Bob Dole lost the 1996 presidential race, but many believe he came out a winner in 2000. Dole’s quick wit has made him an instant success as a commentator on Comedy Central’s “Indecision 2000.”

“After his loss, Dole could have emerged as an elder statesman or an embittered old man.” According to TV Guide’s Joel Stein, “Instead he has re-created himself as an alternative pundit who has been embraced by young viewers.”

Psalm 37:24 NASB “When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.”

On April 15, 1947, Robinson made it to the “show.” He became the first black man to wear a Major League uniform, destroying the color barrier in professional sports. In his first season with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he hit .297, sent 12 over the fence, and led the league with 29 steals. He was also the National League Rookie of the year. Two years later they named him the National League’s Most Valuable Player and he won the batting title with a .342 average. 1949 was his first of six appearances in the All-Star game. During his ten years with the Dodgers, he helped them reach the World Series six times. Robinson had a career batting average of .311 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility.

Did you also know that Jackie Robinson was court-martialed from the Army and that he dropped out of college?

Psalm 42:5-6a NLT “Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!

For more Information on How to Write Narrative Sermons, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00007L0UE/fm082-20

May 8, 1997 marked the beginning of a new era for the most storied franchise in the history of the National Basketball Association. Rick Pitino, the hottest coach in college basketball after leading the University of Kentucky to three final four appearances and a national championship, was introduced as the new coach and president of the Boston Celtics.

Pitino would do more than call plays from the bench. All personnel decisions were placed in his hands. He was given a free hand to shape the team in his own image. "This is a dream come true for me, to be the head coach of such an incredible institution," he said when first introduced to the media as Boston's coach. "I think you'll all be very pleased with the product that we put on the floor." Three and a half years later Rick Pitino walked away from his dream job with a .411 winning percentage. He is the only coach in Celtic history to never lead his team to a winning season. The hottest coach in basketball, the perfect fit to return the greatest franchise in the NBA to glory, walked away from his team and over twenty million dollars in disgrace. The end result was not as surprising as it may appear. Pitino's trapping, pressure style of play did not fit the faster, more athletic NBA. He is, in the words of CNNSI.com's Marty Burns, "a college coach who was doomed to fail from the beginning when he stepped off the campus and into the glare of Fleet Arena."

Proverbs 14:12"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

Oprah has "O" so why shouldn't Rosie have her own magazine? April 4, 2001 Rosie O'Donnell launched her new magazine "Rosie." She's taken over McCall's 3.5 million readership when they folded and will try to gain some of her 4 million viewers as readers.

A guaranteed formula for success, right? Not necessarily, O'Donnell says, "I think it will either be a big hit or a big bomb." She's hoping for the former, not the latter.

Success usually involves risk, and always involves hard work. "If I'd known how tough this would be, I never would've done it." O'Donnell said, "But I could say that about most things I've succeeded at in life."

Tim Albin, 1999 NAIA coach of the year knows something about success. He lead his team, the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers from a 5-5 record his first season with them to an undefeated 1999 season with a 13-0 record. Their 34-26 defeat of the Georgetown College Tigers gave them the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) national championship.

Albin is a goal setter and goal achiever. He earned two college degrees and has worked himself up the coaching ladder, now he has reached the big time, he is headed to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln to become their tight ends coach.

"I woke up one morning after completing my first season as head football coach, and said, 'There's got to be more than this,'" he said. "I was 32 years old and began to wonder, 'How long is this going to go on?'"

He turned back to the faith of his childhood—he returned to church. Soon after attending again, Pastor Buddy Hunt led him to the Lord over dinner.

"For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26 NASB

A Spanish lab technician needed only two hours to amass a fortune in play money and defeat a Norwegian mutual fund manager in the World Monopoly Championship in Tokyo recently. 36-year-old Antonio Zafra Fernandez pumped his fist in the air after driving his challenger into bankruptcy and claiming the $15,140 prize-which is equal to the amount of play money in a Monopoly game.

His opponent, Bjorn Andenaes had memorized endgame probabilities from an Internet study guide in hopes of winning the championship. He never had a chance to use his strategies though, when a bad throw of the dice ended his hopes.

After wining, Fernandez said, "I'm extremely happy and so proud." He said he and his wife would use the prize money to buy a new car, and added, "It's not about the money. I'm going home as a champion, which doesn't happen often in a person's life."

