Inspirational

This past couple of weeks have been truly inspirational.

The London 2012 Games started with a fantastic Opening Ceremony in the Olympic Stadium in East London, has seen some magnificent performances from medal winners and those who've just missed out, and even more amazing stories of sports people triumphing over disaster to compete.

But it's away from the Games themselves that I've found my personal inspiration.

I've been working for More Than Gold, the agency set up to encourage and support churches as they get involved in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I've been working in the Media Centre which was set up just for the Olympics to help spread the news of what the British churches, and Christians, have been doing across the Games.

Churches across the nation have been getting together to host fantastic community events, thousands of volunteers have been out in the streets and at events helping people to enjoy the Games, hundreds of people have opened their homes to complete strangers through something called the More Than Gold Athlete Family Homestay programme. More Than Gold Games Pastors have been out at transport hubs as additional support for travellers and particularly our international visitors, and a million bottles of water have been distributed.

In the Media Centre we've been telling these stories, encouraging media to cover what the church is doing....and we've had some really good coverage.

I've met people from different nations who've come to volunteer in the Media Centre, made some new friends and worked with old friends. It's all been really good fun and very positive.

But the most inspirational moments for me came this morning at the More Than Gold / Athletes in Action Legacy Breakfast, an event held to honour committment and character on the field of sport and off. Two Christian sportspeople, Olympian rower Debbie Flood and Olympian Decathlete Bryan Clay were presented with the first ever Eric Liddell Award, and we also heard from Eric Liddell's daughters Heather and Patricia as we were reminded of that amazing athlete's Christian witness as well as his sporting achievements.

The Legacy Breakfast had a couple of other special guests, Stephanie Cook, the modern pentathlon Olympic gold medal winner who is also a doctor and Stefanie Reid, a long jumper and runner and a medal winning Paralympian.

The whole morning was inspiring and but for me, Stef Reid's story was the most challenging, impressive and motivational. 

When she was just 16 Stef lost her right foot in a boating accident. For someone as sporty as Stef, with dreams of being a rugby player, you'd think suddenly becoming an amputee would crush her and her ambitions.

But no - today she stood on a platform at London's Methodist Central Hall and told several hundred people how she was inspired, by her family, friends, complete strangers, and her Christian faith, to still reach her full potential.

Listening to Stef was truly humbling. She reminded me that whatever life throws at you, with belief in yourself, and faith, anything is possible. In my case, it may not be striving for Olympic sporting gold, but I can take this thought, and inspiration into many areas of my life.

And I'll be watching the upcoming London 2012 Paralympics with even more interest now!