In the past 5 years, my wife and I have developed two of the most popular shows in
America. We believe the success is derived from our God given talents and our true
love for our athletes. Our shows are totally centered around the athletes. Besides
being a promoter, I am also a judge, and a competitive bodybuilder.
I have been lifting weights consistently for 18 years. During the course of this
time I have competed in 25 shows and won 15 titles. Through my experience as a
competitive bodybuilder, I have seen good shows and bad. I learn from both
experiences and attempt to bring the better elements to our events.
Bodybuilding is a very unique and great sport. We have done our best to preserve the
good qualities and discourage the bad. Bodybuilding was originated to develop the
human body into something stronger and healthier. If you decide to do our shows,
please take the time to say hello to us, or give us a call, or an email. We would
love the opportunity to meet and talk with you.
If you want to know more about me on more personal level, please read on.
A certain chain of events led me into bodybuilding. Growing up through elementary
and junior high school was very difficult for me. I was constantly getting picked on
and beat up on. You see, I was extremely skinny. People called me names such as
bean pole, skeleton boy, string bean. Those were some of the nicer names. And I
also got hit on a lot.
It was one night after I came home from school with a bloody lip, that I pleaded with
my father to teach me how to fight. He told me to cool off for 24 hours and then he
would help me out. He came home from work the next night with a single 10 lb
dumbbell. I asked him what I was supposed to do with this . . . drop it on their
toe. I didn’t want this thing. I wanted to fight back. My father is a peacemaker.
He told me that if I worked out and gained muscle, then the other kids wouldn’t pick
on me. It would also help build my confidence. It was going to take hard work and
discipline.
Well, for about 4 years I worked out by myself in my basement. I still got picked
on, but it did gradually stop. When I got into high school, I found a workout
partner or a spotter. He helped me gain muscle a lot quicker than ever before. I had
gained as much with him in about 4 months as I did in the previous 4 years. My
spotter could help me get a few more reps, help encourage me, and tell me when I my
technique and form wasn’t quite right. He was constantly raising my levels of
performance, bringing me to higher points than previously achieved.
So, what has bodybuilding done for me? It has taught me discipline, the meaning of
hard work, goal setting, brought me in contact with many life long friends, and has
allowed me to taste both bitter defeat and sweet victory. Bodybuilding has affected
my life, but is not my life. Eventhough, I spend a great deal of time in the gym,
competing, promoting,judging, and making trophies, I do not let bodybuilding consume
me. If you let your lifting and this sport take complete dominance in your life, you
are setting yourself up for defeat.
This is not to say you must lose your ambition or your goals, but don’t let it become
the motivating factor in your life. What are you going to look in like in 20-30
years from now? What happens if you incur an injury or disease that puts you out of
the sport? Let’s face it, there is only one Mr. Olympia every year. The sacrifices
you would have to make would probably kill you before you even got close to that
level.
Although, bodybuilding can add many benefits to your life, there is so much more to
this life than bodybuilding. Have you ever given considerable thought to how the
whole world and universe was created? Big Bang? Seriously, think about it. If
there was a big bang, who brought the atoms, molecules, and gases into existence?
Every day, scientists are finding more evidence disproving the big bang and evolution
theories. There is only one explanation to the Creation of the world and that is
God.
God created the earth and everything around and in it with just a few simple words.
Can you imagine the intelligence or power that it took to do this? No, its beyond
our human capabilities. Its like trying to think about infinity or an endless
galaxy. God is the Strongest of the Strong, Almighty, and Everlasting. What is so
Awesome about God is that eventhough He is Big and Powerful, He loves us, He created
us. God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27).
If you look at the world today, you see man live and act as if he were a god. It
seems everyone is consumed with the idea that we must try to obtain fame and fortune.
People will go to any lengths to sacrifice their bodies and souls in an attempt to
find happiness. However, man is not a god, he is a creation of God. Could you create
an entire universe or something as complex as a human being? I don’t know about you,
but I have a hard enough time finding new and creative ways to make my egg whites
edible every morning. We are not perfect, we all fall short of the Glory of God
(Roman 3:23).
How do you learn more about this Powerful God? To start, you can read about Him in
the Old Testament in the Bible. There are countless examples of God’s Mighty Works.
