’m thankful to have a happy, healthy family and a beautiful wife and a great family. Not everybody makes it to victory lane and for 14 years I didn’t, so just to be here now is just so amazing.”
It was Joey Logano who held the lead down the final stretch of the final lap, but his Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski tried to pass on the inside, and instead caused both to spin out. Logano was upset that he didn’t win the famed Daytona 500, but he was happy for McDowell.
“I feel like we had a great shot being where we were and leading on the last lap, but if we couldn’t win I’m really happy to see McDowell win this thing,” Logano told FOX. “He’s a great guy, a great person, a good leader in life and has helped me a lot in my life, so it’s very cool to see him win the Daytona 500.”
McDowell’s win also essentially secures him a spot in the playoffs this fall for the first time in his career. For the 36-year-old McDowell, his success to begin 2021 is a sweet reward for his countless hours of work without a win to show for it.
“There’s been lots of years where I was wondering what the heck am I doing and why am I doing it? I always knew if I just kept grinding that one day everything will line up and go right,” McDowell said after the race.
He later expounded, saying, “When you show up to the race track, and you know that you’re — I don’t even know how to say it — you’re just in the way, taking up space, it’s hard to do that year after year and week after week. So you’ve got to have a bigger purpose than that. For me, it was knowing that I would get an opportunity eventually.”
McDowell told the Sports Spectrum Podcast in early 2019 that he has relied on his faith in God throughout his career, and he wants others to know about the love of Jesus too.
“I’m passionate about people coming to know Christ,” McDowell said. “Part of that is just a realization that you’re either alive in Christ or you’re dead. There’s no in-between.”
McDowell explained that he did not grow up learning about Christianity. When some of his racing mentors introduced him to the faith, it was unlike anything he’d encountered before. Soon after, McDowell sustained a horrific accident in qualifying at the 2008 Samsung 500 in which his car slammed against the wall before barrel-rolling to a stop. Amazingly, McDowell walked away from the wreckage unscathed and went on to race that weekend.
Through his brush with death, God revealed to McDowell the true power of the racing platform he’d been given.
“Once I fully surrendered, I realized that I love speaking and I love talking with people,” he said on the podcast, “and if I’m going to do that, then I need to be doing it, 1) to glorify God, and 2) to lead people to Christ. … That area between your feet, that’s your mission field.”
In 2014, McDowell also spoke with Sports Spectrum about his faith, how he sees his position in NASCAR and what he feels God is calling him to:Now with a Daytona 500 victory to his name, McDowell will try to win again at NASCAR’s next scheduled race, the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at Daytona on Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. ET.
httpss://youtu.be/NlqwEJPtQrs?t=3
Sports
‘God Kept Me’: Gold Medal Winner ‘Stuns’ World by Singing About Jesus During Olympic Press Event
![](https://theendtimenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Yemisi-Ogunleye.jpg)
The Paris Olympics wrapped up over the weekend, but one faith-filled moment has been shining out brightly in the aftermath of the global spectacle.
This year the games featured a wide variety of both God-glorifying moments and anti-Christian displays, like the sacrilegious mockery of the Last Supper during the opening ceremonies.
In the final days of the games, one athlete took a bold stand for Jesus, singing out her Christian faith right in the middle of answering questions on the global stage.
Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany won the gold medal in the women’s shot put at the 2024 Summer Olympics on Friday.
On her first attempt, she had slipped and fallen due to rainy conditions. Ogunleye said she overcame discouragement with God’s help.
“I was just saying a prayer. It was the moment when I knew that if I have the faith, I am capable of doing more than I can think or ask for. In that moment, I just took all the energy that I had left and just put it out there,” she said. Then she managed to launch the 8.8-pound metal ball a full 20.00 meters.
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During the Olympic press conference, she was asked about singing in a Gospel choir. That’s when she revealed that after falling down during her event, she went back to her seat and sang a Gospel song called “I Almost Let Go.”
Then she burst into singing for the world to hear: “I almost let go. I was right at the edge of a breakthrough but couldn’t see it. The devil really had me, but Jesus came and grabbed me. He held me close, so I wouldn’t let go. God’s mercy kept me, so I wouldn’t let go. So I’m here today because God kept me. I’m alive today only because of His grace. Oh, He kept me. God kept me. God’s mercies kept me so I wouldn’t let go.”
