Basketball Was My Life!

I realized that basketball was my life above God, and that is totally wrong!

Basketball and Life! NeedEncouragement.com

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I must admit that basketball was my life from the time I was in 4th grade all the way until I was in my 40’s. But when I realized that basketball became my God, I then could reevaluate things, and just enjoy basketball for what it is (an exciting fun game). Have you placed anything above God in your life? God always gives everyone hope to hold on to. I am so glad I could have basketball in my life to enjoy and learn lessons from. I am more glad I gave my life to God. Have you given your life to God and trusted His work on the cross to save you from your sins? If you are not 100% sure, I encourage you to take time now to make sure!

Basketball Was My Life! I Learned That In Basketball ~ A Player Needs To Prove To The Coach That They Have What It Takes To Be On The Team. But In Our Christian Life, It Is Not Anything We Have Done Or Could Do To Make Us Worthy To God Of Heaven ~ But It Is What Jesus Has Done On The Cross For Us!

The three main parts of my testimony are. 1. Basketball. 2. Drugs and Alcohol. 3. God and my recovery! If you do not know your eternal destiny, today is the day to get right with God. I am so thankful that I reached out for help. Because of the direction that drugs and alcohol and my sins were leading me, I was bound to be lost for eternity, if not for Jesus Christ. I am so thankful, and you can be grateful, too, to know your destiny.

~ Bill Greguska

Psalm 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

 

 


Basketball And Life ~ Has Given Me Some Ups And Downs!

Basketball is a part of my testimony. God is the main part. Recovering from drugs and alcohol was another major part. This is the testimony Of Bill Greguska NeedEncouragement.com

Ten Ways To Discover Additional Encouragement For Yourself:

  1. Encouragement for Relationships
  2. Encouragement to End an Addiction
  3. Encouragement for Your Faith 
  4. Encouragement from Many Topics
  5. Encouragement to Pray Daily
  6. Encouragement from our Ideas List
  7. Encouragement via Chatting
  8. Encouragement from our Sitemap 
  9. Encouragement from a Free Bible
  10. Encouragement from My Book

Find out what God’s Word says about your situation and what to do about it ~ Click here.

 


 

Every One Of Us Has A Testimony!

Realize that your story can help encourage others! Remember that the testimony of Bill Greguska is about my struggle between my will and God’s will. I have learned that God has given us all a free choice, and our testimony is what we do with it. Please read below to know what God has taught me and done in my life. No matter what we are going through, we all need encouragement!~ Bill Greguska

Almost everybody will listen to you when you tell your own story. ~ Billy Graham

John 8:32  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Here Is A Part Of My Story

God Changed My Life, and He Can Change Yours Too! My story starts in high school, where I made terrible choices and got incredibly messed up. I did manage to play basketball for a couple of years in high school, and I did pretty well, but as soon as I opened up the door to a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol, things quickly changed in my life for the worse. I allowed my desires to control my life and lived in continual defeat and frustration. There seemed to be no real meaning to life, and I seriously considered taking my life several times. I can not blame abusive parents, poverty, or anything else, except that I allowed my flesh, the devil, and the world to get the best of me. I submitted my life to Jesus in 1986 and finally got out of the driver’s seat, which has made a difference.

Discover encouragement from all of our many links!

 


 

How To Share Your Testimony?


 

This Testimony I Shared At The Milwaukee Rescue Mission in March 2021

Thank God that my basketball and my faith worked together for good! The testimony of Bill Greguska. NeedEncouragement.com

The Basketball Testimony of Bill Greguska ended in high school, but a new testimony came about for the Lord.

Hi everyone, I was encouraged to share my testimony with you guys again—this time, I want to share it differently. I am sure my life is not that different from most of your lives with its ups and downs, I would imagine. I grew up in the Milwaukee area. Born to a decent family, we went to church. I got a proper education, although I got super active in basketball to the point I made it; my god. I eventually learned that was a big mistake. Then I got addicted to drugs and alcohol, which ended any future hope I had to play basketball in college. Because of my addictions, I got in trouble with the law a few times and did some jail time.

Many Years Later…

I married when I was 37 years old, raised a son, and my wife divorced me ten years later. We are all old enough to reflect on our lives.

When I reflect on my life, the most important things I did were not playing basketball, quitting drugs and alcohol, stopping getting into trouble with the law, or getting married and raising a son. All those things are all good to a point. I am sure you guys might be thinking about the most important thing you did in your life. I will tell you how I see it.

The most important thing I did was being introduced to Jesus Christ and deciding to start following Him with my own free will and the Holy Spirit’s prompting. And that is what I did, and I am still doing. I am not sinless, but I can say that I sin less because of Jesus, who paid the penalty for my sins.

Accepting and following Jesus was the very logical thing for me to do. His teaching made sense to me. I did not accept Jesus the first time someone talked with me about Him, but finally, after having my final bout with the law in 1986, I was placed in long-term treatment for alcohol and drugs. It was the very last day I did any drugs, and right then, It came to me like turning on a light switch. I cried out to God to help me stop; sure enough, that day was the last time I used drugs or alcohol was June 25, 1986.

My Life Changed!