People who believed in Him, trusted in Him, and listened to Him were blessed. We can
look at the mighty things he did for the Israelite people. Back in those times, the
Israelites would offer sacrifices of oil, food, and animals to God for the
forgiveness of their shortcomings. In many books of the Old Testament, God foretells
the coming of a Savior whom He would send to save the world from its imperfections.
This Savior would come in peace and would take the place of these sacrifices.
Not only did God send us a Savior, but He sent His only Son in human form, Jesus
Christ. The Old Testament of the Bible predicted the birth, life, and death of Jesus
over 700 years prior to His coming. Jesus Christ came into the world through the
womb of a Virgin mother. He was humbly born in a barn. Jesus was teaching Jewish
leaders in the temple by the age of 12. When Jesus set out in His ministry to the
world, he never sought public attention. His ministry was that of healing the sick,
giving the blind vision, opening the ears of the deaf, raising the dead, performing
numerous miracles, teaching the right ways to live through examples and parables, and
showing the ultimate gift of love.
Despite these wonderful and beautiful things that Jesus did and taught, He was
rejected by His own people. They viewed Jesus as a threat, eventhough, Jesus did not
seek political power, prestige, or status. Jesus came first to earth to save the
Jews from their imperfections and sins, and then to the Gentiles (everyone else). He
led an absolutely perfect life, because He was born of God. He showed people how to
obtain eternal life after you die on earth.
Jesus was falsely accused and was sentenced to die by crucifixion. His accuser gave
Jesus the chance to bypass death by simply defending Himself. But Jesus did not
because He knew it was God’s will. When Jesus died on that cross, he became the last
sacrifice that people like you and I would have to offer God for the forgiveness or
our wrong doings and imperfections. From this point on, people would only have to
confess their sins before God and ask Him directly for forgiveness. You see, Christ
was our Bridge for reconciliation with God and our only way to get to Heaven, an
eternal life after earth
(John 3:16).
But there is more to this remarkable bit of history. Christ was beaten, tortured,
crucified, and speared before He died. But on the third day after His death, His
body had vanished out of the grave site, even though it was guarded by Roman
centurions. Jesus was Alive! In fact, He appeared to many dozens of people in the
following weeks. When Jesus finally ascended into Heaven, God gave us His Holy
Spirit to stay on earth to be our companion. God speaks, guides, and directs us
through His Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is often misunderstood and misrepresented. For true disciples of
Christ, you can almost hear, feel, and see what God wants you to do. What turns away
the Holy Spirit from working side by side in your life, is your imperfection. When
you feel something is wrong and proceed with that action anyway, you are pushing
God’s Spirit away.
Bringing this back to my bodybuilding high school example, the Holy Spirit, God, and
Jesus Christ are the Spotters of my life. Its my job to actually perform my daily
living to that which Jesus taught, but He is there to support me, encourage me, pick
me up when I get stuck or hurt. He is my confidence. I know that I can face any
situation in this life and that God will see me through. There may times when I
don’t think I need him, but I am not going to make any progress or gains without him.
When you start off as a Christian, you start off weak and small, but as you spend
more time with Him, you grow bigger and stronger.
Do you want more to life than and endless pursuit of happiness? God loves you and He
created you. He sent His only Son to die for you. Knowing Jesus, walking in your
daily life with Jesus, trusting in Jesus, reading about Jesus, and fellowshipping
with other people who know Jesus will give you pure Joy. You see what God has
offered you is eternal life. It is a gift. All that He asks is that
- Recognize His Love for you.
- Realize Jesus died for you.
- Admit your need for Him.
- Confess you sin to Him and repent from it, which means to stop it and to turn to God
- Place your trust and faith in Jesus and invite Him into your life.
Do you want to know God and become a believer of Jesus? If so, say a little prayer
similar to this one, “Dear God, I know you love me. I confess my sin and
imperfection before you and ask for forgiveness. I know invite Jesus into my life.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, Jesus is now your personal Savior. Please tell a pastor
or another Christian about your decision. Show others your faith in Christ by being
baptized and becoming an active member of a church.
If I can be of assistance, please email me at lester@fidnet.com. God loves you and
so do I.
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