Those who heard her sing about her faith burst into applause, and then the moment quickly went viral on social media with Christians sharing about it on multiple platforms.
Evangelist Franklin Graham posted about her decision to glorify God, writing on Facebook, “Olympic gold medal winner Yemisi Ogunleye stuns the press with a beautiful song about how Jesus Christ has kept her. She sings, ‘I’m alive today because of His grace.’ Thank you for not being ashamed of His Name Yemisi!”
Gospel singer Kurt Carr who originally recorded that song posted as well, saying, “Thank you for letting your light shine and showing the world your love of God. Congrats on winning a gold medal for Germany in shot put.”
Ogunyele also told Olympics.com, “Some time ago, I was just praying and asking God what he wants to do with the Olympic Games. And He was like, ‘We are going to get gold.’ I did not have faith at that moment. But He kept on telling me. It sounds literally crazy, but I have seen it in front of my eyes, and I really started to have faith and the confidence that it is possible.”
Meanwhile, another moment of Christian praise also gained attention during the final days of the games.
Sources:CBN News
Sports
Team Fiji goes viral singing worship hymns in Olympic Village: ‘So beautiful’
![](https://theendtimenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Fiji-team.jpg)
The harmonic singing of hymns praising God by the Fiji Olympic athletes, coaches and staff during their worship gatherings in Paris’ Olympic Village has gone viral on social media.
Australian water polo player Matilda Kearns, housed near a building hosting teams from the Oceania countries, shared videos on Instagram of the Fijian athletes gathered in worship on a Sunday afternoon.
“Having the best seat in the Village being next to the Oceania building,” she wrote in an Instagram post that has been liked by over 559,000 people. “Still not sick of it!”
Five days earlier, Kearns shared another video from inside her room listening to the Fiji worship hymns that received over 600,000 likes.
“So beautiful,” she said. “Everyone has come out onto their balconies to listen to it.”
In the videos, the Fijians are heard singing “Mo Ravi Vei Jisu.” According to Classical FM, the Fijian hymn translates to: “Put your trust into the Lord and he will guide your way.”
The people of Fiji, who are about 64% Christian, reportedly view faith as a vital part of their customs. Singing worship songs is one way many often engage in worship.
Team Fiji shared a video of the members singing the full song in a July 21 Facebook video.
“Team Fiji singing a hymn during their Sunday Service this afternoon,” the post reads.
In interviews with the media, athletes have reported that they have been pleasantly surprised to hear singing from seven Fijian rugby players early in the morning.
“They tend to start around 6:30 a.m.,” an Australia team staffer told Reuters. “No one is bothered by it. … It just sounds beautiful.”
The Fijian men’s rugby team made headlines in past years, taking home the gold medals in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic games before taking home the silver medal this year.
After winning the gold in 2020, the the men’s rugby sevens team united to sing the hymn “E Da Sa Qaqa.”
“We have overcome, we have overcome, by the blood of the Lamb, in the Word of the Lord, we have overcome,” they sang in their native language.
Sources:christiansworldnews
Sports
ഒളിമ്പിക് വില്ലേജിൽ ആരാധനാ ഗാനങ്ങൾ ആലപിച്ച ഫിജി ടീം
![](https://theendtimenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Fiji-team.jpg)
പാരീസിലെ ഒളിമ്പിക് വില്ലേജിൽ നടന്ന ആരാധനാ യോഗങ്ങളിൽ ഫിജി ഒളിമ്പിക് അത്ലറ്റുകളും പരിശീലകരും ജീവനക്കാരും ചേർന്ന് ദൈവത്തെ സ്തുതിക്കുന്ന സ്തുതിഗീതങ്ങളുടെ ഹാർമോണിക് ആലാപനം സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയയിൽ വൈറലായിരിക്കുകയാണ്.
ഓഷ്യാനിയ രാജ്യങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നുള്ള ടീമുകൾ ഹോസ്റ്റുചെയ്യുന്ന ഒരു കെട്ടിടത്തിന് സമീപം താമസിക്കുന്ന ഓസ്ട്രേലിയൻ വാട്ടർ പോളോ കളിക്കാരൻ മട്ടിൽഡ കെയർൻസ്, ഞായറാഴ്ച ഉച്ചതിരിഞ്ഞ് ആരാധനയിൽ ഒത്തുകൂടിയ ഫിജിയൻ അത്ലറ്റുകളുടെ വീഡിയോകൾ ഇൻസ്റ്റാഗ്രാമിൽ പങ്കിട്ടു.