—Associated Press, Spaniard Wins Monopoly Title, October 10, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

1 John 5:4 (NIV) "for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith."

Cy Young Award winning pitcher for the Atlanta Braves John Smoltz believes actions should speak louder than words. He says there is more to life than striking out the next batter. Smoltz says he used to play baseball for himself, but now follows different rules.

Smoltz says "Now, it's a different set of rules so that God gets all the glory. I am as competitive as the next person, but I don't go to the extreme. I try to live my life so that if no one ever hears me say a word, they watch me and judge me by my actions. If you never heard me say a word, you would say "there's something special about that guy—he's different."

Smoltz became different when he experienced the life changing power of God. He became a believer during his best season ever, 1995. He even won the National League's Cy Young Award in 1996. Looking back Smoltz says becoming a Christian did not earn him the Cy Young award, but he feels it helped him handle all the impact of the success he experienced. He adds, “I read the Book of Philippians over and over and over that year just to gain perspective."

Lately injuries have limited Smoltz to a relief pitcher, but he says he has focused more on making his best pitch for the Lord every chance he gets. He says, "I never thought I'd get the opportunity to stand in front of 5,000 people to share my testimony or my faith."He adds, "Playing baseball now, the main focus is to do my best. I believe that if God was out there on the mound and He had to throw His best knockdown pitch and His best inside pitch, it would be just that."

—http://headlines.agaperepsss.org. Brave's Reliever Testifies of God's Transforming Influence, October 8, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Col. 3:17 (NIV) "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Michael Jordan says, “I have failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

The true measure of success isn’t the absence of failure, but the ability to learn from failure and press on in the midst of it.

Psalm 42:5 Msg “Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God—soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.”

Coach Wooden said,"I have always tried to make it clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior."

--http://bmia.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/remembering-coach-john-wooden-the-real-deal/ Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and David Mills

Wooden is arguably the most successful college coach that ever lived, and yet he drew attention to his relationship with Christ as the greatest source of his success.

1 John 2:17 (NASB77) “And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”

In License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver, Rick Harrison says, “I’ve tried a lot of things that have worked and a lot that failed. I wasn’t afraid of failure, and I knew if I could make this a success it would be a huge success. It didn’t seem like a risk at all.”

-- License to Pawn: Deals, Steals, and My Life at the Gold & Silver (Kindle Locations 3510-3511). Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 (CEV) (1) Be generous, and someday you will be rewarded. (2) Share what you have with seven or eight others, because you never know when disaster may strike. (3) Rain clouds always bring rain; trees always stay wherever they fall. (4) If you worry about the weather and don't plant seeds, you won't harvest a crop. (5) No one can explain how a baby breathes before it is born. So how can anyone explain what God does? After all, he created everything. (6) Plant your seeds early in the morning and keep working in the field until dark. Who knows? Your work might pay off, and your seeds might produce.

At the second Inauguration of President Barack Obama on January 21, 2013, vocalist and performer Beyoncé Knowles delivered a moving rendition of the National Anthem. It was immediately regarded by news organizations as a historical moment. US Magazine called it “Beyoncé’s proudest moment ever” and Business Insider called it “nothing short of amazing.” However less than 24 hours later, a Google search for “Beyoncé National Anthem” would only produce results of a scandal. The day before, Beyonce had skipped rehearsal, so she decided as the last minute to user her pre-recorded track. She lip-synced the entire performance. So why the scandal? Everyone knows Beyoncé can actually sing. She was singing to her own recording. The music industry response was that it was no big deal. The Christian Science Monitor asked the question the next day “does it matter?” One Twitter user put it best when he said, “if you’re going to call yourself a singer, then sing.” On one of the biggest stages in the world she was afraid to fail. Yet, her effort to avoid failure is what caused her to fail. --Jim L. Wilson and Stacy A. Johnson

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/beyonce-admits-she-lip-synced-at-inauguration-87017.html (accessed 2-28-13)

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

In 2013, Michael Jordan celebrated his 50th birthday! Most people wouldn't believe that a man often praised as being the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. Fortunately, Jordan was able to overcome that discouraging setback! He refused to let it stop him from playing the game! Having overcome Jordan now looks back on 6 NBA championships, 5 NBA Most Valuable Player awards, being the NBA scoring champion 10 times, a 14-time NBA All-Star and a 3-time NBA All-Star Game MVP.

