heart of the giants

Heart of the Giants Feb 11, '08 9:04 AM for everyone By Preaching Connection It's always fun to learn the story behind the story. The other day I saw an inspiring glimpse into what helped propel the New York Giants to the Super Bowl championship. In various ways before seeing this TV feature story, I'd heard about how the Giants had turned around a season that appeared to be heading nowhere, and then I saw part of their last game of the season against the Patriots when they played the undefeated team and gave them everything they could handle. I was surprised to hear that they beat the Buccaneers, then the favored Cowboys, and then the Favre-led Packers. Somehow they had that special something that puts a team over the top, despite all adversity. Then I saw a TV feature about the man who it seems is a large part of the heart of the team. Greg Gadson doesn't even play football, but he knows team spirit. He's a lt. colonel in the army, and a veteran of the Iraq war. He's a well-built man with a stout-looking head and neck and shoulders. The only thing he lacks physically is legs. They were blown off in Iraq as he rode in a Humvee. What saved Gadson's life were the people around him: the other soldiers on his team who pulled him to safety and got him to the doctors, the surgeons who rescued him medically. So what does all this have to do with the Giants? When Giants' coach Tom Coughlin heard Gadson's story, he asked Gadson to come and speak to his team. The night before the game with the 2-and-0 Redskins, Gadson spoke from his wheelchair to the Giants. He told his story. As one of the Giants' players said later, Gadson helped put things in perspective for him. The next day the Giants came from behind to defeat the Redskins, and then overcame one difficult challenge after another until they overcame the ultimate challenge of the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl. At every playoff game except one (because he needed surgery), Gadson was on the sidelines rooting his new teammates on to victory. What's a preacher? You're an inspiration for God's team. You inspire them with your life and your sacrifice and perseverance in hardship. You inspire them with your sermons and your conversations. You're the Greg Gadson for your church.