അഞ്ച് ദിവസം മുമ്പ്, 600,000-ലധികം ലൈക്കുകൾ ലഭിച്ച ഫിജി ആരാധനാ ഗാനങ്ങൾ കേൾക്കുന്ന തൻ്റെ മുറിക്കുള്ളിൽ നിന്ന് മറ്റൊരു വീഡിയോ കെയേൺസ് പങ്കിട്ടു.”വളരെ മനോഹരം,” അവൾ പറഞ്ഞു. “എല്ലാവരും അത് കേൾക്കാൻ അവരുടെ ബാൽക്കണിയിൽ വന്നിരിക്കുന്നു.”
വീഡിയോകളിൽ, ഫിജിക്കാർ “മോ രവി വെയ് ജിസു” പാടുന്നത് കേൾക്കുന്നു. ക്ലാസിക്കൽ എഫ്എം അനുസരിച്ച്, ഫിജിയൻ ഗാനം ഇങ്ങനെ വിവർത്തനം ചെയ്യുന്നു: “കർത്താവിൽ നിങ്ങളുടെ ആശ്രയം അർപ്പിക്കുക, അവൻ നിങ്ങളുടെ വഴി നയിക്കും.”
ഏകദേശം 64% ക്രിസ്ത്യാനികളായ ഫിജിയിലെ ജനങ്ങൾ വിശ്വാസത്തെ തങ്ങളുടെ ആചാരങ്ങളുടെ ഒരു പ്രധാന ഘടകമായി വീക്ഷിക്കുന്നതായി റിപ്പോർട്ടുണ്ട്. പലരും ആരാധനയിൽ ഏർപ്പെടുന്ന ഒരു മാർഗമാണ് ആരാധനാ ഗാനങ്ങൾ ആലപിക്കുന്നത്.
ജൂലൈ 21-ലെ ഫേസ്ബുക്ക് വീഡിയോയിൽ ടീം ഫിജി അംഗങ്ങൾ മുഴുവൻ ഗാനവും ആലപിക്കുന്ന വീഡിയോ പങ്കിട്ടിരുന്നു .
അതിരാവിലെ ഏഴ് ഫിജിയൻ റഗ്ബി കളിക്കാരുടെ പാട്ട് കേട്ട് അത്ലറ്റുകൾ ആശ്ചര്യപ്പെട്ടുവെന്ന് മാധ്യമങ്ങൾക്ക് നൽകിയ അഭിമുഖത്തിൽ അത്ലറ്റുകൾ റിപ്പോർട്ട് ചെയ്തിട്ടുണ്ട്.
“അവർ ഏകദേശം രാവിലെ 6:30 ന് തുടങ്ങും,” ഒരു ഓസ്ട്രേലിയ ടീം സ്റ്റാഫർ റോയിട്ടേഴ്സിനോട് പറഞ്ഞു. “അതൊന്നും ആർക്കും ശല്യപ്പെടുത്തുന്നില്ല. … അത് മനോഹരമായി തോന്നുന്നു.”
ഫിജിയൻ പുരുഷന്മാരുടെ റഗ്ബി ടീം കഴിഞ്ഞ വർഷങ്ങളിൽ വാർത്തകളിൽ ഇടം നേടി, ഈ വർഷം വെള്ളി മെഡൽ നേടുന്നതിന് മുമ്പ് 2016, 2020 ഒളിമ്പിക് ഗെയിമുകളിൽ സ്വർണ്ണ മെഡലുകൾ സ്വന്തമാക്കി.
2020-ൽ സ്വർണം നേടിയ ശേഷം, പുരുഷന്മാരുടെ റഗ്ബി സെവൻസ് ടീം “ഇ ദാ സാ ഖാഖ” എന്ന ഗാനം ആലപിച്ചിരുന്നു “ഞങ്ങൾ ജയിച്ചു, ഞങ്ങൾ ജയിച്ചു, കുഞ്ഞാടിൻ്റെ രക്തത്താൽ, കർത്താവിൻ്റെ വചനത്തിൽ, ഞങ്ങൾ ജയിച്ചു,” എന്നവർ അവരുടെ മാതൃഭാഷയിൽ പാടി.
Sources:christiansworldnews
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