Jordan states, "I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." --Jim L. Wilson and Ray Webb

--http://www.theway2happiness.com/blog/2011/07/12/Famous-People-Who-Overcame-Adversity.aspx (accessed 2-28-13)

The scriptures teach that by God’s strength we can rise above discouragement and adversity and succeed in life. Overcoming adversity builds character and character in turn builds the hope that we need to keep pressing forward in life.

1 John 5:4 (ESV) For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.

Bill Cosby said, “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” —Jim L. Wilson and Rondall Leggett

“The 15 Best Quotes to Inspire Perseverance,” http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/comfort-cravings/201401/the-15-best-quotes-inspire-perseverance

Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Footage from surveillance cameras from two businesses located near each other show a man who tied to rob both of them came up empty handed. The suspect, a Hispanic man in his twenties, first walked into a convenience store and demanded money. He was holding a potato disguised as a gun. The thief fled when the manager grabbed a baseball bat and chased him. A few minutes later, the same man entered a nearby dry cleaning business and demanded money, while waving the potato. The clerk gave the man a counterfeit $20 bill from a decoy register and the then the man left. Police have not made an arrest in the case, and are not sure what will happen because the thief did not get anything, and technically a potato is not considered a deadly weapon.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Potato-wielding bandit successfully robs business of its counterfeit $20 bill, By Will Lerner, https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/odd-news/potato-wielding-bandit-successfully-robs-store-of-its-counterfeit--20-bill-215954586.html; Accessed April 22, 2014.

Proverbs 17:20 (HCSB) One with a twisted mind will not succeed, and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.

Rogelio Garcia Jr., 25, is an engineer with a degree from MIT. "I am living the American dream. I love my job. I don't have to worry about making next month's rent," Rogelio told "20/20."His sister, Adriana, 24, drives a sports car and is in management for a rental car chain. They're typical American kids with big futures, but the big difference is how they got there.

Yolanda and Rogelio Garcia Sr. live nothing like their children. For 21 years, the Garcia’s have supported their family by picking through garbage, often cutting their fingers on broken glass while searching for cans and bottles. Late at night they make their living on the darkened streets and back alleys of Los Angeles, recycling other people's trash for cash. They've collected more than 8 million cans and bottles to help put their two children through college. —Jim L. Wilson and Charlie Moulton

Ephesians 1:7 (HCSB) “We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”

Two boys from New Jersey became famous overnight after their father posted a video of them on social media. Carmine Testa put up a video of his sons Nicholas and Michael, tossing a rubber pizza. He had posted other videos, and had no idea why this particular video generated more than 14 million views in two weeks. Testa owns a pizzeria in New Jersey and said he hopes his boys will consider becoming doctors or veterinarians, but in meantime he did not think there was anything wrong with them getting their hands dirty in the family business.–Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Proverbs 16:3 (HCSB)“Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be achieved.”

Three American scientists, including one who initially flunked out of MIT, won the Nobel Prize in physics because they launched a whole new way of observing the cosmos. Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish, and Kip Thorne were part of team of more than 1,000 astronomers who first observed gravitational waves in September 2015. The Nobel Committee said the three combined an advanced theory and an ingenious equipment design to push back the boundaries of science. Albert Einstein first theorized the existence of the waves, but did not think technology could be developed to detect them. Barish described the work the three did as “a win for Einstein” Thorne added, “It’s a win for the human race as a whole. These gravitational waves will be powerful ways for the human race to explore the universe.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

While studies show that bonobos (a type of chimpanzee found in the Congo) prefer those who win, regardless of how they won, humans are not that way. In a study conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, researchers found that children between 21 months and 31 months like the winner, but only if the winner wasn’t a bully.

As it turns out, the old adage that “it isn’t just about winning, but how you play the game” resonates with our young. —Jim L. Wilson

And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

She won twice in one night—Kaylee Foster kicked the winning extra point, and was homecoming queen for Ocean Springs High School in Mississippi—all in one night.

After a night of winning, a reporter asked her “whether she was more nervous before the homecoming queen announcement or before she made the kick.” Foster said, “I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be homecoming queen, but I was pretty sure I was going to make that kick.”—Jim L. Wilson

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/homecoming-queen-makes-game-winning-kick-on-football-field_us_5b97567de4b0511db3e5811a

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”