Dana's Christian Journey

Someone asked me once to list all the cities I have visited since being diagnosed with cancer. I first thought, “No, I don’t really want to come across as bragging.” Later I thought, “My travels don’t even compare to people like Loren Cunningham and Arthur Blessitt who have told people about Jesus in every single country on the face of the earth.”

I do know this: there was a time in 2001 when I never thought I would go anywhere again. Our young family had taken two big trips (one to Russia and one to Israel) and I had taken individual weeks with Taylor to West Africa and Kinsey to Mexico. On each of those trips we had seen God work in amazing ways and we all enjoyed traveling.

But when our world turned upside down and life was very questionable, I had considered travel to be over. Even when a good friend called and told me of a vision God let him see of me going all over the world, I just rolled my eyes and thought, “Yeah, yeah.” (Thankfully my friend did not let my lack of faith dampen his.)

So don’t laugh if you think this is a puny list… and don’t think I am claiming to be Mr. Magellan, as I doubt God is too impressed with anyone’s passport. Just continue to give praise to God who often says to us, “Your thoughts are not my thoughts.” Most trips over these twelve years involved visiting missionaries or working with local Christians in their hometowns. Several trips involved weddings, in most of which I had a little role to play. May God receive glory in all our travels.

• Newark, NJ
• New York City
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Vienna, Austria
• Brno, Czech Republic
• Hawaii
• Los Angeles, CA
• Brno
• Prague, Czech Republic
• Tyler, TX
• Namibia
• Cape Town
• China
• Seoul, South Korea
• New York City
• Los Angeles
• Namibia
• Athens, Greece
• Israel
• Rome, Italy
• Tyler
• Hawaii
• Namibia
• New York City
• Rome
• Florence, Italy
• Venice, Italy
• Namibia
• Hawaii
• Los Angeles
• New Orleans, LA
• Boston, MA
• Namibia
• Sacramento, CA
• Brazil
• London, England
• Paris, France
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Boston
• Brazil
• Ecuador
• Israel
• Namibia
• Eugene, OR
• Ecuador
• Namibia
• Hamilton, VA
• Namibia
• Sweden
• London
• Oslo, Norway
• New York City
• Israel
• West Bank
• Ecuador

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

I’ll be in Ecuador next week and won’t be able to write. After I sent yesterday’s message, a good friend sent this piece about the show. NBC interviewed us the weekend we tried out and one of my quotes was used at the end of the article. Rock Center comes on tonight with a story on Jeff Foxworthy’s game.

Have a great weekend!

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy turns Bible verses into a hit game show

Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:08 PM EST
By Jay Kernis
Rock Center

“If you don’t know your Bible, you don’t have a prayer!”

With tongue-in-cheek, so warns comedian Jeff Foxworthy, host of the hit quiz show, “The American Bible Challenge.” About to begin its second season in March, the program broke all records when it premiered last August on GSN, the Game Show Network, debuting as the cable network’s #1 program of all time with 1.7 million viewers for its premiere show, and more than 13 million viewers for the first season.

“The American Bible Challenge” really is a game show in which three teams of three contestants answer questions based on stories from the Old and New Testament. At the end of the season, the championship team wins more than $100,000. But all prize money goes to the winning teams’ charities of choice.

QUIZ: Are you smarter than a Sunday school teacher? Take the quiz!

Foxworthy, the largest-selling comedy recording artist in history, told Rock Center’s Harry Smith that with each question he asks, he must balance being funny with being respectful to the material. He said, “I don’t want to ever hurt anybody’s feelings. I don’t ever want to offend somebody. But there’s, there’s a lot of humor in this, too. And so it’s that fine line of: hey, can we laugh at this, without being irreverent or disrespectful?

New this season is the addition of gospel star Kirk Franklin, winner of nine Grammy Awards. He leads the on-stage gospel choir and banters with Foxworthy during the show. Franklin told Harry that his work with the choir involves “to just bring a little more sauce to it, you know? Kind of get them out of the Sunday clothes, kind of swag ‘em up a little bit.”

Casting sessions for the second season were held in Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, Memphis and Los Angeles. Some 223 teams auditioned, including the show’s first two teams of the Jewish faith. One of the teams, “The Rockin’ Rabbis” from New York State is made up of two rabbis and a theological student. Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham said, “We feel like, within the Old Testament, we know what we’re talking about. And we should be able to show that to the rest of the world.”

WATCH: Comedian Jeff Foxworthy preps for ‘Bible Challenge’ season 2

All potential contestants had to take a 30-question written test and only if they had high enough scores were hopefuls then taped by casting directors.

Greater Atlanta Christian School teacher and cancer survivor Dana Davis said that passing the audition test is more than just a chance to be on TV. He explained, “It’s not just about reading the Book, but to know that God cares about us, that he actually walks with us, that he has the power to overcome the things that we have no control over.”

Editor’s Note: Harry Smith’s full report airs Friday, February 15 at 10pm/9c on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams.

Back In December, our athletic director received an invitation to bring a team of coaches to try out for Jeff Foxworthy’s American Bible Challenge game show. Four of us went to a small building in downtown Atlanta to compete for a spot. There were probably thirty other teams trying out too, but being the humble coaches we are, we knew we were the best group there.

First we had to take a written test on Bible knowledge and we all were sure we scored above 95%. Next we had to interview on camera to allow the decision makers to see how we would handle the bright lights and glory. All four of us were relaxed and comfortable as we answered  questions on camera.

Not only were there representatives from the game show, but NBC also had representatives in the room who wanted to do a story on the Game Show Network. Deep down we believed NBC and GSN were in the room with a stellar team… smart, witty, good-looking… we were in our element.

After at least twenty minutes of questions, the interviewer said he wanted us to close with a brief testimony regarding the place the Bible had played in our lives. Tim, Kristy, and Taylor all shared great things, giving credit to parents and teachers who taught Scripture as a way of life.

I was the last to be interviewed so I decided to share about being diagnosed with cancer in 2000. “As I prepared for a dreaded stem cell transplant in 2001, a dear friend gave me a note that looked like a doctor’s prescription: Read 100 X – Psalm 23. This is the chapter in the Bible that says, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.’” (vv 1-3)

The dozen strangers in the room were listening intently so I continued, “We all love the Bible and it does contain a lot of trivia, but we want you to know that it is true.

“Jesus did go with me like a Shepherd through ‘the valley of the shadow of death.’ God is real and his Word gives us life. We’re talking about more than just a book.”

After we were dismissed, one of the guys from NBC pulled me aside and asked if he could have a word. “First,” he said, “I’m sorry about your health. How are you doing now?” I told him I felt great and was thankful for the last twelve years. The man then looked me straight in the eye and asked, “Was what you said in there true? Is there really a God who walks with you that way?” I had about one minute to encourage him with the the hope we have in Christ.

We’re still waiting for a call from Hollywood. There are only two possibilities I can entertain: Either they lost our file or we were overqualified. Oh well, I guess ‘that’s show biz…’

“I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of The Lord forever.” Psalm 23:4-6