I Need Your Support

WARNING: This letter is entirely a joke. Please read it in the spirit in which it was written and do not take this seriously. This letter is purely for the amusement of the five people (including my own mother) who happen to read my blog.

Dear friends and family,
I am writing you because I have a great mission ahead that I want you to prayerfully consider being a part of. I am currently raising support for my latest endeavor - serving as a missionary for organized sports, specifically NCAA football and the NFL. I realize you may think this is a mission that does not need your time, energy and support, like raising money to fight the common cold, but I assure you, we are in desperate times.

I have positioned myself among the most un-reached people group; the least likely to ever become football fans of any kind. I work every day in the IT Department. Just this week I was told, "I bet you are excited Kevin was named the starting quarterback for the Broncos." Are the names "Kevin" and "Tim" easily confused? I don't think so. Someone else told me he felt bad for Brett Farve because Tim Tebow took his starting position. Sorry sweet friend, I think you meant Kyle Orton. Then there was the most shocking conversation of all. One of my coworkers said he had a lot of respect for the owner of the Denver Broncos for reasons outlined in an online article he read earlier that morning. His reasons did not make much sense because I believe he had the roles of the owner and the coach confused, but when we informed him of the name of the owner - John Elway - his response was, "The guy who owns the car dealerships?"

These conversations are happening, on a daily basis, and I know people even among the most resistant people groups, are open to hearing the message of football. They are hungry for knowledge; like this week when I spent almost two days trying to explain why football teams do not and should not go for a 2 point conversion after every touchdown.

The last few months of living among the lost have been an eye opening experience for me. I thought everyone was just like me. Doesn't every family plan vacations around football schedules and raise their kids to be a fan of their alma mater? The answer is NO! There are people out there who desperately need our help. There are children right now all over the United States living in households void of team jerseys and without any knowledge of mascots or fight songs. They will never hear the roar of a crowd on a fall afternoon or experience the emotion of a last minute touchdown.

My hope is that one day everyone can say they have watched at least one football game in its entirety. You can help make this a reality. I have learned to stay the course and to fight even among those who would rather talk about servers or computer configurations than a game winning field goal. We must not be discouraged but let our passion for the game speak volumes to those we come in contact with.

If these stories have moved you, I urge you to not only prayerfully support my ministry, but to start one right where you are. There are lost people all around you who may never experience the happiness and joy that football can bring unless you intervene in their lives. You do not have to work in the IT Department. The fields are ripe with harvest right where you are. Your local theater, seminary, video game store, library or nail salon are all great places to start. We are also working with a team to develop curriculum to help you better share your message.  

I urge each of you to consider the difference football has made in your own life. Thank you in advance for your support.

Your humble and grateful sister,
Danielle