Words of Hope in the Face of Tragedy

This is the Truth Network does anybody out there need words of hope. I can tell you right now. This host dies I'm Stu Epperson and with me is a man who actually wrote a book. It's a devotional it's loaded with encouragement and I am tickled to death to have this guy on the radio program podcast show wherever you're here in this interview because he's someone I have admired from afar.

He's actually impacted me because he meant toward impacted a bunch of men who coached me and discipled me in the Lord and in basketball and he is coach Fred Kroll coach I can't believe I'm talking you this is awesome. Well, I can't believe I'm talking to you and North Carolina. You got it. Well, Spokane, Washington produced the grace like Dan's arms under him. Big Dan and Ken Sugarman and all those guys did came and play ball me at the Masters University coach, a consenting coach go Sugarman. Of course, and then go to hear a knock I'm in rocket, Rod Foster, who played for the sons and Mike half who actually ended up connecting us directly who son plays for Virginia just won a national title in Virginia last year this a pedigree bass. What are some serious issues going on a coach Fred out there bacteria up the big one got in part was named after my son, Jacob, Michael, lived in our old Greer unreal.

That is just just amazing and I just know there's what I've always loved that.

The fact that you can be blessed in the game of basketball.

But love Jesus and play for his glory. At the same time, can you talk about how those two have come together in your own life and how that led you to write this book. Words of hope will I withhold the graduate bulletin are vital and at age 22, I became the head coach at University of Alaska and I soon discovered that basketball is a great tool to teach character, and while at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I gave my life to Jesus Christ that I didn't really want to because my idea of religion was. He would take away all the things that looked like basketball, but I chosen the to give basketball to the Lord and he's actually taken the basketball in my hand all over the world where we have over 300,000 youth to come to work. I was in professional marriage counseling after many years in coaching and I were I realized there was a lot of truth to the fact that it's better to train a child upright and fix the broken adult so my life gradually gravitated back to basketball because if you go to a village where there's been suicide. They won't come and listen to a psychiatrist/psychologist, but they'll come and listen to a basketball guys like I call myself a basketball all is and I like that every element in teaching is one you have to know I'm interested in a recognized recognition that you want to know what the second you have to understand that if you know what you don't do it you don't know it, and then the third thing that coaches have a big advantage over the classroom. Therapist you got your act together do it. So everything that we teaches the rest of the implementation and so that's that's all I got into the Program and doing it. 50 years now and we have camps in six countries, and about 20 state might want my cup runs or North Carolina on this vinegary life and basketball is a great tool basketball itself does not teach character, it only revealed. Well, I also believe that psychology spent a lot of time studying psychology.

Psychology can undress you psychology can point all your fault, but only the Bible the word of God can restore and rebuild you well as a voice of toast.

Fred close got camps that he's bestowing all over the world. He's instrumental in some amazing ministries. The NBC camps. Of course athletes in action allow you heard of that he's influenced so many basketball players including myself. A large part of my testimony is tribute to the guy on the phone with who I talked to now for the first time today. We chatted briefly before calling them to just forgot on the line for this the special interview and a coach coach Fred. The world is is just stood still on a recently on a Sunday afternoon that when they heard the news that a helicopter crashed in Southern California taken the lives of Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, GG and seven other wonderful folks who were on their way to some kind of AAU basketball game and the world's confused and you just mentioned cycle psychology how it can undress you and how people trying to cope with this and a lot of tears are flowing so many accolades Kobe Bryant in the game and NBA All-Star really a legend. One of the most beloved players in this most recent generation. 60 points. His final game, and on and on and on but in terms of perspective with Jesus Christ. And what's really important.

How is this a sobering reminder coach of what you said already and in your ministry. With this in this book. Words of hope. What words of hope, can you give us about for those listening right now we don't know that we have tomorrow, what would you say coach with all this going on will I think the thing that really found out I've been grieving and no one on the website and look at his life. You know, we go back to the Colorado incident work is like literally shattered and so in addition a word of hope. I'm starting another one with 31 chapters called a revocable laws of six, and one of about the law of brokenness and everybody after experience, brokenness and brokenness will either make you better or build a new you and what I'm really thrilled about reading about Kobe Bryant and that Colorado incident may have been his life-changing experience for he actually reached out to that lady and and then he became a great dad and he became a great husband and I but I believe is brokenness and I've been thinking a lot about death, we don't like to talk about death in our culture and in 2010 I went in after eight years of successful cancer, prostate cancer and I went in and my PSA had jumped 22 points in a short period of time and still going to a movie that night. I'm going to Scan in the next few days and went into bone scan, so I've been fighting metastatic lung cancer and next week I go into some more radiation and so then you ask yourself, and I asked the person for today. Would you like to die like Kobe. Would you like to die like some of it was for 10 years that lead me to this question.

