World Cup Dad
It’s never too late to chase your dreams!
As a kid, I remember constantly being told to chase my dreams, not to sell myself short and always reach for the stars. I was encouraged by teachers, adults and my parents to have high aspirations for my life. “You can achieve anything you put your mind to,” they would say. Yet somewhere along the way, so many of us lose sight of these high aspirations. We reach a tipping point in which we stop dreaming. It’s the point in which you realize life has put you on a course (a trajectory) and there doesn’t seem to be much deviation from that. Whether it’s by choice or not, life takes its course. Unfortunately, it may not be the course you foresaw or imagined for your life.
For many of us, all those aspirations and plans we once had become a distant memory and a forgotten dream. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Let me introduce you to Zach Duke. At the age of 34, he lacked a greater vision for his life. In December of 2022, Zach, a strong Christian, was sitting in a coffee shop in Virginia where he had a divine encounter with the Holy Spirit. Zach was listening to a podcast called “DadWork” in which the episode’s guest challenged men not to accept the status quo but to step up and lead their families to see generational change.
Zach recalls, “I’m sitting there thinking … that’s not me; I’m the opposite of this. If I look at my life 50 years from now … I don’t like the dad that I’m becoming. I don’t like the husband I’m becoming. I don’t like the man of God I’m becoming.” So, Zach decided he needed to do something with his life that would inspire others, including his five kids.
At that moment, Zach prayed a bold prayer. He asked God what he could with all his abilities and talents to inspire others, all the while bringing God glory. He recalls clearly hearing God speak to him, “Play soccer.” “Soccer?!” he thought. He had always been a good athlete, even playing football in college for Liberty University. However, he had never played the sport of soccer a day in his life!
But at God’s prompting, he decided to obey. So, in that moment he set a goal of playing for the USA national soccer team in the 2026 world cup. Zach convinced his wife and family of this dream and together they began their journey. Starting every day at 4 am he sought out to train, leaning only on what he heard God say, and hoping to inspire many through his story.
His skills began to develop quickly, and he began playing in recreational leagues. He quickly improved and was getting better. He tried out for club teams and made them. He tried out for semi-professional teams and made them. He went on to play for international teams in South America. He was offered a spot on the Hoosier Army squad that entered the 2024 edition of The Soccer Tournament (TST) back in June. TST is a prestigious 7v7 competition that features numerous domestic and international teams boasting many professional indoor players alongside recently retired stars of the outdoor game. He was so impressive that the USA soccer federation has since called him up to represent the United States against Mexico on September 29. At 36 years of age, he is on the doorstep of achieving his dream!
Zach views his journey as more than a successful athletic career; he sees it as a test of faith. “There’s a few things that I know are absolutely true,” Zach said. “One, it has nothing to do with me. It has very little to do with soccer. I think it has everything to do with faith: Do we believe God is who he says he is?”
Zach currently plays with the Strikers, a professional indoor team based in Los Angeles, where he has been a major influence on the culture of the team, despite being older than most of his teammates. He began a Bible study where he has seen many of his teammates accept Christ and had the opportunity to baptize several of them. Zach, whose journey is chronicled online, is now known as “world cup dad.” I’m praying he makes the USA national team. But more importantly I’m praying the “world cup dad’s” story inspires you today to not give up on your dream. You too can inspire many...
God uniquely and specifically designed you. The Bible says you are fearfully and wonderfully made—God hardwired you with unique talents, gifts and abilities. In other words, nobody else can live your life, but you. Here is the real culprit responsible for so many people quitting on their dreams and not finding their purpose: they are pursuing a dream and a purpose that is a counterfeit. It wasn’t what God created them to do. This is going to sound so cliché but it’s so true: God loves you and has a unique plan for your life. It’s a purpose that was intended before you were born. Over and over in the Bible, God says, before he even made us, the plans and purpose for our life were already laid out. So, he didn’t create you and then give you purpose. He started with purpose and then created you. You are uniquely hardwired for it.
This is what I want you to remember: find your slingshot. Perhaps one of the best-known stories in the Bible is the story of David versus Goliath. You have this shepherd boy, David, who shows up with some lunch for his brothers in the army and hears a giant Philistine, Goliath, come and challenge the army of God. For 40 days, not one man is brave enough to accept his challenge. David trusts God and he boldly steps up in that moment. Somehow, he convinces the leaders that he is the one to fight this giant. And they say, “Okay, but you’re going to need this armor, this sword, and this shield.” They try to give him all this stuff, and he tries it on, but it doesn’t fit. He can’t move with it. And David says, “I’m sorry, I can’t use this. I was not made for this. I know what I have and what I need—it's this slingshot, and It’s unique to me. That is what I’m going to use to defeat Goliath,” and he does.
Some of you have given up on your slingshot. It’s not too late to pick it up. Your purpose and dreams have been given to you by God. Don’t quit on them. Don’t quit on God. He never quits on you!
It’s never too late to chase your dreams.
