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The Christian Cup is an adult hockey tournament that seeks to glorify Jesus Christ. In the last seven years, the Christian Cup has provided great times of fellowship, encouragement, and of course hockey.

The 2011 tournament will consist of 16-20 teams from across the U.S. and Canada. The teams will be split into three divisions: A, B and C levels in order to provide best possible player experience. Each team will be guaranteed four games, which will be held at the National Sports Complex (NSC) SuperRink in Blaine, Minn.

Created by Jim Rocha of New England Hockey Ice Ministries (NEHIM), the Christian Cup is heading into it's 8th year. In past years, ministries from all across the country such as NEHIM, Saved on Skates, Pass it On, Okontoe and Metroplex Christian Hockey League (MCHL) have participated.

“Every Christian Cup has been extremely memorable with great times of hockey and fellowship,” says Rocha.

This year's Christian Cup will be hosted by FCA Hockey and Okontoe Ministries.

Team openings are available in all divisions. If interested in participating please contact the tournament director, Todd Lohstreter begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting, at lohstreter@yahoo.com.

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Heart of an Athlete

Rhett Rakhshani University of Denver Men's Hockey

Selected Struggle: Surrender

Dictionary definition: “To give oneself up as unto the power of another; submit or yield.”

My definition: “The ability to lay your life at God’s feet and have faith in what He is going to do with you.”

Favorite Scripture that deals with surrender: Matthew 16:24-26 – “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it…’” (v. 24-25).

Why I chose this verse: “To me, I think God is saying that if we truly wish to find meaning in our lives, we need to surrender to Him and trust His plan for us. We should let God lead our lives.

“The achievements or possessions we gain in this world can’t buy a ticket to eternal life. So, the short time we have on earth should be used to glorify Christ. The lyrics of the song ‘Surrender’ by Vineyard mean a lot to me. They say, ‘I’m singing You this song. I’m waiting at the cross. All the world holds dear, I count it all as loss.’”

“It’s reassuring for me to know that I follow a God who is in control…”

How surrendering applies to me as an athlete: “Surrendering to God is something I have to consciously do on a game-to-game basis. Sometimes you are going to be playing hard and playing well but still not getting the results you want. I’m beginning to realize that I can only play as hard as I can and play to my potential every night. When I do that, I just have to surrender the results to Christ. As a Christian, that’s how I worship and glorify Him in sports.”

How surrendering applies to my life: “I was drafted by an NHL team a few years ago, so it would have been easy for me to really seek after and desire the fame and fortune that comes with being a professional athlete. But I’ve started to learn that I need to surrender my entire life and all of my desires to God and to follow Him wherever He leads. It’s reassuring for me to know that I follow a God who is in control of my life.”

About the Athlete Career Highlights: •Selected by the New York Islanders in fourth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft •Has played for the United States National Team Developmental Program since 2004 •Two-time Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic Team •2010 team-selected captain Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif. Class: Senior Position: Forward FCA Involvement: After connecting with FCA Hockey National Director Rick Randazzo and Colorado FCA Area Director Lee James, Rakhshani was inspired to start an FCA Huddle with his team. Currently, a group of Pioneers meets regularly with James for fellowship and Bible study. Said Rakhshani: “Rick and Lee have encouraged me to bridge hockey with my walk with Christ and to develop a vision for my life as a Christian hockey player. It’s been an awesome experience meeting for Bible study with my teammates and talking about how to connect hockey and faith.” FCA Staff Quote: “Rhett’s willingness to serve both his teammates and coaches has made him a special person, player and follower of Jesus Christ. I have enjoyed getting to know him and watching his relationship with the Lord grow.” – Rick Randazzo, FCA Hockey National Director

--For more stories about faith and sport, visit www.sharingthevictory.com, the official magazine of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. To subscribe to STV, click here.

Courtesy of Rich Clarkson & Associates/NCAA Photos

Hi everyone. So sorry that I've been away for a few weeks. I will give you the reason of why.
It was March 3rd and everyone in the league knew that it was trade deadline day. Our team (Washington Capitals) had been relatively inactive up till then and we all knew that something was gonna go down for sure. We just didn't know what or when. We were playing Buffalo that night and I followed my game day routine as usual. The morning skate was business as usual and then we all went back to have a meal and a nap.The deadline ended at 3pm. My roommate (Jason Chimera) and I usually nap from 2-4pm. We were joking that we should turn off our phones so that if we were traded we would at least wake up rested.
My room phone rang and woke us up at 3:15. That never happens! We knew that one of us was gone and I was the winner. It was Bruce Boudreau on the phone asking me what my room number was. I told him and he was there 2 min. later to tell me that I had been traded to Carolina with a 2nd round pick and a young prospect for Joe Corvo. Bruce gave me ahug and wished me well and then my mind started racing. Carolina played Ottawa the next day and I had to be there by the 10:30 morning skate..I hopped on a plane to Charlotte, then to DC. My wife picked me up and we started packing for the next month and a half. I kissed my wife and kids goodbye( they were all sleeping) and started the 4 1/2 hour drive to Raleigh. I got in at 6 am and slept until 7:30am. I got up and headed out to meet my new teammates and in a few short hours we beat the Ottawa Senators for my first game as a Carolina Hurricane.
That was a crazy night! I was bombarded with all kinds of emotions. Excited about a new opportunity, sad to miss my family so much, anger for not having a chance to make a run at the Stanley Cup. And many many more. It was one of the most emotionally up and down days of my life.
Through this process I've been tempted to ask God, What the heck is going on here? I really have been drawing from my past and also Gods word in the time. God says He won't give us anything we cant handle.I also know that God has never abandoned me. Every step of my life, He has been there. Every transition he has made seemless and gave us the perfect home and a church community that we loved and friends that are amazing and schools for the kids. Where God guides, He provides. ( I know it'stacky but it works) He has had His hand in everything I have ever done and in everything I will ever do. He is our amazing, gracious and powerful provider.
I probably wouldn't have drawn up the last month of my lifelike this, but I know that I will look back in a few months or years and say, Thank God you are in control and I'm not! His plans are always better than ours.
Be Blessed
Brian

