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Brent Fuqua

When I was growing up in North Carolina, I went to a Christian school and often attended church but did not understand what it meant to have a personal relationship with the Lord. I thought Christianity was a matter of doing the right thing but I found that I was always doing the wrong thing. I was getting into trouble and doing crazy things. I naturally had a great deal of energy and loved basketball but I wasn't very good. I got cut from the school team starting in fourth grade and did not make the team until ninth grade when made the junior varsity team.

I was the worst player on the team and only scored seven points the whole year but I kept working hard. By the next year, I was starting and by my senior year I was starting for the varsity team. I put my significance and self-worth into basketball. If I had a good game, then I felt good. If not, then I felt bad. I started think that if I could get a college basketball scholarship, I would be a person that was admired.

While at college, I tried out for the basketball team. After six weeks the coach called me into his office and said, "You're not good enough to be on the team" and I was cut. I was devastated because I had put all my self-worth into basketball. I found out that basketball is a great sport but it is a terrible god. About six months after that, I was at a Christian conference and I felt like the Lord was speaking directly to my heart. The Lord wanted me to ask for forgiveness of my sins and for me to give my whole life to Him, which I did. I now understand that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship.

That was in1986 and it is amazing what the Lord has done in my life since then. I have played over 150 exhibition games with Athletes in Action and went onto start my own basketball ministry called Hoops of Hope. I run basketball clinics and do ball-handling exhibitions around the U.S. and overseas. None of this would be possible without the power of the Holy Spirit.

I Kings 18:21 says, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal (an idol) is God, follow him." Most of my early life was spent wavering back and forth but when I accepted the Lord into my life, He gave me peace. So, what are you waiting for? Accept the Lord today and you'll never be the same!