Carlos Cesar Sampaino Campos

CESAR SAMPAIO - GOD IS MY STAR

At the age of 5, I used to run after the soccer ball with the rest of the kids on the street and on the improvised soccer "fields" close to home. I never imagined I could go very far playing soccer.

My career began to take off when I started playing on Sao Paulo's' small court soccer team from 1980 through 1983. From there I went to Santos where I played in all categories until I arrived at the sub-eighteen category.

In 1986, at the age of 17, I had my big chance of starting as a pro. In 1987 I was elected to play with the Brazilian national Junior squad and in 1988 I played in the New Players squad also.

In that same year (1988) I signed my first contract as a pro. I bought my first car and I started doing whatever I wanted. I got everything I had dream of as a kid. Now I was going to be happy!

But to my desperation I discovered that I was not as happy as before. And worse, nothing I got gave me peace and joy or was able to fill the void I felt in my heart.

As I observed the fall of some colleagues on my team I also discovered that in soccer you are just a tool, an instrument. As long as you are doing fine and playing well and as long as you are doing what the team requires of you, people will treat you well. But when you fail, things are different - and painful.

On Christmas Eve 1986, Alex Ribeiro and Johnny Monteiro came to Santos to speak about the Athletes for Christ movement. They spoke about the true meaning of Christmas and I had my first contact with the Bible. A seed was sown in my heart that day.

Years after that, when I was questioning my purpose in life, Johnny popped up again at the Santos training grounds and he started bugging me about the things of Jesus at the hotel reception area.

"Why don't you invite Jesus into your heart?", he asked, as if that was the most natural thing in the world one could do.

"How do I do that?", I asked back. I was curious.

"Repeat this prayer after me."

"OK, Johnny, but hurry, man. People are arriving here and the bus is coming to take us", I said.

I was in a hurry but I did invite Jesus Christ into my life. I accepted Him as my Savior.

The change was immediate! God honored my decision in practical ways. The following game I was elected the best player on the field. I received many rewards and I was sure it was He who gave me all that.

The following months I grounded myself in the Word (the teachings of the Bible) and in my commitment to God and to the church.

Once some bandits held me at gun point. They took away my car and held that gun right on my nose. I was totally at the mercy of those assailants. At that moment I was sure that my life depended not on those guys but on God. I was able to experience the peace that only the love and faithfulness of God could give - even in difficult moments like that. Surely I was in His good hands, and I continue to be because the Lord is my star.

If you want Jesus Christ to become your Lord and the star of your life, read Romans 8.31-39 and Psalms 23.4-6.

If you would like to know more about Jesus and what He can do for you, just click the button on the left side of your screen to change your life.