The law of being born twice in the law of giant wife who, in my case I was born in 1942 in Seattle. Mom brought a care in the world 13 years.

But in 1966 I died I guide to self and everything points to the cross without the death of Christ. There is no life after and then absorb or wants. And then we die one. But then when I died I was born again for the second time that is probably the greatest thing that could ever happen to a human being is to be born again, and God doesn't take our garage and prepare he gives us a brand-new heart a brand-new minded and then the next one is how to get ready for your and Kobe didn't have a chance to think about that.

I've had 10 years to plan my funeral.

When a doctor looks you in the face and says I give you two years, then you have to ask yourself is so for the reader or listener out there.

I would ask what this Kobe Kobe's death mean to you and what you think Kobe might say to you I no one Alaska where there's one school that I work with has 50 suicide and in every case of a person who has tried to take their life and doesn't is the greatest failure to try and you will make it the greatest failure will ever experience everyone I've ever dealt with in 50 years goes, what was I thinking, thing I could've ever done. And so anybody listening to this. The questions I would ask is how should I know in light of Kobe well how I know I'm the guy and then I'm in a get live again and that's called another. That's why hope this will boarding my mom died of pancreatic cancer 63.

I was bitter until I was born again and once I was born again. Death was no like all death is not a bad thing. Death is a good thing now my fitness is that the Kobe left at 41. I'm 77 I trade them in a bit, but I can honestly say that anybody listening that I would be willing to die instead of Kobe because he is good.

I'm people are going to miss all the great years he could've contributed yet and I even though I still want to live. I would any young person that's where I'm sad he had so much more to give you did, but I've got a great faith. The only thing I would think of red.

The only thing I would take umbrage with on that is all the people visiting your last 3040 years and in your 69 year life experiences a player coach and father telling people you have led to Jesus and again I think that the path I would my data days had any well yesterday and that's it. That's that is that's best is pretty powerful and I think it sure gives us sure gives us the opportunity to take inventory think okay, who am I pointing to Jesus right now I don't have tomorrow.

I don't know when my time is come, and God does. But but were mortal, but who am I taking to heaven with me and Fred coach Fred girl, you take God's use you to bring a lot of people, including myself closer to Jesus are so grateful very different when you're talking. That reminds me what all you know Paul had a problem but God said to me, my grace is sufficient for you because my strength is made perfect in your weakness.

When I got hit really hard with the colon cancer my wife that credit you are going to have a greater ministry and illness than you did in your strength and that's been through so I started writing words of hope four years ago and you go through the vote.com you'll see that I had the pictures because I'm a pitcher guy and so with the state and the book will be a daily devotional for court magazine, book company called being in nowhere because I disappear Spokane in this and we want to feature you challenge me. What can you bring the table and 60 days I presold 10,300 and that's awesome why and because my followers believe in my in my message and I believe I believe everybody needs hope. Hope is the anchor to your soul and all of your brokenness.

Hope changes you and hope give you the fire to live and so even though I know that my days are numbered.

When I say I'll give you. I have only visible acronym in Alexa culture PMA glam enthusiastic RPE relentless pursuit of excellence. What took you to be in the winter you got a want and I just came up with 15 for 2020 and it's called PPR and I would encourage anybody listening to number one for 15 minutes and ask what's my purpose.

Why are you alive fix of my friends have died of cancer and like in the last seven years. So I say what is my purpose.

My purpose is to love God, love people and serve them. The best I can impart that love is to live a life such a way people would one of give-and-take that the greatest teacher and so that's my purpose is to love God with all my Michael, my article my soul and then purpose purpose is followed by passion.

How are you that you will get you to get energy for your purpose.

You get to get them through passion and passion, from an intense desire to live out your purpose and the third one is the R and that's responsibility.

The guy wrote a tremendous book recently or eroded 1950s name is the Kierkegaard Lawrence Coren Lauren Kierkegaard and his coalescence of the lilies of the field and the birds of the year at the great book and he had a prayer to the P1 I have intimacy with God. You need to spend time in silence. So silent, leads to intimacy with God the father, the son of the Holy Spirit. Intimacy with God leads to obedience. You want to be obedient to God's laws God word is: your life go to practice violent, then obedience leads to joy and therefore Jesus actually was able to say this, all for the joy over the joy that awaits me. I gladly go to the crop and this is where I met over the joy that awaits Fred girl. I gladly live with Cancer is a tool in my life caused me to want to be silent so that I can be intimate and intimacy is going to cause me to be obedient today and obedience is going to cost me to be responsible.

