Elite Athletes Encounter GodSample

Eternal Life

Hans Peter Royer (Austria) (1962 - † 2013)
Extreme Skier, mountain guide, evangelical preacher, author, head of a Bible School, and an authentic role model for many 

The Golling North Face in the area of Niederen Tauern has a maximum height of 1,200 meters with the third level of difficulty (UIAA). Helmut Knauss (brother of the former ski racer and TV Commentator Hans Knauss) whom I was in the military with, was the driving force to ride this cliff with skiers. Together with Sepp Schwaiger on April 17th 1982 we set out to the 2,862 meter high summit of the Hochgolling. The entrance channel was easily manageable. However, in the second part it was oftentimes a risk to jump over a few meters of frozen rocks and catch yourself again. Only in the last section, we had to take off our skiis and abseil down over a 30-meter vertical rock.

Sadly, Helmut Knauss experienced a fatal accident only a few years later (1985) when he was on a ski tour in the Schladminger Tauern with three fellow mountaineers. I will never forget this day because I was actually also supposed to have been with them. I was spared because a private student booked my services that day. That day, I lost one of my best friends. I had many adventures with him in the snow, mountains, and caves. We had planned many more adventures, but they would never come to pass. 

A Bible verse that encouraged me over many years is, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). For a cheerful person this verse made no sense. However, the older I became, the more I realized that our life, our identity, only truly consists of loving relationships. The vertical relationship to God, and the horizontal relationship to people. Because my relationship to Jesus Christ grew over the years, I experience a very real hope and joy that goes far beyond this life. I am, and will remain in relationship with my God - in this life, and in eternity. 

Everyone who knows Jesus Christ shares this same hope with me. That is why it is my greatest joy to witness people turning to God and experience both real and eternal life. I wish the same for everyone - even YOU!

Action Step

God also wants to encounter YOU. Invite the Holy Spirit to read the bible passage with you and expect that he will speak to you. Trust that God will show you the steps you should take in your own life. Ask Him for strength and courage to follow his voice.