It is 11:45 pm and I am flying to Sunrise Florida. We play the Panthers tomorrow and we just got beat up bad by the Tampa Bay Lightning. They scored 4 goals in the first period.  We had beaten them 12 straight times and we knew they were going to be a tough matchup tonight. 
I think we were under the assumption that if we just showed up that we were supposed to be given the 2 points. Tampa had a different idea of how the night was going to go.  They were tired of being embarrassed and came to play tonight. I wish I could say the same for us. 
It came down to us being complacent and not preparing properly and them showing up and thinking it was game 7 of the Stanley cup finals.
Sometimes life is easy. Things are going your way.  Friends are actually friendly and you are in a groove. These times are always nice. The problem is that's when we forget what got us there.  We start thinking we are a lot cooler than we are. We forget that its by Gods grace that things are as smooth as they are. If you find yourself wandering from Jesus and starting to rely on yourself,  you are setting yourself up for a slap in the face from reality.  It's when we get comfortable is when the losses and big disappointments creep up on us.  Paul calls life a marathon and calls us to run the race with endurance. Let's not let life take us on a roller coaster ride but remain in Gods word and presence and we will have no choice but to be grounded.

Num 6:24

Brian

Whether a coach doesn't like you and you're not playing. Injury. A lull in your performance, someone on your team that mentally beats you up.  Parents.  Girlfriends.  Boyfriends. There can be a lot of external influences that can affect not only your performance but make you question if you are really called to be in this game.  Focusing on Jesus through all the garbage is essential.

A few disciples were out in a boat.  They looked out in the water and saw what they thought was a ghost.  When Peter ( one of the disciples ) realized it was Jesus he said, "Lord, if it's you let me come out to you."  Jesus then said, "come".  Peter leaned out of the boat and began walking on the water to meet Jesus.  Then he gradually began to take his eyes off Jesus and started noticing how big the waves were.  How windy and fierce the weather was.  I'm sure he was thinking to himself that he had no business walking on water.  After all he was just a man, not God.  As he was having these thoughts, he began to sink.  

It is difficult to look for Jesus through all the crazy circumstances of life.  Trust me, when things get hairy, its not easy to look to Jesus.  But as we practice this, it can become easier and eventually it becomes second nature.  

As this New Year begins, I challenge you all to know Jesus is in control.  No matter what the stuff around you looks like, know that Jesus has the ability to great things happen out of tough circumstances.  You never need a miracle unless you are in an impossible situation.

Have a blessed New Year!

Brian

Trivia:
• Posted a career-high 31 goals for the Coyotes last season.
• Drafted seventh overall by the then-Winnipeg Jets in 1995.

On dealing with injuries: “When things like injuries happen, you realize how little control you really have. The more you fight for control, the more frustrated you get. You need to accept what God is doing in your life. You may have questions, but don’t let them consume your thoughts. You have to enjoy the blessings of every day.”

On establishing good habits: “The more often you make the right decisions, the easier it gets. Not to say I’ve never made mistakes, but when I do I’m thankful for a forgiving God who is there for me.”

Merry Christmas!  I love this time of year. I have such fond memories of waking up early and bugging my parents until they finally got out of bed.   Stockings first,  then breakfast,  then a free for all into the gifts.
Now its my turn to try to eek out as much sleep as possible and laugh as my kids destroy every ounce of wrapping paper in site.  It's a challenge to make your kids aware of the fact that gifts and transformers shouldn't be the main focus of Christmas. It starts with black Friday where people are literally trampling each other to save a few bucks on the hot sale. Then you are surrounded by merry Xmas signs. I don't know about you but I'm not ready to x Christ out of Christmas. We spend all of our time in traffic and in lines to make sure all of our kids get the latest toys so they don't hate us. It's jacked up!! 
This year, I urge everyone to put Christ back in Christmas. Make sure at sometime this season you read the gospels.  The story of Christmas is unreal. What Jesus did for us is remarkable. The burden he bore for you and me is absolutely amazing. His love for us is impossible to measure. The least we can do in return is know,  understand and appreciate His sacrifice by honoring Him this season.  Remember why they call it Christmas. I urge you to keep Him first by living a life that will make Him smile.
Merry Christmas.
Brian

It is all about your response to it.

Brian Pothier