So I call pretty simple. He looked break it down that way is solid.

It's almost book moments of hope and it words of hope in a words of hope.com right. That's the main website that'll take the book why good coaching tools for players for coaches a lot about starting our special guest coach Fred Kroll in his ministry. Over the years and judge what is raising more encouraging to see a young person through the Avenue of basketball through a coach through to a guy like to talk to a guy like yourself is raising more courtesy that young person come to faith in Jesus Christ. What really blesses you when that person commits to Christ and they go on practice with the garden and there is no other way to get to get on the transfer and want to get on the train and write it and live it and I'm so thankful that in 1966. But not only for diseases but I don't… About all you are all in the revealed will begin 20 3040 under old and I think you have kinda alluded to the fact that Kaiser you know in my life say that my my yield given my life to Christ is been 100+ Old Navy, FL so been difficult in a challenge because he expects the rest of the company and carry her across the live without reservation and really you're one of the architects of the I get a team together a really good team like an All-Star team of believers to play another big team a pro or or or even in an omission on a missions trip and then share Christ at halftime with the other team and all the audience and invite them to come to Christ me that that model that God's use you to influence so many is it in and you don't know this.

We startled team called team truth out of our Christian radio ministry and we play a lot hospital colleges in the preseason smaller colleges we played we played some replacing P1 schools and in and then it halftime shared Christ and did post a pregame in really basketball opens a door for the gospel like no other in and when you have is this instance of of everyone's talk about death and everyone's Saturday morning the loss of this this real NBA legend. They just announced he's going to be going into the Hall of Fame. Kobe Bryant isn't I you know it's it's this is the time to point people to Jesus the only one who conquered death. The only one who has the answers.

The one who said I am the resurrection and the life and human point of Jesus through the game of round ball a coach Fred for all these years and we are so grateful for you and for your legacy and for this book is a book words of hope and words of hope.com will thank you so much.

I really appreciate talking to talking with you and share my life with your well the love to have you get out comedian person on these days and did you want to hug you. Have a great great celebration on the relief work of hope maintain work. My granddaughters will be starting at very popular all nice and will be a great day so anybody out there wants, they would not pay for, especially you okay will you is my first question to be. Can you give me a good pickup game like in place of volunteer Jesus love you guys. I got some serious players of his letters.

Alternately I'll just figure out just say I'll just give them a ball. You know, just give in the Baltic. I'll pass all rebound if I need to go if I needed the postal go down low.

If if if you want me to face the basket and drop some trees in a coach, I'm here for you whatever you need will take your bill advises. I like to have a chance to coach of the copyright of the river. I got to go to my 29 when David and Australia trip went out yesterday. His last gaming at 18.16 rebound is best. Good luck or your coach. He's a beast of Dillion. He coaxed me in and wore me out. Even as a coach you come down to play with us in get that big body banging around in inside the post and that but they know my favorite part about playing ball and the reason I still play bosses.

I love to share Jesus, we got a group of guys probably 30 guys last not. I say guys didn't here right now.

Grab a hand work on talk about the Kobe situation were to pray for everyone impacted by this and I said two words guys are said number one prayer everyone pray for all the families impacted by this number two Jesus point people to Jesus Christ because he's the only one that has the answers. He's the only one I can Kobe I want to do three things.

Number one on a prayer that God will bring people and families like the Whelchel children and wife and I pray that she has a great network.

Secondly, I meant you like to make me more intentional.

There is never a doubt the world and adopted the only was I question is when.

So my purpose is to live out my my passion so that people if I live I want to live really well. And if I die I want to have people say boy Kroll died. Well, those are my goals so quickly to help me be a better person may take that failure on his Lord. Thank you for your time today.

I coach Fred Kroll for blessing us words of hope.com. Learn more. There meet the man wrote this book is for 69 years he's played he's coached he's mentored he's been all the world using the basketball is a great pulpit to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

The one who conquered death. The one arose from that grave in the one who's coming back again.

Are you ready to meet him and who are you taken with you.

Maxwell may not be your thing, whatever you're gifted in God's giving that gift to use to bring others to Christ.

God bless you coach Fred we love you man was a special thank you to a wonderful partner helping us advance the message of this program of the gospel in the thank you goes out to my pillow.com Mike Lindell, the inventor and CEO has now open his heart to say thank you as well. He wants to give you the opportunity to do what I've done I've slept on this pillow. I love my pillow. I sleep better. What would you give her good night sleep right now for the first time you get deep discounts on all the my pillow products. I'm talking about my pillows.

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