https://youtu.be/b8EFAZBHmOU
I was told by a world champion bull rider that I would never be a champion, a true champion until I change, submit, and start to give God the glory.
I spent an entire rodeo career claiming I was doing it myself. I relied on no one. I didn't need anyone. Look at me. All the while, I believed in Jesus, the Father, and The Holy Spirit. I do not ever remember not knowing Christ existed, or doubting his presence to the level I could understand Him at the time. I always had belief.
Going backwards in time a bit to help understand the story, I grew up in extreme poverty, child of divorce, in and out of child protective services, with and without a home, plumbing, and or electricity. We were evicted often. I was in Boles Home for a few years. My mother through all of this repeatedly told me, we aren't goingto Church because... (you pick the reason, she said it). I would occasionally get invited by a minister visiting the elementary school. We would pass a Church and I would ask to go.
From these experiences, I learned if you can't rely on family, then put your faith in no one. Team sports made zero sense to me in high school. I ran track and played football for two reasons; 1. Was to gain endurance and strength, 2. Was because my bull riding influences told me it would help me and I had to. I did not do it to help the team at all. I had become what I believed all others were.
I was introduced to rodeo in my early teen years. I found I had a talent and could succeed in the arena. I quickly learned I could make money doing something I loved. The equation of rodeo = no more poverty was a no brainer.
Now in the pros and looking for notoriety from the pros, I was obsessed with riding bulls. I lived a life of rodeo, car, bar, rodeo, car, bar, wash, rinse, repeat. I would leave on a Wednesday or Thursday, go to a rodeo Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night, try to catch two on Saturday during the day and another Saturday night, and another on Sunday. Then I would drive to the nearest rodeo contractor's ranch to bum a bed, food, and some practice. Monday and Tuesday I would work a little and get on as many bulls as I could handle, push myself some more, and start driving out on Wednesday to start the cycle over again. I would take all the sandwiches the sweet contractor wives would pack for me. I would hear their messages about Jesus, and I would start driving.
At every rodeo, a cowboy preacher would host Church in the bleachers round about 10:00am each morning. Cowboys are a little hard-headed, so those good preachers knew offering service on Sunday only wasn't enough. A bunch of nomad, rodeo cowboys cannot be an easy ministry. I would attend most services, all I didn't sleep through. Sometimes I would wake up in the bleachers to the service going on around me. I might be hung over, still drunk, or sometimes just worn out from the miles not believing I ever needed rest, true rest.
As I gain notoriety, place, win here and there, and move up in the standings some Christian cowboys took notice. They would individually or team up and minister to me about the way I was living, to submit, to start living for God, give God the glory, and so on. I always told them, "look, I believe in Jesus. I'm saved." I would continue on with my life style all the same, still unchanged in my pride, ego, heart, and who was first me then God.
I chased the World Championship title and buckles from many, many associations. It always eluded me. I was only allowedto get as close, as high in the standings as 4th. My highest standings finish was 9th in the world. I consistently qualified for the finals of various associations and circuits, but never a title.
I retired and the gold buckles I chased are resting in someone else's cabinets. The men I know who have them, all string in their Faith then, and now. They understood who should be first. They understood what I did not. We did not have talent. We did not have anything. We were each given gifts to use for God's glory. I did not understand it and start to make the transition until after I retired.
There can only be one world champion per year. I don't know if I would have ever won the title if I'd made the connection during career. I do know why I did not.
