They call the winning goal I scored in the last game of the 1972 Canada/Russia hockey series ‘The Goal of the Century.’ I still get a warm feeling when I think about it.
Fear is one of the best motivators, and I was very afraid that I would be part of the team that lost to the Russians. Canada is not a big nation, but hockey is our game. Everyone on the team felt a responsibility to win. I had confidence that our team was better than the Russians, but it never entered my mind that it would be me that scored that last goal. It certainly gave me a stature that I would not have had without it. I wish I could have handled things a little better at that point, been more mature. If I had a spiritual dimension to my life at the time, I know I would have.
Becoming a star
Back then, I had fulfilled most of my boyhood dreams, and I knew I was a very fortunate and blessed individual. Yet there was a restlessness, a discontentment in the centre of my being that I could not ignore. I was angry, bitter and frustrated, and there were things about my life that I didn’t know how to handle. Things were not going well with the Maple Leafs, the team I was playing on, and I was having a lot of conflicts with the owner. Here I was playing in the NHL, doing something that I had always strived for, but I had become more bitter and angry than I had ever been in my life.
So I started drinking as a way to soothe the pain. I think if you are frustrated and angry, you look for a way out. You get with the boys and you try to ‘make merry,’ but you wake up the next morning and it’s there again.
Fortunately, a friend encouraged me to examine the claims of Jesus. He told me that I hadn’t taken care of my soul and had never really looked at what it was on the inside. That made sense to me, so I started to read the Bible and look into Jesus. Jesus claimed to be God, and He said He loved me and wanted to give me eternal life. After a two-year search, I became convinced He loved me and wanted me to get to know Him.
A big decision
However, it was a real struggle for me to become a Christian for a number of reasons. First, I had always prided myself in being a self-made man. I was used to being in control of my life. I was also afraid of what my friends would think. Third, I still looked at Christianity’s ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ and thought that it was so narrow. How could I be a ‘man’s man’ and a Christian, I thought. I was worried that I would have to give up too much. Finally, I read in the Bible that if I really loved God I wouldn’t be afraid to tell others about Him. But if I became a Christian I didn’t want to tell anyone about it. That led to a lot of frustration, because I was not able to step over the line.
One day I just couldn’t fight it any longer. I threw all my fears aside and I said to God: ‘I am fearful, and I don’t want to tell anyone about this.’ And then I gave my life to the Lord.
Since that day, I have never been the same. God has had a positive impact in every area of my life. Most importantly, He has taken away my anger and bitterness. My life certainly hasn’t been trouble-free. One of the most challenging times in my life was when my wife was in the hospital and we thought we were going to lose her. I was mad at God, but I realized that night that life is a gift from God, and I decided right then to place everything in my life in His hands. He had proven Himself to me over the years with His faithfulness, and I knew that I had no choice but to surrender my life to Him. Now the inner quietness, contentment and peace I experience on a daily basis assures me that His promise to love and care for me is true and real. And best of all, I look forward to spending eternity with Him.
Is this the life for me?
Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?
Living with hope
If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.
If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.
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I really like this article. I think we’ve all experienced chasing a dream, being totally 100% focused on making that dream happen, and when it does happen, somehow we are disappointed that we don’t feel fulfilled by it. But when we give our dreams to God, we can be filled and joyful in every situation, on the way to our dream, once we’ve achieved it, or even if the dream never happens.
Like he had to accept God’s will in his wife’s illness, we need to give God our dreams and our loved ones, knowing that he will do what is best for us in the long run. I struggle with giving God control and trusting him to do what’s best, even if it doesn’t feel like the best to me at the time.
Paul,
I just heard the news that you are battling cancer and I wish you God’s deepest peace and assurance that the Lord is on your side. Giving that recent interview with CBC’s Mark Kelley, shows the Canadian public and the world…that you know that God is in control of your life. My wife Elaine and I will continue to pray for you.
I enjoyed serving you the last time that you came into Blessings Christian Marketplace at the old Mississauga store…in 2006 and to reconnect again. We met when you were doing a speaking engagement in Hamilton and I purchased your first book for my brother…who is a big hockey fan and now his family of four are a real “hockey family.”
Our mother, Doreen at 78, has just had a tumor removed in her intestinal area from a Hamilton hospital. We don’t know all of the details as of yet, and she may need “chemo.” Both of my parents are strong believers and as my mother recovers; I know that she’ll put her faith and trust in the Lord, as she always has in the past. They have been together for 55 years…and have been extremely blessed, supporting various missionaries and being a blessing to their Baptist church. I know that God will be looking out for my Mom’s best interest, as she has looked after God’s servants.
I hope that I have another opportunity to connect with you. As your treatments continue, please come some time to the Healing Rooms at TACF…I’m sure that they would love to pray for you.
God will give you strength as you fight this disease, you are His ambassador, and I know that God and the Holy Spirit can heal your disease.
Many, Many Blessings,
Ian Walker
Hi Paul,
Just thought i would drop a line here. Hope you get it. I was reminded when i heard the news you were battling cancer of the times we spent on our knees in the Campus Crusade office in Etobicoke every Tuesday. Thanks for teaching me how to pray! I was also reminded of singing in the hospital room with Gord Barwell…during his last few weeks with us… he used to forget the lyrics and say, “not bad for a guy with a hole in his head!” We laughed and cried and at the same time, with deep peace, realized Gord would beat us all to heaven.
I am praying for you, Elanor and your familyl, just as you taught me… that God would give you great courage to face life as he hands it to you. Fight on my friend, i dont think your song is done yet, or even out of tune! Deep blessings from Sandy and I, along with Chris and Kate.
By the way, if you have a mentor who would like to take on mentoring Chris as he serves in Newmarket with the RCMP, he could use a strong Christian man to mentor him.
Both in and because of Christ, your golf-crippled friend, Rusty
Hi Paul:
Thought I’d drop you a line of encouragement. David (my son of 12) had to chose a modern day disciple for his bible class at school and he chose you. Let me know if you want to read it and I’ll send your way!
We’ll be praying for you.
Rich