As a kid, I remember constantly being told to chase my dreams, not to sell myself short and always reach for the stars. I was encouraged by teachers, adults and my parents to have high aspirations for my life. “You can achieve anything you put your mind to,” they would say. Yet somewhere along the way, so many of us lose sight of these high aspirations. We reach a tipping point in which we stop dreaming. It’s the point in which you realize life has put you on a course (a trajectory) and there doesn’t seem to be much deviation from that. Whether it’s by choice or not, life takes its course. Unfortunately, it may not be the course you foresaw or imagined for your life.
For many of us, all those aspirations and plans we once had become a distant memory and a forgotten dream. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Let me introduce you to Zach Duke. At the age of 34, he lacked a greater vision for his life. In December of 2022, Zach, a strong Christian, was sitting in a coffee shop in Virginia where he had a divine encounter with the Holy Spirit. Zach was listening to a podcast called “DadWork” in which the episode’s guest challenged men not to accept the status quo but to step up and lead their families to see generational change.
Zach recalls, “I’m sitting there thinking … that’s not me; I’m the opposite of this. If I look at my life 50 years from now … I don’t like the dad that I’m becoming. I don’t like the husband I’m becoming. I don’t like the man of God I’m becoming.” So, Zach decided he needed to do something with his life that would inspire others, including his five kids.
At that moment, Zach prayed a bold prayer. He asked God what he could with all his abilities and talents to inspire others, all the while bringing God glory. He recalls clearly hearing God speak to him, “Play soccer.” “Soccer?!” he thought. He had always been a good athlete, even playing football in college for Liberty University. However, he had never played the sport of soccer a day in his life!
But at God’s prompting, he decided to obey. So, in that moment he set a goal of playing for the USA national soccer team in the 2026 world cup. Zach convinced his wife and family of this dream and together they began their journey. Starting every day at 4 am he sought out to train, leaning only on what he heard God say, and hoping to inspire many through his story.
His skills began to develop quickly, and he began playing in recreational leagues. He quickly improved and was getting better. He tried out for club teams and made them. He tried out for semi-professional teams and made them. He went on to play for international teams in South America. He was offered a spot on the Hoosier Army squad that entered the 2024 edition of The Soccer Tournament (TST) back in June. TST is a prestigious 7v7 competition that features numerous domestic and international teams boasting many professional indoor players alongside recently retired stars of the outdoor game. He was so impressive that the USA soccer federation has since called him up to represent the United States against Mexico on September 29. At 36 years of age, he is on the doorstep of achieving his dream!
Zach views his journey as more than a successful athletic career; he sees it as a test of faith. “There’s a few things that I know are absolutely true,” Zach said. “One, it has nothing to do with me. It has very little to do with soccer. I think it has everything to do with faith: Do we believe God is who he says he is?”
Zach currently plays with the Strikers, a professional indoor team based in Los Angeles, where he has been a major influence on the culture of the team, despite being older than most of his teammates. He began a Bible study where he has seen many of his teammates accept Christ and had the opportunity to baptize several of them. Zach, whose journey is chronicled online, is now known as “world cup dad.” I’m praying he makes the USA national team. But more importantly I’m praying the “world cup dad’s” story inspires you today to not give up on your dream. You too can inspire many...
God uniquely and specifically designed you. The Bible says you are fearfully and wonderfully made—God hardwired you with unique talents, gifts and abilities. In other words, nobody else can live your life, but you. Here is the real culprit responsible for so many people quitting on their dreams and not finding their purpose: they are pursuing a dream and a purpose that is a counterfeit. It wasn’t what God created them to do. This is going to sound so cliché but it’s so true: God loves you and has a unique plan for your life. It’s a purpose that was intended before you were born. Over and over in the Bible, God says, before he even made us, the plans and purpose for our life were already laid out. So, he didn’t create you and then give you purpose. He started with purpose and then created you. You are uniquely hardwired for it.
This is what I want you to remember: find your slingshot. Perhaps one of the best-known stories in the Bible is the story of David versus Goliath. You have this shepherd boy, David, who shows up with some lunch for his brothers in the army and hears a giant Philistine, Goliath, come and challenge the army of God. For 40 days, not one man is brave enough to accept his challenge. David trusts God and he boldly steps up in that moment. Somehow, he convinces the leaders that he is the one to fight this giant. And they say, “Okay, but you’re going to need this armor, this sword, and this shield.” They try to give him all this stuff, and he tries it on, but it doesn’t fit. He can’t move with it. And David says, “I’m sorry, I can’t use this. I was not made for this. I know what I have and what I need—it's this slingshot, and It’s unique to me. That is what I’m going to use to defeat Goliath,” and he does.
Some of you have given up on your slingshot. It’s not too late to pick it up. Your purpose and dreams have been given to you by God. Don’t quit on them. Don’t quit on God. He never quits on you!
It’s never too late to chase your dreams.
1 Comment
This really challenges me Preacher. I’m not sure I even have “dreams” but the way you described it, I must. One thing I know for certain is I’m going to be spending my time asking what He created me to be and do. Thank you Preacher! I want to live a life that He can use to bring glory to His Holy name.