September 23, 2007
Great Sunday
Hello! This is Scott Paschal. Welcome to the International Christian Tennis Association, ICTA, blog.
Today was a great day. Today’s great day started yesterday, when the van broke down in Orlando. Rachel Snelen called to let me know the van was overheating. Nice, huh? A van, full of international missionaries from 4 countries, getting an attitude.
Melody Snelen, Rachel’s twin sister, was in the other van with another missionary, fortunately in the same city and fairly nearby. Me, I’m at the ICTAHouse realizing I’m about to be hit with another $500 bill to fix something else that broke.
So, in my self-absorbed world of not wanting to part with another $500, I called a friend I hadn’t spoken with in a long time. Not really to vent, but maybe to get my priorities straight. See, my friend is an emergency room doctor. I know he deals with tough stuff.
I’ve known him a few years. He’s come on an ICTA large-scale mission trip with us to the Nasdaq 100 Open, now the Sony Ericson Open, which is the world’s 5th largest pro tennis tournament. His daughter went, too. She was 10 or 11 at the time. Anyway, he and I could be mistaken for brothers. Same size, same age, same things we like… it’s great. We enjoy hanging out. He’s even come here to Palm Coast and trained with us.
So in my frustration with the van, I called him. We caught up on stuff, then I discovered he lives a few miles from my church! I invited him to come to church with all of us. He accepted and brought his daughter! It was great! He fit right in, met a doctor friend of his there, and really liked everything! After church we all went out to eat, then went to see 3:10 to Yuma, a new movie. The whole day was fun. His daughter loved hanging out with our female missionaries.
I laughed when I realized God used the van breaking down to bring my friend to church. Ok, so it’ll cost me $500 to fix it. So what!?
It’s His money anyway. And He decided to spend some of it to bring one of His children to fellowship with other believers.
What a Great Sunday!
September 15, 2007
Christian Tennis Facility
Just a quick note to inform our ICTABLOG family worldwide that I’ve submitted our ideas and drawings for ICTA’s tennis facility to a premier architect firm who is now working on blueprints and artwork. I’d like to ask for your prayers for the blueprints to be completely accurate and the artwork to be inspiring, and prayers for those doing so much work on both.
God is working in bringing ICTA towards a tennis facility to shine for Him within the tennis world globally. Donors and investors have been found for start-up building expenses…ICTA has developed relationships with two bankers for potential building loans or lines of credit… USPTA master pro and high performance tennis professionals, as well as current pro tour coaches, have committed to working at our facility when it is operational, students worldwide are ready to train full time with ICTA, an administrative staff and an advisory board is in place.
Now begins the next step in a yearslong journey of faith. One that has started and stopped several times. Thank you for your prayers.
Scott Paschal
September 9, 2007
Rockin’ Good Time in Orlando!
Rock the Universe at Universal Studios was a great time for the ICTA gang. David, Wil, Jordan, Joe, Rach, Mel, Ana, and I hung out together listening to some great Christian bands and speakers, and had fun on the rides. Universal Studios is a neat place.
I actually didn’t get home til after 4am! I know, that’s late. After Rock the Universe I spent some time with a friend, then headed home. But, on the way home, I ran into a basically shut down highway… which wasn’t a good thing because my Jeep was nearly out of gas. After idling and inching forward for about an hour, I decided to four wheel my way to freedom and to a nearby gas station. I can still see shocked and excited look on the kids’ faces in the minivan next to me as I pulled off the highway and began driving down the steep hill on the side of the highway… you just know they wished they had a Jeep.
Who is going to win the 2007 US OPEN today, Novak or Fed? My pick is for Novak, though there is probably no way it’s going to happen.
God bless and think Rock the Universe 2008!
Scott Paschal
International Christian Tennis Association 2012 