From then on, God worked on my heart by helping me change how I lived through the regeneration process. God mentally, emotionally, and spiritually freed me. I then saw that days added up to weeks, weeks added to months, and months added to years. If I said that I did not hear God knocking at my door during the first 26 years of my life, I could say that I finally had ears to hear and eyes to start to see how to live to honor God, which is what I hold on to.

I can not, or will not promise, that if you accept Jesus tonight, your life will be free of worries, problems, or pain. But I can promise you that you will have an advocate to help you through all your difficulties through prayer and having the opportunity to read His word to supply the strength and wisdom you need in this crazy world, we all live in. I ask you to think about what I have said and grab the opportunity to be forgiven for your past, present, and future sins and live the way God intended for you and me to live here on earth and eventually with Him someday in heaven. If you are ready to follow Christ, then today may be the day for you to do so! ~ Bill Greguska

 


 

Finding Peace Of Mind In Christ!


 

God Never Left Me; He Will Never Leave You Either!

My mom was my biggest cheerleader, coach, mother and friend! I was bless to have her as my mom!

My Mom encouraged me always to do my best, even when things were not going well.

I needed encouragement and direction, and that is what I got. I have been walking with the Lord by God’s grace, walking with the Lord ever since. Jesus has led me on the straight path, and He can do the same for you. It was not until I fully accepted God’s help that I could put the alcohol and drugs away.

After all that, I went through and all that I put myself through, I finally realized that I only needed to humbly ask God to come into my life to start making good out of the mess I made for myself by serving God and others. With God’s help, I turned my mess into a message to encourage you no matter what you are dealing with.

Hard Time Build Character!

We all know that storms do not last forever (my storms lasted about ten years). I was messed up on drugs and alcohol and sin. Sometimes, for reasons we may not understand, God allows things to happen for His purpose, even negative consequences as I put myself through. But keep in mind what it says in Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

The only way you can find encouragement is to keep your eyes on God instead of the tossing waves, and things will be much better when we trust God! I had faith in God since I was a young boy, seven years old, but it was not until I turned 26 that the fog lifted, and I knew God had a bigger plan for my life than I was living. Maybe it is time to discover God’s plan for your life is? Do you know God as your Lord and Savior? ~ Bill Greguska

 


 

Do You Believe God Can Change Your Life?


 

I Knew Of God Since I Was A Young Boy ~ But Not Faithfully!

Basketball was my life which I discovered later on that I made an idol out of it. Thankfully, God has been very gracious and faithful to me. As I mentioned, when people ask me how I am doing, I tell them, “Better than I deserve.” My life completely fell apart in a few years due to drugs and alcohol. I just wanted the pain to end and seriously contemplated suicide. Those thoughts haunted me, making life extremely hard to navigate with one foot in the grave and the other on thin ice; Satan was having a field day with me since Satan wanted to kill, steal, and destroy me.

God had other plans for me that I did not yet know about. Maybe you can relate to my story. Also, your testimony might be what someone else needs to help them with their faith. Please read my full testimony of how my life was (1) Before Jesus, (2) How Jesus came into my life, and (3) How my life changed because of Jesus.

 


 

Two Reasons To Get Right With God Are:

I took care of my mom the last 8 years of her life here on earth. NeedEncouragement.com

It was an honor to take care of my mom for the last 8 years of her life here on earth.

  1. You have never believed in God as your Lord and Savior.

  2. You have believed, yet your life is not reflecting a life honoring God.

In either situation, God’s grace alone can help you get right with God for the first time or get back on track. Start with prayer, and ask God to open your eyes to the truth of His word and show you the way.

Also, talk to a pastor or a Christian friend to help you along the way. If needed, you can even speak to a free Christian counselor. Another thing you could do is chat with a Christian online.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Problems Disappearing

(This is a section from My Book I wrote)

Lord, you have told me not to worry when burdens come my way but to trust that you will help me carry them. I remember that though I may be weak, you are always strong. You love and want to help me when I reach out to you with humility and reverence, praying based on your promises. I thank you for all you have done for me.

Lord, when I was homeless and messed up on drugs and alcohol, my life was very challenging. I was even thinking of taking my life, but I did it to myself; just like Adam and Eve, I was tempted and fell flat on my face. I thought it would never end, but Lord, your grace was sufficient for me, and you gave me the strength I needed. You put the right people in my life, and I came to them with a teachable spirit.

Lord, may I always remember to take my concerns to you instead of wrestling with them alone. How can I continue to flee from sin and grow closer to you each day? Looking through your eyes, I can see more clearly that you want the best for me. I know I have foolishly tried to handle things on my own. Help me realize once and for all that you want me to take all my cares to you. Please help me stay under your umbrella of protection and grace. I need to remember that seasons in life change. I may be heading into a storm, I may be in a storm, or I may be getting out of a storm.

Matthew 11:29 ~ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

We all have burdens, and we need to learn to carry each other’s burdens and lighten each other’s load. ~ Ann Romney, wife of American businessman and politician U. S. Senator Mitt Romney of Utah

 


 

Some Specific Scriptures To Encourage You:

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Philippians 4:13 ESV 

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Romans 15:13 ESV 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope.

 


Find Hope And Encouragement From Our Links!

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