Miracles do happen in Rio de Janeiro, Just ask Renee & Philip Murdoch…

Someone once said “there are no coincidences in life…” but I am not sure who said it or why. I gave up after trying to google the source for five minutes. The point being there are no coincidences in life this I believe.

So, as you might know I am flying to Rio in a few days to witness the historic return of golf to the Olympics. Actually this is not the real reason I am going to Rio or the first time I will be in Rio. Three years ago I set out on a “Journey to Olympic Golf,” a 14-country, 100-day, 18,471 mile odyssey to find out what the “Spirit of Olympic Golf” was and is going to be again. My plan was simple—visit the Olympic cities of Atlanta, St. Louis and Mexico City to find the “Spirit of the Olympics” and combine it with what I knew—the history and tradition of golf, to arrive at the Spirit of Olympic Golf.” This writer’s version is soon to be superseded by 60 men and 60 woman golfers and I am excited to be there to capture this unique Spirit!

So, I was in my hometown a couple of weeks ago with a media credential covering the 10th annual Dick’s Sporting Goods Open at En Joie Golf Club. I was enjoying myself and asked a friend to recommend a good “Rock n Roll” church (my code name for an evangelical church) to attend on Sunday morning. She suggested Calvary Community Church in Johnson City. It was a beautiful Mass, I mean Service (sorry about that as I was raised a Catholic) and it ended with an invitation to hear a lady from Rio de Janeiro speak at 6 pm that evening.

Now is that a coincidence or what?

I was captivated by her story and knew I had to attend her talk at 6 pm even though the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open was scheduled to end at 7 pm.

Here was Renee Murdoch, a missionary and motivational speaker in Rio, where I was headed, and a wife and mother of four children. Along with her husband Philip, she pastors the four-campus Light to the Nations Church in Rio.

In October of 2012 Renee was attacked by a homeless man while she jogged on the beach in Barra de Tijuca where most of the Olympics will take place in Rio. The attack with a wooden fence post severely damaged her brain. After several weeks in a coma, six brain surgeries, one of which was a cranioplasty to reattach a portion of her skull that was removed stored at a bone bank. Despite all odds Renee is fully recovered and ministers across Brazil and the United States of America.

Her full recovery was not only one miracle but a series of twenty-three miracles from passers-by stopping the homeless man from beating on Renee’s head to an emergency physician on board an ambulance that arrived quickly to Renee preaching and ministering again after only 114 days. That’s less than four months after having a portion of her skull removed to reduce the swelling of her brain.

Her talk, like her book just published in June, was not only motivational but inspirational as well. The title of her book—”It’s a Beautiful Day, How to Overcome Unexpected Obstacles”—is an understatement if there ever was one. Written by Renee and Philip, with a chapter by their daughter Julia, this book not only chronicles Renee’s miraculous recovery but goes on to helping us realize our own “unimaginable opportunities,” and with God’s help along with our gratitude and forgiveness, take hold of our own Miracle in our own life.

TROML Baby!

The media would lead us to believe these Olympics are doomed to failure due to crime, pollution and political instability in Brazil. The withdraw of several top golfers is disheartening. You might be thinking why on Earth would Andy go down to Rio, it’s too dangerous and he doesn’t even have a place to stay!

The reality that I have found in my 7-1/2 months during the last three winters in the Southern Hemisphere is that anything I have witnessed or heard about out there has or is happening right here at home too. Sad, but true.

Nearly two million women are assaulted each year in the United States, and more than half of women will be physically assaulted during their lifetime.

Where am I going with this?

To Rio of course. To see my beloved game of golf be immersed in a worldly way, in a new way, with many other sports and to witness what will happen as both male and female golfers compete for an Olympic Golf Gold Medal.

What will the business of golf learn from golf being an Olympic Sport?

What will we learn from the catalytic combination of a challenging yet inspiring game of golf and the world acknowledged Spirit of the Olympics?

The Olympic Spirit of Golf is sure to emerge from Rio, perhaps in as a miraculous manner as the recovery of Renee Murdoch.

Paul Goydos continued his workmanlike round of golf around the En Joie Golf Course and went on to win the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open as I listened to an inspiring talk by Renee Powell.

A male and female golfer will be given an Olympic Golf Gold Medal and become the Champion Golfer of the World.

I’ll find a bed one way or another.

Maybe there are no coincidences in life…