I am trying to expand my influence to include not only Xavier, but also the University of Cincinnati, by leveraging my golf in reaching people for Jesus Christ. (I played golf for the University of Arizona, and still play competitively in amateur tournaments.) Mark and I have been busy meeting the new freshmen.  We have had positive experiences and feedback, but I thought I might share some of the “less successful” situations, just to be real.

Occasional Awkward Conversations

Freshman Girl Golfer: I don’t need forgiveness, because I don’t sin.

Me: Really?!   You’ve never sinned?

Freshman Girl Golfer: Oh, I do have regret for a few things I have done, but I don’t think I have sinned.

Me: Have you ever lied to make yourself look better? Have you ever been jealous of what someone else got that you really wanted?  These are sins. We all sin. *pause*  I sin.

Freshman Girl Golfer: I don’t want to get into a debate with you about this.

Me: Okay.

All Zeros

A week ago I had meetings with the golf teams at Xavier.  During a portion of the short meetings I handed out “comment cards”  where they put their name and cell number, and then I list 4 things to let them indicate to me their level of spiritual interest.  The directions on the card say that 1 = no thanks, and 10 = yes.

There were eight young men sitting there and one of the guys looks at me and says,  “What if I have absolutely no interest at all?”  I told him, “Feel free to put all zeros and my feelings will not be hurt.”  So he and one other guy on the team put all zeros.   (Just so you know, someone else gave me all tens.)

This week, the Xavier men’s golf team was playing in the “Bearcat Invitational” that the University of Cincinnati was hosting. I made a point to follow the Xavier players and the UC players that were in the tournament.  One of the young players that put had put all zeros is a freshman. (We’ll call him Jack, but that is not his real name.) And so I decided I would make sure to follow him a bit and encourage him as I did all the players.  His mom was also following him and started talking to me.  “Oh, Jack is playing so much better now that you are here, you must be his good luck charm.  Please keep following him.”  Though I don’t believe in luck, I was more than happy to follow “All Zeros Jack” as he played his round.  I followed Jack as he played the last five holes and then sat behind the 18th green to watch the rest of the Xavier boys as they came up the 18th.  It was a great time to build relationships with the players both from the University of Cincinnati and Xavier.

As I was telling a co-worker this morning how I had followed a boy at the tournament that had given me all zeros, she and I were encouraged to think that as a result of beginning to build a supportive friendship with this student, that if I gave him a comment card today — he might have even given me at least some ones!

Thank you for your partnership in enabling us to be on the front lines of sharing Jesus Christ with students that are all at different points in their spiritual journey.  It is so exciting to see the Lord change lives.