Legacy Youth Ministry Resources

Illustration texts

Now I Have A Gold Medal

In the 1976 Summer Olympics, 26-year-old Gymnist Shun Fujimoto suffered a broken right knee in the floor exercise. But his physical ailment didn?t stop him in his quest for the gold. During the next week he continued his competition in his strongest event, the rings. His routine was excellent, but then astounded everyone by squarely dismounting with a triple somersault twist on his broken right knee. When asked concerning his feat, he said, ?Yes, the pain shot through me like a knife. It brought tears to my eyes. But now I have a gold medal and the pain is gone.? (Newsweek, August 2, 1976)? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

A Worthless Shot

Imagine that two classes are dismissed to go get a shot in the school clinic. One class is told that the shot will inoculate them against a deadly plague that has taken many lives in your community. The other class is told, ?recent studies have shown that this inoculation doesn?t work, but we hate to cancel the plans and put a longer teaching load on the teachers, so we?ll continue the shots, just as if they really help.? With this preparation, which group will be able to take the shot with a better attitude? Why? (People can endure a lot of pain, as long as they know that the payoff is worth the pain. That?s the assurance we have in the Scriptures.) ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

Schwarzenegger's Mentor

At 15 years of age, Arnold Schwarzenegger decided he wanted to be the best body builder in the world. And when he saw a massive bodybuilder named Reg Park in a movie, he knew he had found his hero. In Schwarzenegger?s own words, "From that point on I was utterly dominated by Reg Park. His image was my ideal. I found out everything I could about Reg Park. I bought all the magazines that published his programs. I learned how he started training, what he ate, how he lived, and how he did his workouts. I became obsessed with Reg Park; he was the image in front of me from the time I started training?. I pasted his pictures on all the walls of my bedroom. ? I studied every photograph of him I could get my hands on ? noting the size of his chest, arms, thighs, back and abdominals. This inspired me to work even harder. When I felt my lungs burning as though they would burst and my veins bulging with blood, I loved it. I knew then that I was growing, making one more step toward becoming like Reg Park.." (Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder, by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Douglas Kent Hall, A Fireside Book, New York, pp. 18-20. Used by Permission.)

Metallica's View of God

Since a lot of students were going nuts over Metallica, I decided to surf to some of their sites on the web and see what they were trying to communicate through their lyrics. Although their music is awesome, I found that their lyrics were obsessed with death, destruction, and the spiritual enemies of God. I began to wonder why these guys seemed to hate God so much. I may have found out at the Metallica Encyclopedia site, which not only gave their lyrics, but also supplied information on what was behind the songs. One of the songs that especially caught my eye was titled ?The God That Failed,? from their ?Black Album.? According to the site, Metallica member James wrote the song about his mom?s death from cancer. She belonged to a cult that didn?t believe in using doctors. She believed so strongly that her faith in God would heal her that she refused any medical aid and died. I suppose in James? mind, when his mom needed God the most, He didn?t come through. Maybe that explains, at least in part, his dark attitude toward life and his antagonism to God that comes across so clearly in his lyrics. ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

No Doubt and Tragedy

Some have said that when life gives you a lemon, make lemonade. That?s just what Gwen Stephani of the band "No Doubt" did after a seven year romantic relationship went sour. But instead of turning bitter or lashing out, she wrote songs about the experience. The result? Her song "Don?t Speak" became the most popular single on the radio (with over 10,000 plays per week) and helped propel their "Tragic Kingdom" album to the top of the charts. According to God?s Word, all things can work together for our good, even tragedies. (Romans 8:28) (Written by Steve Miller) ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

Untapped Power

You have enormous untapped power that you will probably never tap, because most people never run far enough on their first wind to ever find they have a second. --William James

Pain Versus Suffering

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. -- Steve Sjogren

Battle of Life is Uphill

"The battle of life in most cases is fought uphill, and to win it without a struggle is almost like winning without honor. If there were no difficulties, there would be no success; if there were nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved. Difficulties may intimidate the weak, but they act only as a wholesome stimulus to men of resolution and valor. All experience of life, indeed, serves to prove that the impediments thrown in the way of human advancement may, for the most part, be overcome by steady good conduct, honest zeal, activity, perseverance, and by a determination to overcome difficulties." Edmund Burke

A Man Who Fears Suffering

A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears. --Michel de Montaigne