Lord, Why Am I Here?

I thought I had retired from a 40-year coaching career in 2012 when I left Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Tx. In 2015 I got a call out of the blue to go to Norway and Coach the Asane Seahawks. I really felt like God was in the move and had a spiritual reason for the trip.

A nice young engineer who played defensive back picked me up from the airport and since the next day was Sunday, I asked him where he went to church. He laughed, “We don't believe in fairy tales like Jesus and the Easter Bunny like you Americans.”  

I said to myself, “Lord, why am I here?”

Our first road game we played in Oslo and spent the night in the stadium locker room. About 3 a.m. the Lord woke me up. I went out to the stands and there sat Hasse Hellan. He told me that ever since I came, God had been convicting him of how he lived his life. Hasse was probably the last guy on the team I would have thought would receive Christ, but that night he did.

Three months later we played in Oslo for a second time, but this time I was able to lead the team in the Lord's Prayer before the National Championship game, which we won. I went on to coach Hasse on two other teams in Iceland and Serbia. Hasse lives in Bergen, Norway and is raising his son as a Christian. God sent me 5500 miles for a reason. Luke 15:4-7.

“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner

who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:7

Mark Reeve

Mountain Home, Texas