Another Special Life in Christ

These testimony lives are not stories of "role models". Jesus is the role model!
These are lives wonderfully touched & changed by Jesus!

Coach Mark Richt:

On advice of our nephew, Paul Seybt, Betty and I watched the Georgia-Auburn football game on 16 November 2002. We were on a weekend get-away in Charleston, S. C. and watched the game on TV. UGA made a tremendous come-back to win the game in the last minutes. The sports person hurried up to coach Richt immediately post-game, "Coach, what is your reaction to your team's great come-from-behind victory?" "It's great! But first I'd like to give thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." Wow...I sat up...who is this man? Not knowing anything about Mark, I couldn't wait to get home and do an internet search in hopes of finding his testimony. Here, from Atlanta Christian Weekly .com is a start:

UGA's Mark Richt is a Head Coach with a "Higher Calling"
by Kyle Watson

The University of Georgia not only has a fine football coach. They have a man who has his priorities in the right place. Last Thursday, July 19 at First Baptist Church of Snellville men's dinner, Mark Richt shared his testimony before almost 900 men. After speaking with him and listening to his testimony, I learned that he is very sincere, humble, humorous and stern. He spoke of struggles after his first dreams didn't come true. He told us how his quarterbacking days in college were stalled by Jim Kelly, a star quarterback. His days at the Denver Broncos were ended by young John Elway's arrival at football camp. Later he tried his chances with the Miami Dolphins, only to have  Dan Marino show up on the team. "This must have been God's way of showing me what a good quarterback looks like," said Richt, who later became a quarterback coach at Florida State University. Before becoming a quarterback coach, he coached a high school team that ended up with a 0-10 season. His struggles had gotten so bad that when he attempted to be an insurance man, he showed up on his first day of work only to see cops arresting and taking away his new boss. Some time later, he gave his life to the Lord Jesus Christ after becoming a graduate assistant coach/quarterback coach. An incident where a FSU football player was murdered during a confrontation caused a meeting by Head Coach Bobby Bowden, where he spoke to the players about Christ. After that meeting, Bowden led Richt to the Lord. Although his parents divorced when he was a teenager, it is amazing how God has made him into such a loving family man. He really loves his wife and children. He works hard to divide his time between them and football. Richt spoke of how time consuming his position as Head Coach is. He praised his wife for being such a supportive spouse. With some of the off-season problems involving players getting in trouble, Richt spoke of how his goal is to be a role model for them. He doesn't just want to coach them on the field, he wants to teach them principles and disciplines. He hopes to teach them life lessons so that they will become better men. He strives to prepare them spiritually by his own example. He really cares for his players and wants them to "be great fathers one day." 

Coach Richt really loves Jesus. He seeks Christ in decisions by constant prayer and fasting. His motto is love and obey God. This coach spoke from his heart. As he said it best he wants to "serve the people instead of himself."

Posted on Face Book 12/31/2018: "Now that he is retired, I don’t think CMR would mind me sharing this story that perfectly illustrates who he is as a football coach, and more importantly, as a man."

"It was January of 2011, we had just finished the season 6-7 with a loss to UCF in the Liberty Bowl. CMR called a team meeting, which wasn’t abnormal during that time of year, as we usually met as a team before the 2nd semester to go over classes, workouts, goals, etc. However, this meeting was surrounded by rumors that Coach Richt was offered another coaching job - for more money - at his alma mater and we believed he was going to take it. Obviously, we wouldn’t have blamed him due to the pressures of coaching in the SEC and the fact he was now on the “hot seat”."

"As we sat down, there was a single chair in front of the team meeting room, which we all knew to be the hot seat usually set up during the preseason. The hot seat, for those who don’t know, is an opportunity for any member of the program to get in front of the team and share his own personal story. Normally meant for seniors, others have sat there before and that day was Coach Richt’s turn to speak his truth."

"We were expecting his farewell, but what we were given was the most revealing and telling depiction of who Coach Richt truly was as a man. He explained that he wanted nothing more than to win a championship and finish his job here at Georgia, but believed it wasn’t his sole purpose. His purpose was to raise each of us as if we were his own and fulfill the promises he made to our parents and loved ones."

"As he continued, he then asked for those of us who had been raised in broken homes or without a father to raise their hands. Over half the room, including myself, raised their hands. He scanned the room and after a long pause said, “see my job isn’t to just win football games, it’s to make sure in 20 years your sons aren’t sitting in these seats raising their hands. My job is to mold each of you into good husbands, fathers, and men, who also happen to be great football players”."

"There wasn’t a player in that room who didn’t want CMR to be the man who brought UGA a championship. Against all odds we ended up winning the SEC East the following season. Each one of us who played for CMR were forever grateful for his wisdom, guidance, and love that he gave us over the years. He was an incredible football coach, who never lost sight of what was most important about his job and that was the well-being of his players."

"Thank you, Coach. We love you! Best, Artie Lynch UGA Letterman, Class of 2013."

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(posted 17 November 2002; addition 12/31/2018) 

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You have just read a very brief example of the powerful, supernatural transformation of a person's life which is possible through the acceptance of Jesus as your savior. Are you tired of life as it now is for you? He will accept you just as you are right this second! Consider accepting Jesus now [check it out]!